Lofting Scene at Palmer Johnson circa 1981

[Dave Fleming]

[mmd]

I remember doing stuff like that! My knees still hurt.

Nice photo, thanks.

[Bayboat]

Dave, you have a very nice photo collection. That young feller could be me forty years ago. If I had to do that now I'd stay on my knees till my time ran out.

[Dave Fleming]

Me Too!!!

[img]smile.gif[/img]

[Jack Heinlen]

What are they using for battens? I've only used wood, but those look like...?

[Dave Fleming]

Plastic Splines perhaps or finely machined wood battens, they are very slender judging from the photo but those are some tight curves doubt if it is full size lofting. Probably 1/10th scale.
MMD?????

[mmd]

Well-l-l....

I don't think that it is a scale loft. PJ wasn't building really huge yachts back then, IIRC. It looks like they are lofting the aft sections of a rather firm-bilged boat. This was at the time of the introduction of modern ULDB's a la Gary Mull, and that shape could be one of those big sleds.

I was doing lofting about the same time and there were plastics being used for battens, but most that I saw at that time were rather brittle or had "memory" so weren't very popular. OTOH, PJ was doing cutting-edge stuff and I was in a pretty far back backwater. I'd expect that they were either fibreglass or wood battens. I'd bet a small amount on that they are wood.

[Dave Fleming]

MMD, I blew up the photo and the caption says it is the first Alden 100 a successor to the Alden 75.
That any help?

[Dave Fleming]

Bye the Bye MMD, what are you still doing up at this time of night on the waaay out Right Coast???

[mmd]

I'm an incorrigable night-owl, Dave. Working late at night allows me to draw merrily away with low music of my choice and very little chance of interruptions. I usually start my day at around 0830-0900, take a break to be with family from 1600-2100, the work 'till 0200-0300.

I'll have to look up info on the Alden 100 as I am unfamiliar with this boat.