Standards, Specifications and Reports

Standards, Guidelines and Training

American Boat and Yacht Council

  • ABYC offers education and training programs for marine technicians. At the end of each program, a technician can take exams leading to certification in their specialty. The programs include Electrical Systems, Marine Corrosion, Marine Systems, ABYC Standards, Marine Composites, and Air Condition/Refrigeration Systems. See ABYC's programs at http://abycinc.org/?page=Education.

ASTM

  • ASTM's sports and recreation standards are instrumental in the evaluation, testing, assembly, and use of the equipment, facilities, and protective gears utilized in sports and recreational activities. Many sports & rec products feature composite foam. ASTM’s standard for testing composite foam can be found at https://www.astm.org/Standards/F1957.htm

CCT

  • ACMA’s Certified Composites Technican (CCT) program is the industry’s gold standard for training in a number of composite boatbuilding methods, including Open Molding, Light Resin Transfer Molding and Vacuum Infusion.

Books

A Step-by-Step Guide to Molding Fiberglass

  • This video offers a step-by-step guide to the process of molding fiberglass. From constructing the plug to building the mold, you’ll see every step in detail. The techniques apply to virtually all types of fiberglass molding including aerospace, automotive, and industrial and crafts. You will see a complete demonstration of molding a model aircraft cowling. A kit cowling is developed into a plug that is used to construct the mold. A fiberglass cowling is then laid up in the mold and released. Learn More

Boatbuilding with Baltek DuraKote

  • Details the use of Baltek Durakore to achieve in record speed boats which are "stiffer, lighter, stronger, faster and easier to build than boats made from other materials... The definitive guide to building one-off hi-tech composite power and sail boats of virtually any shape for professional and home builders without time-consuming, costly plugs and conventional fiberglass molds." Learn More

Building a Fiberglass Boat by Arthur Edmunds

  • Art describes two popular projects as examples: a twenty-five foot open boat and a thirty-three foot cruiser, but also includes a section on sailboat construction. "By far the most important quality of glass fiber laminates is longevity. Boats built in 1950 are still being used with great success..." "Any conceivable shape can be made from glass fiber when laminating a custom hull". Learn More

Building Your Kevlar Canoe : A Foolproof Method

  • An Enthusiast's Guide to High Performance Non-Metallic Materials for Automotive Racing and Marine Use by Forbes Aird. "A book for designers who need to know more about the many different types of composites. It also covers building molds and plugs, geared towards commercial production." Learn More

Fiberglass & Composite Materials

  • by Robert J. Scott. The information needed to specify fiberglass materials and scantlings for commercial and pleasure boats up to 100 feet. Scott describes the advantages and disadvantages of alternative materials and structural configurations and summarizes considerations in their selection. Step-by-step examples on laminate design and charts which help in decisions concerning structural loads, safety factors, deflections, and vibrations. Learn More

Fiberglass Boats by Hugo Du Plessis

  • A non-technical resource for expert information on the principles of fiberglass construction, as well as sound practice. Author Hugo du Plessis focuses on the kind of boats that dominate the used market, examining fiberglass' durability, weaknesses, effects of use, and the latest research into causes of blistering – or osmosis. Learn More

Heart of Glass

  • Fiberglass Boats and the Men Who Built Them. In the skilled hands of Dan Spurr this masterly book combines science with passion and breathes life into the story of a boatbuilding phenomenon that changed an entire industry and brought boating to the masses. Learn More

Marine Composites by Eric Greene Associates

  • An in-depth resource covering material properties, fabrication techniques (female mold, one-off, injection, vacuum), design formulas, and modes of failure. Includes many illustrations, tables, graphs, and photos. Learn More

Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair

  • by Don Casey. With a bit of fiberglass cloth, some resin, and these step-by-illustrated-step explanations, readers will be amazed at the wonders they work. Among the repairs covered: rebedding deck hardware, replacing portlights, fixing leaky hull-deck joints, and repairing cracks, holes, blisters, gouges, and other ailments mortal. Learn More

The Fiberglass Boat Repair Manual

  • by Allan H. Viatses "It would appear that no matter how bad it looks, there is no problem beyond the scope of the competent fiberglass repairman. Mr. Viatses has been at this for a long time and with experience in the world of wooden boats ... as well as having been a player in the fiberglass revolution, is able to offer a well-rounded perspective." Learn More

The Fiberglass Manual

  • A Practical Guide to the Use of Glass Reinforced Plastics by Keith Noakes. Learn More
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