S/V Barbara Ann 

Petite Riviere, NS (09/14/01) - Although the Barbara Ann was designed with all the systems and strength of an ocean crossing cruising boat, she was also designed to be fast and maneuverable.  All construction materials were carefully considered to add strength and reduce weight. 

The hull is vacuum-bagged, epoxy composite construction comprising Kevlar and ATC Core-Cell®.  Core-Cell is a closed-cell foam with better impact absorption characteristics than balsa or other foam core materials.  In the past few years it has become the material of choice in high performance custom hulls.  There was no question in my mind that I wanted a cored hull.  My previous boat, a Baltic 37, was always dry, warm and quiet, even in the middle of January in Boston harbor. 

We also considered wood and epoxy for the hull and selected Covey Island Boatworks as a builder even before selecting a naval architect to do the lines. I'm still a believer in West System wood construction for sound construction and maximum interior space but examination of sound and thermal insulating characteristics tipped the scale in favor of Core-Cell.  In Barbara Ann, Kevlar is included in both the exterior and interior layers of the laminate. It's on the outside for its abrasion resistance and on the inside of the hull for its tensile strength.  The theory is that it will withstand a long period hung up on a reef and can not be punctured by a direct hit from a container.

Interior joinery, panels and doors are also cored with either Core-Cell or Duracore except on edges or surface that are subject to heavy wear. The galley sports a granite counter top fabricated with an aluminum honeycomb backing that weighs less than seventy pounds.

Because of its carbon fiber construction, the Aerorig itself is very light even though it's significantly larger than a conventional mast.

On the surface, the boat is a moderate weight, modern cruising boat. Looking a bit deeper, however, it can be seen that it's really a very light weight construction with added weight from sophisticated systems, live-aboard conveniences and additional reinforcement.