The ETS Rafale II student team built a carbon epoxy C-Class hydrofoil catamaran using Scott Bader structural adhesives.
A team of 16 undergraduate and graduate engineering students from the École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS) in Montréal, Canada, recently finished building Rafale II, an all-composite C-Class racing hydrofoil catamaran. It features redesigned carbon fiber epoxy prepreg hulls and cross beams, which are stiffer and 25% lighter while providing 15% more displacement volume. The speed and handling of the catamaran has also been improved by designing lighter, stronger and better-performing pairs of new epoxy carbon fiber L-foil dagger boards and T-section rudder hydrofoils, which provide a higher lift/drag ratio and greater stability when hydrofoiling.
The first ETS Rafale project started in early 2014 with a relatively small budget of CDN$130,000 (~ $99,000) considerably less than established rival C-Class teams. However, the students received considerable support and technical advice from over 40 project sponsors, including Scott Bader North America (then Scott Bader ATC), which sponsored both Rafale I and II and provided composite resin, tooling, and structural adhesive products, as well as technical support.