Mini Tank underway with DuFLEX panel system
by DuFLEX 20 May 07:03 AEST
The original 13.9m TANK launched in 2023 © DuFLEX
When the Roger Hill-designed, 13.9-metre (46-feet) monohull known as "The Tank" emerged from Noosa Marine in 2023, she turned heads for her sturdy shape and attracted a legion of fans.
One of those admirers has specified his own "Mini Tank" based on the original and embodying all the practical features and pleasant lines of its predecessor.
Now under way at Noosa Marine, the 7.95-metre version (8.76-metres with engine), has a 2.5-metre beam and draft of 0.4-metres.
Aiming for a 6-month build, Noosa Marine Director Julian Griffiths reports he and his team are making good progress.
Julian reports, "The owner is a friend and business associate of the owners of 'Tank'. He was impressed with Tank and commissioned a compact version."
The brief was the ability to trailer the motor yacht and store it in a shed on his property at Airlie Beach. The owners plan to use Mini Tank as a day boat, but with all the creature comforts on board to make overnighters a breeze.
The aft deck comprises a dining table and seating that converts into a double bed for enjoying moonlit evenings on the Reef, an on-deck galley behind the helm with cooktop, sink and refrigeration, and more lounge space in the form of a sunken day bed/sunpads on the bow.
Below decks is a V-berth double bed in the bow and a head with hand basin.
Mini Tank is powered by a single 350 Yamaha engine and on the hardtop, there are solar panels for charging the fridge on board.
Designer Roger Hill says that while there were no significant design challenges, there were strict parameters.
"The brief was very simple: make it like 'The Tank', only smaller. I guess the main challenge was to ensure it fits into the owner's storage shed with a 3.1-metre height restriction on the door.
"Having full headroom under the bimini and enough clearance off the road to get the trailer under it will mean a custom-built trailer with the chassis/axle as low as possible. There is nothing on the top surface of the bimini except for some flexible solar panels and we have allowed for 50mm of tolerance."
Key to the boat's lightweight and strong construction is the ATL Composites' DuFLEX panel system.
"The entire boat is built using DuFLEX panels and a range of other ATL products and materials - such as cloth, resins and hardeners," says Julian.
"The beauty of the DuFLEX is the weight, because it needs to be towed behind a Toyota HiLux. Plus, it's easy to work with, cut to exact measurements with minimal waste, saving time and labour."
The build also incorporates a combination of ATL-formulated epoxy systems, with WEST SYSTEM® products used for bonding, filleting and fairing applications, while KINETIX® R246TX epoxy resin paired with H160 hardener is utilised for laminating and taping throughout construction. The combination of lightweight DuFLEX composite panels and high-performance epoxy systems contributes to the strength, durability and towable weight of the Mini Tank project.
Renowned multihull specialist and a veteran of specifying DuFLEX for over two decades, Roger Hill adds, "From a designer's point of view there are a few things about DuFLEX panels that are worth mentioning: the consistency of the mechanical properties and the dimensional accuracy (physical size and weight).
"The boats we've built using the DuFLEX panel system have always been the most accurate compared to the calculated weight estimate. The fibre to resin ratio is consistent so the estimated weight of the product is consistent and accurate. This is very critical, particularly with catamarans, for the calculation of the position of the centre of gravity.
"The mechanical bond between the laminate and the core is extremely good due to the manufacturing process of using the panel press and the tonnes of pressure used to 'clamp' the core and laminate together while it is curing.
"Basically, you start the build process with something that is of the highest quality, then the process of assembling it flows smoothly and the finished product reflects that."
For Noosa Marine, access to ATL's locally manufactured composite materials and technical support has also been a major advantage throughout the build process, ensuring consistency, availability and confidence in the materials being used.
As the hull shell nears completion, her owners are hoping to take delivery by spring, to get out among the Whitsundays, island hopping and exploring the Reef, as well as remote and shallow anchorages, made possible by their lightweight and nimble Mini Tank.