The Future of Formula 40 Trimarans

It was only a box rule, yes.... I dont see a future for the target group (mainly amateur sailors) to keep it very open. For the professional sailors with a big sailing team it might beinteresting. But we already mentioned that these guys have their Multi50 class, Orma60 or Mod70 and Maxi Trimarans.

I see the risk, that into this F40 will swap professional sailing teams to use it as a "test area" if there exist only a box rule.

I think the rulership must go further... e.g. under the aspect of sustainabilty the materials for building the boat. Its a very stupidity nowadays to build boats 100% carbon. There exist alternatives.

As we already have discussed here, it might be worthfully a detailled analysis about that a mould is pre-produced by the F40 Class association to have the guarantee as a "one design class"... and this mould is delivered to different warfts around the globe.

This is in my understanding urgent, to bring down the costs:

• Some very few certified designers, lets say on each continent one designer are involved and
• on each continent two warfts are selected and steadily controlled which use the one design moulds delivered by the F40 class association.

For riggers/mast builders, sail makers and daggerboard+ foiling specialists I'd would select more strictly as F40 class association:

• max. 2 mast builders (worldwide) and sailmakers each
• to avoid manipulations I'd fix only one designer + producer for the underwater ship segments: for daggerboard + foil systems + T-rudder

Only then is the guarantee, that the sailors with best skills get a chance, and not owners with the biggest money bag building expensive boats with highest performances.

Personally - as one example - I cannot afford by time to think about a complete boat building, looking for the right designer, then looking for the right warft... a long process of many decisions, lots of travelling to talk with designer, boat builder, mast specialists, riggers, sail makers etc. ...

Is insane how many ressources are thrown out for building such a boat. We have huge environmental problems (e.g. climate change, global warming) so it is the duty of the F40 class asociation to develope processes which reduce the Carbon Foot print to a maximum.

All this part to build the boat can be overtaken easily by the F40 class association itself. Its the job of an associatoin to care about such details. Its not the job of a potential boat owner or team owner/sponsor.

Enough to train on such a boat as sailor/owner and handle it with all the logistic efforts over the year during a race circuit/grand prix, in my understanding.

 

I have to admit I like the streamlined nature of the Race to Alaska rule set. Bring what you want, no engines. Be seaworthy because you may die. Don't get eaten by the bears... It cuts out so much crap and brings back galley slaves, what could be more historical. I suppose it will turn into a carbon arms race but it was interesting to see those guys fold last year. F-40s with big oars or multiple pedal drives could do well, but leaving the door open for a viking long ship is entertaining and good planning.

 

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Depends on the boat to some extent but generally the CG rises as the boat does. But a boat like the G4 has nearly maximum RM when its flying on the lee foil with the windward foil retracted. Righting moment is maximum with the windward hull just kissing and the lee hull still in the water. As the boat starts to foil the center of lift moves slightly inboard from the seahugging center of buoyancy so slightly less RM on foils.It is possible on some cats using a three foil configuration with a single uptip foil on the lee side carrying around 80% of the load to use the windward rudder to add downforce which will add righting moment. The system has to be designed for the loads or doing that would not be a good idea.
I think that as speed increases and apparent wind moves forward the heeling moment will decrease compared to the same heading in the same true wind when seahugging.
None of this was a "cause" of the G4 capsize-that was crew error....
A trimaran's CG rises when it flies the main hull with the load being carried by the ama and ama foil(foil assist). However, when the boat has an ama uptip foil working with a rudder t-foil, the whole boat will fly and while the cg is rising the boat is more likely to sail closer to level.In either case with a trimaran max RM is when the main hull just flys. A trimaran using an altitude controlled lifting foil on the daggerboard and a single rudder T-foil on the main hull(with or without an ama uptip foil) would be capable of generating downforce on the main foil which would add to max RM.

 

thanks Doug

 

haha... I see... you should apply for the position as "creative director" of the new "F40 Class association". Will this be the plan of the new F40 ???



I suppose with cavalier we might end in a kind of new "rowing F40 class"...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Rowing_Race

... and probably with your biography of profession it would need the proof of fishing skills during such a race, too. Hm ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS8AhavKo0I

 

Great idea Skip! No stores allowed, you must eat off the land and the water but for promotion reasons not each other, Sigh.... there goes another nautical tradition.

 

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You're welcome.....

 

That's funny. But if you are serious, the simple rule is to require all boats to be built substantially out of wood. The wood entombed in epoxy in boat form is a carbon sequestration module. Can't do fairer than that.

See the TED talk on wooden sky scrapers for more details.

 

how about the plastic sails, over the life of a hull its a huge amount

 

Alternatives to Carbon...

The mad "carbon hype" is a nightmare. Dont want imagine all the boats built 100% in carbon which cannot be recycled in any form.

There is a Danish boat builder who built a wood-epoxy trimaran with "little bit kevlar" in the bottom section to protect this segment for beaching. The result is impressive.... a 10 meter tri knocks out a 12 meter 100% carbon Tri. - Read about the Trimaran Barracuda here.


Bigger problem is the "Carbon rig". Would be great to have "wooden masts", but yet not found alternatives to light weighted rigs.

 

I only know the recycling by Taylors... e.g. for bags and jackets, and some other products (sun bathing chairs ). One company is http://www.wightsails.com/




... another is ReSails.


I suppose there are some more companies, but they don't produce lots of textiles from old sails I suppose. I haven't seen many Jackets which are being worn by "normal people". I suppose most customers are sailors themselves who like the flair of these products.

 

laminates de laminate so are rubbish
hate to guess how many 1000's of tonnes per year