Paikea Refit Archives | Page 5 of 20

Engineering Lighter, Smarter: Why We’re Replacing Paikea’s Wooden Doors with Composites

Beyond the Slam: Engineering Composite Doors for a Performance Catamaran Author: Shayne & Anna Key Message: The choice of material is never about what’s “best,” but what is most fit for purpose. For our performance refit, that purpose is extreme weight reduction without compromising on strength, safety, or functionality. Introduction: The Weight of the Problem Walk […]

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Engineering a Lightweight Door: The Value of 350 Grams

Topics: A detailed look at the design and fabrication of a structurally efficient composite door, highlighting the techniques for managing complex geometry and the performance philosophy that values incremental weight savings. Author: Shayne & Anna In the context of a performance refit, weight reduction is not about single grand gestures but the accumulation of many small, calculated

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Re-Engineering a Structural Bulkhead | Cutting a Doorway Adjacent to a Carbon Chainplate

Author: Shayne and Anna Key Message: Major structural changes require professional composite engineering expertise. This project demonstrates what is possible but should not be attempted without a deep understanding of load paths and advanced laminating techniques. Introduction On a boat, space is a premium. To improve the livability and accessibility of Paikea’s narrow hulls, we undertook one of our

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Building Carbon Stanchion Sockets

Building Carbon Stanchion Sockets Stanchion sockets aren’t the kind of thing anyone gets excited about — until you’ve spent years kicking your toes on stainless steel bases bolted proud of the deck, catching lines on them, watching them collect salt and grime in every corner. The fix on Paikea was to move away from that

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Stanchion Socket Installation Details & The Material Science Behind Pultruded Spigots

Stanchion Socket Installation Details & The Material Science Behind Pultruded Spigots A few questions came in after the first stanchion socket video that deserved proper answers rather than a quick comment reply — how the drains actually perform in practice, whether the stanchions need mechanical securing, and the material science behind why a pultruded

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Hand Lamination vs. Vacuum Infusion: A Practical Weight & Quality Comparison

Hand Lamination vs. Vacuum Infusion: The Real-World Trade-Offs Author: Shayne Key Message: The choice between hand lamination and vacuum infusion isn’t about which is “better,” but what you need from the finished part. For weight-critical applications and superior quality, infusion is unmatched, but it demands better tooling and process control. Introduction We’re often asked if we

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