I know which design team will be able and willing to perform such a feat first, but the real trick is getting to the customers and make it economically viable.
Personally I would love to sail a boat like the F-12 as described. If it can be build below 50 kg then it will be quite a fast boat as well. The small size will mean that you can cut corners everywhere and make it both really simple, light and cheap. It could well be as easily to rig as a laser-1 and that in itself will make it exiting.
Pretty much everything has been developped already the unstayed rig can just be stolen of a Standard Landyacht and the sails luff curve can be increased to operate at the lower windspeeds that a sail boat requires. The technology is already well developped in this area. There are few (landyacht) sailmakers around that understand these types of mast really well. How to build up the mast from alu tubing is also well developped by now. Just copy-paste really. I have all these components in my shed as I speak as I own 2 class 5 landyachts and a stigter landyacht. One of the best features of such a landacht mast is that they are all build up out of 2 or 3 parts. In effect the longest section is only 2 mtr long. with the low weight and the small size it will be truly car toppable.
The traveller system comes of a 70's Stighter landyacht that I have in my shed. Extremely simple and cheap but it does really work well. The pivot daggerboards concept can be stolen of the Laser-1 or Prindle 18-2 or 19 designs. As few slight shape modifications and presto. Also this technology is well understood by now. Rudders can come straight of the F16's or use Dotan as the South African Mosquito's are doing with succes.
The only true challenge design wise is to come up with a proper hull shape. Some designer must be found willing to put his expertise in.
So this basic concept has alot going for it. But in some way critical mass must be achieved, only then will a commercial builder will seriously consider producing these boats. For that you need an enthousiast team of amateurs willing to do the trailblazing and proof the concept by building a few prototypes.
Who is up for that ?
Wouter
Last edited by Wouter; 12/23/06 11:21 AM.