Finalization of the vertical shroud chainplates
Matt continues to fabricate the carbon chainplates for the new mast on his 60-foot sailboat. After laminating the first fabrics in place to match the curvature of the hull, he continues the fabrication in the shop, adding the extra layers of fabric. Between two sets of fabric, he sands the carbon to prevent residues of rip-off fabric from polluting the part and risking delamination in the long run. The structural part is indeed essential for the boat.
A weight divided by 10
Once the part is finished, Matt cuts the stainless steel tube. He weighs the piece, which weighs less than 10 kilos. For comparison, he weighs the old stainless steel chainplates, which weigh about 10 times more. Duracell thus saves more than 150 kilos, always useful in a transformation where the layout should make the boat heavier.
Diagonal chainplates
Once the vertical shroud chainplates were finished, Matt started working on the diagonal chainplates, using the same principle. A first series of fabrics is laminated on the hull, taking care to add a spacer to anticipate the thickness gained in the subsequent laminations. An angle of 7 degrees is respected for an optimal absorption of the rig's efforts.
