Wednesday 31 October 2012

More build blogs, interviews and info on trimaran construction

Construction of a Dick Newick Val III trimaran (in French)

http://valiii.over-blog.com/

Strike 15 off the beach trimaran by Richard Woods

http://sailingcatamarans.com/Strike%2015.htm

Wavelength 780 trimaran interview with designer Bob Forster

http://smalltrimarans.com/blog/?p=3211

Banque Populaire V, 14minute film on the Jules Verne Trophy

This fantastic film follows the maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V and crew on their record breaking non stop race around the world in their succesful pursuit of the Jules Verne Trophy.  There are some other videos available that cover the event in a more compressed format.  Personally I dont think I could ever get tired of watching video of this amazing boat powering through the ocean and this film integrates some excellent footage. 

 
The tracker which followed their progress in the record attempt is still available at their website.  You can replay thier progress by moving the slider to the left and pressing play.  The green trimaran shown is the previous record holder Groupama3 which was skippered by Franck Cammas.
 

More on Damfino, Dick Newick "spark" design trimaran

A more detailed article on Ocean Navigator about the Dick Newick "spark" design "Damfino".

http://www.oceannavigator.com/January-February-2009/Responsive-Damfino-is-a-classic-Newick-tri/


New Multi 50 trimaran for Lalou Roucayrol

New trimaran to replace the trimaran Region Aquitaine Port Medoc, capsized by a violent squall which surprised the crew the boat was damaged terminally when the cargo ship that came to their rescue crushed one of the trimarans floats.  Also an interesting interview with Lalou.

repost of article from Multihull World magazine

http://www.multihulls-world.com/us/catamarans/news/lalou-roucayrol-s-future-multi50-rocket,837.html


Lalou Roucayrol's future Multi50 rocket
August 18 2012
Lalou Roucayrol's future Multi50 rocket

François Forestier's 'first mate' aboard 'Lejaby Rasurel', Lalou Roucayrol, became well-known when he took over Guy Delage's amazing proa (Funambule - Lestra Sport - Francopholies) and finished 4th in the 1991 La Baule – Dakar. He then accompanied Yves Parlier, Francis Joyon and Alain Gauthier on most of the big events, before taking over the controls of the 60' Orma trimaran, 'Banque Populaire'.
There was then the Route de l’Or on 'Aquitaine Innovation', the terrible 2002 Rhum (which he was the only one in a 60' Orma to finish without stopping) and the adventure of the hydraplane 'Mediatis', aboard which he shattered the 24-hour record (597.8 miles), then that for the flying mile, with top speeds of 42 knots!

2010 Rhum: podium in November, capsize in December
Lalou, aboard 'Région Aquitaine Port Médoc', finished second, behind Lionel Lemonchois, in this meteorologically complex edition. The return delivery trip followed close behind, in December, on an Atlantic Ocean which was still rough thanks to the squally weather. A violent squall at more than 50 knots surprised the crew, which was sailing with full main at a good speed. The trimaran was catapulted head over heels. Everyone was saved, but the multihull was lost, its float crushed by the rescuing cargo ship.

A radical new boat!
Still supported by the region, which sees in him a fantastic talent agitator and a sailor-catalyst for skills transfer between the nautical industry and regional companies in the avionics sector, Lalou is currently working on the construction of a latest generation Multi50'. At the rule's minimum weight limit (3t), the machine should be a flyer! In his favourite boatyard at Grayan L’hopital (Strato Compo), a few kilometres from his base in Port Medoc, Lalou Roucayrol has brought together a dream team, whose main players are Romaric Neyhousser (architect and former crew member on 'Banque Pop'), Guillaume Verdier, Benjamin Muil (all 3 working on the design), with Thierry Eluère conducting the construction. The project's key words, beyond the stated sporting ambition, are: collective spirit – a wish to pass on and train, transversality and skill-sharing. The first months of the winter were above all used to adapt the boatyard to the new demands of this type of construction, and to organise a turnkey construction process for possible sister ships.


MW: How is the construction coming on?

Lalou: Work on the tooling has taken a lot of time, today 40% of the boat's parts have been completed, we are taking the sides of the central hull out of the moulds, but don't want to settle too early on the underwater lines of the floats, which are special (their shape generates lift).

MW: When is the launch date?

Lalou: During the second half of November: we are envisaging a classic crane launch, but also using a helicopter, if the navy allows the use of a Puma from the helicopter carrier AQUITAINE (which will be in our waters at the time).

MW: Can you reveal a few little secrets of its design and construction?

Lalou:
Thierry Eluère's extraordinary skills in the field of composites (PRB, SAFRAN, MEDIATIS…) is an added value which we rely on…in addition to a build quality which we want to be exemplary, we are taking advantage of innovative development partnerships. Just 2 examples: our bulkheads are epoxy bonded, but with fillet joints laminated in methacrylate, from AEC Polymères. They offer mechanical qualities and a flexibility/user hygiene which interests us (product available in cartridges). We are also taking advantage of a paint system which will allow us to plot the forces and structural deformations in real time, by the colour code!

MW: What will the diary for the end of 2012 and 2013 be?

Lalou: After the first tests in our front garden, the Gironde, we will be setting up the training base in the Canaries and would like to do this trip as a fleet, with one or two Multi50s; 'Axa atout cœur' already seems to be interested. We will then be taking part in all the spring events (Tour de Belle Ile, Armen Race, Trophée SNSM) and those on the Multi50 circuit, to finish with the Transat Jacques Vabre, two-up with Quentin Vlamynck.

MW: Your adventures are always full of meaning, how do you define your new role?

Lalou: I feel like the heir to the tradition of the end of the 19th/beginning of the 20th century, when people like Bordes launched some real racing boats, such as the 138-metre, 5-masted France II. To fulfil their part of the contract, they often covered 300-350 miles a day. I like the link with what we are doing today. We build the machine, perfect it, choose and train the men whilst committing ourselves, accepting our share of the risk. I find this kind of relationship with the sponsors is healthier...and we remain masters of our own fate.

MW: You are leaving to deliver 'Axa atout cœur', to take Erik Nigon's Multi50 trimaran to the start of Quebec-St Malo; what meaning is there in this project?

