Construction Details Presto 30

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Construction Details Presto 30

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Built by Ryder Boats in Bucksport, Maine, the Presto 30 is a lightweight performance craft built with modern composite construction and assembly techniques.

Hull: The VARTM (vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding) hull is built with vinylester resin, NCS (non-crimp structural) E-glass, and Corecell A500 core. The bow is reinforced with aramid patches in case of accidental collisions. VARTM, also called vacuum infusion, is a closed-molding technique that increases the glass-to-resin ratio, ensures the laminate is consistent and free of voids, and produces a lighter, stronger part.

Construction Details Presto 30

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Deck: The hand-laid deck is built with polyester resin for better cosmetics, NCS E-glass, and vacuum-bagged Corecell A-500. High-density core is used in way of highly-loaded, through-bolted hardware, and epoxy (G-10) plates are laminated into the deck for tapped fittings.

Hull-to-deck joint: The modified shoebox hull-to-deck joint is bonded with Plexus (methacrylate structural adhesive) and through-bolted with ¼-inch stainless-steel bolts.

Keel and rudder: The centerboard and rudder are vinylester/E-glass composite construction. The centerboard has 90 pounds of lead embedded in syntactic putty to add enough weight to keep the centerboard down while underway. The rudder gudgeons and rudder head are carbon-fiber/epoxy construction.

Rig: The Presto 30 has two bilge-stepped, carbon-fiber, free-standing spars. They are supported by mast tubes glassed to the hull and deck structure with unidirectional E-glass.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him at darrellnicholson.com.