Hi Dean
Its a great looking cat , I,m really enthusiastic about it racing the 60 tris and posted a couple concept ideas on the old forum -
Wanted to add this on rig concepts -
This is a wonderfull cat design .
a front rig enlarged view
http://www.parlier.org/site02/bateau/vue-face.html Some concepts for rig & sailplan for similar wide beam cat designs offered by an amaeture {though seasoned}catsailor .
The rig and sailplan set on a large beam cat design uses 2 masts and mainsails ,with an added reacher . Some disadvantages occur along with its numerous advantages ,-the forward genoa on one side is problematic for the crew in tacking and gibing .Two sets of blocks and controls are needed and have to be operated simultainiously.
There are numerous cross stays .. The masts are not as adjustable or as tunable as the tris it will race .
Many of the tris use adjustable stays to tilt the rig for and aft and to windward or leeward thereby projecting more verticle sail area when heeled ,or evan canting it back and to windward in higher winds and downwind mode .
On the earlier smaller prototypes pictured on the 60 cat web site are a more conventional single center sailplan on a pivoting boom .
http://www.parlier.org/site02/images/genese12.jpg An interesting variation or development from the rig sailplan shown would use a similar 2 masted concept.
By angleing in the two masts towards one another more and connecting them with a shorter radiused top forming more of an A Frame a single main or jib and main set on stays could be used ,this along with an added headsail set on a longer spin pole to achieve similar total sail area.{see prototype pic}is an option that similarly reduces structural requirements on a large beam cat design.
Some potential advantages to this similar 2 masted A frame rig configuration with single sail set between .
- Strong lightweight A frame ,-{added spreaders may be used }
-It could be ajusted ,raked for and aft
-Would require fewer stays
-Would have clean leading edges, sails set on stays .
- Sailplan would have more luff angle on the leading edge which helps move the CE ahead of the mast location.
-Masts could be located further aft ,{this increases spin luff angle {more spin lift}and greater distance mast to bows.}
-This could also optionally be attached to a traveler to allow ajustment of the sailplan along the main beam canting it to windward in higher winds ,and in light winds to leeward ,{along with for and aft rake adjustment per for and aft stay adjusters}-giving this rig more adjustment than the current tris.
One huge potential advantage of this rig configuration set on a pivoting base is its A frame strength could be used as a lever arm to right a capsized cat bows over stern .
The basic large beam design combined with an open self bailing aft **** with added solid bulkhead would allow the sterns to submerge and the potential for a righting system for large cats using this A frame rig as a lever arm.
Sorry this is so abstract , it is just sketched ideas and concepts that would require a great amount of time money and work to develop correctly.
If there were an active 18 sq class it would be fun to build and experiment with such a rig .
{see recent 18 sq thread if interested}
http://www.catsailor.com/forums/sho...ew=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1 Some catsailors in the earlier decades went from A class cats to the more powerfull open development type 18 sq class thinking it had a wider appeal to more sailors over time ,
As compared to conventional rigs it would have to overcome the added mast , its weight and windage .
The sail efficiency may offset this and deeper narrower mast sections are possible {no sail attached} would negate these to some extent . The other potential benifits listed may make it worthwhile ,-as would the righting capability alone if developed for safety on large cats.