Lalou: In parallel with the development of a very fast Multi50, and the organisation of the programme, there is a stage dedicated to the transfer of technical knowledge, which we hope will lead to the creation of a real ocean racing centre. The aim of entering two boats in the 2014 Rhum is achievable. This transat, in race preparation-delivery mode, will be with Maiëul Riffet and Fred Palacio, who have been with me for a long time; its aim is to prepare the young Quentin Vlamynck (20, who we selected this winter) for the Route du Café, which we will be racing together.

MW: Bravo for this nice project! To finish, news of the Multi50', the MOD 70s and the America's Cup in multihulls?

Lalou: I believe in the future of the Multi50', the class is now mature, capable of bringing together 8 to 13 boats at each event. The investments remain reasonable and the sporting nature of the class doesn't prohibit creativity. There is no reason why the future big events can't integrate the MOD 70s with the Multi 50s; this would optimise the media spin-offs, and be profitable for both. I've followed the preliminary regattas for the America's Cup, in AC 45s – I would love to try one! Those sail plans are fantastic, even though the hulls still remain quite traditional; these extraordinary machines are perfectly suited to their programme and are capable of providing excitement for the spectators. My architects are working with the New Zealanders on certain parts of an AC 72' (top secret, of course)! l

The last of the large racing proa's Tahiti Douche is sailing again

repost of article from multihulls world

http://www.multihulls-world.com/us/catamarans/news/tahiti-douche-the-last-of-the-big-proas-is-sailing-again-,894.html

Tahiti Douche: the last of the big proas is sailing again!
October 04 2012
Tahiti Douche: the last of the big proas is sailing again!
A little more than two years ago now, we dedicated an article to this mythical proa, the last example of its kind. The title was 'The last of the big proas must be saved'...
In the 80s, the ocean racing world was in turmoil... The skippers were ready to do anything to win, including the unthinkable and the unreasonable! Thus some very improbable racing boats were created, including...the proa, Tahiti Douche.
The fate of this superb, Daniel Charles-designed proa was hardly any different from that of its competitors at the time (Eterna, Funambule / Lestra Sports, Rosières, Azurex, Fumée Noire...). Their collective misfortunes without a doubt contributed to the image they unjustly carry nowadays of being more trouble than they are worth. Yet it was so beautiful! Starberry's construction was a bit rough and had many defects, but the competent French builders were snowed under, and the budget was insufficient! This boat tormented Alain Gliksman (its skipper), gave out of the ordinary excitement to its crews, but allowed Halvard Mabire, Vincent Lévy, Christine Capdevielle and Denis Gliksman to flirt with the highest speeds of the time. Tahiti took part in the first edition of La Baule-Dakar and came close to Funambule's record (23 knots over 500m) at Brest. Rebuilt and modified by Christian Augé (Éterna), the proa started in the 1983 Lorient- Bermudas-Lorient (abandoned for lack of insurance), tried its luck again in La Baule - Dakar, then Quebec-St Malo, entered by the Tellier brothers. "They passed me as if I was standing still," Bruno Peyron recounted later, aboard his Jazz... But the beautiful proa then lost its mast in the Saint Lawrence!

Located by the Golden Oldies Multihulls association, whose aim is the protection of these former wonders with several hulls, the boat was purchased in St Martin, in the West Indies. Strengthening work was quickly carried out locally, and the exceptional machine has just crossed the Atlantic in the (expert) hands of its new owner. And the best part of the story is that the accompanying boat for this Atlantic crossing was none other than the trimaran VSD (ex-Riguidel).
The proa is now anchored next to VSD in the Balearics, its new home port...
Legends never die!
For more information: www.goldenoldies.biz

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Multi 50 trimaran Fenetre Cardinal 3 video

A well put together video of the Multi 50 Fenetre Cardinal 3 sailing.  This trimaran with Skipper Erwan Le Roux and crew came in a full day ahead of their multihull opposition in the recent Quebec St Malo Transat and smashed the Multi 50 record for the event.  Here is a link to a sail world article about their victory in the 2012 Transat Quebec St Malo event.

More on the new GC32 racing catamaran

An interview with Andrew MacPherson on the new GC32 catamaran by the crew over at catsailingnews

http://www.catsailingnews.com/2012/10/g32-flying-32-cat-explained-interview.html




Ninja Catamaran out sailing

The recently launched Ninja racing catamaran is out sailing in Auckland, New Zealand.

Images posted up by "Evolution NZ" on the sailing anarchy multihull forum:


Video of launch of Prince de Bretagne 80' ocean racing trimaran

A video of the launching of the Prince de Bretagne 80' maxi ocean racing trimaran designed to be sailed singlehanded by Lionel Lemanchois.

F40 Trimaran BC4/Agir competes in first race in Auckland, New Zealand

pictures from NZMYC website, noticeboard

http://www.multihull.org.nz/noticeboard/

Nice rum Race last week, and with new boats turning up its a great Friday afternoon fleet.
Agir And TW
Was our first race on AGIR, in really nice conditions. 1640 starts so we usually see good fleets , especially now the weathers looking like it settled. Apparently this year will be a normal summer, whatever that means.
Agir

Steven Callahan interviews with multihull designers for Proboat magazine

A series of impressive interviews by Steven Callahan with a range of designers some exclusive multihull designers and others a portfolio of both multi and mono design.

Nigel Irens February 2000

Adrian Thompson December 2000

Morrelli and Melvin August 2001

Jim Antrim April 2002

Gold Coast Yachts April 2010

Dick Newick December 2010



Searail 19 trimaran setup and sailing videos

A couple of videos of the Searail 19 trimaran.  The first shows setting up the boat from the trailer and the second is of the boat sailing in light conditions.

Terry Hutchinson concedes that the damage to the Artemis AC72 catamaran caused by "user error"

Terry Hutchinson has mentioned that the reason that their AC72 catamaran suffered beam damage came down to a mistake in towing method rather than a fault in the new boats design. 

