I do not own a boat for now (check my other
sailing
page and meet the Pamela 1, an Islander 32 that I had back in
Panama),
but I am planning to retire at one time and definitely be the proud
skipper
of a cruising sailboat. In the meantime I have to save some more money
but I can also work on the selection process.
UPDATE: If you want you can
jump directly to the study
page.
I could surely settle on a good solid
blue
water cruising boat such as a Cabo Rico 38 Pilot house, a Wauqiez 43
(below
left) or the Oyster 42. It would definitely be a raised saloon or
pilot house design like the Jeanneau 40ds for example (below right).
But I am now slowly drawn to a catamaran,
basically because of sea motion, airiness and spaciousness.
I am also convinced that the unstayed
Aerorig mast
concept is the ideal rig for the type of (sometimes) short-handed
cruising
that I will pursue.
The Aerorig mast
Two
Bénéteaus
side by side, Aerorig on the
right
A 47 ft Howlett now chartering in the Caribbean
A French rebuild
trimaran
Two Prouts 50, with the Aerorig on the right (all pictures from the
Aerorig
web site)
This unstayed mast, combined with a
balestron, is redefining the ease of operation
of a sailing ship. The company building the Aerorig is no longer
operating although it has nothing to do about the concept.
It is kind of expensive but I think it has
proved itself, check Amyr Klink round the Antarctic voyage ( A.
Klink´s site ).
This mast has also been fitted to
catamarans,
although on a smaller scale. Prout has offered it as an option on their
45 and 50 footer (see pictures above). The South African catamaran
called
Manx participated in a transatlantic race (Cape Town to Rio, 1996), see
below left.
Some designers are also considering it as
a valid cruising concept, check John Shuttleworth´s 52 footer
(below
right, picture from Pedigree Cats, USA, witch is building the boat,
check
their web site, link below).
As far as looks are concerned I quite
like
the newest Lagoon Catamaran from Bénéteau (below Lagoon
410).
Basic design features of JP's Dream
The design of the intended catamaran will
include
the following:
- Length: 12 meters (40 feet)
- Displacement: 6000 kgs (12000 lbs) - loaded
- Beam: 6 meters (20 feet)
- Sail Area: 80-100 sqm (800-1000 sqf)
- Mast height: 16 m. (53 feet, will check
the ICW clearance)
- Rigging: Unstayed balestron equipped masts
with furling systems for jib and main, the main being furled in the
boom.
See Jaquelina´s
story. See also the new Profurl
systems.
- Engines: two Yanmar sail drive with
folding
props was the first idea, but would like to follow another option which
is appearing on the scene: the Electric wheel from Solomon
Technologies.
- A dagger board to be fitted in one of
the hulls, or should it be a swinging board?
- Three double cabins: one master and two
doubles. The forth "corner" will be a workshop with generator and water
maker.
- Galley and inside steering station to
be included at deck level.
- Cockpit will be covered with a targa type
50% solid bimini. The back arch will include dinghy davits. Same arch
will
include solar panels, radar and radio antennas.
- Electronics: the works: GPS, radar, all
instruments (wind, depth, auto pilot), VHF, Global Star phone system,
two
computers. One for navigation, the other for business.
An asymmetrical catamaran?
Because of the bury particularity of the
rig,
this being the mast portion buried in the boat that will support all
forces
as it is an unstayed mast, I have being thinking that it could be an
interesting
idea to have the mast placed not in the centre of the boat which is the
central platform in a catamaran, but in one of the hulls. First I
thought
that a bi-plane would be the way to go, but in the end this seems to be
more of a racing design. In any case the price of this type of masts
might make
the decision.
Before you consider the asymmetrical
catamaran
a silly idea, first read carefully the work of John Shuttleworth about
how he dealt with the bury problem here.
So there is a design complexity connected to the specificities of the
unstayed mast.
To avoid lowering the central part of the platform as in the 52
mentioned
above and all the complex reinforcement needed around the mast, I would
prefer to have it placed in one of the hulls where it would be much
easier
to "bury" and using the main beam and hull to construct a reinforcement
box of some sort. The dagger or swinging board would be therefore
located
in the same hull.
Than also check some other ideas that other
designers have arrived at:
- Rob
Denney´s proa "U"
- Rob
Denney´s Easyrig Catamaran
- H.
Biljard´s proa
- Culp
& Schacht proa
As you can see Rob Denney´s "W" is
the catamaran which is the closest to the ideas that I have arrived at,
although I am thinking of a heavier boat suitable for blue water
cruising.
For example I would prefer to have two rudders, in case of failure, I
imagine
it is better to have a second rudder in the other hull, same thing for
engines. But I am keen on the unique swing board.
The basic design idea would be like this:
Model testing, a 1/20 asymmetrical
catamaran
To check this idea, I decided to build a
model,
all about this effort can be found in JP´s
model catamaran page. The following picture should entice you to go
and check it! There is a complete description and more pictures.
The model is built (mast height is one
meter,
model weight is about 2 kg or 5 pounds), its design roughly based on
the
Crowther SP40 and built in balsa covered with fibber glass and epoxy
resin.
It has been tested using a two channel radio control system.
Sailing here in Ilhabela (picture above),
the sail capital of Brazil! Everything works as planned! There
is no sensible difference of speed or tacking performance traceable to
the asymmetric characteristic of the mast or board placement.
Conclusion
While I continue my model testing, I will
follow
all developments in this area and keep you all duly posted. I have the
study plans for the Crowther SP40 design 274 (see below) which is a
40ft
Catamaran with a standard rigging. I have heard of a Crowther cat being
equipped with an Aerorig mast in the U.S. (anyone with some more
details?).
While living in Latin America, I also
discovered
that a Chilean builder, Alwoplast in Valdivia (check the link section
below),
has the moulds for one of the Crowther catamaran in the same range.
I also have heard that Erick
Lerouge is planning a free standing rigged cat for production in
Rio!
I have been following the work done by Richard
Glanville (Freewing masts, check the twin rig) and Derek
Kelsall is also working on the idea. Interestingly they are
connected
and I have also found that a german builder is building Derek´s
designs
(see below Bader Catamarans). I am in contact with both and most of the
research done is in that direction. By the way I have found also a
cruising biplane rigged cat which is available for charter in New
Zealand (check here).
At this point we are still in a planning stage, I hope Derek will have
plans available early 2004, the boat could be built in Germany or
Holland probably end of 2005 to 2006.
I would like to thank all the people that
one
way or another are helping with comments and ideas, some of them are
appearing
in the links below, so again thanks to all and let's hope the stock
market
helps to provide the funds!
Links
My own page of balestron rigged Catamarans
The most complete
list
of balestron rigged Catamarans I will include here all
Aerorriged-Easyrigged-Freewingrigged
Catamarans that comes to my knowledge. EasyRig is the name for Rob
Denney´s
masts that follow a similar concept. FreeWing rig is the name used for
a balestron unstayed wing mast made by Freewing Masts in Inverness,
proprietor
Richard Glanville.
