Wildcat, then and now

Below are pics of  Wildcat taken in 2012 when I first started the repair. After two and a half years she was finally rowed at Mathews. It was in September of 2012  that Coach O'Brien and I picked up the pieces of this Kaschper "International" model in Philadelphia.  Before it was severely damaged in a fall off their boathouse lift system, the boat was the top men's eight at Villanova University. We brought back the three pieces,  (yes, "pieces" as both the bow and the stern broke off in the fall) and I started the structural repair. Because the damage was so severe, including a cracked keel, bent rudder, snapped off fin and a major break at seat two, the insurance wrote off the boat as a total loss.  The overhaul included a complete re-paint to match our existing fleet color scheme.

The hull construction is seen here: two skins with a Nomex honeycomb core.

The broken stern. The fin snapped off completely.

This was the back of the boat.

The name "Wildcat" is in honor of the Villanova crew, where coach O'Brien went to school, and where Mairin, his daughter coxed for four seasons.

Bow glued on before the carbon scarf joint is constructed. I'm pretty sure the alignment is fine.

New carbon at seat two

A vacuum pump pulled down the carbon skin.

The Nomex honeycomb deck core is visible before the top skin is put on. 

I'm pleased as punch that Wildcat has joined our fleet. I hope next season to have a large enough team to regularly field three eights: J.A.B., Badger, and now, Wildcat.