A contradiction in terms?
One of the pleasures of racing classic boats is the sheer variety of vessels that the events bring together. A typical regatta might include anything from an 1898 fin-keeled racer to a 200-ton replica schooner, and pretty much everything in between. Almost by definition, each boat entered in a classic boat race is unique.
So how does such a disparate bunch of boats race together with any credibility? In truth, much of the racing during the early years of the movement was pretty haphazard and – with some notable exceptions – often reduced to a mere ‘parade of sail’. That all changed in 2001 with the creation of the Prada Classic Yacht Challenge, which has since become the Panerai Classic Yacht Challenge, and which first drew together most of the Mediterranean regattas into a single series.
In an effort to ensure a reasonably level playing field...
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Clear the bench...
Come with me on a little journey because you and I are going to design an America’s Cup catamaran. Since neither of us are experts we won’t be too technical or get bogged down with too much detail but concentrate on getting some basic concepts right.
So let’s get started; we know the new America’s Cup cat is 72ft long, that is in the rule. Also it can be 46ft wide. Width means righting moment in cats and we want all we can get, so we push to the maximum dimensions. All pretty easy so far. Now the decisions, let’s start at the pointy end.
How full do we make the bows? In basic terms the finer the front 30 per cent the faster you go. Unfortunately against that is the tendency of fine bows to dig in and submerge, stopping the boat. At that point momentum takes over and you pitchpole. If you have not seen Torvar Mirsky on YouTube executing a perfect end-over-end in China last year, it is worth a look. Let me put it another way. Cycle down a hill at speed. Now lean forward and lock up the front brake. That same free-flight panic as you go over the handlebars is what every cat sailor lives in fear of. A fine bow looks like the Extreme 40s where a fuller bow is more like the AC45. In terms of fullness, if the X40 is a one and the AC45 is a 10...
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April 2012
FEATURES
A contradiction in terms?
NIC COMPTON takes us through the evolution and mysteries of the CIM Rule – now the de facto system of choice for ‘modern’ classic yacht racing
The (new) benchmark
JASON CARRINGTON argues that the CNC milled tooling process will soon be an essential component in the build of a contemporary grand prix racing yacht
Design for manufacture – Part III
ANDREW MACFARLAN takes an automotive composites engineer’s look at design and build processes with an example of a ‘different’ way to approach a large composite keel fin
The best of all worlds?
CBTF twin foil technology co-creator BILL BURNS and America’s Cup veteran CHRIS TODTER are among those behind an innovative and affordable new design testing methodology
REGULARS
Commodore’s letter
MIKE GREVILLE
Editorial
ANDREW HURST
Update
MIKE SANDERSON is not having the easiest of Volvo Ocean Races, TERRY HUTCHINSON celebrates the success that is Key West Race Week, PAUL ‘THE OTHER POPE’ HENDERSON is backing Rodney all the way, WOUTER VERBRAAK analyses tactical performances on VOR Leg 3 and SIR RUSSELL COUTTS is tired of the negativity around the 34th America’s Cup
World news
CAMMAS’s boys are on the up, a new home for the Tour Voile, the Vendée list grows, new colours for Hydroptère, IAIN MURRAY’s horsepower concerns continue, JIMMY SPITHILL’s (bruising) busman’s holiday, Hamilton Island’s siren call, and the politics of Key West 2012. With PATRICE CARPENTIER, IVOR WILKINS, CARLOS PICH, BLUE ROBINSON, DOBBS DAVIS
Rod Davis – Clear the bench
Because now we’re going to design ourselves an AC72 catamaran...
Olympic and small boat news – Serious times
LIJIA ‘LILY’ XU talks to BLUE ROBINSON about human optimisation. Plus, will they be ‘Doing a Bradbury’ in 2013?
ORC Column – Easy access
DOBBS DAVIS
Design – Attention to the detail
AXEL DE BEAUFORT and an honest look at the performance gulf between raceboats and cruisers
RORC news
EDDIE WARDEN OWEN
Seahorse build table – Sizing things up
MATT WOOD and TORBJøRN LINDERSON take a new approach for the Gunboat 55 sailplan
Seahorse regatta calendar
Sailor of the Month
Two wise – and pretty fast – old men of the sea!
Photo by Chris Cameron