Sailing Uma · video

What this video covers

To reinforce the hull of their 50-year-old coastal cruiser, Uma, the crew is installing a new internal structural matrix of foam ribs and stringers.1:11 They use 50mm by 100mm PVC foam as formwork, hot-gluing it to the hull before laminating it with two layers of biaxial fiberglass followed by two layers of unidirectional fiber.1:16 A horizontal stringer runs beneath the future countertop height to distribute loads, while additional layers of 650 biaxial glass are applied over the entire assembly to create a composite structure.1:49 The crew built a full-scale model of the hull section to test the lamination process and verify the thickness of the glass matrix, which measures approximately 1.4 centimeters.21:47 By aligning the new ribs with planned bulkheads and tapering the glass transitions, they aim to bridge the gap between the original hull and previous bilge repairs.25:51 This process effectively creates a new, rigid hull shell inside the existing one, designed to withstand offshore conditions.28:17

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