Saw this on SA. Nice Stealth RIG and Landy sails to boot!

Merry Christmas Robi!

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you folks as well. Ill be at work today<-- Someone has to stand the watch!

Thanks for being "On Guard" Robi! Do you guys have to fly today or just wait for a call, to save some idiot who got a brand new boat and couldn't wait to try it out... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

We are waiting for the alarm to go off, no scheduled flights.

Well, I got "the call"! I fly (volunteer) for the Highlands County Sheriffs Dept., to fly their airplane -when needed-. So at about 2pm today, after I had just put the turkey in the oven, the phone rings and it's the Sheriff's Dept. They have some run aways, they want to do an airial search...

So I figure it will maybe take 1-2 hours, the turkey will still be in the oven, no worries. So I grab my stuff and I'm out the door for what turns into a 4+ hour ordeal, ended only by darkness.

The amazing thing was we actually found 2 of the 3 run- aways. Two 15 yr. old girls who ran away from a half way home last night, they had made it about 30 miles north on rt. 27 when I saw them. They sent a car to pick them up.

They are still out searching for number 3, using a helicopter with an IR system. By the time I got home of course the turkey was long over done, put away in the fridge, so it was cold left overs for me and the wife was more than a little PO'd that I answered that phone, and ruined the meal she worked so hard on.

Never fails. At least we found 2 of 3.

Wow, thats an awesome story with an awesome ending. What plane are you flying? I assume a fixed wing?

Yes, it was a "Scout" which is like a big Citabria (two place, front and back seating, tailwheel, high wing) but it has a 180hp motor with a constant speed prop, which gives it better climb performance and a little faster cruise. The hardest part is flying it slowly for hours, hanging on the edge of the stall, making tight turns, etc. while looking down for run-away kids, and looking out ahead for cell phone towers! Most of the time we are at 300 feet agl, so the towers are a real threat.

Most of the "regular" flights we are looking for grow houses, so we fly much higher, and towers are not such a problem.

www.amerchampionaircraft.com/newac/newmain.htm

oh hey, I just noticed my stars fell even further!! I must not be liked around here.

Anyway awesome looking bird.

Back on subject anyone know anything about this project? Looks like a fun boat.

I don't get the tiny hull, looks like it would go underwater very easily. Can that be fast?

Maybe you are supposed to sail it flat. The tiny hulls are only there to give some type of support when embarking and disembarking the boat.

As stated on SA seems like a stealth hull as well. That said imagine doing this with any cat hull, and when you come to a stop you will capsize. See what im saying?

Yeah, I get it, but it might be easier to just mount a big windsurfer board there instead! At least when you stop, it wouldn't tip over.

That rig is a F16 rig. That is a 28ft tall mast. I highly doubt a windsurfer rig will do any good.

No, not the rig, the board! Put two windsurfer boards on it instead of the tiny ama's, at least they will plane at speed and you can stand on them. So it would look sort of like a big Tri-foiler, without the foils.

I've got a feeling that it's one of Johns F18HT hulls and rigs. It all looks just to big to be F16 stuff. John has mentioned this project to me but I never took that much interest in it as it just seemed like a learn to swim fast exercise. I hope I'll be proved wrong and they do manage to learn the art of sailing on the main hull alone. MAD.... Next they'll be sailing it single-handed!!!

If one puts a couple of surfer boards then they will have Frank Bethwaite's high speed craft. But the principle in this craft is exactly what Frank did in the umm 70 or 80s?

For what its worth the boat, I suspect, is designed to sail flat like a needle hull 18teen. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yes its a Stealth F18 hull with all the F16 rig and sails, the designer and builder is the guy that does all the stress analysis for all the big 60 ft Tri's and bigger multihulls so knows what he is doing. His design brief was to create a 1 / 2 man tri that could be used in very light air ( where he sails typically has light air in the evenings when he sails ) hence the small amas, as he discribed the boat a single long hull with trainer wheels on.

A project I have long looked at and been very interested in. It would be good to hear from the designer who I know follows this site on occassion on how well it sails.

Merry Xmas and a prosperous New Year to all

Timbo,

what a good way to contribute to society, flying such missions! I really admire that!
When you say "a helicopter with an IR system", do you mean a thermal camera, an active IR system or a passive IR system? I just remember thermal cameras being superior in the early 90s while active IR was on its way out (in the army that was).
The old german Fieseler Storch sounds like the ideal plane for such missions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fieseler_Fi_156




About the boat. What a cool project. Essentially similar to the Bethwate (HPX?) prototypes but still a very cool thing to do and sail. Hope it is as fast as the builders envisioned?
One question: What is done with the retrieval line at the top? Looks like it goes from the top patch and then behind the jib.

Thanks for posting in the first place Robi. Stuff like this is always interesting.

Just thinking ..

add foils and you have mini hydroptere!!