This project involved the moving of the shop to Costa Rica. As tools are much harder to come by there and materials impossible, we shipped everything down. After setting up the vacuum table we focused entirely on the plug until we received the materials needed to make panels.
The plug planked.
A look at the bow.
Waxing the plug, almost ready to build the mold.
The mold just infused. One hundred fifty gallons of epoxy in one hour and fifteen minutes.
Infusing a hull at 5am. We have to be finished before the sun comes up as the rise in temperature makes larger quantities of epoxy much harder to control.
Placing the forward beam in the first boat.
The two shops with the assembly begun on both boats.
Mostly built and fairing well begun. The first picture is the vessel going to Panama.
The second is ours and will be staying in Los Suenos Marina, Costa Rica.
in paint, ready to pull out of shop
Panama boat, white, ready for stripe
out of the shop, ready for top
Launch day.
Performs as expected. With 5.9L 250hp 2600rpm Cummins 6bta engines, top speed is 25 knots, easy cruise @ 2000 rpm’s makes 19.5 knots burning less than 12 gallons an hour.
In her slip in Los Suenos, awaiting papers.
Island Express 4 being launched and off to Panama a few days later.
