Hi-Perf Wingsail Cat, for recreational sailors & crusiers

[brian eiland]

Fledging the EAGLE 53 catamaran

Fast Forward Composites (RI) develops hi-performance catamaran that has a 'reefable wingsail' , and can foil if desired.
Great article in one of the lastest issues of Professional Boatbuilder #181, dated Oct/Nov 2019

Jim Brown's video

https://youtu.be/KoGPJlDBzEQ

This rig design is just unbelievably inventive !!
Note this particular time frame,.. 

 

[ProaSailor]

[No message]

 

[brian eiland]

Too bad that the real inventor Randy Smyth is not named as inventor on the US patent,...likely because that is just not his nature to press that issue,..and it does cost some considerable sums to go forward with a patent process

 

[brian eiland]

Besides some of the more obvious inventive items about this 'reefable wingsail', I found these items noteworthy

Several things that impressed me about this rig...
1) Previous fully rotating rigs have required unstayed 'free standing' masts with generous sectional dimensions. Because this hybrid wing's D-spar is already fat, its adaptable for freestanding applications,...already. The athwartships D flat eliminates the need for spreaders.

2) "compared to my regular rig for Sizzor, the wing has only a fraction of the sheet load. That's why I was able to trim so quickly in those gusts", Randy Smyth
'the wing exerts about 40% less load at the mainsheet,...the old rig needed a seven-part purchase, but the wing requires only a four-part tackle'.

3) 'one test was conducted recently by capsizing the 40' Caliente. The wing's buoyancy arrested the capsize at the knockdown position, preventing the boat from turning turtle. The experience suggest the potential for developing wing-equipped self rescuing multihulls.'

Quotes from this article in Professional Boatbuilder
Professional BoatBuilder - 170 - Dec-Jan 2018 https://pbbackissues.advanced-pub.com/?issueID=170&pageID=58

 

[pwormwood]

Too bad that the real inventor Randy Smyth is not named as inventor on the US patent,...likely because that is just not his nature to press that issue,..and it does cost some considerable sums to go forward with a patent process

Brian - 

Randy did not invent it.  It was invented by Tommy Gonzales.  Randy helped him develop the concept.  I know this because Tommy is a friend of mine and I saw his sketches years ago...

 

[brian eiland]

Thats interesting Peter, Jim Brown was under the impression that Randy came up with the idea

BTW, ....looong time, no hear

BTW, do you have some old sketches of the outboard engine arrangement on that 35 design you did? I made a reference to it over here,..
https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/weekender-picnic-powercat.33751/page-3#post-872786

 

[ProaSailor]

Jim Brown was under the impression that Randy came up with the idea

No, Jim clearly attributes it to Tommy Gonzalez in the ProBoat article you cited:

 

[brian eiland]

I'm not going to say anything about my source, but I did hear it differently

 

[lucdekeyser]

The 2018 boat model showed T-foils forward but the 2019 boat build features C-foils.

Are there any video's showing the boat foiling, particularly at the claimed 30 knots top speed?  

 

[lucdekeyser]

Nevermind. i found the answer at the end of the other thread.

 

[brian eiland]

BTW, ....looong time, no hear

BTW, do you have some old sketches of the outboard engine arrangement on that 35 design you did? I made a reference to it over here,..
https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/weekender-picnic-powercat.33751/page-3#post-872786

Peter,

Did you see that new diesel outboard that was invented in Germany and now marked by Yanmar,....might be a good substitute for the engine you used?
https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/weekender-picnic-vessel-power-and-or-sailing-catamaran.33751/page-4#post-878994