truth to power?

[Editor]

This comes from a pretty trusted source...

The Shock 40 Angry Beaver (R2AK) had a fuel cell on board to "charge the batteries". Included in  this was canting the keel via an electric pump.  If the reports are correct, they were able to cant the keel back and forth and generate forward motion Sounds like with the main up they could generate 'mo just like rocking a Laser. The power to cant the keel came from the fuel cell.

I doubt the race organizers understood how this system works and that by allowing it they've made their event look pretty much like a powered event.

 

[Cal20sailor]

DSQ...if true.  

But they accepted his entry. 

Intent, not if he disclosed it.  

 

[What She Said]

If true maybe they should be penalized with a one-turn penalty......all the way around Vancouver Island.  Any lady or gentleman (or my 10 year old) would know that a fuel cell moving a blade in the water is cheating, disclosed or not. 

 

[timber]

+1

 

[JL92S]

What do the other teams use to generate electricity?

 

[Teaky]

Fuel cell is a battery...

 

[BGeff]

Interesting.

 

[JL92S]

A fuel cell is a fuel cell...

 

[Cal20sailor]

I very much doubt the gearing that would allow a battery to move the keel is such that they could fan the keel for forward progress.  I'm with Amati, just make it all manual and they have a year to modify things.  I don't believe they exploited this capability and furthermore, don't believe it would have helped.  

 

[Sidecar]

What do the other teams use to generate electricity?

PV panels.

My own view is that the only permitted motorised device for R2AK should be autopilots. Permitting motorised keels was wrong and I am sure that will be sorted for the next edition of the race. Manually operated canting keels are OK.

 

[Cal20sailor]

Ed trying to get hits.  

 

[Wess]

This comes from a pretty trusted source...

The Shock 40 Angry Beaver (R2AK) had a fuel cell on board to "charge the batteries". Included in  this was canting the keel via an electric pump.  If the reports are correct, they were able to cant the keel back and forth and generate forward motion Sounds like with the main up they could generate 'mo just like rocking a Laser. The power to cant the keel came from the fuel cell.

I doubt the race organizers understood how this system works and that by allowing it they've made their event look pretty much like a powered event.

You seriously think they air rowed a Shock 40?  Really???  :wacko:

They earned a well deserved win and you post this crap.  No shame....

 

[kent_island_sailor]

^^^

THIS

A fuel cell big enough to power a large hydraulic pump that could move a keel fast enough to scull a 40 foot boat more than about 100 feet would be gigantic and cost more than all the boats in the race combined and then some.

Is there even a *hint* that they tried to scull their way to Alaska???

 

[kent_island_sailor]

Fuel cell is a battery...

No it isn't. It is more like a generator with no moving parts, there is no way to charge one but you can just add more fuel when it runs out. Spacecraft use them in part because the exhaust is water you can drink and they already have hydrogen and oxygen aboard for fuel.

"Fuels cells in the Apollo spacecraft provided most of the water for astronauts' needs. Fuel cells create electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, producing water as a byproduct of this process. A portion of the water supply was chilled for drinking"

 

[bodega87]

Ed, if you believe you can cant a keel back and forth fast enough to scull a 40fter you are even dumber than I previously thought. 

 

[Cal20sailor]

This comes from a pretty trusted source...

The Shock 40 Angry Beaver (R2AK) had a fuel cell on board

It's Schock, so much for the industry professional facade.  

 

[heavym210]

Ed trying to get hits.  

I think he is hoping for a 40 page thread much like the Sydney to Hobat AIS drama.

If he had sailed on a canter he would realize what he wrote is silly. I sailed on the Merlin with its swing keel, you could cant the rig to leeward to get some draft in the sails in light air. That helped a bit, the Beavers probably did the same in the light air. Pear Shaped could perhaps do the same thing with its canting rig.

 

[Cal20sailor]

I think he is hoping for a 40 page thread much like the Sydney to Hobat AIS drama.

If he had sailed on a canter he would realize what he wrote is silly. I sailed on the Merlin with its swing keel, you could cant the rig to leeward to get some draft in the sails in light air. That helped a bit, the Beavers probably did the same in the light air. Pear Shaped could perhaps do the same thing with its canting rig.

Wasn't that the same guy who owned the most perfect boat in the world?  The owner of Merlin at the time.

Edit:  Bacchant?

 

[shubrook]

This seems like a really inefficient way to cheat. 

I can't imagine that the electric system cants the keel very quickly, and how many times can you cant the keel before you run out of juice? 20? 50?  

I agree with other posters that canting the keel should be manual - in multihulls, you have to cant your mast manually. If electric was permitted for the race, though, I don't see the problem.