Resin used in hull construction

[SailingCirce]

Hi all,
I saw a post on the campernicholson group on Yahoo asking about the resin used in the hull construction on a circa 1981 Nic 31 . The question asked what type of resins did Halmatic use in producing these hulls. Evidently, some repair needs to be done and the owner dosen't know whether the original resin was polyester, vinylester or epoxy. Two things spring to mind : one, I think Halmatic ended their moulding relationship with C&N when C&N introduced the Nic 31 and two, epoxy resins are very expensive and not likely to have been used in that era of production fiberglass construction. I think that Halmatic had molded the Nic 32 and when C&N brought out the Nic 31, Halmatic quit building hulls for Nicholson, at least on the 31. My boat was built in 1976 and was definitely moulded by Robert Ives & Co. Any thoughts?
Harrison

[blueprintbill]

My Nic 31 was laid up in December 1981 and completed in winter/spring of 82. The hull/ deck was built by Northshore Yachts, at Itchenor the same people who today build Southerly and Vancouver Yachts and also (used to, if not still) Fisher Mortorsailers. The hull was laid up in a polyester resin either ipsothalic or isothalic ( sp ?) (one was thought superior to the other- not sure which but my recollection was that the lessor/older resin of the two was employed. The better quality/ newer was introduced at around 1985.
Check/inquire at Northshore. tel:+44(0)1243 512611 www.northshore.co.uk
Bill.

[blueprintbill]

I have recent clarifying information re certain aspects / construction details of the Nic 31 series ( and others ), as related by Jeremy Lines And Allan Trelford ( our Association Secretary), which include the following.
Nic 31 hulls were initially laid up by Robert Ives starting in 1976. He had been laying up the Nic 35 from 1970. He laid up all boats 001 thru 106 'Post Boy', but 107 'Pagan Knight' is not confirmed as to who built her, Ives or CN's then new subsidiary near Littlehampton, Seaborne Plastics. Seaborne Plastics did build 108 'Wrica' and all boats thru 112 'Desmorais', as well as all 303's and 345's.
In 1980 / 81 Crest Nicholsons sold Camper Nicholsons, in a 'management buyout' to a newly formed Camper Nicholsons ( Yachts) Ltd. Seaborne was shut down and all molding was then sourced to Halmatic (who had been building the 32 and most of the larger yachts) and to Northshore. My boat 113 'Blueprint' (Dec. 81) was the first of the last series of 31's built thru 120 'Baraka A , (the last, and by far the most expensive,in 1986), by Northshore.
The resins used according to Jeremy's notes are as follows;
Two gel coats of Scott Bader PA33
Glass fiber layers 1 & 2 were mat 225 & mat 400 with Scott Bader resin 272.
The remainder of the laminates were with Scott Bader 183 LV. ( I know in my boat there is at least one layer of heavy woven roving as a final interior layer. )

[Swans Way]

Bill
That's very interesting information. I've always wondered why 'R. Ives (Boatbuilders) Ltd' appeared on the Part 1 Registry Document that I inherited when I took over ownership of Swans Way - it appears after 'Name of Builder' on the current Registration Document. Camper and Nicholson must have finalised the fitting out before sale.

[blueprintbill]

Swans Way,
Indeed Camper Nicholsons did the fitting out of all their boats. Ives ( Northshore, et al) did the molding of hull, deck, interior fiberglass components, tanks etc. and trucked the shell to Gosport where all the rest was done. I have photos of my boat under construction at Gosport with the deck still off while bulkheads, engine, electrical, woodwork etc. was being installed. I'm not sure what the man hour distribution ( fiberglass work vs rest of construction ) would have been but Camper Nicholsons built the boats.
Maybe we could get Jeremy Lines to elaborate a bit more on the sequencing of the build out. ( ? )
Bill