New Yacht Design?

[thesaint]

I have only just developed an interest in Yachting and would appreciate comments on my design below. I realise that as I know nothing about yachting yet; I shall probably be told that my suggestion is silly!

I notice that a Yacht in the wind leans to one side and that because of this it is uncomfortable for the crew. Not only that, as the angle increases the potention wind force and speed is diminished.

If the mast was adjustable - sideways, then you could tilt it towards the direction the wind is coming from; then; when the weight of the mast and sail causing the boat to tip towards the wind is balanced by the strength of the wind; the boat would ride level and the mast would be perpendicular to the sea and thus gather the full force of the wind - as well as the crew enjoying a level deck

 

[trapezeartist]

I think you just described a windsurfer! Well, partly, anyway.

The problem you have is that the rig is not nearly heavy enough to provide a righting moment. One solution to the problem of heeling is a canting keel, but it's complicated to make and complicated to use.

Another solution was shown in a magazine a year or two ago. The mast and keel are built onto a massive steel ring that can rotate relative to the hull. So while the mast and keel heeled, the hull stayed right way up. Horribly complicated, expensive and heavy.

A further solution is a catamaran.

Yet another solution is to let a boat heel and just design the interior to be as useable as possible at all angles.

 

[thesaint]

Thanks for that "Trapezeartist".
There's no point in me rushing off the the Patent office then!

 

[Signed Out]

There have been designs with canting rigs, both in fore-aft axis, and port-starboard. I believe both have been used in recent years in fairly racy boats to some (design/theoretical if not racing) success.

There are benefits to the rig moving to leeward though (don't tell multi sailors); including reducing windage as the force increases, whereas a rig that moves (masthead) to windward (or foot to lee) bears the possibility of a catastrophic hazard when overpushed- as the forces increase, the rig will only go so far presumably, and then be pushed back to lee when it reaches it's maximum limit and thus increase it's windage and power!

However, a rig that moves (top) to windward (or foot to lee) will increase lift. But that's a whole other kettle of fish.

Also there've been boats designed (and built) with gimballed (self-levelling) interiors...

Cheers, Jem.

 

[SHUG]

Yup its been done.
A yacht with the mast pivoting in a transverse slot was tested by one of the magazines last year. As I recall, it did quite well.
The Victorians had another approach where the entire interior of the ship was suspended on a pivot . They didn't get the damping right and it was a nightmare!!

 

[prv]

The Victorians had another approach where the entire interior of the ship was suspended on a pivot . They didn't get the damping right and it was a nightmare!!

Of course, even if you do get the damping right so that the cabin stays perfectly level, the result isn't like sitting in your living room at home. You're still going to have the up-and-down, side-to-side accelerations and lurches. I suspect the result might be more sick-inducing (by being more confusing to the eyes) than if you hadn't bothered at all!

Pete

 

[Norman_E]

Yup its been done.
A yacht with the mast pivoting in a transverse slot was tested by one of the magazines last year. As I recall, it did quite well.
The Victorians had another approach where the entire interior of the ship was suspended on a pivot . They didn't get the damping right and it was a nightmare!!

I saw somewhere that the Victorians designed a ship to ride waves by making the hull in three sections, hinged together.

This is a link to the ship with the gimballed saloon SS Bessemer but I cannot find any details of the hinged design, so it was probably designed and publicised to seek investors, but not built.
EDIT: The idea has not gone away though the Victorian cross channel ferry design had two hinges and three hull sections.

 

[Signed Out]

It's been done far more recent than the Victorians. I think there's a fancy mega yacht out there with it, albeit only a portion that has been gimballed. Also I believe there is a "proper" offshore adventury type bloke with a section that does this also, but can't remember where I read this.

I have a feeling there may've been an Open 60 type big solo boat that had a canting rig (as well as keel of course) too.

 

[Signed Out]

Here's quite a pretty take on the idea-

From an article in boatdesign.net-
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/boat-design/frame-mast-25696.html

A very interesting site to poke about.

And found this, that refers to self-levelling interiors, specifically beds, but drifts outwards-
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/boat-design/self-leveling-bed-33502.html

 

[bbg]

You are talking about a canting mast. It has been done. The boat that currently holds the record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic (Banque Populaire V) has a canting mast. The boat is a trimaran, and when it is tied up to the pontoon the mast is canted towards the pontoon, so it brings that float down to the water.

Here she is a few days after she broke the West-East transatlantic record (blue and white boat). Groupama, another super-maxi-tri (which I think has a fixed mast) is on the other side of the pontoon.