Projects: It’s all in the name
Building an International14 is no mean feat but naming it is even harder, according to the team building it and trying to do just that.
Liam Stacpoole and Wayne Barnicoat refuse to give any clues as to what the potential name for their new PRO-SET® Epoxy produced INT14 will be. They suspect it might cause the biggest argument between them in the whole build, even though they’ve been Falmouth sailing rivals for years.
“We sailed against each other for about ten years at club level,” says Wayne. “Then, in August 2018, we sailed together in Liam’s old boat and we kinda clicked and that was that. Both of us wanted to build a composite boat one way or another and everything lined up.”
The men are in the process of building an INT14 in their spare time, at Pasco’s Boatyard on the Fal River where Liam works. They’re using PRO-SET and WEST SYSTEM® products to ensure the boat’s success. It’s a 14ft lightweight, semi foiling, twin trapeze, two hander.
“We decided to build an INT14 out of our friend’s Pete Crockford’s mould,” Liam explains, “there are only three others in existence. It’s a cool design by Dan Holman. He’s been no end of help throughout.
“The design’s very different to anything else in the last 15 years. There’s a lot of thought and difference of opinion about what goes in and what comes out. Our dancefloor – that’s a deck to some people – is curved as both the boats we used to sail had a curve and it just seemed logical to go with what we are used too. After we had the CAD altered to facilitate this, Fibre Fusion in Falmouth cut all our internal structure, dance floor and foredeck with a water jet cutter. It all dropped into the boat nicely and saved us a lot of time.”
Number Four (its working name), with its carbon fibre, foam core, is built mostly using PRO-SET LAM 125 Resin with LAM 229 Slow Cure Laminating Hardener, or with LAM-224 Fast Cure Hardener. It’s been ‘standard’ hand laminated and comes with a generous helping of WEST SYSTEM Epoxy here and there. The team have vacuum bagged everything.
“Gary from Wessex Resins and Adhesives has been really helpful,” Liam says. “He’s been great with any info that we need about products and techniques and the company has sponsored the build. We’re looking at getting all our PRO-SET stickers soon. John Parkes from Marine and Industrial put us in touch. He was my first port of call when it came to enquiring about the prospect of getting some sponsored material for the build.”
Wayne placing the internal framework
Currently the plan is to have Number Four in the water by the end of May and definitely by August. “If we haven’t got it ready something will have gone terribly wrong,” Liam says.
Liam prepping the mould
Liam and Wayne started the build in October 2018. “We picked up the mould and got going,” Liam says. But as both have experience with boat building it’s not as daunting as it sounds. “We work two or three evenings a week and always at least one full day on the weekend. I work in the boatyard and Wayne in a shipyard, so we have some skills. We hadn’t done much with carbon composites and processes but have built a few other types in the past. I’ve built motor launches, looked after other boats’ maintenance and done fibreglass and woodwork. I owned an INT14 that required endless repairs and maintenance before,” he continues, “which helps.”
“I’m used to buying boats off the shelf, or making much bigger boats at work,” Wayne counters. “It’s completely different from anything I’ve ever done but actually the biggest challenge is getting all the bits together at the right time. Having enough carbon and epoxy. Getting all of the other bits in place like the boom, daggerboard, rudder and mast (which is coming from Australia soon we hope). Wondering whether it’ll all turn up on time.”
The pair have a long-term goal in mind, to eventually win the Prince of Wales Cup – the one-day nationals for the class. With their fantastic boat and sailing experience, they’ll be in with a solid chance.
Wayne shaping a hydrofoil for the rudder
“I’ve been sailing since I was seven years old and competing at Restonguet Sailing Club for about 19 years,” says Liam. “I’ve done well in club racing and what not.”
“I’ve sailed since I could walk, mainly yachts,” Wayne says. “I won the national champs in 1997 in Sigma 33s, then won two nationals when I moved into J24s. I won the J class worlds in Newport and have won a race at the Musto skiff nationals. Yet Liam reckons he beats me every week. But we haven’t had any real arguments yet. Probably the biggest one is to come: what to call her. INT14s have very quirky names, so the pressure is on.”
