Guided Discovery: Construction: Weeks 13 to 16

The photos we received for the construction week ending April 5 (Week 16) showed progress. They also contained the photo below showing a worker constructing the frame for steel the cradle. This is exciting news. The completed cradle will hold the boat once it is removed from the mold. This could happen during the production week starting April 8 or April 15.

Other photos (below) received two weeks earlier (i.e., Week 13 & 14) showed lay-up starting on the superstructure, which consists of the deck and house mold. The same materials that are used for the hull bottom and sides are used for the superstructure. The only difference is the lamination schedule which dictates when these layers are applied and the ultimate thickness. Vacuum bagged cored fiberglass is used in the superstructure.

Week 13. Superstructure (deck and housing) mold

Week 14. Lay-up starting on the decks and house (looking forward from the V-berth)

The superstructure is a mold similar to that used for the hull. When the lay-up is complete the superstructure will be removed from the mold and mounted onto the hull. In the photo below, we are looking from the aft deck forward. You can see the underside of walk around decks. The squares represent the windows. The starboard side is to your left.

Week 15. Superstructure lay-up with coring installed (aft looking forward)

Week 16. Superstructure with coring installed (looking from stem to stern)

Below is the superstructure of an Outer Reef 84 that has just been removed from the mold. Looking forward from the foredeck is the Portuguese bridge (with space for seating) the pilothouse windshield, the walk-around decks, the house (pilot house, galley and salon) and the aft deck. The flybridge and boat deck will cap superstructure.

Outer Reef 84 superstructure removed from the mold

The boat is constructed in three pieces consisting of the hull, the superstructure and the flybridge. Outer Reef seeks to minimize the number of molds (i.e., component pieces) to create a structure that in their words is less likely to "creak, squeak and leak." Utilization of fewer pieces virtually eliminates tabbing and caulking-in of components This method of construction with many opposing angles and surfaces, in one piece of fiberglass, create a truss-like structure that is self supporting while spanning the entire hull. This allows for flexibility of interior layout that does not dictate placement of interior bearing walls. Hence, our ability to have an open layout.