Thickness of the hull layup

[z1ppy]

Got some interesting pictures today of the thickness of the layup on our Hunton.


In comparison to the cut outs for Match's stabs its wafer thin but i was pleasantly reassured when i saw them!!

 

[jfm]

Interesting stuff. Interesting that hunton use foam core below the waterline. They really have gone to some lengths to minimise the weight of that hull. Good to see that the bond between the foam and the two grp layers (which is critical) looks perfect including the more difficult lower bond where they have used that salmon pink glue

 

[MapisM]

Interesting that hunton use foam core below the waterline.

Are you saying that based on the pics, J?
Because judging only by them, I wouldn't rule out balsa.

z1ppy, do you have also a pic of the inner side?
That has nothing to see with my doubt on foam/balsa, but I'd just be curious to see the internal finishing.

 

[imac8]

Zippy...who is fitting your bow thruster?

 

[z1ppy]

Mapism,

Not at the moment, but will try and get some this weekend for you if i get down there.

The first picture (in first post) shows the cut out with the side showing being that from inside the hull (not sure that makes sense?)

Will try and get some pics showing the tunnel going through the locker from inside.

There has been some discussion regarding placement of the joystick. the starboard side of the wheel is a little busy (same side as throttles) but i dont really want this port side of the wheel. Would prefer same side as throttles.

Looking to see if we can move the drive trim switches to port side and put joystick where they were....

not the best pic but only one i have at the moment!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Certainly thicker than the Sealine hull I saw a few months ago being installed with a b/t but then your hull seems to be cored whereas the Sealine wasn't so I'm not sure anything can be inferred from the relative thicknesses. In any case hull strength also depends on the internal grid reinforcement. Either way I'm sure the Hunton is very strongly built.
Ref the position of the b/t control, I would have thought that the port side of the helm is a better location as you can operate the gear levers with your right hand and the thruster with your left. Certainly thats the way its set up on my boat and I don't have any problem with it

 

[gjgm]

Ref the position of the b/t control, I would have thought that the port side of the helm is a better location as you can operate the gear levers with your right hand and the thruster with your left. Certainly thats the way its set up on my boat and I don't have any problem with it

Thats an idea, but it makes the toggle somewhat exposed to being knocked perhaps? And I suspect it will only be needing a nudge of b/t anyway. Not alot of hull to swing about, or he might be using it to stop the bow again

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Thats an idea, but it makes the toggle somewhat exposed to being knocked perhaps? And I suspect it will only be needing a nudge of b/t anyway. Not alot of hull to swing about, or he might be using it to stop the bow again

Well I guess the reason that z1ppy is fitting a b/t in the first place is because he thinks he needs it and therefore intends to use it regularly! As z1ppy says, it looks a bit busy on the starboard side of the helm and I wouldn't put the b/t toggle next to the throttles because then there is the risk of inadvertently knocking the toggle IMHO. The helm station is not ideal for locating additional switches but I don't see why it shouldn't be located on that small bit of angled panel above the rocker switches on the port side of the wheel?

 

[gjgm]

Well I guess the reason that z1ppy is fitting a b/t in the first place is because he thinks he needs it and therefore intends to use it regularly! As z1ppy says, it looks a bit busy on the starboard side of the helm and I wouldn't put the b/t toggle next to the throttles because then there is the risk of inadvertently knocking the toggle IMHO. The helm station is not ideal for locating additional switches but I don't see why it shouldn't be located on that small bit of angled panel above the rocker switches on the port side of the wheel?

I was only suggesting he wont be heaving on it with both hands in an attenpt to move the bow I suspect he will find one second will get the bow swinging, so your point of throttle-b/t location may be less significant than if you have some HUGE flybridge to swing about !!

 

[MapisM]

Mapism,

Not at the moment, but will try and get some this weekend for you if i get down there.

The first picture (in first post) shows the cut out with the side showing being that from inside the hull (not sure that makes sense?)

Nope, actually what I meant by "inner side" was the flat surface on the opposite side of the gelcoat, which is not visible in the pics.
But don't worry, it's just a curiosity anyway...

Re. your dashboard, having said that I agree with Deleted User in not seeing any problem with a placement of the b/t joystick on port side, actually some other thoughts popped to my mind based on your pic.

Firstly, is that a seat belt, in the bottom right corner?
If so, you must be keen on serious wave jumping...!
Anyway, aside from how extreme your cruising habits are, single lever throttles are plain wrong on any real fast boats.
In your boots, I would definitely consider separate gear/throttle, though I don't know how easily (or not) they can be retrofitted to Volvos.
As a by product, you could have the trim switches directly on the throttles, which on one hand is much more convenient, and otoh you could fit the b/t joystick on stbd side of the dashboard, if you really prefer such location.

 

[z1ppy]

Thanks for your thoughts,

On most of the huntons the b/t joystick is mounted on the horizontal pad in front of the throttles. as the throttles are non standard it wont fit hence the problem (although its not massive on the scale of things!)

No seat belt! thats my life jacket which was put on the back of the bolster!!

