va or nova? murnikov's latest mx...

MR.CLEAN

Moderator
Brian Hancock tells us the offshore SpeedDream is on hold for the moment. In the meantime, here's a look at something entirely different from outside-the-box designer Vlad Murnikov - the mxNova. From Brian:

SpeedDream is about innovation. It’s our touchstone yet it doesn’t have to be as radical as a Flying Keel or a wave piercing bow and stepped hull. In fact, we have been working for a while on a classic racing keel boat, something that nobody has taken a fresh look at for a very, very long time. We are calling the project mxNova.

The iconic Star is well over 100 years old, and the Dragon is not much younger. More recent designs, the Etchell and Soling, are closing in on a half century since they were introduced. All of them have provided decades of glorious competition and spawned some of the world’s best and best known sailors; guys like Dennis Conner, Russell Coutts, and Lowell North, to name just a few. In no way do we think that mxNova is going to take away any of the illustrious accomplishments of these classes, but we do think that it’s time to take a new look at keel boats and bring in some fresh ideas.

Most recent keelboat designs are more ballasted dinghy than they are classic keelboat, intended to sail flat and relying on the crew for righting moment. We became curious as to whether there was room in sailing for a truly modern keel boat, a boat that is long, gracious and narrow and intended to sailed heeled with the ballast keel providing the power rather than bodies dangling over a lifeline. The result is the mxNova prototype.

Naturally, the boat features SpeedDream’s signature wave-piercing bow which gives way to a pleasantly narrow hull. There is nothing extraordinary about the design other than it’s thoroughly modern, even slightly futuristic. There is ample sail area with a square top mainsail that can be easily twisted off to depower in the puffs. The rig is simple and does not require complicated running backstays. All in all you have a powerful boat that is easily driven, which is in itself is not revolutionary, but that’s until you look below the waterline.

MxNova does not have SpeedDream’s Flying Keel; instead she has a keel that can make the boat fly - or at least, change its displacement substantially.

Attached to the bulb of a normal looking fin keel are two transverse wings. On the trailing edge of each wing are adjustable flaps similar to a trim tab sometimes found on the aft end of a keel or rudder. Their purpose is to turn a symmetric foil into an asymmetric one, thereby creating either downforce or lift when the boat sails upwind or downwind respectfully.

In the upwind configuration, the flaps are up, which creates a downwind force. This force 'sinks' the boat, providing 'virtual displacement', more stability and, by extension, more sail carrying capability. The opposite is needed when sailing downwind. With a control similar to one found on the Moth dinghy you adjust the angle of the keel flap to make it point down. The effect provides lift which in turn reduces displacement just when you need it. This minimizes drag and increases the boat’s ability to plane. This simple mxNova feature brings the classic keel boat into the 21st century and provides a great tool for competitive sailors to maximize its performance.

That’s the theory, but to make it work would require a lot of work – and money - and before committing to developing the new design we would like to hear back from the sailors of all stripes whether it’s worth it or not. The attached renderings are here to inspire conversation. What do you think?

Nova-A.jpg

Nova Concept-2.jpg

Nova Concept-1.jpg

 
Last edited by a moderator:

Christian

Super Anarchist
Brian Hancock tells us the offshore SpeedDream is on hold until life sorts itself out for their supporters and sponsor in Ukraine. In the meantime, here's a look at something entirely different from outside-the-box designer Vlad Murnikov - the mxNova. From Brian:

SpeedDream is about innovation. It’s our touchstone yet it doesn’t have to be as radical as a Flying Keel or a wave piercing bow and stepped hull. In fact, we have been working for a while on a classic racing keel boat, something that nobody has taken a fresh look at for a very, very long time. We are calling the project mxNova.

The iconic Star is well over 100 years old, and the Dragon is not much younger. More recent designs, the Etchell and Soling, are closing in on a half century since they were introduced. All of them have provided decades of glorious competition and spawned some of the world’s best and best known sailors; guys like Dennis Conner, Russell Coutts, and Lowell North, to name just a few. In no way do we think that mxNova is going to take away any of the illustrious accomplishments of these classes, but we do think that it’s time to take a new look at keel boats and bring in some fresh ideas.

