Abstract: A relatively thick, rubberized adhesive tape is applied to an article to repair, patch, bond, seal, or waterproof the article, to join two or more articles, and/or to modify the appearance and/or physical properties of the article, such as by thermal insulation, shock resistance, vibration resistance, electrical insulation, and the like.

Abstract: A canopy assembly for a marine vessel having at least two U-shaped canopy support members each removably coupled to a first side section and a second side section of a marine vessel, a cover coupled to the at least two U-shaped canopy support members, with an upper surface providing a water barrier to, and in an overlapping relationship with, an upper surface of a bow of the marine vessel, spanning from the first and second ends of each of the at least two U-shaped canopy support members, and having a cover zipper assembly with a plurality of teeth. The assembly also includes a track zipper assembly having a plurality of teeth removably interlocked with the plurality of teeth of the cover zipper assembly to form a joint contouring a portion of the marine vessel that includes the first and second side sections and the fore section of the marine vessel.

Abstract: A method of constructing a marine vessel. The method includes structurally interlaminating a first plurality of components to form a first element of a marine vessel, structurally interlaminating a second plurality of components to form a second element of the marine vessel, and structurally interlaminating at least a first portion of the first element with at least a first portion of the second element to form a first combined element of the marine vessel. Also, a marine vessel. The marine vessel includes a first element including a first plurality of structurally interlaminated components, and a second element including a second plurality of structurally interlaminated components, wherein at least a first portion of the second element is structurally interlaminated with at least a first portion of the first element.

Abstract: A method of constructing a marine vessel. The method includes structurally interlaminating a first plurality of components to form a first element of a marine vessel, structurally interlaminating a second plurality of components to form a second element of the marine vessel, and structurally interlaminating at least a first portion of the first element with at least a first portion of the second element to form a first combined element of the marine vessel. Also, a marine vessel. The marine vessel includes a first element including a first plurality of structurally interlaminated components, and a second element including a second plurality of structurally interlaminated components, wherein at least a first portion of the second element is structurally interlaminated with at least a first portion of the first element.

Abstract: A boat hull or an aircraft or spacecraft fuselage is constructed by laying up perforated architectural wood veneer strips which have been designed to create the desired shape and overlap one another. A layer of strips is placed in or on a mold of the final desired shape, with each piece slightly overlapping the previous piece. The strips are bonded to one another using epoxy resin or other adhesives. The thickness of the wood strip at the overlap creates a chaseway of air along the length and ends of the each piece of adjoining wood veneer. The chaseways, in conjunction with perforations made in the wood veneer, permit the infusion of resin and removal of air without requiring any additional medium or device. The gap-filling capability of the epoxy and the thinness of the veneer give the final panel a smooth surface in spite of the veneer overlaps.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a watercraft which comprises a foam inner core (2) and an outer layer of natural bamboo veneer (3), the method comprising the steps of: (a) applying an adhesive to a plurality of sheets of bamboo veneer; (b) placing the sheet on the inner core (2); (c) drawing the sheets onto the core (2) under a partial on the inner core (2); (c) drawing the sheets onto the core (2) under a partial pressure environment; and (d) allowing the adhesive to cure.

Abstract: Methods, compositions and boat hulls are disclosed using and forming a wood replacement surface. The wood replacement surface is used as a replacement or substitute for wood surfaces. The wood replacement surface of the present invention has improved characteristics, such as strength and water resistance, compared to conventional wood surfaces. The wood replacement surface is resistant to environmental conditions such as water, heat and sunlight. The wood replacement surface is easier to apply than conventional wood surfaces.

Abstract: Methods, compositions and boat hulls are disclosed using and forming a wood replacement surface. The wood replacement surface is used as a replacement or substitute for wood surfaces. The wood replacement surface of the present invention has improved characteristics, such as strength and water resistance, compared to conventional wood surfaces. The wood replacement surface is resistant to environmental conditions such as water, heat and sunlight. The wood replacement surface is easier to apply than conventional wood surfaces.

Abstract: A method for building lapstrake boats without use of a strongback and molds, and without the need to cut bevels on the strakes. The two-dimensional shape of each strake is determined and the strakes are cut to these shapes. A groove, or rabbet, is cut in the bottom inside edge of each, but the bottom, strake. The strakes are fastened or clamped so the top edge of each plank fits into the rabbet in the bottom of the adjacent strake. This has the effect of holding the strakes in alignment. The joints are filled with epoxy or other cementitious material making a strong stiff bond. One or more frames, bulkheads, or other interior components may be inserted as needed to maintain the strakes in the desired shape.

Abstract: The unitary deck insert (10) includes two longitudinal plank braces (14,16) which extend the entire length of the deck insert (10), and two beam members (20,22) which extend laterally across the deck insert. A portion of the respective lengths of the longitudinal planks (14, 16) and the beam members (20, 22) define an open cockpit area for the deck insert (10). Deck planks (13) extend outboard of plank braces (14, 16) as well as between the plank braces (14, 16) at the fore and aft ends of the deck insert (10), thereby defining the deck itself. The boundary edge of the deck insert (10) is notched to mate with the top edge of the hull (12).

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a boat hull including a stringer member having an end surface including therein a cut-out, and a projection extending beyond the end surface, a bulkhead member extending transversely to the stringer member, fixed thereto, and including an end surface extending in coplanar relation to the end surface of the stringer member and including therein a cut-out, and a projection extending beyond the end surface of the bulkhead member, a deck member engaging the end surfaces of the stringer member and the bulkhead member and including cut-outs respectively receiving the projections on the stringer and bulkhead members, and a gusset member extending substantially at a right angle to the stringer and bulkhead members and including a first projection received in the cut-out in the stringer member and a second projection received in the cut-out in the bulkhead member.