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Americas-Cup:-Mental-mistake-leads-to-delay-for-Artemis-racing/103295

Thomas Coville, new singlehanded reference time for the Marseille to Carthage singlehanded record

New passage record set by Thomas Coville on the maxi trimaran "Sodebo" for the Singlehanded multihull record on the Marseille to Carthage route.

http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=111014
 
Record: Marseille to Carthage. Singlehanded.
Yacht: Sodebo II 102 ft Trimaran.
Name: Thomas Coville FRA
Dates: 12th to 13th September 2012.
Start time: 12; 46; 36 UTC on 12/09/12
Finish time: 14; 25; 12 UTC on 13/09/12
Elapsed time: 25hours 38minutes 36seconds
Distance: 455NM
Average speed: 17.77 kts
Comments: Previous record: “Group Bel”, Kito de Pavant, FRA, Jun 09, 1d 21h 20m 29s
--
John Reed
Secretary to the WSSR Council
 

Formula 40 Biscuits Cantreau 4/Agir, first sailing images

The Formula 40 Agir/Biscuits Cantreau 4 has been taken out on its first shakedown sail with the new owner in New Zealand.  thanks to "send it" on the crew.org.nz forums for the photo

Monday 29 October 2012

Multihull Yacht Club of Victoria, Southern Oceans Multihull Regatta

Just a reminder that there is still time to sign up and sail if anyone is interested in competing in the Southern Oceans Multihull Regatta.  Missus wants you out of the house? work quiet? Sick of going to the Spring Racing Carnival?  There is still an option to go racing with a great group of multihullers!  Some crew spots will be available too so even if you would just like to give it a go it's worth turning up.

http://mycv-news.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/notice-of-race-somr-2012.html

Oracle capsize, where to from here for the America's Cup defenders?

Richard Gladwell has prepared this excellent article for Sail-World on the possible ways to go forward for Team Oracle. 

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Gladwells-Line:-Oracles-options-to-get-back-into-the-Game/103265

Kurt Hughes article "Post Apocalyptic Boatbuilding"

Kurt Hughes has come up with some innovative solutions over the years on how to get maximum boat for your buck without compromising on efficient hullshapes.  His Cylinder Mold method uses a basic form to provide the ability to bend multiple thin plywood into a curved shape with scope for building a variety of multihulls.  This article deals directly with cores, boatbuilding methods and other important aspects of budget boatbuilding.

http://multihullblog.com/postapocalyptic-boat-building/

Team Vodafone Sailing video from the Coastal Classic 2012

A compilation of video from onboard and chase boats of the ORMA 60 Team Vodafone in the 2012 Coastal Classic.  They went on to reset their own record and reduce their already fast time by about 3 minutes!



Yvan Bourgon, multihull skipper and his adventures

Yvan Bourgnon has had an interesting career in multihull sailing from the ORMA60 Brossard to modified beach cats.  One of his latest efforts was a rounding of Cape Horn West to East on an off the beach catamaran.

Here is a page of videos on his website showing some of his adventures over the years

http://yvan-bourgnon.fr/category/medias/videos/

And his website (in French) google translate works quite well though for non French readers

http://yvan-bourgnon.fr/




Articles on the use of parachute anchors and heavy weather sailing from multihullpages.com

A good article from the multihullpages website on the use of parachute anchors on a multihull.

http://www.multihullpages.com/parachute_anchors.html

Heavy weather sailing on a multihull also a good read.

http://www.multihullpages.com/heavy_weather.html

Lionel Lemanchois new "Prince de Bretagne" 80' Ocean Racing trimaran launched

Lionel Lemanchois new 80' trimaran intended to win the Route du Rhum yacht race has been launched.  The boat will fit into the G class rule which in the context of this race is intended for large multihulls which are singlehanded.  Lionel Lemanchois is also active in the Multi 50 circuit and has an impressive race record in multihulls.  This new trimaran uses the beams and rig from the former "Sodebo" ORMA60 trimaran of Thomas Coville but everything else is new.

http://www.jmliot.com/?photos=3&page=photos&event=news&article=200




Sunday 28 October 2012

Ocean going Inflatable multihull

58 year old Anatoly Kulik is a specialist in inflatable multihulls.  You can read more about his interesting projects at:

http://www.energydiethd.com/projects/across-the-oceans/en/blog





Oracle team, America's Cup defenders pick up the pieces and move forward.

article from sail-world

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Americas-Cup:-Oracle--Team-USA---Repairs-and-Construction/103248

America's Cup: Oracle Team USA - Repairs and Construction




'Oracle Team USA - Pier 80 Base, San Francisco' Guilain Grenier Oracle Team USA© Click Here to view large photo
 
One week after capsizing on San Francisco Bay, Oracle Team USA says it is busy moving forward with repairs on the first AC72. At the same time, construction is well underway on the team’s second boat.
Attention now turns to scheduling and balancing work lists as the team prepares not only to get sailing again as soon as possible, but also to race next summer.
'We have had a series of discussions throughout the team and looked at all options. We needed to be realistic, and consider the level of risk involved,' general manager Grant Simmer said. 'We know we must focus on building the second AC72, and getting it sailing in the spring. The second boat is key to our defense of the Cup.'
Oracle Team USA completed construction on their first AC72 and launched it in August. The second boat build is scheduled to wrap up in the spring at the team base in San Francisco, allowing for a two-boat training and testing program in preparation for the 34th America’s Cup.
'We have started the repair process on our first AC72 – our shore team is progressing with this work.' Simmer said. 'A new wing was already under construction at Core Builder Composites in New Zealand – it is expected to arrive and be ready to use in the repaired boat early next year. We’re also planning the construction of a third wing for use on the second boat.'
The team had eight days of training on the water before capsizing on October 16. The boat was towed back to the team base at Pier 80, and the platform was removed from the water the following day. As a result of the incident, the wing sail was severely damaged.
All of Oracle Team USA is now tackling the list of repairs, and will soon resume the testing program on the AC45s.
'There are variables still to be determined,' Simmer said. 'We’re considering all options to define the best path to be able to win in September.'
 


