very interesting stuff; thanks Chuck Wade Oh Boy 33-2
On Thu, Sep 16, 2021 at 3:23 PM CHARLES SCHEAFFER via CnC-List < cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > "Balsa core" gets some bad press and I was interested in how it came into > boating, especially C&Cs. > > After some research, I learned: > Making things with a core was first used by Egyptians three thousand years > ago. Veneers of precious wood over a core of cheaper wood extended the use > of precious materials. The practice was lost in the middle ages and > re-imagined in the 1700's when furniture makers wanted to make things from > scarce woods. > > Later in the 1920's and 30's, balsa core was being harvested in Equador > by a French company trying to market it in France in the 20's and 30's. > The Jewish French owners fled the Nazi takeover and emigrated to the US. > Their balsa was later used by DeHaviland in England to build the famous > Mosquito two engine bombers in 1941. Dehavilland built over 7700 of these > 400+ mph planes using two Spitfire engines each. They used a plywood > vaneer over an endgrain balsa core. > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTsnMKzmdWs&t=613s > > The balsa industry lost a market after WWII but in the 70's, they > convinced fiberglass boat builders to use balsa core and Hatteras > sportfishing yachts were their first big client. Almost all boat builders > eventually started using balsa soon after, including C&C, Pearson, Santana, > Cape Dory, Columbia, Catalina, Hunter, Olsen, Saber, Schock, J-Boats, > Beneteau, Jeanneau, as well as all the power boat builders, too. > https://www.company-histories.com/Baltek-Corporation-Company-History.html > > Core comparisons: > > https://www.cruisingworld.com/how/inner-layer-core-materials-sailboat-construction/ > > I personally think C&C did an industry leading job to perfect the process > using fiberglass and balsa core to build a lightweight and strong > structure, but that is better covered by John Kelly Cuthbertson or others > with more personal knowledge. > > > Chuck Scheaffer, Resolute, 1989 C&C 34R, Annapolis > > > Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with > the costs involved. If you want to show your support to the list - use > PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray Thanks > - Stu
Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with the costs involved. If you want to show your support to the list - use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray Thanks - Stu
