help getting this to work

I would like help to see if this concept would work.
I was thinking about ice boats and then I thought what, would happen if you made something like an iceboat but it was made to go in the water not on the ice.
It would have 3 hulls in the triangle formation with the 2 hulls in the front. The hulls would be 6 feet long 3 foot tall and about 3.7 in thick on avenge. The boat would be 15 feet long and 6 foot wide and be constructed of plywood, 2x6s, 2x4, that blue foam stuff that is sandable but used as insulation, and a fiberglass cover over the hulls. not the mast or sail or roap or other bits.

 

Here's one idea:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Build-SLUSHER-T...Item?IMSfp=TL0803122046s9062#ebayphotohosting

And another:

 

why not get or borrow an ice boat and build floats for the skate locations and try it?

The first thought is that the floats you propose would have to be sized based on the amount of reaction you expect on each one. Unlike ice, as the load on that float builds as the wind pressure on the sail builds, it would be forced under the surface and slow you down, until you capsize. Unless it was big enough to stay on the surface.

For displacement hulls you would want long water lines to lower the drag, which means you would be approaching a catamaran or trimaran. If you sized the pontoons larger enough to allow them to plane as you picked up speed they could stay smaller (and short).

Also consider, that again unlike ice, you will need a skag or dagger board since the hulls are not good at "pushing" sideways against the water to counter the wind pressure on the sails.

You need to consider and understand all of the forces acting on the craft, wind and water, before you can address them with a new hull/rig design.

Good luck

 

Charlie, your boat has had a baby.... OK to the question Knox, that idea is being used in speed trials in Australia - seeking world sail speed records, down Victoria way...

 

Just copy this one and hang on:
http://www.macquarie.com.au/speedsailing/gallery.htm

So no doubt it works. Some serious engineering involved even on a smaller version.

Rick W.

 

i am thinking something like this
http://img171.imageshack.us/my.php?image=0314200809lt6.jpg
have better ideas but my scanner is not that big
side view of one of the hulls
http://img171.imageshack.us/my.php?image=0314200809ki5.jpg

 

My guess is you will have to brush up, "just a little", on your drafting, design, & engineering skills... - - - have a serious and studied look at the site above your posting & look at the quality of the "credits" on engineering and associated expertise... Good luck... I suggest a carefully built R/C model first... (I spent over $1000 to learn this lesson - see my gallery for a laugh - idea is there, . as is yours, the truth hits hard - - as refinements are devised and made... - $$$$)

 

I made that draw up in 2 minutes to get the point across. my scanner is not the right size to get the good pictures on to the computer

 

Then download FreeShip 2.6 for compatibility with most support on this net or go up to 2.88 - look at this thread http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?p=191066#post191066.. I use 2.87 because it includes the manual

 

thanks will do

edit so how do i get it to work?

 

I assume you can install it and have win 2000 or as mentioned in the download page.... put the file in a new directory called FreeShip and "extract" the file - you may have to google to find an extracting application (I have lost touch with windows rubbish) - Once extracted, use "edit" or one of the text only editors to view files that look like *.txt or called something like "read.me" or "readme.txt" - one of them should have instructions...

Once you find an execuatble file (named something like freeship.exe) and double click on it to run... if that works you are off to somewhere... Your local computer club and sometimes computer shop may also be able to help...

 

1st model pictures
http://imgcash6.imageshack.us/Himg3...&filename=sa400005xx6.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=480
http://imgcash2.imageshack.us/Himg3...&filename=sa400004ok1.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=480
http://imgcash1.imageshack.us/Himg3...&filename=sa400003cz8.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=480
http://imgcash5.imageshack.us/Himg3...&filename=sa400002pu5.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=480
http://imgcash5.imageshack.us/Himg3...&filename=sa400001zy6.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=480

 

Have you thought adding foils?

 

i have but i have no idea how one would go around to do that

 

It will have a lot of wetted surface. This means it will need a lot of wind to get going.

Have you worked out how much it will weigh and the size of the floats. For any practical use each of the rear floats would need to support at least your body weight. Say 8ft long 2ft deep and 4" thick - or bigger if you are on the heavy side.

It should be soft riding in choppy conditions.

It does lend itself to foils placed below the pontoons but it would draw a lot of water then.

Rick W.