Boat Build - February 1, 2022 - Mold Preparation

 Okay, so it is somewhat delayed from the expected start date,
 but what isn't in this crazy world?!

Hull #11, aka "SV Mira", aka, our boat, aka our Home-To-Be started at the Vision Yachts Factory in Knysna, South Arica!!!!!

Modern fiberglass sailboats are made in a mold, which is kind of like the inverse of the boat-to-be.  Fiberglass layers are build up onto this mold and eventually you get to the desired thickness, everything cures, the mold gets pulled away, and voila, you have a hull!  Okay, you have the very start of a hull that would a) not float and b) not look much like a boat.

Creating the hull in the mold is the first step in a long list of steps.

Main steps of making a Vision 444, mostly in order...

1. Make the hull pieces in molds
2. Pull the pieces from the mold and fair them (sand, sand, sand).
3. Bond the multiple pieces into one actual boat using fiberglass to join the multiple pieces
4. Install bulkheads and furniture pieces and fiberglass them to the hull.
5. More fairing, inside and out.
6. Paint the inside and outside.
7. Add in the big inside bits, like engines, batteries, electronics.
8. Fit windows, hatches, etc.
9. Fit the outside bits, like toerails, lifelines and stanchions, longeron (bow sprit).
10. Install all the electrical wiring using the built-in conduits (at least on our boat).
11. Move the boat outside of the yard and test for water-tightness
12. Laminate cabinets with wood and fabric coverings.
13. Apply the bottom Copper Coat paint
14. But the boat on a trailer and tow it to the marina, taking up two lanes of traffic in the middle of the night.
15. Splash the boat!!
16. Add the mast, boom, standing and running rigging
17. Sea Trials!

We are currently at the beginning of Step 1 and we hope step 17 will be done by early August.

So you have this fancy set of molds (which I believe are also fiberglass) that are used to make hulls.  The first step is to clean them to a mirror like finish, wax them and then apply a water-based release agent, so that when you are done you can pop that baby out!

Mold Preparation