Yesterday I toured the Southern Spars Composite rigging office in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. My tour arranged and guided by Tony Reaper. Many familiar faces there, Scott Vogel and Richie Boyd formerly of Navtec. (also former 12 meter sailors)
Carbon rigging is maturing at a quick pace and will be ever more commonplace in the near future. Hall Spars is making carbon rigging, however has chosen a different approach. Southern Spars have chosen the method of bundling individual continuous rods of carbon. It makes a larger diameter which is more flexible and repairable. While I was there they were working on the rigging for a 186 foot boat. The weight savings are staggering and therefore hard to resist, not only is there the weight savings, but righting moment. The longevity is expected to exceed solid rod, I will have to wait and see about that. Never-the-less is is a spectacular fascinating product.
If the designers like Nat Herreshoff, Starling Burgess, had had these materials available to them who knows where naval architecture would be or what direction it would have taken. Honestly look what has happened in the last 10 years. (the Volvo 70, Moth class, C class catamarans, and the last America’s Cup)
I am waiting for approval for the photographs I took before I post them. photos are posted 6/7/10