Self-Righting / Rightable Trimaran

Weta tri

Righting a Weta is done by removing an access cover fom the transom of one hull and allowing it to flood:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6S7o5nHiKU&feature=player_embedded

 

Ollie is rightable. The basic method as described above is the same as the G32, except that the down float has to rotate through the water. The floats as with the main hulls in the 32 are designed to take on or eject water. As you know, the 32 is not self-righting, but it is easily righted and Jan has righted it many times while racing to the finish. Some proas are self-righting.

 

One easy way for a small tri to be self righting would be to have the beams be continuous through a set of brackets set up so that when it passes 90* of heel, the brackets release and the Vaka is able to slide down the beams until it reaches near the ama on the water side. Then with a little bit of keel, or even with the right design so that the vaka's weight is sufficiently beyond the center of buoyancy of the downward ama to create righting moment, it would self right.

The three issues with this system are: 1 how to make sure that it's not dangerous. You don't want someone caught up between the vaka and ama. Possibly a air valve of some sort so that the motion is very slow.
and 2 - how to handle the rigging. You'd need some sort of pulley system for the shrouds.

3 - how to get the vaka back into the center. Easiest would be to require the pilot to just use a rope to pull it back, but that's not 100% passive.

 

Splinter is designed to self right the same way the G32 is designed to self right. If you watch the G32 promo video on you tube you can see both splinter and the G32 coming back from a capsize. I talked to Jan about this; he said he never had to right splinter in anger, he only did it in the protection of the river by the boat shop. He wasn't sure how splinter would work in nasty conditions. He has more confidence in the G32 self righting.

In this case self righting is defined by "no outside assistance" The boat requires work to be done by the sailor... The boat will not "self right" on it's own.

Once I get Janet C's trailer squared away, I will be taking that boat all over the place to race it and just to sail it.... hopefully I will end up in your neck of the woods and we can go for a ride.

 

Rapscalion,

I'd drive up from Chicago if you need crew sometime! Pm me for any contact details.

Dan

 

Have you seen up close pics of the wooden Trimaran "Mosquito" in the Ultimate Florida Challenge crewed by SOS and Sandybottom? they have a big hole in the back of each of the floats.

 

I just found a patent for the G32 righting system. US-5191850
Good stuff!