Quidi Vidi
New member
Hi, saw this trimaran berthed at Gunwharf quays in Portsmouth with unusual sails. Does anyone know anything about it?
Last edited:
Strange looking boat at Gunwharf quays?
- Thread starter Quidi Vidi
- Start date
sarabande
Well-known member
Walker Wingsail. :sniff/sadicon:
Lost some money in that. Years ahead of anything else, and now coming good on bigger ships.
Lost some money in that. Years ahead of anything else, and now coming good on bigger ships.
Quidi Vidi
New member
Wow that was quick, i'll have a quick google of Walker Wingsail and find out more. I've never seen anything like it, i'd be interested to see her actually sailing.
BrendanS
Well-known member
Not a very popular topic with the owners of ybw!...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/libel-cash-for-wingsail-1597023.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/libel-cash-for-wingsail-1597023.html
Highland Bear
New member
I know trimeringues are very wide and hence park a long way off the pier but those are pretty hefty gangplanks they've got stowed vertically on the roof!
boatbuilder
Active member
Boat is called Larinka, just finished big refit here in Millbrook.
Garold
Well-known member
We spent a day or two on the mid-river Dartmouth visitor pontoon next to one of these Walker Wingsail boats a couple of years ago.
According to the guys who were sailing her, the boat was very slow and had a constant series of techincal breakdowns.
I think that the guy who was skippering the yacht was the son of the inventor. He was a really smart problem-solver and fortunately the then owner of the craft was willing to fund the long parts list that the young guy needed to keep her going.
Interestingly, they were fixing the drives whilst we were alongside them. If I remember correctly, they had a hydraulic pump that fed two retractable silette-like drives. The only problem seemed to be that there was one pump for two drives and so they could not be worked independently for manoevering. Bit tricky in close confines apparently.
Cheers
Garold
According to the guys who were sailing her, the boat was very slow and had a constant series of techincal breakdowns.
I think that the guy who was skippering the yacht was the son of the inventor. He was a really smart problem-solver and fortunately the then owner of the craft was willing to fund the long parts list that the young guy needed to keep her going.
Interestingly, they were fixing the drives whilst we were alongside them. If I remember correctly, they had a hydraulic pump that fed two retractable silette-like drives. The only problem seemed to be that there was one pump for two drives and so they could not be worked independently for manoevering. Bit tricky in close confines apparently.
Cheers
Garold
Scotty_Tradewind
Well-known member
What was in the original article to cause the problem for IPC?
snowleopard
Active member
I went and had a chat with one of the crew. Like all but one other, that one has dropped the computer control of the rig and reverted to manual.
I also saw one trying to berth in Mayflower a few years ago. They couldn't make to windward under motor in a moderate breeze and flat water under motor.
There was one that had lost its rig in Millbrook a couple of years ago. It's gone now, I know not where.
A tri platform for the rig seems an odd choice. All the berthing problems of a cat but not much interior space. Between its weight and the under powered rig they lose out on the performance that is the only reason for choosing a tri.
jhr
Well-known member
I don't think they'd be keen on someone repeating what was said, on one of their forums - it's already cost them enough....
They were critical of various aspects of the sail but I think the main problem arose because they were alleged to have been malicious in what they said. Although the original damages awarded were massive, IPC appealed and the matter was eventually settled out of court, for a far smaller amount. As usual, it was the lawyers who pocketed the most.
The case is still used as a terrible warning in training courses, particularly for Journalists who do product reviews, and the Subs who edit them. It's one reason why many product reviews nowadays are just a paraphrase of the manufacturer's press release.
snowleopard
Active member
What caused the massive damages was the claim by WW's lawyers that there was an implication in the article of dishonesty on the part of WW in their description of the product.
It wasn't 'They say it's good but it's cr*p' but more like 'They say it's good but really they know it's cr*p and they're lying'. The former is likely to result in lost advertising revenue, the latter in big court damages.
It wasn't 'They say it's good but it's cr*p' but more like 'They say it's good but really they know it's cr*p and they're lying'. The former is likely to result in lost advertising revenue, the latter in big court damages.
Seajet
...
Bower 15,
a prototype 1960's version of a Walker Wingsail trimaran used to be ashore at Emsworth marina, Hampshire; sadly gone now, but the history of the idea is well worth reading as an abstract theory.
a prototype 1960's version of a Walker Wingsail trimaran used to be ashore at Emsworth marina, Hampshire; sadly gone now, but the history of the idea is well worth reading as an abstract theory.
boatbuilder
Active member
Larinka has now got rid of the two hydraulic drives and now has a central sail drive, a great improvement.
The bigger, Blue Nova , has now gone to Spain, but without a rig.
The bigger, Blue Nova , has now gone to Spain, but without a rig.
maxi
Member
What was in the article to cause problems for IPC?
Quite simply, the truth as the boat testers found it.
The 'mistake' was that they then printed what they had found. Walker had influence in high places and was able to fund a court case and won, despite producing absolutely no evidence that the boat could or would perform at levels higher than those experienced on the boat test, as I understand it.
The downside for us is that the magazine boat tests do not now contain anything that suggests the shortcomings of a test boat, just hyperbole relating to the good points.
Having done a number of boat tests with the IPC team, I always found that they took great care to make careful and objective measurements and that their comments were supportable.
Quite simply, the truth as the boat testers found it.
The 'mistake' was that they then printed what they had found. Walker had influence in high places and was able to fund a court case and won, despite producing absolutely no evidence that the boat could or would perform at levels higher than those experienced on the boat test, as I understand it.
The downside for us is that the magazine boat tests do not now contain anything that suggests the shortcomings of a test boat, just hyperbole relating to the good points.
Having done a number of boat tests with the IPC team, I always found that they took great care to make careful and objective measurements and that their comments were supportable.
Signed Out
Active member
http://www.preloved.co.uk/fuseaction-adverts.showadvert/index-1034197863/565e81d0.html
For sale £1,250,000. Ouch.
For sale £1,250,000. Ouch.