Bridge Deck
Total weight of bridge deck ; 406Kg Centre of balance ; Station 5 plus 800mm
Weight for this section; 134Kg
The first section of the Bridge Deck has been successfully infused today. 30mm contour foam was used instead of perforated & scored foam as specified. Each sheet of foam was scored at 40mm spacings and drilled in the centre of each 40mm block. The drilling was to allow resin to get through to the underside of the panel. The longitudinal slots in the foam were filled with 25mm strips of 1mm thick packaging foam. This was to reduce the amount of resin by 1.5 Kg per square metre & to slow the flow of resin across the panel. The fine tube visible in the last photo is my security vacuum syringe in case the panel infusion went pear shaped. The infusion went perfectly, possibly scared by the presence of the syringe.
The second section, or aft section of the Port Side of the Bridge Deck has been completed using the same technique as the forward section. A good vacuum was achieved and the panel infused as predicted to a successful completion.
The first photo is the dry panel prior to infusion.The above photo shows the panel 1 3rd through infusion. This is about 15 to 20 minutes into the process.
The photo on the left is the fully infused panel .
The panel is the Port side Bridge Deck from the front of the bedroom to the bulkhead between the saloon & the cockpit. This is the internal length of the cabin & half the width.
Paul is seen topping up the resin bucket. The last 2 resin lines are a separate system as the resin in the first 3 lines will be starting to thicken in the lines. This panel is 5.5 metres long & 2.25 metres wide. 73 Kg of resin was used in the infusion.
Weight for this section ; 69Kg
The accelerated infusion in the second photo was caused by a 2mm gap between 2 foam panels. Did not cause a problem.