talk
to Ralph Hoehn at:
Fax:
+1-425-962-2987
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+1-802-649-2555
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Frame
Pouch carefully crafts
the frame for the Long Touring Single E68 of wood. The design balances
Strength
Resilience
Flexibility
Light Weight
Ease of Maintenance
The frame consists of stringers
(longitudinal) and ribs (crosswise), connected by means of metal
fittings.
Stringers:
Pouch uses flexible, light, but highly resilient Ash wood for
the stringers. The flexibility and resilience of the stringers
allow the frame to absorb impact energy and dissipate it by deforming
and springing back into shape. The boat works with the waves rather
than trying to smash through them. This makes the boat's motion through
the water smoother, which contributes towards seaworthiness.
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to materials: frame
Ribs:
Pouch cuts the ribs from Birch plywood, glued with waterproof
adhesives and carefully selected to be free of voids. Birch plywood
combines strength and light weight. The strength of the ribs counterbalances
the flexibility of the stringers. It gives the frame the measure of
stiffness required for the hull to be able to live up to its speed potential.
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to materials: frame
Fittings:
All fittings are made of highly corrosion
resistant Brass, Aluminium or Stainless Steel. Pouch chooses the materials
and the component configuration for weight, longevity and ease of assembly.
Pouch has introduced quarter turn ring fittings on the E68: The technology
is proven in aircraft and automotive use and is applied to folding boats
for the first time here. On the operating face of the fitting a D-ring
can be folded out of its recess to facilitate turning the fitting's
mechanism. This engages or disengages the connector. Traditional skin-on-frame
boats were laced together. For their modern folding equivalent positively
locking, reliable metal fittings must fulfil the same function as the
original lacing, yet not increase the weight of the boat. Careful design
is the key to success here: There are a number of successful fittings
design solutions in circulation, all have their particular advantages
and disadvantages.
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to materials: frame
Skin
Pouch builds the skin
for the Long Touring Single E68 of synthetic materials throughout. Construction
comprises
Strength
Durability
Abrasion Resistance
Flexibility
Ease of Maintenance
Deck:
Pouch cuts the deck from BRETEX material. BRETEX consists of a
synthetic fabric substrate, which is installed on the boat in such
a way that its polyurethane coating lies on the underside of the deck.
The coating is treated so as to be impervious to water molecules in
their liquid state, i.e. to be water proof, but remain permeable to
water vapour. BRETEX is lighter than the traditional canvas, which
it replaces. Canvas fabric becomes waterproof by absorbing water,
which causes the fibres to swell and tighten. This useful property
comes at the expense of increasing boat weight when wet. With BRETEX
this penalty no longer applies.
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to materials: skin
Hull:
Pouch
builds fabric substrate hulls impregnated with two alternative substances:
Hypalon, a synthetic rubber, is highly flexible, resilient and durable,
but somewhat costlier. Traditional PVC is stiffer, but somewhat lighter.
Both are black. I shall
hold my opinions in check at this point, because the debate over the
pros and cons of either material rages on ...
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to materials: skin
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