Inside Triac’s Carbon Mastery: Autoclaved Masts and C Foils for the Rapido 40 Racer. Video Tour
by Triac Composites18 June 20253 min read
In this exclusive video tour, Barefoot Doctors dive into Triac Composites factory for a close-up look at the in-house production of performance components like prepreg carbon C-foils and the spreaderless mast (cured in the autoclave and machined by the Kuka 7 axis milling robot). If you’re into speed, innovation, and next-level sailing technology, this is a must-watch (view from 12.53mins).
Carbon fiber, spreaderless mast cured in autoclave
This is the mast for the 40ft, Rapido 40 RACER boat.
(The mast is) pretty unique because it’s tapered in two directions; like it’s tapered fore and aft and tapered from the sides. So, the idea is that you minimize the weight of the mast – and it’s spreaderless.
It was designed to be spreaderless from day one for our boats.
It just makes life easier when you’re sailing.
Carbon fiber C foils cured in autoclave
They’re asymmetric.
You can see the shape of them. Yeah, they get incredible lift and performance.
But the process we use… we could not build them without a robot – or an autoclave.
So they (the foils) go in the autoclave three times and on the robot three times in the process of building them. You know, to buy that in Europe, it would be double the price of what we build them for.
John McIntosh: These go down through the amas (floats) and come out here?
Paul Koch: Yes, they come out here. (The foils) give you a lot more lift because it’s like an aeroplane wing; its asymmetrical. So you get a lot more lift because of the shape.
This race boat will probably do 30 knots – I’ve done 25 knots on a standard 40. This has got a bigger rig and is a ton lighter. It will be incredibly quick.
The (foils etc) come from America’s Cup stuff. Morrelli & Melvin designed it. You know, they’ve been doing America’s Cup stuff and were involved in the last campaign with American Magic. Two guys (at Morrelli & Melvin) were full time. So, the guys that are designing that stuff design our boats basically.
And yeah, the loads are incredible because the whole boat’s flying on that foil, you know. Not literally flying, but you get a massive amount of lift when you’re going fast. You see the floats rise up in the water.
If you’re pushing hard, doing 25 knots, the whole float is out of the water (whereas) normally, it’d be buried under the water.
This is the mast for the 40ft, Rapido 40 RACER boat.
(The mast is) pretty unique because it’s tapered in two directions; like it’s tapered fore and aft and tapered from the sides. So, the idea is that you minimize the weight of the mast – and it’s spreaderless.
It was designed to be spreaderless from day one for our boats.
It just makes life easier when you’re sailing.
Carbon fiber C foils cured in autoclave
They’re asymmetric.
You can see the shape of them. Yeah, they get incredible lift and performance.
But the process we use… we could not build them without a robot – or an autoclave.
So they (the foils) go in the autoclave three times and on the robot three times in the process of building them. You know, to buy that in Europe, it would be double the price of what we build them for.
John McIntosh: These go down through the amas (floats) and come out here?
Paul Koch: Yes, they come out here. (The foils) give you a lot more lift because it’s like an aeroplane wing; its asymmetrical. So you get a lot more lift because of the shape.
This race boat will probably do 30 knots – I’ve done 25 knots on a standard 40. This has got a bigger rig and is a ton lighter. It will be incredibly quick.
The (foils etc) come from America’s Cup stuff. Morrelli & Melvin designed it. You know, they’ve been doing America’s Cup stuff and were involved in the last campaign with American Magic. Two guys (at Morrelli & Melvin) were full time. So, the guys that are designing that stuff design our boats basically.
And yeah, the loads are incredible because the whole boat’s flying on that foil, you know. Not literally flying, but you get a massive amount of lift when you’re going fast. You see the floats rise up in the water.
If you’re pushing hard, doing 25 knots, the whole float is out of the water (whereas) normally, it’d be buried under the water.