Maltese Falcon ... hit or miss?

[dskira]

Originally Posted by brian eiland

Tom Perkins’ quest for a super toy led him to Graham Hawkes’ laboratory. His personal account on the collaboration that resulted in a vessel with unprecedented agility and style.

Google is fantastic at finding things, and when started to look for a sports submersible, the name Graham Hawkes, the scientist/owner of Hawkes Ocean Technologies, popped up immediately. His idea for an underwater aeroplane that would “fly” swiftly to depths of hundreds of feet was totally unique and exciting compared with the underwater “balloons” that comprise virtually all of the alternatives.

Conventional submersibles are essentially underwater elevators that rise and sink by changing their buoyancy and they tend to creep along the bottom at very low speeds, unable to operate against even modest currents. I wanted a fighter jet, not a blimp! The idea of a swift winged sub that is always positively buoyant, and hence intrinsically safe, that could be used like a sports car for rapid dives and exploration with a minimum of preparation and effort, was sound.

Just one problem: while Graham had the patents for the idea of winged underwater flight, only prototypes had been built. If I wanted one, I would have to participate in its development. As baseball player Yogi Berra famously said, “It’s déjà vu all over again.” This would be a little like developing the DynaRig or the Maltese Falcon. It seems that I am addicted to such high-risk projects.

I met with Graham at his California laboratory, and with a handshake, I made the deal to proceed. I think one of the reasons I decided to go ahead was that, independently, and never having heard of me, Graham had named his new design the Super Falcon. It would be a perfect addition to our complement of toys aboard the yacht.

I think Tom Parkins should investigate the speed of the US and Russian submarines. They are far faster than his Maltese Falcon.
It is laways better to do your home work inset of trying to impress the world with "deja vu" ideas which are not fonctioning any way due to the "deja vu".
To fly under water you have first to SINK. Like a.......SUBMARINE.
Hi Wellmer
Cheers
Daniel

[brian eiland]

Originally Posted by dskira

I think Tom Parkins should investigate the speed of the US and Russian submarines. They are far faster than his Maltese Falcon.
It is laways better to do your home work inset of trying to impress the world with "deja vu" ideas which are not fonctioning any way due to the "deja vu".
To fly under water you have first to SINK. Like a.......SUBMARINE.
Cheers
Daniel

He was not looking for speed, he was looking for a true underwater flying machine that could try to duplicate some of nature's creations.

Have a look here:
Graham Hawkes: Fly the seas on a submarine with wings

[dskira]

Originally Posted by brian eiland

He was not looking for speed, he was looking for a true underwater flying machine that could try to duplicate some of nature's creations.

Have a look here:
Graham Hawkes: Fly the seas on a submarine with wings

Not looking for speed?
What about this in your post:

I wanted a fighter jet, not a blimp

That for me its call Speed. I don't know for Mr. Perkins. perhaps a fighter jet go slowly and blimp very fast
Cheers
Daniel

[brian eiland]

Take a look at that video I referenced. It's about MANUERABILITY, not speed (also important with fighter jets)

[dskira]

Originally Posted by brian eiland

Take a look at that video I referenced. It's about MANUERABILITY, not speed (also important with fighter jets)

Well Brian to be honnest I am not interrested by the video. The guy is a smooth talker, and guru type is not my cup of tea. They go nowhere, and are boring.
He just redesign whats is allready in the market, giving names and nices shape. I don't see anything worth a dime.
We can discuss for ever but the water is not the air, a submarine if he had to fly underwater it will have been done long time ago. A lot of real inventor and engineer design submarine, and they are very good. People who invent things are plentiful. Even myself hold a patent. Means nothing.
If Perkins want to put money because a guy call his submarine Maltese Falcon, it is is own right. Good.
But if you are interested in the Graham Hawkes submarine, I respect that, and good for you, and I hope everybody will have a good and profitable time.
Cheers
Daniel

[Ilan Voyager]

Originally Posted by brian eiland

Perini Navi's 88-meter triple masted "Maltese Falcon" won the Perini Navi Cup 2009 after strong winds aborted the last day. The vessel also attained a top speed of 21 knots during the course of the Cup.

