High Performance MPX Foil/Self-righting Trimaran-The Test Model

MPX Test Model /Fire Arrow

Heads up: I've had nothing but bad weather so far this week and haven't got the foils painted yet but it's looking good for tomorrow or Sunday. Right after painting comes the final assembly of foils to the main hull, foils to the amas.
Amas to the main hull(removable), installation of the radio and completion of the rig. All of a sudden there will be some pretty dramatic pictures of a trimaran configuration you have never seen before.
Thanks for following all this time!

 

Looking forward to it Doug.
We are moving back from the Blue Mountains to Mona Vale, where we will again be near Pittwater (Salt) and Narrabeen Lagoon (Fresh).
So I am seriously thinking of getting an RC yacht, (multihull of course). But though I am familiar with RC planes I haven't got a clue about RC boats.
Where to find them, problems with salt water, etc:

 

----------------
The radio gear these days is very good but you have to make sure no water gets on the servos or receiver. Make sure you get a spread spectrum radio-in essence it transmits and receives on multiple frequencies and that prevents radio interference. On page 31 of this thread is a link to the German forum on multihulls and on page 35 a US rc sailboat forum-rc groups.
If I can't answer a question ,I may know where you could find an answer...
Good Luck!

 

Thanks Doug.

 

Great Work

Now that is awesome Doug, Just exactly want I want to read on a rainy sunday morning to boost my spirits!

Cant wait to see!!!!!!

I finished cutting out my 4th attempt at the cross beams out of plywood yesterday, in total they have shave 5g off the overall boat weight in comparison to the glass ones but are much stronger and were was faster and easier to build. Once I have decks made (end of this week hopefully) I will have somewhat of a boat looking thing in my workspace, designing sails today and starting on the sail block.

I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!!!

Regards
Curtis

 

--------------------
Sounds good ,Curtis! Hope it goes well...

 

MPX Test Model

Here are the mostly finished foils(mainfoil, rudder foil, 2 ama foils) and the Dual Wand Mainfoil Control System: Click for a better view--

 

Very nice.

 

looking great

 

MPX Test Model

Thanks, guys!

 

MPX Test Model

The pushrod in the daggerboard is connected to the mainfoil flap. It is to connect (removably) to the rocker arm on the Dual Wand Control System.
The connection will be a "fork" that will be glued to the carbon push rod. Well, I was getting ready to glue the fork onto the pushrod when I discovered
that the tube inside the fork that fits snugly over the pushrod was too far up and needed to be ground down a bit. So I ground it and at the last split second wound up allowing the cutting bit to slip and cut thru one side of the fork.
Damn that was annoying! It will take all day tomorrow to catch back up to where I was with that thing tonight!
It's a tedious little thing but a crucial element that will be under substantial dynamic load. It has to be very small and very robust. I hate doing things twice....

 

MPX Test Model

Here is a short video of the wand and mainfoil flap working together. The video is shot sideways-the daggerboard runs across the bottom with the flap on the right side. The wand will appear at the top left:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqcski64RGM&feature=youtu.be

 

MPX Test Model

Here are some more details-click to enlarge:
Note-the "fork" described below is the replacement for the piece I broke the other night! Works good now.....

 

MPX Test Model

Problem: yesterday after getting the rudder foil and main foil adjusted to the correct angle of incidence, I walked by the boat and grabbed the rudder and discovered ,much to my chagrin, that there was too much slop between the rudder shaft(see the stainless shaft sticking up in the previous post) and the rudder mounting points-I hadn't noticed it in all the trial fittings. It was only a couple thousandths or so but unacceptable. So I found a thick walled carbon tube a few thousandths too big and sanded it down, eliminating the slop and saving over 5 times the weight for acceptable strength! Problem solved........

 

MPX Test Model

Here is the port ama with the foil in it's deployed position. On the full size version the foil will be retractable from the cockpit. The foil was inspired by the TNZ single main foil invented by Morrelli and Melvin. The TNZ foil is significant because, combined with some manual AOI adjustment, it provides altitude control for an AC72 in a way never before seen in a hydrofoil system.
This foil is a bit different in that it has a much wider(I hope) speed range before the angle of incidence needs to be manually adjusted. On the full size boat any adjustment will be done from the cockpit and if the model version requires more adjustment it will be done by radio. The idea is for the foil to keep the ama out of the water most of the time without having to resort to wands or constant AOI adjustment.
click--