Most recent keelboat designs are more ballasted dinghy than they are classic keelboat, intended to sail flat and relying on the crew for righting moment. We became curious as to whether there was room in sailing for a truly modern keel boat, a boat that is long, gracious and narrow and intended to sailed heeled with the ballast keel providing the power rather than bodies dangling over a lifeline. The result is the mxNova prototype.

Naturally, the boat features SpeedDream’s signature wave-piercing bow which gives way to a pleasantly narrow hull. There is nothing extraordinary about the design other than it’s thoroughly modern, even slightly futuristic. There is ample sail area with a square top mainsail that can be easily twisted off to depower in the puffs. The rig is simple and does not require complicated running backstays. All in all you have a powerful boat that is easily driven, which is in itself is not revolutionary, but that’s until you look below the waterline.

MxNova does not have SpeedDream’s Flying Keel; instead she has a keel that can make the boat fly - or at least, change its displacement substantially.

Attached to the bulb of a normal looking fin keel are two transverse wings. On the trailing edge of each wing are adjustable flaps similar to a trim tab sometimes found on the aft end of a keel or rudder. Their purpose is to turn a symmetric foil into an asymmetric one, thereby creating either downforce or lift when the boat sails upwind or downwind respectfully.

In the upwind configuration, the flaps are up, which creates a downwind force. This force 'sinks' the boat, providing 'virtual displacement', more stability and, by extension, more sail carrying capability. The opposite is needed when sailing downwind. With a control similar to one found on the Moth dinghy you adjust the angle of the keel flap to make it point down. The effect provides lift which in turn reduces displacement just when you need it. This minimizes drag and increases the boat’s ability to plane. This simple mxNova feature brings the classic keel boat into the 21st century and provides a great tool for competitive sailors to maximize its performance.

That’s the theory, but to make it work would require a lot of work – and money - and before committing to developing the new design we would like to hear back from the sailors of all stripes whether it’s worth it or not. The attached renderings are here to inspire conversation. What do you think?
I see nothing classic about this latest wet russian dream - EXCEPT _ it could look like a classic boat - flipped over and a hole cut out of the bottom to provide a cockpit

Vlad has some good ideas and is certainly not afraid to put it out there - now the challenge is to take it from wild concepts and into mature commercially viable boats - a much harder part of the process.

 

couchsurfer

Super Anarchist
18,326
146
NA westcoast
''That’s the theory, but to make it work would require a lot of work – and money - and before committing to developing the new design we would like to hear back from the sailors of all stripes whether it’s worth it or not. The attached renderings are here to inspire conversation. What do you think?''

........I like the (almost) crowd-funder approach to yacht design,,,and the Rad ideas......where do I send my $10??

...it would only seem natural for these folks to team-up with DL,,,,a match made in heaven!

........all said 'n done,,,,,,a modern keelboat with an upsy/downsy control seems like a 'natural' but who's left to sail 'em??......everyone's on foiling cats now :mellow:

 

r.finn

Super Anarchist
2,022
693
Have you seen a Moth inverting the foils to "sink" for better stability?
That was my first thought as well. I'll have to think about this some before forming an opinion.
Unlike a moth, this design's hull will be in the water on the upwind legs, so not sure that's the way to think about it.

What I see as strange is unlike the keel bulb which is using gravity to create stability, the added flap control will be pulling this thing down at whatever angle it's heeled to. I don't know if that's fast or not, but it will be interesting to see.

 

couchsurfer

Super Anarchist
18,326
146
NA westcoast
What I see as strange is unlike the keel bulb which is using gravity to create stability, the added flap control will be pulling this thing down at whatever angle it's heeled to. I don't know if that's fast or not, but it will be interesting to see.
.

