CONSTRUCTION DETAIL
Quality boating starts with careful attention to the following areas.
Electrical
The Aspen Power Cats solidly engineered electrical system is the backbone of the product. Key to its success is the use of tinned marine copper wire, supported by a full array of other topnotch materials and equipment such as yacht grade, Blue Seas Systems 12v and 120v panels, breakers, and hubs. Beyond the core system, we invest exclusively in premium, internationally recognized products and vendors for electrical components to insure their long-term availability and service.
Machinery Installations, Engines, Generators & More
At Aspen, we start with the belief that our special breed of owners will use their boats aggressively for many years and that they can expect superb performance with minimal service. To insure this level of satisfaction, we use only the finest products in our systems. For example, we use engine mounts that are 3/8” plate welded both sides and stringers made of high density glass reinforced XL10 foam, which is 2.5” thick and wrapped with .25” of solid glass. Our exhaust systems are 6” with exceptionally quiet water-lift, muffler systems, the prop shafts are 2” oversized, we use marine grade stainless steel and the marine air conditioning and the 1/4" thick U.S. aluminum fuel tanks are standard. Respectively, the Aspen 39' and 48' use 5Kw and 8Kw Westerbeke generators.
Composite Construction
The composites utilized in an Aspen Power Cat are a thoughtful balance of modern high technology Vinyl and Isothalic DCPD resins, S- glass, Kevlar, and cross-linked PVC cores of thickness that vary from 1/4" to 2.1/2". When handled properly, this class of materials will build high strength, lightweight hulls and decks that should last more than a century. While 100 years may exceed your personal expectations, the quality and stability of the construction materials insure your boat's lasting strength, aesthetics and resale value, making the true cost of ownership among the lowest in the industry.
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| Kevlar Reinforced Bows: Aspen's bows include an unusual extra degree of reinforcing behind the 6 alternating layers of matt and roving doubling over at the bow from each hull side we include a layer of Kevlar. This material is exceptionally strong and on severe impact will not fracture. In actual high speed collisions with immovable objects in past boats with a similar construction, we have found the Kevlar binds the core laminates in a way that makes them stack and work as one unit. Without the Kevlar, they tend to open on severe impacts. |
| Bow Collision Foam Compartment: The bows of each hull have the first 3 feet boxed in with glass wrapped Coosa composite board. These are then foam filled 6 inches above the waterline. In a severe impact, this area maybe damaged, but with its' construction the boats watertight integrity can stay intact. |
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| Double Bottom Hulls: Because our owners tend to go on long trips exploring remote areas, we have included a double bottom construction method. After the hulls normal lamination procedure and thickness development, we go back in and add two layers of closed cell cross-linked Dinincell foam; one 1/2" thick, the second 3/4" thick. Each wrapped in glass and resin. When complete the hull bottom impact area is approximately 2 inches Thick! There are small areas in each watertight compartment where we have created bilge pump wells 8"x 8" so the pumps are able to completely evacuate the bilge, but 92% of our Aspen hull bottom is protected. |
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| 6 Water Tight Compartments: Each Aspen hull includes three water tight sections, each with its own automatic 550 gph bilge pump. Should an event occur that the double bottom is breached, the design limits the area that can fill with water. The pumps are also typically mounted on aluminum bilge pump brackets/sticks that have the attachment point up near the service access rather than down deep in the hull. The engine room includes a 7th 1100 gph bilge pump with its' own power, float switch and warning horn at the dash. |