Carbon Fiber Hulls

[electric]

I know CF is lighter and stronger, but my question is this. In a situation when you are racing other boats and occasionally bump each other does the CF hull do a better job of "holding up" with less damage?

Remember, I am talking about the boats that are completely CF for the entire hull. Anyone have real world experience with it? Is it worth the additional cost?

[befu]

epoxy

I think the key point here is a carbon hull is going to be all epoxy. Epoxy does have the ability to absorb more than a glass polyester hull of the same weight.
So I would say it would probably be better, but many variables.

One, is the hull the same weight or lighter? So is it just lighter, or is it stronger?

Two, is it worth it. Back when weight mattered, I would say yes. But everytime someone or myself brings up weight, the racers will tell you it doesn't matter anymore. They are adding weight to boats to keep them on the water, so why pay more for a hull just to add lead?

Another one is adding carbon to a hull to stiffen it up. Why? If you still have to add lead, why don't we just add glass or better yet, kevlar? I look at kevlar more. It will be stronger than fiberglass and resist the splintering of a impact better than carbon from my experience. If you have to add weight, why add the expense of carbon? Great stuff and I still use it, but I am wondering why it is on the race circuit.

I have had impacts with kevlar boats that would have shattered a glass hull into pieces and the kevlar impacts and bends. But it can be fixed. Seems like carbon survives pretty good also, but does splinter some.

Who has more experience with carbon hulls and impacts, please add some info.

Brian

[Fluid]

Today carbon is added for stiffness, not strength. All-carbon hulls, if not made just right, can shatter on hard impact. I've had two 'carbon' hulls, actually carbon and glass, and both gave radio problems even with 2.4gig radios unless the antenna was high above the deck. Neither was particularly light weight. Both ran well, but IMO no better than non-carbon hulls.

I saw a combination Kevlar/carbon hull after a very high speed crash - it was essentially a loose kevlar bag full of shattered carbon and epoxy. Just using a high tech material in a boat does not make it better - the design and actual molding have to be done the right way or all you have is an expensive, delicate hull.



.

[electric]

Thanks, it sounds like, that if not done right, a CF hull is all show, but no go. The 2.4 issues are a deal killer as well.

[graill]

The plus in using carbonfiber is the weight to strength gain, nothing more. As others have already pointed out CF is more brittle shearwise than other materials, the reason for this is the manufacturing process (which is pretty cool to watch. You will always see Cf woven or wound and never just laid out straight for applications. As for looks, anything nowadays can be made to look like CF.

CF is stronger and lighter but more brittle. Stiffness is derived from the weave type and the matrix holding it.

It has upsides and downsides.

As for Epoxy. Epoxy can be used in any application as the binding matrix, not just for CF. Expoxy glass hulls are commonplace today. There is much debate on epoxy verse polyester for binding, i prefer Epoxy. Remember though, epoxy will adhere to polyester but polyester will not adhere to epoxy.

Some folks with with deep pockets also use the heavier Zylon and kevlar, very heavy but some indestructable stuff when built correctly.

[graill]

The plus in using carbonfiber is the weight to strength gain, nothing more. As others have already pointed out CF is more brittle shearwise than other materials, the reason for this is the manufacturing process (which is pretty cool to watch. You will always see Cf woven or wound and never just laid out straight for applications. As for looks, anything nowadays can be made to look like CF.

CF is stronger and lighter but more brittle.

It has upsides and downsides.

As for Epoxy. Epoxy can be used in any application as the binding matrix, not just for CF. Expoxy glass hulls are commonplace today. There is much debate on epoxy verse polyester for binding, i prefer Epoxy. Remember though, epoxy will adhere to polyester but polyester will not adhere to epoxy.

Some folks with with deep pockets also use the heavier Zylon and kevlar, very heavy but some indestructable stuff when built correctly.