Mark 'Tugboat' Turner head of the build team in San Francisco with OTUSA skipper Jimmy Spithill - Guilain Grenier Oracle Team USA© Click Here to view large photo






Oracle Team USA gets wheeled into the shed on Pier 80 - Guilain Grenier Oracle Team USA© Click Here to view large photo


by Oracle Team USA

Farrier F22 trimaran production version progress

There are some more updates on f-boat.com on the F22 trimaran and production progress.  The deck plug is now polished and ready to take a final mold off and the poptop completed.

read more at:

http://www.f-boat.com/pages/News4/FM-Factory2012.html


More information on the proa "Madness" by Chesapeake Light Craft

repost of article on the Chesapeake Light Craft website

http://www.clcboats.com/life-of-boats-blog/pacific-proa-madness-at-us-sailboat-show.html

Pacific Proa "Madness" at the US Sailboat Show



Pacific Proa "Madness" at the US Sailboat Show in Annapolis
Madness Proa Main Page

In early October, CLC's 31-foot Pacific proa Madness took a spot in the United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland. Certainly it was the first time that a proa has ever appeared at that huge show, and in anticipation I made up some posters with "Frequently Asked Questions" to help people understand what they were looking at. In a sea of highly conventional, symmetrical white fiberglass sailboats, the asymmetrical yellow wooden proa created a lot of buzz!

What is a Pacific Proa?

A sailboat with one big hull and one little hull. The small hull (or "ama") is kept to windward at all times. This is the architecture used for thousands of years by the ocean-going peoples of the South Pacific. The reasons that proas were attractive to the South Pacific cultures are the same reasons that proas are attractive today: it's the most speed you can get for the least amount of time and materials.
Madness is a heavily Westernized and modernized version of the beach proas from Micronesia. It is built of plywood, epoxy, and fiberglass and weighs about 1400 pounds. Three have been built, of which this is the first.
Madness was designed by John C. Harris at Chesapeake Light Craft, with lots of input from Russell Brown. Brown refined the concept of the Westernized Pacific proa and his accumulated tens of thousands of sea miles in proas. The Harris design simplifies construction, but in most respects is very similar to Russell Brown's archetype: wood-epoxy composite hulls, sloop rig, and "pod" to leeward to prevent capsizes and create interior accommodations.

The purpose of this boat is to
A) Demonstrate the qualities of modernized Pacific proas
B) Serve as a technology demonstator for Chesapeake Light Craft
C) Offer a viable and cost-effective multihull choice for amateur boatbuilders working from plans or kits

Pacific proa "Madness"Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC) is the world's largest supplier of boat kits and supplies, with more than 24,000 kits shipped since 1993. Based in Annapolis, CLC's mission is to help people build boats. In addition to kits and plans for more than 90 award-winning kayaks, canoes, rowing boats, and sailboats, CLC is a major supplier of boatbuilding materials to amateur boatbuilders. CLC sells epoxy, fiberglass, composite materials, marine plywood, boatbuilding lumber, and specialty supplies through the mail and from an Annapolis showroom and factory.
Designer John C. Harris aboard the proa "Madness"
Chesapeake Light Craft CEO and chief designer John C. Harris answers your questions:

1. This boat looks crazy. Are you mental?
Yes.

2. Seriously, what is the point?
Proas have been around for a long time, even in this hemisphere. The point is not to be weird---I can't afford to build something like this just to be weird. The point is that Pacific proas have a list of really compelling advantages. The main advantage is that, because of the asymmetry, you get to leave half the boat ashore. And the balance of forces is so perfect that the structure can be light and simple. It's the fastest boat for the money.
In terms of structural mass, Madness is about two-thirds of a trimaran or a catamaran. But it has the same righting moment. So it's incredibly fast without having to resort to a lot of carbon fiber or engineering wizardry.
Pacific proa "Madness" from the stern
3. Okay, how fast?
20 knots. I suspect Madness could work up to 22 or 23 knots in the right conditions, but I've had the boat less than a year and haven't really put the pedal down yet.
However, I designed and built Madness not as a speed machine but as a "pocket cruiser" for the Chesapeake or the Bahamas. The point wasn't to go as fast as possible, but to create a really efficient small cruiser capable of covering a lot of distance during short vacations. Getting to the Bahamas in my last boat would have been an anxious overnight adventure. In Madness it can be done in an afternoon in the right weather window.


4. Why are you here? Do you think you're going to sell these?
No. Well, not in large numbers, and then only in the form of plans or kits for home builders. There is an extremely avid community of proa enthusiasts, many of whom have been waiting for a set of plans like this for decades.
I'm here to demonstrate the technology in Chesapeake Light Craft's boat kits, and to get people thinking about proas as a legitimate alternative to a trimaran or catamaran.
While the plans and kits aren't officially on sale yet, there are three more under construction. One in South Carolina is complete except for rigging; one in California is about half complete.

5. My brain is freezing while I try to visualize how you tack and keep the little hull to windward at all times.
Yes, that happens, though only while ashore and thinking abstractly about how a proa tacks. Once you're actually out on the water, proa sailing just feels...normal. Tacking is basically a three-point turn. You bear off, loose the sheets, drop the jib, and switch the rudders. The proa is quietly hove-to while you do all this; they are the most docile boats in the world to tack. (Usually a tack is an occasion to grab a snack or a drink---an interesting contrast to a monohull with a big overlapping genoa.) You get under way on the new tack under mainsail alone, and hoist and unfurl the "new" jib at your leisure.

Yes, tacking a proa is different than what you grew up with, but remember the flip side: It's the only sailboat that can be brought instantly to a stop and reversed under perfect control.
This is usually the point when your eyes glaze over, because you're distracted by the unfamiliar geometry, and it's important to come back to the reason to build a proa in the first place: It's a cheap, lightly-loaded structure that's easy to build.

How to Tack a Proa
6. Contrast a proa with a trimaran and a catamaran. I get those, but I'm foggy on the proa thing...distract me from trying to figure out how you tack...
A trimaran has three hulls, which means at least 50% more boatbuilding work than a proa. Think about the dynamic loads of a trimaran---that leeward hull getting pushed harder and harder into the seas as the wind rises. The hull has to have enough volume to manage it, and the crossbeams have to be engineering marvels to withstand the loads. A catamaran only requires two hulls, but the compression of the mast on the forward crossbeam adds a lot of engineering anxiety, especially for boats in the same speed class as Madness.

