T Foils on Cats

[grob]

There is a very interesting thread over on catsailor.com about T foils on beachcats (http://www.catsailor.com/forums/show...part=all&vc=1), I am going to quote the latest post as it is from a credible source, and sums up the T foil debate rather well.

I will add my experiences to this debate.

We first tried the T-foil rudders 5 years ago, it was immediately obvious that they completely altered the sailing characteristics of the boat.

This is not one of those changes that you make and you are not sure whether anything actually changes, I say again the boat is totally different with T-foil rudders.

Next we had to check whether or not the difference was fast. Like Darryl we carried out 2 boat tuning with identical boats except for the rudders. In no circumstances was the non T- foil rudder equipped boat any faster.

In any kind of wave pattern whatever the wind strength the T-foils were quicker both upwind and downwind and in winds > 12 knots the T-foils where again quicker.

We also tried them on our formula 18 HT boat and the effect was just as marked.

And more recently the current Sptfire European Champion purchased a set and tested them he also confirms my/Darryls comments

I have no idea how much drag the T-foils create, and quite frankly I don't care, catmarans go quicker with them on so whatever the figure it is less than the drag of a normally equipped hull travelling through the water.

We did no tank testing (I think you will find that not much tank testing time is bought by any beach catamaran manufacturer since it is cheaper to build 2 boats and do the job properly on the sea).

As to the weed question, obviously a dagger rudder is harder to clear than a kick up rudder, just as a dagger board is harder than a centreboard. Perhaps if your water is very weedy these are not for you.

My credentials for carrying out these tests are that I was a full time member of the British sailing Team racing Tornado, my ISAF World ranking got to 9th, I was paid to sail by the Royal Yachting Association and my job from 1997 to 2000 consisted of 9-5 most weeks 2 boat tuning, with 8 -10 regattas a year thrown in, I have done thousands of hours of this work.

I would entirely echo Darryls findings and since we are the only people I know of who have done this and we both completely agree the chances are that we are not mistaken.

There is one further effect that is also noticable although I didn't pick up on it for ages, and that is that not only is the boat smoother through the waves but it is also smoother through gusts. Put simply the T-foil equipped boat lifts a hull more slowly when the gust hits, we think that this is because as the gust hits and the rig drives harder, it tries to push the bows down, of course the T-foils resist this, and the windward t-foil obviously adds load to the windward hull slowing down the hull rise and so squirting the boat forwards.

--------------------
John Pierce
Stealth Marine

Gareth
www.fourhulls.com

[Figgy]

Thanks for the post! I read the thread and it seems that a number of people are against it, just to be against it. I for one would try it. The good far out weighs the bad. I'll take a little drag if it holds me down.

Thanks, Gareth! Interesting tidbit about the windward t-foil adding a bit of righting moment in a gust.

[yipster]

i've been reading good things about them on other sites also

Originally Posted by yipster

i've been reading good things about them on other sites also

Yipster, I'd sure like to know which other sites;
I'd appreciate the url's when you get time.

[yipster]

haha, just searched for them before i posted but couldnt find them back easy so just said i noticed the same trend.
incat does use a T foil for stability lately i recall but can not even find that one back

[Figgy]

Originally Posted by yipster

haha, just searched for them before i posted but couldnt find them back easy so just said i noticed the same trend.

Haha! Thats cool. I was wondering too, I searched and only came up with a few so I was waiting for you
Not a whole lot on the subject.

Parlier's 60' cat uses t-foils for pitch control on his stepped planing hulls.