Conception et réalisation de structures de multicoques en matériaux composites^*

Conception and realization of multihull structures in composite materials

Responsable Projet Composites, Société Hure/Dubois.

Abstract

The use of high performance composite materials in aeronautical structural elements is recent and still limited. However, because of the numerous advantages they have, these materials have found their application in other sectors of advanced technology. Amongst these, one application which is in full evolution may be found in professional racing. In this paper, we will limit ourselves to an important field which uses high performance composites in large quantities — the structures of sailing boats for transoceanic racing.

Hurel-Dubois has put its aeronautical experience in the use of composite materials to the service of construction of high competition catamarans, having huilt the main beam (12 m long) for Roger & Gallet and the mast (32 m high) for Royale, using aeronautical techniques. We will show in this paper how these composite structures have been built, where the performance achieved is directly related to the weight saving.