In a proa, most of the sailing loads go to the shroud lifting the outrigger. You get some mast compression, but you aren't shoving the ama through the water with the entire weight of the boat behind it. This neat balance means lighter and simpler construction all around. Thus cheaper and easier to build. It worked with dugout canoes on the atolls in Micronesia, and it works with Madness, too. I got about $80,000 worth of performance for $20,000.

Pacific proa "Madness"
7. $20,000, huh?
That's what the materials for Madness cost. About half of that was in the rig and sails. The carbon mast was scavenged cheaply from a Nacra Inter 20, but the sails and hardware are fancy. A resourceful home builder opting for the "cruising rig" could build this boat for around $12,000.

8. What if I want one? I have to build it? What's involved?
An extensively detailed set of plans (including patterns for most parts) costs about $500. A basic kit comprising computer-cut plywood parts and plans costs around $4500. A more complete kit, including everything but rigging and finish materials, runs about $12,500. While not intended for first-time boatbuilders, this project is within reach of patient amateurs who are familiar with epoxy and fiberglass.
You can also have one professionally built. The first two, including this one, were built by Mark Bayne at Sea Island Boatworks in South Carolina. This boat is currently for sale.

9. Describe the construction of this boat.
Madness is built using the "stitch and glue" method. In this style of construction, pre-fabricated plywood parts are assembled with temporary wire stitches, then glued permanently with epoxy. Fiberglass reinforces everything. In fact, every surface on Madness is fiberglassed on both sides, so durability is similar to a solid fiberglass boat. The plywood is functioning as a core material to a large extent. There are some stiffening stringers made of cypress. The crossbeams and the "pod" are made from bead-and-cove cedar strips with fiberglass reinforcement. It's the same pile of materials that we use in our eight-foot dinghy kit: quarter-inch plywood and thin fiberglass.
The plywood used is Okoume, which is grown on FSC-certified plantations in West Africa and made into very high-quality marine plywood in France. Okoume is extremely light. Nearly all of the plywood is 1/4" (6mm) thick.
The boat as it sits here at the show weighs about 1400 pounds, or half the weight of a Mini Cooper.

10. That's pretty light. Can I take this boat offshore?
I get a lot of questions about taking this boat offshore. I think it's something about the yellow paint, and the very deliberate nod to the work of Dick Newick, that makes certain sailors want to add an acrylic bubble over the companionway and enter the OSTAR.
Madness wasn't designed for offshore work. It's not a structural thing---I fully expect Madness to be durable in nasty coastal conditions, which can of course rival anything found at sea. The issue is that the boat is quite low-slung and light and pretty wet in waves. Unless you're a French singlehander, a week of gale conditions would probably kill you.
Realistically, a seagoing version of this boat would have about twice the volume and displacement on the same length and beam---and would be twice as expensive and twice the commitment to build.

11. Needs water ballast, maybe.
Right. And the ama DOES have provision for a couple of hundred pounds of water ballast. I haven't used it yet, but the boat shows signs of needing the ballast once you get up over 15 knots of wind.

12. How long would it take to build this boat?
About a year of part time work. This boat took about 1800 hours, somewhat longer because it was the prototype and has a fancy linear polyurethane finish and a "racing" rig. The second boat took somewhat less time. The actual elapsed time will vary quite a lot based on the builder's experience and the quality of the finish.

13. What about a capsize? Is the "lee pod" enough to keep you upright? Do you sail around balancing on one hull?
With the rig to leeward and the ama far to windward, Madness has an amazing amount of righting moment. I've yet to feel even close to capsizing, and you never sail with the ama out of the water. I trim the mainsheet to keep the ama just skimming the surface.
The lee pod really does its thing when the boat is moving fast, as of course you would be in conditions sufficient to create a knockdown. If you heel enough for the pod to make contact, it smacks the ama back down instantly. The pod produces its most effective righting moment from the proa's forward motion, not from actual live buoyancy, although of course there's a lot of that, too.
Pacific proa "Madness"
14. How about transport?
Remove ten bolts and Madness comes apart for trailering. It fits on a trailer that cost me about $750 brand new and can be towed easily by my six-cylinder, 3.6 liter Ford SUV. At the end of last season, I simply hitched the boat to the bumper of a car and dragged it up a sloping grass lawn on greased 2x12's (and vice versa for the launch this spring). The boat only draws about 16 inches, so it can be moored in very shallow water and beached as needed.

15. What about a folding scheme?
That adds a lot to the complexity, weight, and cost of the structure, definitely not part of the light-fast-cheap ethos of a homebuilt proa. Nor do I think it's practical to fold a proa while afloat, though someone more clever than me will eventually figure it out. There are no plans to offer folding crossbeams for Madness. A couple of friends can unbolt and pack up the boat in about a half-day.

16. What's the cabin like?
If you're used to hot and cold running water, multiple staterooms, and seating for six in the saloon, this will feel like camping.
If you're used to camping, however, Madness is luxurious compared to a tent. There are two or three berths depending on the configuration. There is room for a chemical head and a small galley. There is comfortable seating; you can wait out a gale at anchor in a snug harbor someplace. It's the perfect size for a couple or a singlehander to cover long distances in coastal waters.

17. I'd like to find out more.
Check out the Proa's webpage for more photos, videos, and discussion about proas.

18. Can I buy a set of plans or a kit?
Plans are done, and we've shipped several kits. We are assembling an instruction manual. Look for more info on kits and plans over on the Madness 31-foot Pacific Proa page.
Pacific proa "Madness"

New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club (NZMYC) next meeting 29th of November 2012, guest speaker Pete Melvin

NZMYC are going to have Pete Melvin of the famous Morrelli and Melvin yacht design group as a guest speaker at their next meeting.  Morrelli and Melvin have been involved with iconic projects such as Steve Fosset's Playstation ocean racing catamaran and were involved in modifications to the super trimaran USA17 that won comprehensively against the giant catamaran Alinghi V in the deed of gift match to reclaim the America's Cup.

