Duracell project: Solid, practical cockpit seats

Aug 01, 2023

During the autumn, Matt had carried out several iterations to find the right geometry for Duracell's future cockpit. Since then, the project had been set aside to work on the interior of the boat. Now that the mainsail traveller bulkhead, on which the cockpit benches rest, has been finalized, he can begin this essential fitting-out stage for the boat.

After removing the old deck hatch providing access to the technical area under the cockpit floor, he fills the hole with pieces of sandwich panel cut earlier in the build. A new under-deck access will be added later. Matt then laminates flat sandwich panels in PVC foam and fiberglass. He cuts them to size using templates from the mannequins, and fits them in place.

Matt glues the sides of the cockpit benches in place using epoxy glue cartridges, adding screws for clamping during the gluing process. The next step is to laminate in place. For maximum strength, he takes care to leave an epoxy fillet at the foot of the bulkheads. This gives the fiberglass a smoother radius, with no right angles.

When it came to selecting samples for the sides and seats of the bench, Matt opted for a multiplicity of fabrics to resist the impact of a falling winch crank, a crew member jumping from the gangway, or tapping his foot on the vertical sides.

To complete the benches, Matt still has to create access panels to the lockers and drainage gutters.