Designing a sailing dinghy for expeditions

[Doug Lord]

Emilie, I think the ski( with its associated buoyancy) is the way to go. When you need this extra RM the boat may not be moving very fast so the hydrofoil won't be so beneficial-and they are likely to cost more. The foil , in the location you show it, could make it harder to right the boat(it may be in the way) and the crew might want to use it as a lever and hurt themselves on the trailing edge.
---I'd consider moving the main forward a little- maybe by reducing rake. In my experience on small boats like this if the geometric CE and quarter chord of the daggerboard are lined up she should balance well. The reefed rig should also balance well since weather helm would tend to increase in stronger wind.
---I think those vertical battens should be parallel to the mast-if not the sail won't roll up.
---As far as the main's CE goes I don't think its too high but you can do an analysis of it by figuring the RM of the boat with the crew in the center and then on the wing. You have to make a decision on how much wind you want to be able to use the main with the crew in center? In my opinion, it's not worth it to seriously erode the sailing performance so the crew can sit in the center and row.
---I've got to think about it, but you'll probably need a bowsprit(maybe retractable) with a Weta-like roller furling asy spin/screecher. In my opinion, the Weta solution is the easiest for the crew and will add power when you need it though when rolled up it will slightly impact upwind performance.....
---
You're doing a great job-I hope the boat gets built!

 

[Doug Lord]

Emilie, I was looking over your sketches again and it occurred to me that you might want to consider a redesign of your hiking wings. The shape now forces the crew to sit way aft to hike out fully which may not be a good idea when going upwind. The boat will need to be able to effectively develop maximum RM on a beat.
Just a thought-see what you think.....

a couple of Emilie's sketches:

 

[BoraBoats]

The shape now forces the crew to sit way aft to hike out fully which may not be a good idea when going upwind.

Good point. I will see what I can do.

 

[BoraBoats]

I think those vertical battens should be parallel to the mast-if not the sail won't roll up.

Hobie island has similar battens. They cannot be completely vertical because they need to hold the peak of the sail out. If the battens are flexible enough, they will still be able to roll up on the mast. It seems to be working for hobie.

 

[Doug Lord]

Thanks for pointing that out!

 

[Doug Lord]

Emilie, check out this new thread-I posted a lot of statistics that you might find valuable: RS Aero Wins One Person Olympic Dinghy Trials-to Replace Finn https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/rs-aero-wins-one-person-olympic-dinghy-trials-to-replace-finn.62236/#post-853339

 

[sharpii2]

I see you have made significant progress with your design.

Two areas of concern:

One, I see no cross-beam for the wings. With the crew on the windward one and the ski-float on the leeward one, there is going to be a considerable amound of bending loads. I see no structural elements to deal with this.

Two, the sail design would probably work better without the flat top. Instead, a lot of roach can be put in the main. This way, you can use dead vertical battens, which will roll up easier.

 

[BoraBoats]

Final Result

I’m sorry for not giving you guys an update before, but I have been quite busy lately. In my thesis I explored the possibility for a new sailing dinghy, designed for costal expeditions. The goal was to develop a concept for a sailing dinghy that enables more people to experience nature powered by the wind. Here is the concept I ended up with:

Length: 4.25 m / 14 ft.
Beam with wings: 2.24 m
Beam with wings folded: 1.19 m
Height of mast over waterline: 5.97 m

The boat is designed for two people with camping gear and is of a manageable size for one person to handle. The boat is easy to sail with a roller furling mainsail and gennaker. The sliding seat allows the user to row more efficient by using the leg muscles and therefore enables long distance rowing. The boat communicates a visual lightness, speed and modernity. A big part of this project was to create an identity to a new kind of boat. I wanted it to have a visual identity that would make it stand out from the regatta dinghies that are already on the market, I rather wanted it to create associations to modern outdoors and hiking equipment.

Model in scale 1:10.

The project was well received by the sensors. I also got the opportunity to exhibit the model at Designers Saturday in Oslo in September, and I got interviewed by the Norwegian sailing magazine. I am so grateful for all the help you guys have given me. I could not have done it without you.

Thank you all,
Emilie

 

[sharpii2]

Congratulations .