solar electric day sailor for around the world cruise

These pictures are of a model I am building of an out rigger canoe based roughly on the modern racing Hawaiian sailing canoe. I propose to use an inclined DSS like lifting foil and an additional small ama mounted on the extended leeward solar panel array support beams, rather than a safety pod that is typical on pacific proas. About a year ago I began investigating the possibility of building a solar electric sail hybrid cruising boat that could be trailered by an suv or compact pick up, and fit with trailer and dingy in a 20 foot container for shipping. On the trailer, at anchor, or on the beech, it would function as a camper and in the water as a fast day sailor. The concept is to develop an off grid conveyance capable of touring the world through a combination of ,day tripping . day sailing ,and container shipping. I made several computer models and seeking advice I posted a sort of SOR and a couple of short animations of the concept. I then came up with something I thought worth building a scale model of. Length overall 60' Beam including foil and leeward solar array deployed 40' Length folded on a trailer, motoring in constricted water, or in a marina 30' beam 8'6" Length demounted for container shipping 19' beam 7' 7.5" Target weight 4000 lbs. Displacement 6000 lbs. Inclined una rigged folding mast with telescoping Tabernacle mounted single stay( gin pole). Sail area 1000 sq ft. 3 k solar array. Torqeedo cruise 2 or 4. Four 26 v Torqeedo lithium ion batteries. Torqeedo and two of the batteries to be transferable to power dingy. One king size or two singles, One queen size, and two singles. Composting "Airhead". Cabin closed, standing headroom only in the galley and head. 4' 6" elsewhere. Two electric trail bikes and two windsurfers and rigs in windward ama . Catamaran dingy fitted to carry bikes cooler and four passengers to be stowed demounted on built in davits, one davit at either end of the main hull. Fridge and freezer and storage for provisions for one month. After building the model and doing a float test, I worked on ways to further reduce weight and to strengthen and reduce torque on the main beams. The attached renderings are the result . This is as yet only a concept and I am building the model only to see how everything fits together and if through adjusting the moving components I can get it to hold a course and not capsize or pitch pole. I am aware that similitude of scale and a model of this small size preclude any meaningful analysis of anything else. If I can get it to work I will then decide if its worth it to go any further . The constraints dictated by a 20' container leave very little room for change in the dimensions or form of the components of the boat as modeled. It may be that it is impossible to engineer. Certainly I am not capable of the task. As it is the model folds very easily and the hulls are rigid folded or extended and it floats on the designed waterline. I have yet to build the foils .The idea is that the inclined lifting foil to to leeward will be mostly clear of the surface in light air until the boat heels .Lift should increase after that at some proportion to angle of heel so hopefully the foil could be designed to keep the boat sailing with in a narrow range of heel with the windward ama flying just above the surface. The foil would be surface piercing at low angles of heel but as speeds would be low at these angles, and as the the tapered foil would effectively be swept forward, I am hoping that ventilation will not be a problem. As the foil would be producing maximum lift when horizontal to the surface, I am likewise hoping that parasitic lift to leeward will not be an issue either.. Shifting the center of gravity aft and buoyancy forward by sliding the extremely long main hull( vaka), should insure a positive angle of attack for the foil. Some of the load on the forward swept surface piercing rudder ( slides for and aft and rotates for shunting), the primary lateral resistance provider could be shared if necessary by the lifting foil if modified to include a vertical component ( i.e. Vlad Murnikov 's SpeedDream). I have run out of building material and here in Thailand it is difficult to obtain. I am retuning to my boat in Canada in May so I will be able to make and install the rig and the foils and hopefully do some test sailing. The model rigged is almost 6' by 4' by 5' but fits folded into a 20" by 8" by 8" box.So if nothing else I have had some fun and as the model works fine as a carry on when I return to Thailand in the fall my son will have yet another toy to play with ( destroy).

 

A Very elegant design but not my style as I like some comforts and SHELTERED living space. Most containers are 40ft x 8 x 8 so lengthening is an option for a '12th scale model'.

The unglued molded components of a "Fusion 40 cat" will fit in a standard 40ft container http://www.fusioncats.com/kitcatamarans/

My boat is 40ft LOA and 21.5ft beam and I would only make open passages around 5 days or less after careful selection of a favourable weather window of at least 7 days, a trusted and dependable crew, and day tripping the rest by island hopping around 50 miles (5 hours optimum) I know my boat can handle a 5 to 7M running swell and safely surf at up to 19knots as I have done that. Others have also made long voyages in this design... The design is well tested and proven.

Solo sailing I will restrict myself to day sailing, anchoring up overnight and then setting out again weather permitting and knowing I have several safe anchorages from which to select, should an unexpected storm blow up. Here is my boat. "CNO" . . . . .

 

Cool model !! Mine have been crude cardboard numbers so far....
Really like the boat and concepts.
Should post in the proafile forum?