Larry,

I think your comments clarifying the construction details of the KK44
were entirely appropriate and I am SO glad that you joined in.  Again
without, becoming a marketing forum, I have had a burning curiosity
about the use of the Kevlar in the construction of the hull.  KK is
the first company that I am aware of that uses the Kevlar. There may be
some planing hulls that use it.  If so, have any of them had
experiences with grounding or collision?  Does it allow you to use a
thinner layer of solid fiberglass or do you still use substantial
thickness and rely on the Kevlar for added puncture resistance?  What
did tests show the increased strength of the Kevlar added?  It could
very well that KK is on the leading edge of a trend that will find its
way into all hulls in the future.

Sincerely,

Phil Eslinger

Phil wrote < .....I have had a burning curiosity
about the use of the Kevlar in the construction of the hull.  KK is
the first company that I am aware of that uses the Kevlar..........>

I don't know about the use of Kevlar in trawlers but it has been used on
hundreds of production sailboats from Laser 28's to the complete Jeanneau
line and high performance planning boats since the late 80's.

I haven't seen any plus or minus' from its use over the years. I have seen
all of these models pulled off of reefs some in better shape than others.
Did the Kevlar help? Hard to tell as some sunk and some didn't.

The use of a solid lay-up makes a bigger difference than the use of E-Glass,
S-Glass, Kevlar or Carbon. All the cored boats just come apart when they run
up on the hard stuff. It doesn't make any difference if it's a Swan, a C & C
or one of the multihulls from France or the South African builders. The
solid boat will sit and grind away for a lot longer before it breaches the
hull in general. Many times the extra time allows you to get pulled off
before the water comes in.

My $.02 for what its worth

Dave
Swan Song
Roughwater 58
Tortola, BVI