Who We Are

USWatercraft designs and builds innovative sail and power boats for the recreational boating market. USW builds and markets Alerion Yachts, C&C Yachts, and True North Yachts, North Rip Boats, and is a licensed builder of several JBoat models. USWatercraft also owns Waterline Systems, a race prep and repair facility, and builds Carolina Cockpits.

USWatercraft facilities are located in Warren, Rhode Island, near the waters of Narragansett Bay.

USWatercraft’s Resin-Infusion Process

USWatercraft is the leader in resin-infusion technology, employs this process in the construction of every boat we build. Not just the hulls, but the decks and many internal structures are created using this highly effective and efficient build method. Why is it important to know how your boat is built? Build quality affects not only the performance of the boat when it’s new; it also determines the boat’s long-term performance and resale value. USWatercraft-built boats have consistently high performance and resale value because of their outstanding build quality.

The original, trademarked infusion construction process is known as Seemann Composite Resin Infusion Molding Process (SCRIMP) and was introduced into boatbuilding in the 1990s by TPI. When we bought the assets of TPI, we kept on the skilled technicians who now have more than 20 years of experience with the resin-infusion process. Because of the many refinements in the products used (resins, core materials, etc.) and the procedures followed, our process is now referred to simply as resin-infusion molding. In its essence, the process uses vacuum-bagging to pull and distribute liquid resin into a lay-up of laminate and core materials placed in a mold. The laminates are then cured under pressure.

There are three distinct benefits to buying a boat built using the resin-infusion process.

Durability/Strength: Vacuum pressure compacts (or debulks) the layers of material that make up the hull, deck, or part and removes any trapped air, which eliminates voids in the final laminate. With voids removed, the hull is strong and durable.

Weight: Every hull has an exact “recipe” detailing how much resin is infused. Additionally, all laminate and core materials are cut to precise patterns so there’s no extraneous material and no guess work; we know exactly how much resin, laminate, and core material goes into each component. This ensures that our boats are built to their optimal designed weights.

Repeatability: A further benefit of precision building is the repeatability of the process. This is important for our one-design racing sailboats as it ensures that each boat meets the predicted class weight. It also ensures that each powerboat we build delivers predictable vessel displacement, and, in turn, consistent performance and fuel consumption.

Process Overview

Molds are precision designed by computer and created from plugs shaped by highly accurate CNC machining. The infusion process begins with a meticulously prepared mold.

Prior to lay-up, the mold surfaces are polished and prepped with a release agent. The mold is then sprayed with gel coat. Next, a barrier layer of fiberglass mat is applied. (This layer ensures a flawless hull finish with no print-through of the underlying laminate or core material.)

The first laminate layer is then applied. The laminate used can be unidirectional carbon fiber, woven Kevlar, or fiberglass, depending upon the application. The thickness of this laminate layer is carefully engineered, and can be varied to increase strength or stiffness as needed (see “Choosing a Laminate,” below). The laminated pieces are cut to our specifications.

Next, core material also cut to our specifications, is laid in the mold (similar to puzzle pieces). This is another factor in our consistency – each piece is a precise fit, leaving minimal spaces between each piece.

Finally, the core material is covered with another layer of laminate, also cut to precise patterns and laid in carefully engineered thicknesses.

With all of the layers in place (referred to as the “laminate stack”), the mold is vacuum-bagged and fitted with resin flow tubes in positions determined by our design engineers. The liquid, uncured resin is delivered to the laminate stack under one atmosphere of pressure, enough to “pull” the resin from the tubes into the core material while also compacting the layers in the stack. It takes a skilled worker to measure and mix the resin to a precise “recipe” and then monitor the flow in the tubes, letting in only an exact amount of resin. The part remains in the mold, under pressure, until the resin cures. The resulting laminates are of the highest quality – they are lighter, smoother, and stronger than parts made using less precise methods.

Choosing a Core Material

Either balsa core or closed-cell foam core is used, depending upon the application. Balsa has high compression strength/sheer strength. The merits of its mechanical properties shine in the construction of high-performance planing boats that have high wave-impact pressures. We utilize end-grain balsa, with the natural grain of the balsa aligned perpendicular to the hull. Any tiny channels between adjacent pieces of balsa are filled with resin during the infusion process to eliminate any future water ingress.

Marine foam comes in varying densities that can be tailored to balance weight savings, strength, and cost. USWatercraft makes judicious use of a variety of densities of marine grade foam to optimize the weight of hull components. For example, because righting moment and stability are important in the design of our cruising sailboats, saving weight higher up in the yacht will improve the stability of the boat. Our Alerion 41, therefore, is constructed with balsa core in the hull and foam core in the deck. Our racing sailboats, designed to be as light as possible, make even greater use of foam core.

Choosing a Laminate Material

Our engineering team utilizes fiberglass, unidirectional and woven carbon fiber, or woven Kevlar, as appropriate in our laminate stacks. Each material has its own unique advantages; the beauty of our process is that we can add specific materials where we know there will be point loading or high directional loads, and not overbuild where the loads are more uniform. For example, unidirectional carbon fibers can be added to a hull structure to provide stiffness, or Kevlar can be added where impact strength is important. Areas such as chainplates or windlass locations are typical high-stress areas that also benefit from specific laminate applications.

A Friendly Work Environment

A further benefit to resin-infusion is that the process has almost zero VOC emissions, as the resin cures inside the vacuum bag, which traps the fumes. This fact is much appreciated by our workers and the environment in general.

The original SCRIMP technology was invented as a means to meet the demanding requirements of projects for the U.S. Navy. The process has undergone continuous improvement and the yachts built by USWatercraft are lighter and stronger than ever thanks to our commitment to technology and innovation in our build process.