[MHml] Alt "RACE" boat design

[Dennis Pickard]

I think there is merit in the X support beams idea, especially for boats
trying to implement the wave piercing  concept. The forward reaching X's will
manage to support the forward portion of the hulls more to help prevent the
hull flex problems/forces experienced by Team Phillips.  As well, I 've
noticed on many of the photo's of these extreme cats, when they are pressed
hard there often is a significant wave top striking the center portion of the
rear cross beam. It must happen fairly regularly for me to pick that up out of
the few photos I actually see. With the X support idea you remove that spot
from the equation as well. I'd read somewhere that Team Philips steering pod
had vulnerable steering components in this general rear crossbeam position and
that these components were damaged. I have no idea if that actually happened
but it wouldn't be hard to imagine if there was any exposure at all.

That about summs it up and this information is worth exactly what you paid for
it.


>
> Subject: [MHml] Alt "RACE" boat design
>
> >
> > What do we have?.....partial list:
> > Shorter rig height....less pitching momentum....less overturning
> > forces....more manageable size sails.......no broken battens and less
> chaff....no
> > batten cars or jammed mainsail slides ....no massive booms(gybes!!)....no
> > traveler cars, etc....no mast compression loads to crossbeams....smaller
> crew
> > size and provisioning....slimmer, less bouyant bows required (less
> pounding
> > upwind)....less daggerboard area required (shorter, sronger,
> > asymmetrical?)..less interference between
> > old front mainbeam and the ocean......potentially lighter boat with
> > greater drive per square foot of sail area....etc...
>