Only 21 knots!!!!! I would feel ashamed to spend so much money for so poor results. 21 knots is just a bit better than the best clippers of 100-140 years ago...Any maxi would beat it flatly. Any race 60 feet would show its stern. Even the old Club Mediterranee would be a serious contender.

If the former owner was expecting truly serious performance, I understand that he sold it fast and "cheap". At 88 meters a good monohull sailboat (even with luxury amenities) would reach 25 knots without effort and 30 knots pushing hard.

Dskira I agree with you about the submarine. Just marketing bla-bla. What is the interest of such useless toys? a part bleeding some wallets?

[sharpii2]

I don't think its prime intention was speed.

If it was, it would look a lot more like a racing sloop.

It is, as probably intended as, a SHIP.

Now days, with super mega yachts for the disgustingly rich, it is hard to tell a ship from a yacht, which in my backward, primitive mind, is a kind of boat.

I differentiate a ship from a boat not by size but carrying capacity.

So there are boaty ships and shippy boats.

Boaty boats can carry very little in comparison to thier empty displacement.

Shippy boats can carry a lot.

The best altimate destiny for this ship, IMHO, would be some ocean research organization.

[brian eiland]

Just as man seeks to build robots that will mimic his own agility, this gentleman seeks to build an underwater craft that will mimic the gracefulness and agility of a ray, a dolphin, a shark, etc. We don't have ANY submarines that can do this.

It sort reminds me of another adventurerous person who sought to further our knowledge of the sea...the co-inventor of the aqua lung, Jacques Cousteau. Some folks considered him a guru type as well.

And I have the upmost respect for Tom Perkin's willingness to venture into this highly speculative venture to build a real live Dynarig vessel regardless of its size. There were a very considerable number of naysayers believing this would not work, and that he was waisting a fortune. I say thank goodness for such bold adventurous people....otherwise we would be forever 'anchored in the past'.

Per Gary Hoyt's observation, "Sail, the historic implement of world exploration, has within itself many new horizons that beckon for pursuit, but you have to be willing to venture past charted waters."

[brian eiland]

There were several scale models utilized in the development of the Maltese Falcon. One was a wind tunnel model, and another was a 1/6 scale model of a single panel of the rig that was then placed on a small sailing vessel for testing. I remember seeing one photo of that vessel, but I'm unable to relocate it...can I get some HELP please...thanks.

http://www.hiswasymposium.com/pdf/20...%20Roberts.pdf

A) extensive wind tunnel testing was carried out at the Wolfson Unit in Southampton. In addition to determining the rig coefficients, its performance was compared to similar sized yachts
B) a one sixth scale operational model of a single panel was developed to investigate the geometry details, the mechanical sail handling systems, and Sail shapes. Once this rig had been optimised it was transferred to a small sailing boat to allow sail trials to be carried out
C) a one 40th scale sailing model was used to investigate manoeuvrability under sail
D) a one sixth scale structural model of the mast built and tested to validate the laminate and the structural performance of the mast section under extreme loads

[dskira]

Brian, perhaps an other way to try without spending a fortune:
Why you don't built a simple flat bottom 14' boat/ platform, or buy a derelict second hand Hobbie Cat for almost nothing, and put a scaled and simplifie rig of you design, and try it. You get seated on the platform and navigate in real coindition. You will have the opportunity to change the riging until it work as you want.
It is extermely interresting and you can realy feel all the necessary information.
We did that for trying something out of the ordinary, it cost us very little and we learned a lot.
Cheers
Daniel

[brian eiland]

I don't think you understand what I am looking for with this request.

First I wanted to possible post it over here for their review:
Square rig variation

Secondly, I have another interested party I want to show it to.

Thirdly, I'd like to make it part of the record in this forum, and over on another forum on the subject of the Maltese Falcon.