Pete Melvin
New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club's Guest Speaker is Pete Melvin, who will speak at RNZYS Dinghy Locker on the 29th November 2012 at 7:30pm

Pete Melvin
Pete and his staff are proud to be working with the best designers and sailors in the world as part of Emirates Team New Zealand.  Pete was involved as a consultant to the design team for 2010 Americas Cup winning Yacht, and then helped write the AC72 Class Rule.
Pete’s sailing resume is long and distinguished. He has won a combined 30 national/continental championships in Monohulls and Multihull’s and three world championships (ISAF Youth Doublehanded Worlds and two A Class Catamaran World Championships). He is also recognized by the World Sailing Speed Record Council for being a crew member on several world speed records on ocean-going Multihull’s.

Pete graduated from Boston University in 1985 with a Bachelors Degree in Aerospace Engineering. He gained invaluable experience working on the design of future military and commercial aircraft configurations as an Advanced Design Engineer and team leader at McDonnell Douglas. Pete Melvin's dual career paths in aerospace engineering and sailboat racing united with the formation of Morrelli & Melvin in 1992.
Morrelli and Melvin are designers of high performance Multihull’s. Projects include 1988 and 2010 America’s Cup winners, PlayStation - the 125 foot racing supercat, The NACRA 17 Olympic catamaran, high performance cruising cats like the Gunboat series and M&M65, and even a few fast powercats like the ETNZ tender.
http://www.morrellimelvin.com/

Saturday 27 October 2012

Luna Rossa launch their new AC72 design catamaran

Team Luna Rossa have launched their new AC72 catamaran.  It appears quite similar to the ETNZ AC72 but has some differences in foil shape etc.  The hulls are chrome effect (very bling) ETNZ and Luna Rossa are going to be able to sail together but not able to share information directly there is no doubt however the ability to sail the two boats together and informally race will provide some useful information for the teams.

thanks to Doug Lord on boatdesign.net for the link to this video.

Interview with Misha Heeskerk winner of the A Class Catamaran World Championship in Florida

Interview with mischa heemskerk winner A Class Catamaran World Championship in Florida.  Video posted by "clarksail".

Dick Newick "Spark" trimaran design

Those who have followed trimaran designs and history will be familiar with the work of Dick Newick.  One of his recent briefs was to create a 28' trimaran (Spark design)  which is spiritually a multihull version of the famous Herreshoff Rozinante canoe yawl.  The final boat (Damfino) is unmistakably Newick in design with gracious curved lines but is a sweet sailing boat with good handling and performance.

repost of article by Mike O'Brien

http://outyourbackdoor.com/OYB8/boats/boatspark.html

Spark...a Three Hulled Rosinante

By Mike O'Brien

[Originally from Boat Design Quarterly #2 , but reprinted just now from Messing About In Boats. Follow?]

Canoe yawls are small canoe sterned cruisers. They are not canoes, they need not be yawl rigged, and Spark demonstrates that they need not have only one hull. Dick Newick drew this light trimaran for a client who wanted a threehulled version of Rozinante, a lovely and deep rnonohull from L. Francis Herreshoff's table. The highly regarded multihull designer understood that his new boat would have to be "elegantly simple, handy, fast, and fun to sail".

To drive Spark's slender hulls, Newick chose the rig devised by Dr. Ljungstrom in the 1930's after he lost his son to a spinnaker accident. This system consists of a doubled, boomless, battenless, legomutton mainsail that furls (and reefs after a fashion) around an unstayed rotating mast. For beating and reaching, both layers of the sail lie together and are sheeted to the same point, that is they act as a conventional single sail. Off the wind, the sail can open like a butterfly's wings to double the effective area.

Starting with a Ljungstromrigged 17' cruising kayak in 1950, and proceeding through a 51' trimaran schooner (1988). Dick Newick must have as much experience with doubled sails as any contemporary sailor.

The racing records of Newick's boats indicate that his performance predictions ought not to be taken lightly. He forecasts that "Spark might not beat a wingmasted trimaran to windward, but she should be ahead of almost anything else. Flying a spinnakercloth, double duty jib/mizzen staysail, she will do better than wind speed in any breeze under 8 knots. With working sail you can expect 12 knots of boat speed in 15 knots of wind. She'll make 16 knots easily when it's blowing 20. An 8hp outboard will push her to 7 knots, and a yuloh ( a specially rigged, bent Asian sculling oar) will give 2 knots."

If Newick's Spark and Hereshoff's Rozinante share similar intent, they also provide similar accommodations. Each has a solitary berth and an extraordinarily comfortable cockpit. Neither boat has standing headroom, and neither needs it. Most life functions can, or should, be performed while sitting or reclining.

Nets fill the open spaces between Spark's hulls. Lying prone on a speeding trimaran's net, suspended inches above the rushing stream of warm water, must be one of life's great spiritual and physical pleasures, dream-like free flight. The nets make fine beds on mild, bugless nights.

Spark's hulls can be strip planked with cedar or lighter more expensive DuraKore. In either case, they should be sheathed with fiberglass cloth inside and out. Shaped and 'glassed foam forms the forward and after ends of the amas (outer hulls). These "safety cushions" will disintegrate upon hard impact.

Lofting this boat should be easy. Newick drew Spark's graceful hull lines for publication here. He added a waterline and buttock lines to the vaka drawings at my request. Later, he pointed out that these lines needn't be shown for his boats because of their easy shape and selffairing lofting method.

From the many dictionary definitions for "spark'', Newick has chosen two as fitting his boat: "A flash of light" and "to set in motion". As does Rozinante, Spark possesses a spirit that transcends functional explanation. She stirs a sailor's passion for efficient movement and independence.

Contact: Richard C. Newick, 5 Shepherds Way, Kittery Point, ME 03905.)






Vestas Sailrocket 2 update from Paul Larsen's blog

Not much sailing related in the most recent update but the team are able to analyse with their new sensors what is causing the problem.  They believe drag is the main culprit rather than a lack of power. 

http://sailrocket.com/node/584

TNT34 folding/trailerable trimaran

The TNT34 is a new entry into the trailerable multihull field.  It has an interesting and innovative folding mechanism that combines sliding and folding movements.  Sea trials of the finished boat have been completed and you can find more information, videos and images over at their website.

http://www.tnt34.com/





Thursday 25 October 2012

Luna Rossa to launch AC72 catamaran this week

repost of article courtesy of americascup.com.

http://www.americascup.com/en/news/3/news/8830/ready-to-launch-italian-ac72-hits-the-water-this-week

Italy’s Luna Rossa Challenge is getting ready to launch its AC72 in Auckland this week, where the team will train over the Southern Hemisphere summer.

