Cross Indian ocean in 4 meters dinghy sailboat

A New Zealand father who was missing at sea with his six-year-old daughter on a tiny catamaran for 27 days says he was never in danger and that a broken rudder forced him to sail to Australia.
Father says young daughter was never in danger during 27 days on tiny boat http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-12/missing-father-and-daughter-found-in-ulladulla/8177274
Key points:

• Alan Langdon and his six-year-old daughter Que left New Zealand on December 17
• The girl's mother hired a child-recovery expert to investigate
• After 27 days at sea, they arrived in Ulladulla, NSW on Wednesday

 

Here's a thread about the above incident: 21 ft Wharram catamaran - crosses Tasman by accident

 

Im reading very carefully then im proceeding with the design. Hopefully by next month i could start building

 

Post #29

Post #48

What's the plan ?

Design a boat within a predetermined available building budget ?

Or, design the boat with an open end budget, and then try to find the needed money while building ?

 

Unless your plans are good, the sooner you start building, the more it will cost and the longer it will take to get to the point where you can start sailing it.

 

Nauticals, building a scale model might be a quick and cheap way to get a first impression of how good your plans really are.

And perhaps do also some stability and the proclaimed self righting (180° ?) tests in a bit of waves with the trimaran model.

This all in an effort to prevent eventual surprises at full scale while out there alone on the ocean.

 

I havent think about the budget while still designing, but i have an idea of how much will cost me all the materials and equipment.

The budget is open for all the safety gear.

I know that it will take me sometime to build it and then test it.

If a glass of bottle can make it for decades in the sea, then i can do.

 

Indeed im thinking of your replies and consider everything. However im ready and expecting surprises, not in the main design but on the details.

Did lot of tests on the model. Lets see the analogy with the full scale materials

 

I'm afraid your comparisons are ridiculous, and they'll bring you nowhere, for sure.

A glass bottle doesn't need anything while being out there, but you'll need something I'll think, also there's nothing inside the bottle that can be hurt by any bouncing, while you're not the bottle, you're the thing inside.

 

1. - Do you have any pictures of the model that you can share here ?​

2. - Can you tell and show something concrete about the tests ?​

Since eg model test videos, combined with the model's specs and photos, are very useful for analysis . .

That's if this all is not about secrets related to any patent issues, which you need to protect, then of course we'll have to wait to learn about this till the patents are filed at the proper places.

 

How and when are you going to pay for it ?

While not knowing the amount of the costs, and not designing within what's available . .

 

Regardless of your design, you might consider sailing when there is fewer storms and on the most protected course if there is one. Unless the whole point is to show that man and machine can survive the worst conditions with moderate to good? preparations.....

PC

 

Im documenting the whole process. Im not going to become a boat designer except designer of my boat. Videos, photos plans and all the information will come after, once its been completed, tested and made the journey. Till then i do not want to encourage anyone to do same. You know there are people out there, good people, who can see things on the internet or take up things light without considering the dangers and the multiple parameters. As myself i believe i haven't consider yet a lot of parameters, and there are things waiting for a good thought and solution.

@portacruise if the boat been completed and think it could made the journey, of course the target is that to happen on the best possible weather conditions, equipped with gps and a satellite phone for weather updates. If a storm is around, could head to the best possible safe direction. Is one of my first questions, yet haven't receive recommendations for best routes possible. Starting point could be Singapore or Langkawi and destination Mauritius or Madagascar. Thinking of a route up to the straits to Sri Lanka the possible Maldives. Then im thinking should i had to Chagos or Seychelles. Im observing the weather day by day for the past few months. I believe February is the best time of the year to do such trip, but still will have to observe till October, indeed i found October-January and no time for sailing the Indian Ocean. I ll prefer a route even longer as long as there are pieces of land near by, even a little rockie island atoll or whatever, as you can understand for safety in case of emergency.

Another thing im currently thinking, im looking into auto-steering solution. I was looking for a auto-tiller pilot, but this consumes a lot of energy. Does anyone have to suggest any good solution. The size of the boat is not big, so im looking for a good solution regarding the size of the boat.

@Angélique regarding the bottle glass is just like a saying. Agree with your thoughts, and i have already set that. There will be nothing to bounce within the boat. I talking for a compact design from the beginning. All things will be secure and either i. Plus will be a foam protection. This is why i was very direct interested for the acceleration that could take place, if take place, as mentioned in a earlier comment. However indeed a strong impact with the water can do a lot of damage. ll be prepared for that, but yet will sail in best possible weather.

 

But im really looking for a self-steering gear. What is the best solution for that boat. I believe a modern electric autopilot consumes a lot of energy, so i could might look to some other solution. Suggestions?

 

Small, see the thread: B & B Yacht Designs - Small boat horizontal pivoting Windvane Self Steering gear - plans development

For larger boats see: Fay Marine - ---> - Yacht Plans - ---> - Free Wind Vane Self Steering Gear Plans

Good luck !