Carbon daggerboards and rudders

M

motodoc

New Member
So, Im new to the community after getting a new 2015 laser sunfish from my uncle (with wood daggerboard/rudder and race sail). This is my first sailboat, and having some small kids, I am hoping to introduce them (and possibly myself), into racing. Ive always been a surfer, paddleboarder and avid motorcyclist and builder; and, I am completely new to sailboats, only after helping a friend race his J-boat several times.

That being said, and having friends in the auto racing industry as well as some experience with carbon fiber, I was wondering what the demand would be if I was to start making carbon daggerboards and/or rudders. I was even going to experiment with keel designs to improve performance. Any ideas, comments or suggestions are encouraged.

Also, Im located in Lake Norman, NC.

Thanks!
 
The only issues that come to mind are:

  1. Cost - How would a carbon daggerboard and rudder compare to the current FRP blades available today as far as cost.
  2. Sturdiness - How well would they stand up to the elements compared to the current blades.
  3. Not class legal - You would need to get the Sunfish Class to approve carbon blades.
 
danpal said:
The only issues that come to mind are:

  1. Cost - How would a carbon daggerboard and rudder compare to the current FRP blades available today as far as cost.
  2. Sturdiness - How well would they stand up to the elements compared to the current blades.
  3. Not class legal - You would need to get the Sunfish Class to approve carbon blades.
Click to expand...


1- cost would depend on the amount ordered. With design exemplified by performance, stiffness and longevity, I would hope to have them around the $200-250 range; which I think is fairly reasonable (I would be making a mold of a current rudder/dagger board).
2-sturdiness- with this issue being one of my upmost concerns, let's just say I will have the capability of making a dagger board that is lighter than a glass board, can withstand up to 60k psi of pressure and will outlast anything on the market today (if solely used in fresh water- only because I do not have any experience with salt water boats).
3- this is something completely new to me and maybe, with popularity, it can evolve into a new rule or class of some sort.
 
Carbon blades would appeal to the racing crowd, but they can't use them because they aren't class legal. Chance of them becoming (Sunfish Class) legal is minute, at best.
 
I don't think there will be much demand. The glass ones are perfectly good and class legal, so only recreational sailors would want one, and you don't need high performance for rec use.

I think your opportunity would be to develop foiling blades. Those don't exist, would be a blast, and some folks would definitely want them. An Australian or new Zealand firm makes s them for Lasers, and there might be a market for a Sunfish version.
 
Thanks for everyone's support. With work being busy, I did have a moment to talk with my friend about introducing more carbon into the dingy sailing community and as far as foils go, that's exactly what I had in mind along with the culmination of carbon masts, booms and even a full carbon sunfish somewhere down the line. I can see a huge potential in the carbon market and correct me if I am wrong, but I am utterly surprised that carbon is so new (in the dingy realm).

I have some ideas for foils with different designs headed for solidworks but in the meantime, would people be interested in purchasing a carbon rudder and/or daggerboard utilizing the factory ones as molds? So basically you get the same set up, just stiffer and lighter (and cooler looking).
 
The reason there is little carbon in the mainstream classes is that the classes are one design the idea is that older boats remain competitive with newer boats, and it leads to the older classes remaining stronger than most new classes. So you will find the likelihood that the Sunfish class would approve a switch to carbon unlikely. I think Lasers are going to go to a carbon mast top section, but that is to eliminate the bending and breakage problem they have, not to improve performance. Carbon is big in Moths and other development classes, but they tend not to have big local fleets.
 
Btw I still think a foiling option is a good one if it works. It would be a blast for recreation and that approach might yield people who want to race foilers against each other
 
motodoc said:
Thanks for everyone's support. With work being busy, I did have a moment to talk with my friend about introducing more carbon into the dingy sailing community and as far as foils go, that's exactly what I had in mind along with the culmination of carbon masts, booms and even a full carbon sunfish somewhere down the line. I can see a huge potential in the carbon market and correct me if I am wrong, but I am utterly surprised that carbon is so new (in the dingy realm).

I have some ideas for foils with different designs headed for solidworks but in the meantime, would people be interested in purchasing a carbon rudder and/or daggerboard utilizing the factory ones as molds? So basically you get the same set up, just stiffer and lighter (and cooler looking).
Click to expand...
'Carbon' isn't new in the dinghy stratosphere; but it typically is (much) more expensive than other materials. Hence, carbon laminates (spars, foils, hulls, spinnaker poles) can be found on more expensive dinghies.
 
Last edited:
You might want to post on the Sunfish Sailor yahoo group and see if anyone there is interested in carbon fiber components. They are almost all recreational sailors, who would be the best target market for non-class-legal parts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top