Abstract: This application relates to composite structures and, more particularly, to a composite or sandwich structure employing sheets of wood veneer.

Abstract: A displacement hull is formed by making a series of cuts in a curves sheet or panel of semi-resilient material. At least one primary cut begins at one end of the panel, and extends in one direction for a substantial distance along the panel, but terminates within the panel. At least one primary cut in the other direction runs substantially-parallel to the primary cut in the one direction and overlaps it for a substantial length of the hull. The panel must have enough resilliency, and the cuts from opposing directions must be long enough to provide at least one, elongated, relatively-narrow, very-flexible strip, within which the panel develops from a flat surface, at the termination of each of the primary cuts, to any desired angle at the start of each cut. Secondary cuts, curving away from the primary cuts along the flexible strip, in either direction, can provide various cruves to the keel or chines.

Abstract: A method of forming a wood sandwich structure comprising the steps of peeling a bolt of natural wood in spiral form to form a web of wood veneer; forming the wood veneer web into a plurality of sheets of uniform size; forming a plurality of fiberglass sheets having a size corresponding to the size of the wood veneer sheets; and bonding alternate sheets of wood veneer and fiberglass together with a resin to form a remanufactured wood composite sandwich structure comprising alternate sheets of wood veneer and fiberglass bonded together by the resin. Also disclosed is a specific wood sandwich structure for use in boat building; another specific wood sandwich structure especially suitable for use in furniture building; a method of forming a boat hull utilizing a wood sandwich structure according to the invention; and a method of forming furniture utilizing a wood sandwich structure according to the invention.

Abstract: A technique is described for the making of frames for an authentic plank-on-frame ship model kit. A wooden boat hull is made with a hull thickness that is the same for that of the frames. The hull has the internal and external surface contours desired for the ship model. The boat hull is then sliced at regular intervals to form individual segments representative of the desired frames. A set of frames is then selected from the sliced segments for an authentic plank-on-frame ship model.

Abstract: A new method of hull construction using double, longitudinal, sealed, alternate and prestressed wooden planking. The hull is formed of an inner layer of longitudinally extending planks and an outer layer of longitudinally extending planks alternately positioned over and glued to the inner layer. Both layers are attached to the ribs defining the hull framework. The inner layer planks are abutted and glued along their longitudinal edges. The outer layer planks are beveled along their longitudinal edges forming longitudinal grooves between each plank. Hardwood splines, running the length of the longitudinal grooves are glued and forced into the grooves.

Abstract: A veneer laminate composite structure particularly suitable for use in boat building.

Abstract: A light-weight contourable core of high strength for inclusion in boat hulls in which the core is sandwiched between facing sheets of resin-reinforced fiberglass. The core is formed by a planar array of block-like modules made of end-grain balsa wood or other material having acceptable properties whose adjacent edges are held together by flexible adhesive joints that have a short elastic limit, such that when the planar core is pressed against a contoured surface for lamination thereto, the resultant stresses cause the joints to stretch beyond their elastic limit to an extent necessary to permit the modules to conform to this surface. There is no spring back when the pressure is released, and the modules, therefore, maintain their conformed positions.

Abstract: To join together at least two light dividing walls, resisting tensile forces and possibly curved, recourse is had to a plurality of fastenings (4,5) each extending radially in at least one direction from a pivot (6), the pivots of these fastenings being stacked axially along the axis L corresponding to the line of intersection of the mean surfaces of the dividing walls and the contiguous fastenings of the stack being oriented so that they extend alternately along said mean surfaces. The fastenings thus joined together at the level of the pivots form discontinuous wall portions whose roots are mutually imbricated, to which wall portions the dividing walls are then butt-jointed, themselves formed by parallel skins bonded to these wall portions and in which the intermediate space is filled in with foam.

Abstract: The hull of a wooden vessel is laminated and provided with an outer plastic skin which provides a hull of high structural strength, and protects the wood interior against rot and attack by marine organisms. In its preferred aspects, a skin of fabric-like fiberglass is chemically bonded (and preferably chemically and mechanically bonded) to a wooden hull constituted of wooden planking at least three-fourths inch in thickness by use of an elastomeric adhesive which, after curing, is capable of stretching at least twice, and preferably from about 3 to about 5 times its length, and the outer surface of the fabric-like fiberglass is saturated with resin, covered with a chopped fiberglass mat, cured, a fairing compound is applied to the exterior of the skin, and the surface is sanded and painted.

Abstract: Disclosed is a building panel curved along the major and minor axes which can be manufactured from a plurality of strips of building material each having the same geometric shape. A mold is provided upon which a first layer of geometrically identical strips is temporarily fastened. In a preferred embodiment, at least a second layer of strips is provided over the first layer and bonded thereto by an epoxy adhesive. Because all of the strips have the same geometric shape and can be mass produced and a compound or complex curvature panel can be made at extremely low cost. Additionally, disclosed is the application of such a compound or complex curved panel to the housing and in the preferred embodiment, boat building fields. Additionally disclosed is the method of applying such a panel to the building of a boat hull.

Abstract: A boat hull (10) and its method of construction are dislosed. The hull (10) is formed on an inner layer (12) comprised of a plurality of longitudinally extending planks (16) and an outer layer (14) comprised of a plurality of longitudinally extending planks (18). A groove (24) is formed in the outwardly facing surface of the planks (16). A cord 26 is fitted in the groove 24. An adhesive is applied into the groove (24) in such a manner that the adhesive penetrates the groove (24), passes into the interior of the cord (26) and into the pores or capillary spacing of the wood of the planks (16) in the area surrounding the groove (24). Planks (18) of the second layer (14) are attached to the outwardly facing surface of the first planks (16).