Contents
57 Foot Plastic Boats — Research, Development, and Construction
| The Marco Method | 7 |
| The Open Mold, Hand Layup Process | 10 |
| The Wet Layup | 10 |
| Layup With Preimpregnated Cloths | 11 |
| Wet Layup With Thixotropic Resins | 12 |
| 3" x 16" Panel Tests | 15 |
| Water Transmission Tests | 17 |
| 5" x 20" Panel Tests | 18 |
| Dow Chemical Co. Tests | 21 |
| University of Michigan Tests | 22 |
| New York Naval Shipyard Tests | 23 |
| 9" x 60" Panel Tests | 25 |
|
Basic Design Considerations
|
28 |
| The Hull Shell | 30 |
| The Stem | 30 |
| Deck Construction | 31 |
| The Keel | 31 |
| Internal Structural Components | 32 |
| Bulkheads | 32 |
| Longitudinal Girders | 33 |
| Transverse Bracketing | 33 |
| Walking Flats | 33 |
| Bolting Provisions | 35 |
| The Male Plug | 37 |
| The Female Mold | 38 |
| Scaffolds and Staging | 41 |
| Reference Location | 41 |
| Molding of Internal Components | 43 |
| Deck Molds | 43 |
Production of MSB-23 (First Boat)
| Mold Preparation | 44 |
| The Outer Skin | 44 |
| Core Material and Internal Reinforcements | 45 |
| The Inner Bonding Layer | 48 |
| Internal Structural Components | 49 |
| Bulkheads | 49 |
| Girders | 49 |
| Flats | 49 |
| Deck Beams and Longitudinals | 50 |
Destruction By Fire
Interim Developments
Production of ExMSB-23 (Second Boat)
| The Male Mold | 56 |
| The Inner Skin | 57 |
| Core Mat'l, Internal Reinf. and Outer Bonding Layer | 59 |
| The Outer Skin and Stem Reinforcement | 61 |
| The Keel | 62 |
| Inversion and Mold Removal | 63 |
| Installation of Internal Structural Components | 63 |
| Deck Fabrication | 65 |
| Installations and Outfitting | 68 |
| Launching, Trials, and Delivery | 71 |
Quality Control
Materials
Problems
Conclusions
Appendix A, List of References
| Appendix A, List of References | 100 |
Appendix B, Test Data and Load-Deflection Curves
| 3" x 16" Panel Tests | 102 |
| 5" x 20" Panel Tests | 103 |
| New York Naval Shipyard Tests, 99" Square Panels | 115 |
| 9" x 60" Panel Tests | 116 |
Appendix C, Comparison of Three Building Methods
| Appendix C, Comparison of Three Building Methods | 143 |
Appendix D, Basic Strength Analysis
| Appendix D, Basic Strength Analysis | 150 |
Appendix E, Photographs
| Appendix E, Photographs | 177 |