....ummm,not a bad thing since when heeled,the keel 'usually' is to windward,,,so the downsy-flaps would be pulling both down and windward ;)

 
Wouldn't it make more sense on an upwind course to use the flaps to torque the keel, i.e. generate downforce on the windward side and lift on the leeward side to improve righting moment instead of just increasing the overall drag of the hull?

 

couchsurfer

Super Anarchist
18,326
146
NA westcoast
Probably never leave the drawing board, but if it did, likely to join the abandoned MXRay on trash piles behind yacht clubs.
.

......I actually think this is Muri's effort to take a chill-pill,,,make something which is a proper advance without being too radical.

...at a time when the design-world's gone crazy over foiling multi's----ironic

 

Great Red Shark

Super Anarchist
8,560
773
Honolulu
All of which might be worthy of further consideration if not for the steaming pile that is the MXRay. What a heavy, poorly executed slug that thing is. Sorry, when you put real garbage into the marketplace, you get judged by it.

 

r.finn

Super Anarchist
2,022
693
What I see as strange is unlike the keel bulb which is using gravity to create stability, the added flap control will be pulling this thing down at whatever angle it's heeled to. I don't know if that's fast or not, but it will be interesting to see.
.

....ummm,not a bad thing since when heeled,the keel 'usually' is to windward,,,so the downsy-flaps would be pulling both down and windward ;)
I got that, but I'm questioning what's happening while those "great things" are happening. Have any other wing keeled boats played with this before?

 

couchsurfer

Super Anarchist
18,326
146
NA westcoast
All of which might be worthy of further consideration if not for the steaming pile that is the MXRay. What a heavy, poorly executed slug that thing is. Sorry, when you put real garbage into the marketplace, you get judged by it.
.

...yeh,,the MX build quality was rather lacking,,,but it gets some creds for being the first purpose-built singlehander with chute to hit these parts at least :mellow:

 

couchsurfer

Super Anarchist
18,326
146
NA westcoast
What I see as strange is unlike the keel bulb which is using gravity to create stability, the added flap control will be pulling this thing down at whatever angle it's heeled to. I don't know if that's fast or not, but it will be interesting to see.
.

....ummm,not a bad thing since when heeled,the keel 'usually' is to windward,,,so the downsy-flaps would be pulling both down and windward ;)
I got that, but I'm questioning what's happening while those "great things" are happening. Have any other wing keeled boats played with this before?
.

....oh I'm sure there's been boats doing this already,,,,about as long as there's been wing keels.

 

Great Red Shark

Super Anarchist
8,560
773
Honolulu
All of which might be worthy of further consideration if not for the steaming pile that is the MXRay. What a heavy, poorly executed slug that thing is. Sorry, when you put real garbage into the marketplace, you get judged by it.
....yeh,,the MX build quality was rather lacking,,,but it gets some creds for being the first purpose-built singlehander with chute to hit these parts at least :mellow:
But, have you actually sailed one ? I'd take a retro-fitted something else any day of the week. Anybody that was unfortunately enough to have gambled on one of these versus something cool, like a Farr3.7 or IC, any windsurfer or a byte just got the shaft - in the name of misguided 'innovation' - but the fact remains, that thing just isn't fast, trustworthy, or very good. at all.
 

couchsurfer

Super Anarchist
18,326
146
NA westcoast
All of which might be worthy of further consideration if not for the steaming pile that is the MXRay. What a heavy, poorly executed slug that thing is. Sorry, when you put real garbage into the marketplace, you get judged by it.
....yeh,,the MX build quality was rather lacking,,,but it gets some creds for being the first purpose-built singlehander with chute to hit these parts at least :mellow:
But, have you actually sailed one ? I'd take a retro-fitted something else any day of the week. Anybody that was unfortunately enough to have gambled on one of these versus something cool, like a Farr3.7 or IC, any windsurfer or a byte just got the shaft - in the name of misguided 'innovation' - but the fact remains, that thing just isn't fast, trustworthy, or very good. at all.
.

....haha...I said 'first' not best!!

...sailed a dealer demo when they were new--couldn't keep with lasers upwind,,but downwind was fun until both the blades sheared :mellow:

 



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