Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 34

CARBON FIBER
COMES ON STRONG

W

hile steel and aluminum still dominate metal fabrication,
especially in the marine world, carbon fiber is becoming

a viable alternative in some applications, due in part to the
work being done by Nanette Hultgren, owner of Shellback
Canvas LLC, in Palmetto, Fla.
Hultgren is the developer of BlackstickĀ® (www.theblackstick.
com), a carbon fiber tubular pole socket system that can be
used in applications such as sailboat awning poles, rod holders
and center console shade struts for powerboats.
Hultgren didn't necessarily intend to be a carbon fiber
pioneer when a friend approached her to build an awning
for his 38-foot sailboat. To lower the weight of the poles, they
decided to look into using carbon fiber.
"The problem was the expense of carbon fiber poles was
outrageous," says Hultgren. "So I decided we would do our
own." That was the beginning of a seven-year odyssey that now
includes four patents on her carbon fiber products.
"The compression molding process I developed is unique in
that I use marine-fabricated products to aid in the compression
and manufacturing of the tubes while holding the cost down,"
says Hultgren.
"It's expensive to make a carbon fiber shade strut with a
proper fabric lay-up," she explains. "To keep the cost down, I
went with dry carbon instead of prepreg and developed a
whole new process for making tubes with an elongated end
using a two-part mold." The result, she says, is a tube with a wall
thickness of 0.099 mm and has the torsional and shear strength
to withstand the environmental and physical constraints of
being under constant proper load.
As she began developing products, Hultgren says she discovered that most sailboaters were not interested in spending
money on carbon fiber awnings, so she turned her focus more
toward powerboats.
She says that as rod holder shade struts have become
a popular replacement for the bimini frame, "I have found
that customers, boat manufacturers and yacht brokers want
an alternative to the stainless and aluminum struts, due to
the weight and stowage problem. They like the carbon struts
for the compactness for stowage, weight and design of the
shade, and its ability to keep the shade taut because of its
unique flexing capabilities. They are willing to spend extra for
these benefits."
Hultgren says she is continuing to work on new applications
for carbon fiber. She plans to make larger diameter struts and in
the future a carbon bimini frame. "My goal is to get carbon fiber

Photos: Shellaback Canvas LLC.
34 Marine Fabricator | July/August 2019

products into the marine industry at a reasonable price."


http://www.theblackstick

Marine Fabricator July/August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Marine Fabricator July/August 2019

Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Cover1
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Cover2
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 1
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 2
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 3
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 4
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 5
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Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Cover3
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Cover4
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Expo Brochure 1
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Blank1
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Expo Brochure 2
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Expo Brochure 3
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Expo Brochure 4
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Expo Brochure 5
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 63
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Blank2
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - MFA Workshops 1
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - MFA Workshops 4
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - MFA Workshops 5
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - MFA Workshops 2
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - MFA Workshops 3
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