We saw in Part 1 and Part 2 that generalised statements about the handling qualities of ‘wave piercing’ bows miss the point that bow profile is a reflection of sectional volume distribution, which is a much more useful indicator of design priorities.Multihull bow sections have recently tended to carry volume lower down rather than above […]
As we’ve seen in previous posts, conventional hulls resist bow down trimming forces by immersing more volume forward. This shifts the centre of buoyancy forward. If the centre of gravity remains stationary or moves aft, the resulting separation gives a bow up righting moment.Tornado style ‘conventional’ raked bow profiles indicate flared hull sections. Meaning the […]
Katana Marblehead specimens just out of the moulds. More to follow shortly…
We are receiving many questions about the pros and cons of so-called wave piercing bows. There seems to be much debate among sailors, partly fuelled by unsubstantiated claims from manufacturers.As our regular followers and clients know, at Carbonicboats we do not make dogmatic proclamations about what our products will do. Instead we explain the reasoning […]
More progress on the A Cat hull plugs in Far North QLD… The stable and durable yet relatively economical material chosen requires sealing of the final release surface. Skilled hands are needed to do so without altering the machined shape. A final pass in the machine ensures the shape has remained true before painting with […]
Robot sculptor setting free the A Cat contained in the block… Images courtesy Alex Kryger, Aptec Composites
Machining of the plugs is underway. The time to show all is getting closer. For now here is a taste…
Some more images of Katana Marblehead tooling coming together nicely…
Bonded or Mechanically Fastened? Most current A Cat beams are bonded to the hulls rather than mechanically fastened. With some increasingly rare exceptions, builders and sailors prefer a unitary platform. The downside of this choice is arguably reduced practicality for transport since the platform cannot be dismantled into its component parts. Accepting this compromise […]
A Class catamaran candidate hull shapes in one of the final evaluation runs. The chosen shape is now finalised. Detail design is next as virtual models are being prepared for machining…
