: How fascinating ! My old "Lancer" sprint hull sounds downright fat
: compared to
: the 16.5" max beam you mention. Tell us more about the "new"
: rules.

The old Lancer is indeed downright fat. Your lancer was built to pre-2001 specs, which specified a 52cm minimum beam. That rule has been dropped and now the boats are just wide enough to accomodate the seat.... Mine is max just over 15". (Sprint rules do not allow Sit-on-Top) try: http://www.mar-kayaks.pt/ and click on competition kayaks for a look at the composite boat state of the art ....

: Have you considered cold-molding in lieu of stripping ? I used to see many of
: the European "sprint" boats built this way. I mention it, as I'd
: like to give
: it a go myself. I don't believe it requires any fiberglassing as the veneers
: make for a very strong layup. I guess it's really like tortured plywood
: without the "torture". Ha.

At one time, I had thought of cold molding, but I don't think I cold get down to weight, and since my expertise is in composites, I am looking at a sandwich core boat but I want to be able to see the core.

You strip guys have got my blood running with all the cool lines you build in...I want that in this boat. And if the plan works out as I'm pretty sure it will, I'll mold it.....

Struer in demark was the leader in molded veneer boats (They built your Lancer back somewhere between 1969 and 1979 probably). Struer boats are/were layered veneer molded at high temp in an autoclave at 7atm. They went under last year but are back now. Unfortunately, they simply can't keep up in design cycle to compete with the composites. (once the molds are ready I can build a composite Kayak start to finish in 1 working day, by myself. If I want to change it, I can be ready with new molds in about a week). But for a look: http://www.struerkajak.com

: I've got an old British Canoe Union manual that describes the technique as it
: relates to kayaks. If interested, I'll make a copy for you. Though, with your
: sprint boat background, you probably know more about the technique than I do.

: Roland Mullen of Cincinatti competed in the 68 or 72 Olympics in C-2 (6th
: place ?) with a stripper. I believe his was the first such sprint canoe built
: using this North American technique.

And there have been very few since. I suspect it was 1968. At that time, Kirk & Stoorgard, the danish canoe folks who sold out to Struer Kayaks in the 1990's were only 4 years into their cold molded boats so it was possible to compete....that changed by 72 and the veneer boats were dominant until just 3-4 years ago.

Schumacher 1st, Barrichello 2nd!...

Jeff H