14ft Racing Dinghy - Comments Please

[PI Design]

I suppose there is some superficial resemblance, but as Chris says, it is totally different in the detail. I have the advantage of not designing this to be easy for the home builder, so can potentially get much better shapes.

What I'm really aiming for with this design is what Frank Bethwaite tried with the Tasar X (the Tasar with the kite). He dropped the concept, partly because the kite did not provide the performance boost he wanted, and partly (presumably) because that would be a major change to an existing class and would divide the fleet.

I don't have the latter problem (the boat is only for personal use), and by starting with a fresh hull shape I'm hoping to overcome some of the problems FB had getting the kite to boost performance in light winds. He claims this is because the 'critical ratio' for downwind sail area to total weight is not met.

So what I'm trying to achieve is the smallest/easiest possible design that meets the Bethwaite ratios for all round skiff-like performance and also takes advantage of developments from other classes - notably the NS14 hull shapes.

[PI Design]

Originally Posted by Paul B

I think closer to 25 years off the current state of the art.

Which is precisely why I chose to show those examples. What was being proposed would be closer to an old rules boat than to the current generation of narrow skiff hulls.

For my sins, I had an ISO when they first came out in 1993. That was the first British designed one-design to feature an assymetric kite and was the class that really introduced the concept to the masses (in the UK). It was designed by Ian Howlett and based upon his successful (Worlds winning) I14 designs. However, it is not what I am trying to emulate, nor do I think it is a great starting point to work from. They are far flatter (in section and rocker) than what I am looking to do.

[ned]

You should have a look at Javlens they are a New Zealand class and only cary one man on the wire but the will keep up to a 49er down wind but are a little bit slower up wind.

[PI Design]

Hi Ned,
I followed the virtual Javelin site when they were designing and building them. Great and really informative site. I think the class rules were used as the basis for the NS14 hull rules?
I've been helping on the protoype ICON dinghy which will soon be going into production here and is virtually a kiteless version of what this design is - similar to a NS14 but with bigger rig. The finalised version of the ICON will look slightly different (altered deck mould and transom) and have a centreboard rather than a dagger board.

[Ferman]

I designed this 4.60 m skiff it maight interest you plase coments on the design.

Cheers

[Doug Lord]

Shoot! I can't open the dxf file... I'd like to see it, though.

[Chris Ostlind]

This is the plan converted to a jpeg screen shot and color altered for best read.

[Doug Lord]

Thanks, Chris!