International 3 meter

[rapscallion]

So why isn't the International 3 meter class super popular? Why am I not racing Doug Lord, Chris Ostilind, and that other guy with my home depot foam and polyester resin 3 meter version of the french foiler?


Why isn't your local Jaycees making a 3 meter racer for a local disabled racer who wants to race but doesn't have the cash to make his own boat?

John Marples has boat plans out there, maybe we could get some other big name designers to pony up a "free" design to the cause of accessible racing for the physically disabled.

One of these boats can be made and be competitive at a fraction of the cost of a 2.4mr. If limits are places on spending we can keep the class accessible to a broad audience.

What say ye all?

where should our first race be and who is going to be there?

[Chris Ostlind]

I already have a design for a 12' (3.6 meter) solo trimaran, Raps. It wouldn't take too much to tweak the boat a little to get it down to 3 meters to meet the design criteria.

There's also a 14 footer in the family and soon there will be a 16' version.

Right now, these boats have fairly modest rig sizes as they are meant for family and kid use so that kids can get the feel of sailing a trimaran at the easily controllable level. I see the 14 as a boat that can be sailed by the Mom or Dad with a smallish, 8-10 yr. old, kid sitting between their legs, learning about the boat. When they have enough seat time like that, then they can quickly jump into the 12 by themselves and have a blast.

Both boats have lots of potential for bigger rigs and real performance curves with but a few adjustments.

[rapscallion]

Check the SA thread similar to this one...

a 3.5m box rule seems to make sense?

is regulating spending a good idea?

[Chris Ostlind]

I like the discussion over at SA, Raps. I especially enjoyed the offhand irreverance that a new, high-tech 3.5m tri could " produce holographic topless dancers on a brass pole at the center of your cockpit, on demand"

The guys over there are right that you couldnt effectively control spending unless the rules stipulated that the spars had to be aluminim and the hull/ama construction had to be fiberglass over foam or wood. Alternatively, the boat could be affordably delivered as a production rotomolded product and delivered ready to sail at right around $3000 USD, much like the Hobie Adventure Island.

A simple box setup would allow virtually anything within the framework and you'd soon get a boat much like the foam/carbon composite Int. foiling Moth, putting the craft well outside of the regular Joe's ability to get in the game.

Now, a box rule with a claiming feature after each race for oh, something like $2K would settle that down pretty quickly as folks, typically, are not in the business of winning one event and then seeing their $15K toy walk away for a little more than 10% of its cost.

[rapscallion]

so let's make up the rules and pick a date and place

[Chris Ostlind]

OK, while I was scarfing-down a piece of pie this evening, I banged-out a hotrod version of the International 3.5 meter trimaran for y'all.

80 sq. ft. of main sail, a nice, roller furled screacher set on a very modest pole for offwind work and an enlarged cockpit opening for a nice latitude of body weight positoning fore and aft to aid with trim on this small boat.

Rudder is hand, or foot, controlled with a simple lever or common kayak pedals in the cockpit.

Should be a really fun little speedster that is ultra simple, as well as affordable, to build.

[rapscallion]

Chris,

Send me the details, I'm looking for a winter project.

[MATT@oaktownboa]

how about one that has trampoline and you have to hike out (not trap).
a real sporty sit on top kind of thing?

This is a little bigger but very well done:

[Capn Mud]

Doug,

Second that motion.

Yes it is 4.4m so a bit OT but it is really good (had mine a month - cant stop raving or wishing I was on it) and fast and fun (and appropriately named - u get bloody WET). Some pics attached

I suspect that the 3 to 3.5m being talked about here though is to keep cost a fair bit lower than the USD 10 k plus shipping the Weta costs.......

As an aside [please dont slap me too hard - but Chris' design with a roller furling screecher reminded me] - I am having alot of problems with the roller furling screacher getting it to furl fully in more than about 12 knots or so of wind. After 2 or so unfurlings in any breeze like that that it furls very tightly at the bottom and there is insufficient furling line to furl it up properly. I have tried making sure it is furled tight before I leave shore, and wrapping some extra furling line manually around the reel but all this seems to come to naught after a few unfurlings and furlings. I have tried unfurling and furling slowly but this doesnt seem to get it all the way furled. Is there some technique I am missing or do I need to do something to the furler or???? Any of the smart salts around here got a suggestion? - you can see the start of what happens in one of the pics attached - it tends to get worse as wind rises and with successive furlings such that it gets to the stage where I either have to decide not to furl it (and not sail high) or drop the whole screacher on the deck.

Value some of the better sailor's around here telling me where I am going wrong.

Cheers,
Andrew

[Chris Ostlind]

How's the tension on the forestay?

[Capn Mud]

Chris,

I guess as shown in the pics it is a little loose - whatever tension I could get by hauling down on the halyard by main force of my arms and wrapping it around the cleat. I thought that:

a) As a "downwind" sail some looseness in the luff would be a good thing for speed; and

b) I wanted to make sure I did not overtighten and transfer load from forestay to halyard.

You think it needs to be tighter huh?

Cheers,
Andrew

[grob]

There has been something similar going on over at catsailor.com for over a year now, a few different designs are being built and should be hitting the water very soon. Of course coming from catsailor.com it is a catamaran concept.

See http://www.catsailor.com/forums/post...oard=Formula12

The class is called F12 as it was meant to be a 12ft class, the box rule is as follows.

overall length 3.750 mtr
overall width 2.000 mtr
overall mast length max 6.000 mtr.
overall sail area max 7.000 sq. mtr.
Overall max luff length 5.300 mtr

All the best

Gareth