A note about general rowing boat construction
Honeycomb or foam sandwich hulls have now become the norm for rowing boats, and the method of construction used
at most boat builders is surprisingly similar. A selection of carbon, kevlar and fibre glass cloths are
bonded to a core material, usually honeycomb or core mat, then cured under vacuum at high temperatures. This is
the standard method used by the majority of boat builders, but it is extremely labour intensive. While China has
the suitable technological know-how, labour costs are still very low in terms of foreign currency. For this simple
reason, China is rising to the top in the boat building industry.
The reason for using a core material to make a sandwich structure is to increase thickness. As hull thickness increases there is a dramatic improvement
in boat stiffness. As honeycomb is so light it is an ideal core material. Core mat can also be used as a core,
but because of its greater density, it results in a heavier boat. However, core mat is better at taking
bumps, and will be easier to repair than honeycomb.
In total we now offer 4 different construction types for rowing boats. They all use sandwich construction. With the low cost of Chinese boats we decided there was little point in offering a single skin alternative.
In total we now offer 4 different construction types for rowing boats. They all use sandwich construction. With the low cost of Chinese boats we decided there was little point in offering a single skin alternative.
Common Features To All Boats
| Fittings | All carbon stretchers, seats and shoes plates, with quick release shoes. Stainless steel pins, anodised aluminium fittings including seat rails and replaceable fins. |
|---|---|
| Riggers | See Riggers & Fittings |
| Safety | Enclosed canvas decks and seat decks for maximum buoyancy, with polystyrene filling available as an option |
| Paint | 3 coats of UV blocking polyurethane paint |
| Cure | Epoxy cured at high temperature under vacuum |
| Elite (K/NH/K&C) | |
|---|---|
| Overview | Specifically for use in competition, so are built to FISA minimum weight. Mainly use Kevlar cloth, with carbon seat decks and a significant amount of carbon reinforcing on the saxboards and keel. |
| Hull | Honeycomb core with carbon and kevlar skins, and carbon reinforcing |
| Saxboards and canvas decks | Honeycomb core with carbon and kevlar skins, and carbon reinforcing |
| Seat deck | High density closed cell PVC foam core with carbon and kevlar skins |
| Club A (K/CM/K&C) | |
|---|---|
| Overview | Built using the same mix of kevlar and carbon cloths and tapes as the Elite. Mainly for training purposes, although with only a small weight disadvantage over the Elite Economy (2kg for the double for example), can still be highly competitive. |
| Hull | Core mat core with carbon and kevlar skins, and carbon reinforcing |
| Saxboards and canvas decks | Honeycomb core with carbon and kevlar skins, and carbon reinforcing |
| Seat deck | High density closed cell PVC foam core with carbon and kevlar skins |
| Club B (FG/CM/FG) | |
|---|---|
| Overview | Built using a mix of kevlar and glass fibre. Mainly for training purposes. This construction is the easiest to repair. |
| Hull | Core mat core with carbon and kevlar skins, and carbon reinforcing |
| Saxboards and canvas decks | Honeycomb core with carbon and kevlar skins, and carbon reinforcing |
| Seat deck | High density closed cell PVC foam core with kevlar and fiber glass skins |