Oyster 48 LW

[Joburic]

Does anyone have info on construction quality of the balsa cored Oyster 48 lightvawe?
Interested in buying one but can't decide. To much different opinions
Thanks

 

[E39mad]

I sailed one across the Atlantic in 1995 - the boat was about 4 years old at the time and it had been well used but professionally cared for. Probably not old enough at that time to have any serious issues. The only problem we had was that the cable wire steering system stretched so much that it almost fell of the quadrant.

It was a fast crossing for a cruising boat with only in-mast furling and roller genoa polled out in 15 days.

 

[Joburic]

I sailed one across the Atlantic in 1995 - the boat was about 4 years old at the time and it had been well used but professionally cared for. Probably not old enough at that time to have any serious issues. The only problem we had was that the cable wire steering system stretched so much that it almost fell of the quadrant.

It was a fast crossing for a cruising boat with only in-mast furling and roller genoa polled out in 15 days.

Thanks much

 

[TQA]

Scarlet Oyster is a Lightwave 48. She has been in race charter in the Caribbean UK and Med for quite a few years and seems to be standing up to the strain well. Multiple transatlantic passages.

Although I seem to remember they had a rudder failure in the Med a few years back.

 

[Joburic]

Yes, I have read quite a lot on Scarlet Oyster and know abot the failure. Well, failures can allways happen even in a much newer boats. What I was worried about is the under waterline construction in end grain balsa sandwich. And I can't find any design or specification or description about how thick was originally the inner and outer laminate GRP layer. The offical sepc's says the balsa is 1 inch and laminate done from "special" isoftalic resin. What precisely means "special", couldn't find out.

 

[lw395]

I don't know specifically about the 48s, but AFAIK, the most special thing about the layup of the Lightwaves is that they were vacuum bagged, so much better integrity than many 'brush and bucket' balsa cored mouldings of that era.
20-odd years of bumps to the topsides and dodgy boatyard shoring can take its toll though.

 

[pvb]

What I was worried about is the under waterline construction in end grain balsa sandwich.

I think that's a valid concern. I can't understand why a supposedly premium boatbuilder was still using balsa core when Divinycell was available.

 

[geem]

I think that's a valid concern. I can't understand why a supposedly premium boatbuilder was still using balsa core when Divinycell was available.

My boat was built in 1980 and they used Airex foam in the bow section presumably to stiffen the bow area but also to increase the impact resistance. More durable materials than balsa have been around for a long time

 

[doug748]

I think that's a valid concern. I can't understand why a supposedly premium boatbuilder was still using balsa core when Divinycell was available.

Interesting article by David Pascoe, an American surveyor:

"The fact is that foam cored laminates are extremely vulnerable to impact damage, and can be highly prone to core separation. Our examination of balsa cores revealed that they, too, fared much better than foam cores. The advantage of balsa is that it has both superior bonding strength and superior shear strength. Whereas foam is very weak against inter- laminar shearing forces, balsa is quite strong. This is easy to understand because we all understand how wood is weak with the grain, but very strong against the grain."

"Curved cored panels are decidedly weaker than solid glass panels, particularly when compressive loads are applied in shear mode."

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/HiTech.htm

 

[pvb]

Interesting article by David Pascoe, an American surveyor:

"The fact is that foam cored laminates are extremely vulnerable to impact damage, and can be highly prone to core separation. Our examination of balsa cores revealed that they, too, fared much better than foam cores. The advantage of balsa is that it has both superior bonding strength and superior shear strength. Whereas foam is very weak against inter- laminar shearing forces, balsa is quite strong. This is easy to understand because we all understand how wood is weak with the grain, but very strong against the grain."

"Curved cored panels are decidedly weaker than solid glass panels, particularly when compressive loads are applied in shear mode."

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/HiTech.htm

I'd prefer to avoid any sort of cored construction below the waterline; if it is cored, I'd still prefer something like Divinycell which won't rot if water gets in.

 

[doug748]

Does anyone have info on construction quality of the balsa cored Oyster 48 lightvawe?
Interested in buying one but can't decide. To much different opinions
Thanks

Should be worth talking to Tony Staton-Bevan, see here:

http://solentmarinesurveys.com/recent-surveys/page/2/

(3rd boat down)

 

[Frogmogman]

Scarlet Oyster is a Lightwave 48. She has been in race charter in the Caribbean UK and Med for quite a few years and seems to be standing up to the strain well.

....and currently sitting in 4th place in IRC Two in the Fastnet.

 

[Concerto]

Should be worth talking to Tony Staton-Bevan

IIRC Tony Staton-Bevan has now retired.

 

[Joburic]

Thanks much for your encouraging experience. Helps a lot.

 

[michael_w]

Get in touch with Oyster Yachts. They keep an archive of every boat they've built.

By the way, the sainted Mr Staton-Bevan has a hatred of cored hulls.