Vesconite is typically found on a boat as a strut or rudder bearing material, but yacht designer Scott Jutson of Jutson Marine Design reported in 2017 that the company had a unique application for it. He specified the advanced bearing and wear material as a corrosion isolator on his aluminium Hysucat (hydrofoil-supported catamaran) designs.
Jutson used 3 mm sheets of Vesconite as an interface between SAF 2205 stainless steel hydrofoils and the aluminium hulls they’re bolted to. The isolator inhibits galvanic corrosion between the dissimilar metals.
Unlike nylon, which will soften and deform, the bearing and wear material has high dimensional stability, excellent creep resistance and superior compression strength, making it ideal for any application where heavy torsional loading will be encountered. It also machines to the tight tolerances needed on the Hysucats.
“Performance has been flawless,” said Jutson in 2017. “We don’t use a generic product; we actually spec Vesconite on the drawing.”
As a bearing material, self-lubricating Vesconite offers low wear, with up to ten times the usable life of bronze. Vesconite Hilube provides the same qualities, but delivers even lower friction and longer life. It has no stick-slip, will run dry and is particularly effective in high-speed applications.
Both materials are offered as machined parts, or hollow bar, solid rod or plate shapes that are easily machined to +/-0.001″. They’re available in a wide array of dimensions and thicknesses, and are shipped from the company’s US facility.
Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Jutson Marine Design is known for its innovative and fuel-efficient aluminium and composite commercial, government and recreational vessel designs. Using the latest 3D software, its full CNC outputs ensure fast and accurate construction.