[brian eiland]

Have a look at this collection of photos recently posted...just had to cross-reference this:

Review by Capt. Chuck Gnaegy
Technical Narration by MF Build Engineer; Jed White

http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/pe...se-falcon.html

[dskira]

Something is very wrong with this boat.
look attentively, this boat seams having stability problem for a square rigger of this size.
He should have started with a proper hull, not a left over of Perini Navi from a client who didn't pay the hull.
It is a very bad decision. The rig is one thing but on a second hand hull designed for totally other purpose, it is really stupid.
You can spin that and snob that the way you want, but the reality is it is not a success due to the lake of purpose at the start. $60 million never impressed me, but I know it impress a lot of people. A sucker bought it anyway. For sale again in two year, you will see.
Daniel

[brian eiland]

Originally Posted by dskira

Something is very wrong with this boat.
look attentively, this boat seams having stability problem for a square rigger of this size.
He should have started with a proper hull, not a left over of Perini Navi from a client who didn't pay the hull.
It is a very bad decision. The rig is one thing but on a second hand hull designed for totally other purpose, it is really stupid.
You can spin that and snob that the way you want, but the reality is it is not a success due to the lake of purpose at the start. $60 million never impressed me, but I know it impress a lot of people. A sucker bought it anyway. For sale again in two year, you will see.
Daniel

What nonsense. Did you read any of this??

Interview With Maltese Falcon Chief Build Engineer and
YF Member; Jed White

"It's been 4 years since the Falcon took flight. How has boat held up? And the rig?

After 13,000 miles I’m still awestruck. The rig has performed almost faultlessly with only a small glitch in the operating system (designed by Cacini) and a couple of damaged sails (normally due to operator error rather than design or manufacturing fault). We’ve been across the gulf of Lyon twice in a Mistral once with over 65 Kts of wind (max 68) and at one point with only four sails up we hit a record speed of 24.8 Kts. We’ve had the deck under water almost every time we sail (15 degrees of heel) and a couple of times even the capping rail (25 degrees plus).

On my last day onboard, I went out in the tender while the ‘Falcon’ was sailing and even though I’d been aboard through all the build and all the sailing and seen all the photo’s, there’s nothing that can prepare you for the awesome sight of the ‘Falcon’ leaving her mooring or anchorage and within minutes all the sails are set and she’s charging through the water at 15 Kts almost effortlessly.

6. What are your thoughts on the future of the DynaRig concept?

I think the whole concept was a leap from the past directly into the future. Taking the square rig into the 21st century and proving that it could be done with the technology of today. I’m sure the technology will be used by Perini Navi and GDNP in future yachts and I hope one day to see many more yachts or ships with a ‘DynaRig’."

...and this
"As rigged and sailing, Falcon’s impressive design allows her to sail close-hauled at 45° from the wind, as opposed to the 55° or 60° of the traditional square-riggers of old. Here they show as one complete unit, all holding or changing course as directed by the helmsman at the computer screens. Her masts do bend to a degree under wind pressure, as noted, the 3.5 meters – 11.4 feet at the tip. Sail furling mechanism is worked by the electric motors inside the masts. Perhaps one of Falcon’s greatest advantages over the old style – besides her outstanding freshness and beauty – is her lack of standing rigging; via the DynaRig, invented by the German Wilhelm Drolls."

http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/perini-navi-yacht/13488-review-perini-navi-289-clipper-yacht-maltese-falcon-3.html

Brian wrote:
I would call this boat a great success, and I would praise the owner for being so bold to go forward with what had to be termed a risky project. Here...here...,lets have some more boldness in this conservative sailing business...not just the same old, same old.


"Sail, the historic implement of world exploration, has within itself many new horizons that beckon for pursuit, but you have to be willing to venture past charted waters." - Gary Hoyt

[dskira]

Of course they will praise the boat.
What did you expect.
The picture worth a thousand word
Daniel