I kinda agree on the duel lever throttles but this boat had duel lever controls but understand they could never get them set right and when driving hard and throttling it would often lead to premature engine alarms. (i am sure there are several sides to this story!)

looking forward to getting back on the water and getting some driving practice in. its a very different boat to drive than anything i have had before and want to lean the basics all over again, kinda walk before run sorta thing!!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I was only suggesting he wont be heaving on it with both hands in an attenpt to move the bow I suspect he will find one second will get the bow swinging, so your point of throttle-b/t location may be less significant than if you have some HUGE flybridge to swing about !!

Actually in my experience, outdrive powered sports cruisers, especially 35ft+, do need a lot of b/t to hold the bow against wind or tide. Despite the fact that I have a b/t and s/t on my boat, I don't use either much because its shaftdrive and easier to handle anyway. I try not to use thrusters myself partially because there's nothing else that alerts the whole marina quite like the manic whirring of a b/t being used in earnest. It guarantees a mass audience to witness your impending mooring disaster

 

[BGW]

Thanks for your thoughts,

On most of the huntons the b/t joystick is mounted on the horizontal pad in front of the throttles. as the throttles are non standard it wont fit hence the problem (although its not massive on the scale of things!)

No seat belt! thats my life jacket which was put on the back of the bolster!!

I kinda agree on the duel lever throttles but this boat had duel lever controls but understand they could never get them set right and when driving hard and throttling it would often lead to premature engine alarms. (i am sure there are several sides to this story!)

looking forward to getting back on the water and getting some driving practice in. its a very different boat to drive than anything i have had before and want to lean the basics all over again, kinda walk before run sorta thing!!

My bowthruster switch is the same side of the wheel as the throttles (like you want to do) but in reality, to use the throttles and thruster together (to move sideways or diagonally) it would be easier if the switch was to the left of the wheel - and where I will be moving mine to when I re-do my dash.

 

[jfm]

Are you saying that based on the pics, J?
Because judging only by them, I wouldn't rule out balsa.

I was only guessing from the pics mapism. I agree it could be balsa - it just looked like foam from the pics at the time i was typing that comment. But come to think of it there are no "bend grooves" visible which usually there would be with foam, so yes it is probably endgrain balsa (and this is a hunton after all!)

 

[jfm]

I fully respect "each to their own" applies here but fwiw i like the throttles and b/t right next to each other as zippy is proposing, and not on opposite sides of the wheel. I changed my first Sq58 dash to get that result and designed my current dash that way. My reasons however are mostly to do with stern-to mooring in the med so less applicable in UK

On the b/t noise thing that Deleted User mentions above, Zippy you should if possible fit variable speed controls to the b/t, so the joystick becomes a throttle. I have these for the first time on the Sq78 and they are fantastic. For a lot of b/t work you run the thing at 1/2 speed afor longer periods rather than at full speed in short bursts, and at 1/2 speed there is no cavitation and no noise. I therefore often use the thrusters and no-one knows I'm doing it. Furthermore the ability to ramp up the b/t revs rather than binary full on/off makes for less cavitation, hence less noise. And the noise feels nicely ship-like as you hear the revs on the b/t climb gradually. You can off course still slam full on/full off if you want. So I'd strongly recommend these varialbe speed controls (Sleipner/Side-Power)

 

[gjgm]

Actually in my experience, outdrive powered sports cruisers, especially 35ft+, do need a lot of b/t to hold the bow against wind or tide. Despite the fact that I have a b/t and s/t on my boat, I don't use either much because its shaftdrive and easier to handle anyway. I try not to use thrusters myself partially because there's nothing else that alerts the whole marina quite like the manic whirring of a b/t being used in earnest. It guarantees a mass audience to witness your impending mooring disaster

I was mightily impressed in Lymington by the owner of some 50ft odd Beneteau turning his boat through 270 degrees in the marina in one long burst of thruster
People left their drinks on the bar to go look;heads popped up from below decks;some stopped filling their boats;flocks of birds started to emigrate south.
I assume this wasnt repeated on return due to melted cables and destroyed batteries.

 

[MapisM]

I therefore often use the thrusters and no-one knows I'm doing it.

IIRC, your thrusters are hydraulic, aren't they?
I would think that this has a lot to see with the lower noise, on top of variable speed...

I agree that for stern-to mooring it's better to have both throttles and b/t on the same side, because when standing "reversed" (=looking astern), it would be difficult to reach both controls behind you.
Other than that, I still wouldn't want them on the same side.
Ideally, remote controls give the best setup, allowing to use throttles and thrusters with both hands separately, also while facing astern.

 

[MapisM]

People left their drinks on the bar to go look;heads popped up from below decks;some stopped filling their boats;flocks of birds started to emigrate south.

LOL, you aren't actually hlb cleverly disguised as gjgm, are you? He couldn't have written a better description of B/T effects...

 

[pks1702]

Layup from our Viki Sedan it took some hole cutting when fitting a new Transducer

 

[MapisM]

Just curious, why so far from the centerline?