Skipper Max Sirena says preparing the new boat has been the main focus for the team for several weeks, at the expense of results in the last AC World Series event earlier this month in San Francisco. The two Luna Rossa crews finished in 9th and 11th place, after consistently placing on the podium in their previous events.

“This week has been the worst… But we consider it an investment in the future,” Sirena said after the final race. “Now we’re ready to move forward and concentrate on the AC72, with which we will race in the America’s Cup, our ultimate goal.”
“We’ve very much been focused on our move to Auckland and getting ready for the AC72,” helmsman Chris Draper agreed. “For the next six months, we’ll use the AC45s as training boats, but we’ll be putting almost all of our attention into the AC72.”

Luna Rossa Challenge has a technical and training arrangement with Emirates Team New Zealand that has the teams scheduled to sail together on the waters off Auckland over the coming months.
Luna Rossa’s AC72 launch ceremony is planned for Friday October 26. The team will have video and photos from the ceremony available on its website.



Rod Davis on recovering AC72 catamarans and crew after capsize

Reposted from sail-world article

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Americas-Cup:-Rod-Davis-reflects-on-the-Oracle-nosedive/103149

Double Olympic medalist and long time US and NZL America's Cup crew, skipper and coach, Rod Davis, reflects on on the work that’s gone into the rescue and recovery plan in the event of a capsize…people first then recover the boat

Coach Rod Davis blogs

At Emirates Team New Zealand we have spent a great deal of time studying the Oracle 72 capsize – pitch pole to be precise.



Rod Davis Chris Cameron-ETNZ

Every team has a contingency plan in the event of a capsize and hopes it never has to use it.

The reality is that nothing can prepare crew for the real thing…. and when you are the first, as Oracle was last week, the problem is magnified many times.

Team plans are based on AC45 capsizes and recovery which have been adjusted for the bigger boats which are more difficult to recover. We learned an enormous amount from the Oracle recovery operation.

Here is the hypothesis for capsize and recovery when we launched our 72 back in July.

1. We may be dealing with injuries, possibly significant injuries, as well as the capsized boat. An AC72 is 14m wide and, when a crewman falls, and someone will fall, he will have a good chance to hitting something nasty on the way down. Wing, rigging, wheel, grinder pedestals – something hard.

2. Crew members will be separated from the boat. If there is enough wind to capsize the boat, there will be enough to blow it along on its side, faster than crew can swim.

3. Recover people and deal with injuries first, boat recovery second.

4. The plan for righting the boat is straight forward enough. Just like the 45 'righting' lines, ropes run under the forward beam and attach where the hull and beam meet, on both sides as you don’t know which tack you will be on when you roll her over.



Oracle Team USA capsize AC72 Oct 16, 2012 - Erik Simonson_©_www.pressure-drop.us

The 45s have taught us a lot about righting cats. For example, use a short towline to the righting line, 45 degrees from the high hull down to tow boat is about right. This will allow the hull in the water to dig in and trip the boat so it can be pulled up right. If the towline is too long, the cat will just skip over the water and never 'bite'.

Have strong tow/righting lines, we broke several at Newport, and when they break, they come flying back into the chase boat, so stay out of there, or you will join the injured list.

The quicker the boat is head to wind and righted the less the damage. A problem is two of our three chase boats can’t keep up with the cat in anything other than smooth water.

Top speed to our Protectors is 39 knots. That goes down to 25 knots in waves, for the simple reason crew can’t hang on. The cat is way faster than that, regardless of the sea state. The big chase boat can keep up, but it’s a wild ride.

The fact remains that the two other support boats could be 10 minutes away.



ORACLE Team USA AC 72 capsizes during training in San Francisco Bay and is pushed out of the bay by the tide current as the team try to salvage the platform. - Guilain Grenier Oracle Team USA© Click Here to view large photo

Another tutorial from the 45: Communication is the big challenge. One person in charge, military style, not a 20 people jabbering away on what to do next. Comms to the boat should go through normal chase boat – race boat radios, if the race boat operator is not one of the injured.

One concern is the wing failing when it hits the water. Then the hull falls and lands upside down. People could be under the trampoline which would be roughly 25cm under water and the life jacket is pushing up making it very difficult to swim to the edge.

If you were thinking of taking for life jacket off to swim under water, remember to take off the helmet first…. The life jacket can’t go over a helmet.

Sailors have knives to cut their way though the trampoline allowing a direct escape to the surface. They also have individual air bottles to breathe while they get things together. They have trained with the air force on how to keep it all together and not panic. Apparently helicopters go upside down when they crash into the sea, so they boys trained in the air force pool to prepare.

On the tender, the one that can keep up, an experienced rescue diver is suited up.

What did we learn from the Oracle capsize?

Making a head count is difficult and takes time. Clearly you need to account for everyone and count twice so there is no mistake. First you need to know who and how many people are on board (we often have extras: sailmakers, wing designers, etc)



ORACLE Team USA AC 72 capsizes during training in San Francisco Bay and is pushed out of the bay by the tide current as the team try to salvage the platform. - Guilain Grenier Oracle Team USA© Click Here to view large photo

Helmets are numbered but they are not sequential. Dean’s number is 14 and Dalt’s is 46. The boys will be scattered around, all dressed in black. It’s like counting rugby players but they are not all on the field, some are on the sidelines and in the stands. A buddy system will help but a head count will still take time.

When training we can’t take off downwind for 20 miles or there will be one chase boat on the seen. Six miles is ok as the legs for the America’s Cup are less than that.

Thankfully and miraculously there were no injuries with the Oracle capsize. To identify the injured, we use international hand signals. Hand on top of your head is 'I’m OK'. Hand up 'I need help.' Those who are OK are to swim into groups and wait there; the dry suit and life jacket means you won’t freeze or drown. Someone will pick you up.

The paramedic will assess injuries; depending on how many are hurt and how serious others are he might leave an injured man there while he attends to more urgent cases.

Once the people are under control the focus changes to the boat. Oracle’s wing survived the initial impact but the boat was sitting nose down, making it hard to right.

