JC's resume (sad to say)
For the interested (and certainly not to sound my horn except when I am under attack and it seems necessary): I've been active in and around the boatbuilding industry all my life (over 40 years). I grew up in sawdust and glue. I have done (professionally) EVERY single task that can be expected to be done in any reputable boatbuilding shop-- all office work, all levels of design and engineering, and all processes and installations. I was doing fiberglass work professionally at 15. At 16 I was a 'wunderkind' in the industry, having done bona-fide and crucial design work for Hunter and my dad's company. I built the first Cherubini 48 (the only guy who worked full-time on it). It was a WEST-system boat. At 20 I was being paid to evaluate components, usually to the breaking point, and recommend their adoption or rejection to Warren Luhrs, founder of Hunter Marine. Hunter adopted a lot of my ideas without paying me. So did Cherubini Boat. That's how it was. I now work as purchaser, designer and engineering consultant at Cherubini Yachts building what are arguably the finest handmade sailboats in the world. (See printed works.) I've seen more failed hull-keel joints and other catastrophic construction failures done by other less knowledgeable boatbuilders or repairers than most people on here put together. A lot of it was due to people who stubbornly believed they had all the answers when in fact they didn't. In fact that is also the number-one cause of boating accidents, especially serious ones. I have consulted with the Gougeon brothers personally and, with my father, was part of pushing Hunter to first adopt WEST epoxy systems in their construction (my '74 had none in it; it does now). At no time was there any discussion by them or the Gougeons that WEST system should or could replace 5200 in the things 5200 was already best for. As to the point here-- with all (and I have much) due respect to the Gougeon brothers, they sell a product and have an intrinsic motivation to get people to buy and use it. Fortunately, it's a very good product for its intended applications. With all due respect to everyone else, the average Catalina/Hunter/Beneteau owner can't afford our shop and expertise fees. So I offer my expertise here without remuneration because I respect Phil and what he is doing and because I want people who know less than I do, maybe only because they have less experience at it, to benefit from a lifetime in the boatbuilding industry. If there is anyone here who is a better qualified resource to advise I will happily step aside and shut up. That said-- 5200 is by far the industry standard for fastening lead keels to fiberglass hulls, and for a reason. If you choose not to agree with this fact, that's up to you. I am not the facts; the facts have nothing to do with me. I'm just saying what I know to be fact-- having no incentive to say otherwise. J Cherubini II www.cherubiniyachts.com
