Really a great design Gareth, fun just to look at .
What is the next project. ?
I,m stuck on the idea of a planning type catamaran , I watch the Aussie 18 skiffs and can,t help but think a planning catamaran platform would be potentially much faster and handle tacks gibes and waves much better -
The skiffs tend to nose dive going slow ,--but do they fly with their lifting extended spinakkers and their 10 ft crew wing racks.
http://www.ics.uci.edu/~truesdel/images/ellabache.a.gif A comperable cat design would have equivilant or more effective beam and enough planning hull area forward.
I don,t think the 60 ft Palier cat hull design is the answer ,--via seaplane shape,and 50 some ft beam with 2 masts .
though a great looking design and getting closer,
it should be very fast in high winds.
http://www.parlier.org/site02/accueil/navigation/navigation1.jpg I think either a more extreme canted hull and developing a flat or inverted bottom hull shape{ vertically actually a V shape at rest },designed for hull up sailing mode and heel, that worked with an integral fin or hull bottom extension inward at station 2 or 3 back would project much more area forward to provide lift , and help balance a more forward spin on an extended spinpole-
or design option 2 more like the 60 tris ,-use the hull area less and rely more on forward canted board area to provide lift . that would require an aft board as well for balance ,--2 in each hull one for --one aft , and a way to raise and lower them at speed .
Some of the speed sailing craft are experimenting with this on cat platform though in more pure foiler form --
Spitfire
http://marine.bdg.com.au/spitfire12.html The problem with foilers is the need for flat water and falling off plane and crashing .
Seems a partial planning hull would be more ideal for all around use and in seas or gusting conditions.
Liked the molded in swept back forward fin or skeg design idea as it is lighter simpler ,has no moving parts , stronger and less prone to damage , except beaching .
They would need to be angled back and strong .
Designing in the location aft from the bow as an inward extension foil of the flatter bottom hull requires an ideal angle relative to hull as it radiused upward in side rocker profile . This is the area that needs experimentation and and some trial testing with variation.
Some combination of the two may be the ideal .
No doubt a planning hull would be slower in light wind until it reached planning speed ,but offsetting this comparatively would be a larger beam larger bow larger sail area design . but what fun at high speeds.
Currently sail an Inter 20 , it has wide flat hull sections forward and 6 degree canted hulls a 215 sq ft main -53 jib and 270 spin at a 390 weight. With spin on a 12 ft snuffer it does lift somewhat , the hulls in flat water evan without spin on a high speed reach will at times get up and the boat feels like it is beginning to skip or skim , but just not enough yet.
Seems a lighter wider hull -more powerfull sail plan larger total beam cat would plane .
The problem then most encounter is a pounding or slamming hull , but if the sail plan is lifting it should reduce that effect ,--as opposed to a powerboat with its heavy engine weight and no continuous lift .
Watch video of sail boards at speed in seas ,-they fly and float down on the wind . Boardsail a bit, have an old Mystral board.
Then control at speeds becomes the concern and locking yourself into a trapped out position in which distance racing in seas is the norm on high speed cats clipping into a stern safety line and sometimes a forward lead line so your not blasted off the back by a wave ..
The Marstom 20 reports a 30 knot GPS speed , lifting on the hull in a semi plane .
http://www.sailcenter.se/administration/Boats/M20/index.asp The true planning type cat can't be too far off.
There is most likely an ideal length platform that is optimum for a planning cat hull ,-
If any build one soon ,--please call me if crew is needed .
Suggested on the distance race section on Catsailor on the Atlantic 1000 thread that just as the older Worrell 1000 had in the 80s they consider again adding an open design class to race the Atlantic 1000 . The rule was a 20 ft length but no other limits on design , Boats had to get out through surf , sail through shoals .mud flats around jetties and Capes like Diamond shoals at Cape Hatteras and in sometimes large Atlantic seas.
I,d like to see this again and a class of open design development cats , the F-14 is a good start, but I,m not sailing 1000 miles of Atlantic Ocean on one
The 20s or evan 22s max L which would make Bill and a few A 22 CATSAILORS happy I know .
Think this would be a great addition to what has always been the most extreme beachcat race and draw in much more international interest as a showcase for builders and innovative design.
all the best
Carl
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