more porn . . .
Sounded like the guy in the chase boat wet his pants.

Here's some info on Ben's wing.
Ben Hall's A cat wing http://www.mathran.nl/acat/node/23

Have a big bank account and a bigger ability to keep your boat pointy side up.
Jay, with current design hulls I don't think the wing would necessarily force you into a pitchpole, but the extra weight aloft of it can cause pitching moment than can certainly help go glub.

I would love to hear Ben's opinion of these AC boats rigs. Where is he now? Is he still racing A cats or is he busy building AC masts?

I did get to see his A cat Wing up close at Gulfport when he was there the year he was testing it, I was amazed at how quickly and easily he was able to step the thing. As he mentions in the aritcle, he tipped the boat up on it's side, next to his trailer box, and then just slid the wing out of the box and hooked it up. It was very quick.

I wish he had spent more time testing and developing it, has anyone seen it (the wing) lately?

He's still racing A's and very well at that. Doing the Hall spars thing. Just had them build some diamond wires for me.
Oracle bought the wing from Ben before Dogzilla was built as their intro to wings. Word on the street is one of our own from this forum now is in possession of it.
Here's a good thread on SA about A cat wings with some comments by Ben.
http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?showtopic=134280

I herd it was on it's way to it's new home .

Can you imagine the loads when that thing stuffs?! Holy crap!

Thanks for the links and info, interesting stuff! I guess from a speed standpoint, it -might- be a little faster, but from a practical standpoint, having to drop it every night at a regatta, etc, and god forbid you land on it if/when you flip...it could get ugly! A soft sail is pretty easy to roll up after sailing, and it stores in a much smaller box, weighs less, costs less, etc.

Still...those wings are sexy beasts!

You don't have to land on it ,just flipping can give you a very expensive , long term repair.

Given the nature of the new owner, I bet that the carbon specialists in his area are salivating :P

Or his indentured boatguy/ crew has alot to sort out, if he hasn't already.
My prediction is the wing will be parts for trophies in no time, but I hope I'm way wrong.If I'm not I want a piece.

Funny how the same things get rehashed.
Catsailor A cat wing thread
http://www.catsailor.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=117940&page=1

damn, no love from this crowd...

Yes, I now have the Ben/Oracle wing and have plans to rebuild/modify it over the winter.

Come spring it should be "interesting" in it's new configuration.

-M

That wing didn't have the benefit of banana foils either when Ben was working with it (I don't think so).

or if it did, it was super early with the curved boards

It didn't but..
I would think combined with the pitching moment the angle of attack of curved boards would change so much it could prove to be a hindrance.

Jake,
You ready to get a CnC cutter to make Mike new ribs for that wing?

Mike,
Nothing personal. I saw,first hand at the LAC, just how fragile those wings are. If you don't flip, you might be OK as far as major damage goes. It was rare for a wing to go out and not have to have something done to it when it came back. From simple Clysar repairs to loading it in the back of a pick-up bed in 100s of pieces.

As long as he's ready for the ribs to come in 9" x 12" pieces (I am working on buying a 3 axis CNC engraver).

From what mike told me... it ain't going on his A ... don't know if his plans are super top secret so ill shutup now.

So, and F20C with wings?

He doesn't have that anymore either...you really have to run fast to keep up with Mike!