Building stuff away from the water

Scuttlebutt is immensely proud of the elite companies that support the publication, and prominent in that group is Lyman-Morse headquartered in Thomaston, Maine. As one of the world’s finest custom and semi-custom builders, along with service facilities and brokerage offices, this team has been serving the sport for 42 years.

But we also find it incredibly cool when Scuttlebutt clients use their immense skills away from the sport, leveraging that ability to contribute to causes that impact more of society. That is what Lyman-Morse was able to do as construction nears completion on a composite wind tunnel that is 30’ long with a 16’ diameter.

Lyman-Morse Technologies won the contract to build this tunnel destined for a major academic research facility on the East coast of the United States, in which among its many aerodynamics functions will be used to support aerospace research projects.

“Given the many advanced skills and trades needed to build a world class custom yacht, technology, defense and aerospace firms recognize the value in what we do,” said Andy Smith, Vice President of Lyman-Morse Technologies. “This was an exciting win for us and we hope to be doing more of these.”

Steve Crane, composite division manager, and his team approached the project as they would any boatbuilding project. Lyman-Morse’s inhouse designers used 3D modeling software to finalize the design and engineering data. This data was inputted into Lyman-Morse’s CNC machine to cut the mold frames to the exacting tolerances required for the intended performance of wind tunnel.

As in boatbuilding, the composite team built a mold, and laid in the composite layers. In this particular case, the parts were made in quadrants from male molds which create the inner surface of the wind tunnels. To finish the inner surface, the inside of the tunnels includes a layer of gelcoat.

“Whether building a church steeple for the town of Camden, producing a Radome prototype, executing projects for the Department of Defense, or designing and building an automated boathouse door, boat cradle and controls for a marine railway, these types of projects are as much in our wheelhouse as boatbuilding,” said Drew Lyman, President of Lyman-Morse.

And we think that’s pretty cool…

Drew Lyman, President of Lyman-Morse, stands in the 16’x30′ wind tunnel.