Construction Details Coat'd.
2.5-3
Assembly Cont'd.
and replaced with solid glass t-o prevent water from contacting
the core.
The keel sump area is designed using solid glass laminates to
accomodate the locally high loads induced by the keel. Heavy duty
stainless keel bolts are utilized in the keel. When the bolt holes
have been bored in the sump, a potting layer of resilient epoxy
is placed on the bottom of the sump and top of the keel. The keel
is then snugged up to the sump as the keel bolt nuts are tightened.
When epoxy hardens a perfect fit has been produced which is water
tight. Fairing is done on the keels with a special epoxy which was
formulated to provide long lasting adhesion to lead. It also
resists- water permeation and cracking which may occur as a result of
thermal cycling.
Carbon Fiber Masts:
Carbon fibers are produced by the thermal decomposition of poly-
acrilonitrile or "pan" for short. The "pan" precursor is spun into
a filament and then stretched to orient its molecules. The filament
is then subjected to 220° C to stabilize its orientation. Once
stabilized the filaments are heated (carbonized) at 1500° C in a
nitrogen atmosphere. The process in effect burns off all the compounds
and chemical structure which are inherent in the pan precursor leaving
only the carbon backbone of the pan molecule. The carbonized filaments
are then bundled together in groups of approximately 12000 forming
what is referred to as a tow of carbon. The tow is similar in size !
to yarn used for knitting.
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