Somehow they got the boat on its side and attempted to right it. The Oracle chase boat and support teams are as good as any in the world, so it not a case of should have done this or that, it’s on-the-job training.

We think there is a window of about 10 minutes after a capsize when there’s a good chance to right the boat. After that chance of righting falls dramatically.

The wing will hold out the water for only so long. To add to the problem the down hull will start sinking. Oracle went partially nose down, as the water in the 'down' hull went to the bow. That makes it very hard to right.

Water tight bulkheads and flotation at the top of the wing will buy time, and extend the 'window'.

Plan A is to right the boat, plan B is the stabilize it and then tow to smooth water to asses our next move. The last option is the separate the wing and boat to bring them in separately. That sounds simple but if the boat is on its side, you can’t really get the wing off without the boat falling upside down.

No question it will be a mess, and you plan for the worst and hope for the best. Chain of command is all important, because there is one thing I am pretty sure of: we are going to see more 72s capsize.

Final word from Grant Dalton: I hope that Rod’s last sentence is wrong.

by Rod Davis

Mischa Heemskerk wins A Class Catamaran World Championship in Florida

reposted from The sail-world article
                 
http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/A-Cat-World-Championship:-Heemskerk-wins-Championship-in-Florida/103161        
                    
A-Cat World Championship: Heemskerk wins Championship in Florida
         
When the going gets tough the tough get going. The going got tough at the 2012 Ronstan A-Class Catamaran World Championship, with extremely high wind speeds and difficult conditions throughout the week, but after five races it was Mischa Heemskerk of the Netherlands who emerged with the win.
After taking a third and two seconds to put himself two points clear of Brad Collett after day one Heemskerk won both races on Wednesday to take home the championship.
(S-W: The Notice of Race for the world championship shows racing scheduled until Saturday Oct 27, being the Reserve Day)

Regatta organizers were skeptical that they could get the five races required for a World Championship in after Day 2 two was abandoned and with Hurricane Sandy parked off of Cuba, so on Wednesday PRO Billy Richnow moved the first warning signal up to 9 a.m. in an effort to squeeze two races in before the breeze fully turned on. Heemskerk, Collet, and previous World Champion Steve Brewin had dominated in the heavy air on day one, but at the start of race three it was Nathan Outteridge winning the pin and holding a sizable lead at the first windward mark.
Outteridge maintained his lead for two laps with Heemskerk closing on him and with Collett and New Zealand’s Murray Philpot sitting fourth and third respectively. However Outteridge and Collet both miscounted their laps and attempted to finish on the second leg, losing considerable ground and allowing Heemskerk to move into the lead. Outteridge went hard right on the final leeward leg and made a big gain, edging Philpot at the finish, but Heemskerk got the gun.

The breeze built considerably in the intermission between races. After holding at around 18 for most of race one, gusts of 24 and 26 knots were reported during the first windward leg. American Lars Guck won the pin at the start of race five, and rounded second behind Heemskerk at the first windward mark closely followed by Philpot and Outteridge. However due to the increased wind speeds the race committee were forced to shorten course in the interest of safety, finishing the fleet at the leeward mark and sending them to the beach. This caused some confusion among the competitors, and while Heemskerk was well in front and got the gun easily, Guck gybed for the leeward mark and didn’t realize his mistake until Outteridge and Philpot had got by him.

Other than Heemskerk the big winner of the day was Australian Andrew Landenberger. By taking a fourth and a fifth with Collett and Brewin both finishing deep each time Landenberger moved into second place after winning the final race on day one. Brewin finished third with a score line of 1, 1, 9, 7, 8, two points ahead of Collett who he edged at the finish twice in five races. Philpot moved into fifth after scoring a second and a third in the final two races. However the real victor was Heemskerk who was simply looked more comfortable in the conditions than practically anyone else. He only won two races, but he also never finished outside of the top three in his new DNA. Consistency wins regattas, and Mischa Heemskerk was the most consistent sailor at the 2012 Ronstan A-Class Catamaran World Championship.

Results are final as of 12:43 on October 24, 2012 Overall Sailed: 5, Discards: 0, To count: 5, Entries: 112, Scoring system: Appendix A Rank Name Category Nat Bow Sail Number R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 Total

1st Heemskerk, Mischa NED 21 7 NED 2.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 9.0
2nd Landenberger, Andrew AUS 56 308 AUS 8.0 6.0 1.0 4.0 5.0 24.0
3rd Brewin, Steven AUS 58 4 AUS 1.0 1.0 9.0 7.0 8.0 26.0
4th Collett, Bradley AUS 84 10 AUS 4.0 2.0 3.0 8.0 11.0 28.0
5th Philpot, Murray GM NZL 59 1 NZL 22.0 8.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 39.0
6th Drummond, Mike GM NZL 111 945 NZL 7.0 11.0 15.0 16.0 9.0 58.0
7th Benson, Jack AUS 75 13 AUS 12.0 14.0 6.0 24.0 17.0 73.0
8th Coutts, Allan NZL 41 261 NZL 11.0 17.0 12.0 17.0 23.0 80.0
9th Parker, Graeme GGM AUS 67 967 AUS 18.0 15.0 14.0 14.0 22.0 83.0
10th Funk, Brad USA 70 292 USA 28.0 20.0 13.0 15.0 14.0 90.0

Full results can be found on the event website along with links to event photos and videos. For results click here
In an earlier report, Day 2 was lost with breezes of 22 knots and upwards and no signs of abating and principal race officer Billy Richnow abandoned racing for the day.

With weather condition expected to worsen as the week goes on Richnow pushed the first warning signal on Day 3 up 9 a.m. in the hopes of getting races in before conditions become un-sailable. With forecasts predicting upwards of 30 knots later in the week the hope is to get the mandatory five races required for a World Championship in before weather conditions destroy any chance.

Saturday, October 27th is reserved as a weather date in the event that five races still have not been completed by that point, but Regatta Chairman Ben Hall is confident that at least five races will have been completed by that point. 'We've never raced on Saturday since I've been going to Worlds' said Hall, an A-Cat great-grand-master in his own right. 'We'll find a way to get the regatta in.'

A Class Catamaran World Championship website
by William Clark