February 2011
FEATURES
Talk's easy – Part I
Given the frequent parallels with motor sport favoured by advocates of sailing's 'unlimited' media potential we thought it time to look a little deeper at how Grand Prix racing operates. In the first part of our new series Red Bull composite design head ANDREW MACFARLAN starts to put the F1 vehicles themselves into perspective...
First light
An obvious key to sailing's future media success is the 34th America's Cup. BMW Oracle design co-ordinator IAN 'FRESH' BURNS takes a look at the development of the AC45 preview class...
The real deal – Part 2
Australian sailing legend CARL RYVES talks to BLUE ROBINSON about old school Olympic campaigning and defending the Cup alongside design genius (and also an Olympic sailor) Ben Lexcen
Busy busy
18-footer champion STEPHEN QUIGLEY and composites specialist VALERIO CORNIANI look at the improvements made with the latest generation of one design 18-foot skiff hulls
REGULARS
Commodore's letter
ANDREW MCIRVINE
Editorial
ANDREW HURST
Update
TERRY HUTCHINSON prepares for 2011, PIERRE-YVES JORAND reflects on Alinghi's decision to sit out AC34, ANDY RICE has some plaudits for the 'new look' ISAF machinery, FREDERICO PINHEIRO cautions against too much F1 worship and BORA goes low drag...
World news
The best old faces and fast younger rivals share the Rhum podiums, the changing science of two handed ocean racing, ROB SHAW's lightweight flyers carry all before them, early promise (and air injectors) for hydroptère.ch, why our man in Oz was ahead of the curve and changes at Key West. PATRICE CARPENTIER, ROB MUNDLE, IVOR WILKINS, PIERRE MEYER and DOBBS DAVIS
Olympic and small boats news
There's life yet in many traditional dinghy classes, especially the development fleets. ANDY RICE talks to former FD and Int. 14 champion JON TURNER about a rather fresh return to his roots
Rod Davis
One or two considerations... before abandoning the Flintstones completely
ORC column
alessandro nazareth
Design – Turnkey
How can 'younger' teams possibly get up to speed quickly with the new look America's Cup classes... ERIC HALL thinks he has a solution
Technical Soapbox
– the human element
Seahorse build table
– Everyone's at it
And an impecunious but sophisticated new entry into the expanding world of foiler development
RORC news
EDDIE WARDEN OWEN
Seahorse regatta calendar
Sailor of the Month
Rivals again... two of the very brightest talents
Below: And now for something completely different... round the world solo racer Thierry Dubois recently launched his new blue water schooner, La Louise, looking forward to more voyaging but with more comfort and safety. Dubois has to be one of the most fortunate men alive, surviving a terrifying capsize (inset) in the Southern Ocean during the 96-97 Vendée Globe
Talk's easy... Part I – Composite Design
The comparison between America's Cup sailing and Formula 1 Grand Prix racing is a popular one; but is it valid – especially in terms of technology? Andrew MacFarlan is a graduate of Southampton University's world-famous school of yacht design who now happens to be the Head of Composite Design at Red Bull Technology, 2010 F1 World Champions in both the driver and constructor categories. In a new series MacFarlan and his team give us unprecedented access to what really goes on behind closed doors...
So what is special about Formula 1 design...
Formula 1 car design and engineering is often described as the 'pinnacle of engineering'. While that's arguable, what definitely does separate F1 from most, if not all, other peacetime engineering disciplines is the pace of development necessary to win and to continue winning. Often the gradient and period of positive development that an F1 team can sustain during a racing season, relative to its immediate competitors, can prove decisive in the championship standings. With modern day Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and other simulation tools and wind tunnels that are now available to most Formula 1 teams the rate of development is limited primarily by the ability to (rapidly) turn concepts into reality.
Ignoring financial considerations (which many may be surprised to learn is far from the case in reality), the limiting factors are how quick you can design and make the parts for an event or, conversely, how late can the simulation, CFD and wind tunnel optimisation work continue before being forced to commit to a solution.
What I hope to outline in these articles is the process we, the composite design group at Red Bull Technology, take in turning 3D CAD surface models into fully fledged 'Grand Prix-ready' cars and car parts over the winter in the case of the 'new car' or over weeks, days and hours for all the various development parts.
Driven by aerodynamics
The design of a Formula 1 car is a combination of many factors but a successful package combines excellent aerodynamics, engine power, mechanical grip, flexible weight distribution, driveability and to some extent serviceability. The final car must also be capable of demonstrating these qualities on 19 circuits around the world in a variety of temperature and weather conditions.
The aerodynamic performance should constantly evolve...
To read on simply join us TODAY!!!!!
Please take advantage of our latest subscription offer or order a single copy of the February 2011 issue of Seahorse International Sailing
Online at:
www.seahorse.co.uk/shop/index.php
Below: Sign of things to come: a full surface model of Red Bull Racing's RB5 (2009) Formula 1 challenger, runner-up in both the constructors and drivers championships of that year...
Design
The move to wings for the next America's Cup will be a big setback for sail and spar makers... they said. Well the industry is a little smarter than that, as good firms hunt down the new opportunities. Such as Hall Spars, jumping at the chance to liberate an inner desire for aero perfection...
Given that the next America's Cup will see only very limited use of soft sail technology it was understandable that the knee-jerk reaction of some industry professionals to the change of boat type was, shall we say, less than ebullient. However, a quick look at the realities in 'Cup world' highlights the fact that in terms of sail and spar supply the number of companies directly affected, on the basis of those supplying in size to the last ACC event in 2007 is quite limited.
That said, for those lucky few that did derive a substantial slice of income from the 'old' Cup the potential loss in revenue was significant and needed addressing; and in spite of the fact that we are still only a few months into the new Cup cycle the response has been impressive.
Easily the biggest supplier of sails to recent ACC Cups, North Group may have lost an outlet for moulded mainsails but the company has been quick to promote its wing covering films and, perhaps more significant in the long term, its proprietary Thin Ply Technology (TPT). But North is not the only leading company to be positioning themselves for AC34...
To read on simply come and join us TODAY!!!!!
Please take advantage of our latest subscription offer or order a single copy of the February 2011 issue of Seahorse International Sailing
Online at:
www.seahorse.co.uk/shop/index.php
