Mini Ocean Racing Scow

scow

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Why do you rule out the top of the mast? I've read of multihulls using an inflatable masthead flotation system. It's really amazing how much difference masthead flotation can make assuming the rig is strong enough....

Heres an example: http://www.grabner-sports.at/Masthead-float.1675.0.html?&L=2

 

Being an ex-USCG small-boat seaman with experience in an area of high yacht use and spirited, competitive ocean racing, I visualize the mast being over the side and folded in tangled pieces because the kite was up when the boat tripped at speed on an erratic and larger wave and pitchpoled violently over on its deck despite the dutch shoe bow, below decks flooding as the hatch was open because a crewman was coming out at the time, everyone injured, etc.
Plus, on very marginal and closely engineered fun sleds like this genius craft (and I say that from envy and lust and want one right now), even an ounce of masthead weight has vastly disproportionate effects on rig loading and righting moment, thusly speed and stability.
On a slamming racing dinghy like this sled the inertia loads are significant, added to pitch at the same time make the masthead a bad place, engineering-wise, for anything but a wisp of wind tape if you had your choice, on any boat.
This lifesaver has to work in the real world, and "the boat fell over and nothing broke" is not it.
I know cruising cats (a few) and maybe some unsuccessful racers have used them at the masthead, but remember rule two, which applies to any sailboat rig very strongly.
1. Don't be stupid.
2. **** happens.
3. Bring beer.
So think of something (just for now) like a big inflatable Budweiser bottle, forward of the mast, with its rigid base fastened to the deck, and very compact before popping open. Hopefully it would work with the mast up or down, sometimes.
With the mast folded any where but directly ahead and the boat upside down, or with the mast intact, sails set and boat inverted, this thing inflates quickly and hopefully provides enough buoyancy to right the hull to 90 degrees of heel.
I'm not saying it's a good idea. It's just an idea.

 

The air bag is a good idea . FS Pelicans have flotation on one side for the same purpose .

Any ideas about the hull yet.

 

And a wing mast is a better one, more flotation, more strength.

 

Again, the mast must stay erect after an unknown accident and its consequent chaotic loading for this to work. Unknown if this will happen, so I personally won't bet my life on it.
Wing mast is always interesting idea to explore, and it has been done quite few times, but always seems to get dropped and not see wide spread use.
Modern materials and design could change this, but remember rule #2.

 

Put the airbag on the arch. It may save the dinghy in the davits and give all those antennae a chance to do their thing. You generally take pains to make sure that the mast doesn't come down aft on a crowd. So aft makes sense for safety equipment. How about stanchions with built in airbags? every 1000#s helps.

 

Arch? Dinghy? Antennae? This is a ocean racing planing dinghy with none of the above.

 

Methinks there was a tinge of sarcasm in the post you are questioning. And it isn't a dinghy, It is more of a Sport Sabot.

--
CutOnce

 

Sport Sabot? Perfect name, or Speedy Sabot. Guess I missed the sarcasm....

 

Bahia Transat- mini 650 Proto's

David Raison is leading the Bahia Transat ocean race for mini proto's: It may be ugly to some but this boat is fast!
http://www.charentemaritime-bahia.transat650.net/en


TRACKER: http://tracking.transat650.net/carte/etape-1.html


The course: Fort Boyard - Charente-Maritime (France) / Funchal (Madeira-Portugal) / Salvador de Bahia (Brazil)

Length of course: 1,100 miles from Charente-Maritime to Funchal and 3,100 miles from Funchal to Salvador, in other words 4,200 miles altogether. The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 is the longest course in the history of the race.
Number of kilometres: 7,800 km
Date of departure from Charente-Maritime: Sunday 25 September 2011 at 17h17 (French Time)
ETA at Funchal (Madeira): Saturday 1 or Sunday 2 October 2011
Date of departure from Funchal (Madeira): Thursday 13 October 20011
ETA at Salvador de Bahia (Brazil): end October / beginning November 2011

Possible extreme weather in first leg: Crossing the Bay of Biscay; sailing down the coast of Portugal; approaching the archipelago of Madeira and arriving in the waters off Funchal.

Possible extreme weather in second leg: Sailing down to the Canary Islands and then the Cape Verde archipelago in the northwest trade winds; approaching the two archipelagos; entering the ITCZ zone; negotiating the Intertropical Convergence Zone; crossing the Equator; entering the southeast trade winds of the Southern hemisphere and the approach to Salvador de Bahia.
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From Scuttlebutt Europe:

Pressure for the Podium

A race of "wild boar" with cross seas is being played 400 miles from Funchal, the end of this first leg of the Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50. The idea is the same as mentioned yesterday, progressing on port tack. And this is not easy to do when there is - in the race area - 25 knots wind! There is no doubt that this leg will be remembered and that the sailing conditions described in magazines and press kits can go the trash bin: This stage is unique because no one could predict such messy weather.

David Raison (747 - TeamWork Evolution) leader at the 8:00 am positioning saw Sebastien Rogues (719 - Eole Generation - GDF SUEZ) pass him by - only - 0.02 miles at noon. But if this duel here is remarkable, do not forget Jorg Riechers (753 - Mare.de) which is far from having giving up. He is 5 miles behind and a little damage before the start (ed. A collision 15 minutes before the start on the port side of his design Bertrand) does not seem to be a handicap. On the side of Series boats, Eric Llull (566 - Noble Cocoa) still sails cleanly. He is still in the lead, following an almost direct route from the begining.

Benoit Mariette (599 - Odalys Vacances) that has performed a remarkable comeback over the last 24 hours. He has cut his distance by half between 8 am and noon (French time), more than 8 nautical miles. Fabrice Sorin (781 - Cartoffset) remains third. But Fabrice will have to readjust in the East some time, or he risks to downgrade in the overall if we consider the eight series boats that are still in the race and only within 10 miles behind him.Top three at 1600 hrs October 2nd

Series
1. Benoit Mariette
2. Eric Lllull
3. Clement Bouyssou

Protos
1. David Raison
2. Jorg Riechers
3. Etienne David

http://www.charentemaritime-bahia.transat650.net/en

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click on image for better detail:

 

thanks for the info,Doug--keep me posted

 

Interesting thread, but I wonder how the inflatable airbag - no matter where it is located - is to be inflated on a racing scow? A handpump or mouth-inflated bag might take more time than you have to survive, let alone win, and the weight of alternative power devices seems prohibitive, so that leaves a one-time chemical or compressed gas device. Call me chicken but I'd want it to be able to work more than one time . . .

 

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Hi, Terry! Ain't this boat performing incredibly well? Especially considering the really messy weather they've had-hard to conceive of a hull shaped like that being fast in confused seas and lots of chop.....

UPDATE-10:50 pm EDT, 10/3/11: David Raison in Proto 747 is still 8+ miles out in front and 138 miles from the finish of leg one.

 

In the 1.Etap 2. Place for scow, 30 half our later.

 

David(747 scow) is in 2nd right at the finish of leg one! Amazing. Sebastion Rogues won.