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...Read More

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...Read More

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...Read More

Machining of the plugs is underway. The time to show all is getting closer. For now here is a taste…Read More

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...Read More

Progress continues on RM tooling preparation in the workshop. In the office the A Cat design is approaching completion. R10R and IOM developments are in the pipeline and consultancy work continues on aerospace projects.Read More

Some revealing images from the A Cat RANSE modelling: Small changes in pitch have very interesting effects on wavemaking and, therefore, on drag. Contrast the shape of the breaking bow wave in these two snapshots… Taking that step forward or aft along the gunnel as conditions change is really important.Read More

As work continues on tooling, the new deck shape is now visible. A good opportunity to share the thinking that led to the chosen layout. Initially a dedicated RC tray moulding was designed with the aim of locating the mass of winch, batteries and servo as low in the boat as possible and close to...Read More

Previous posts on A Class Catamaran material choices hinted at the influences of core type on construction process. Let’s look at the options in construction method and the unique requirements of each. Foam Core Hull panel lamination can take place in one or two steps, depending on whether a perforated core is used.  A perforated...Read More

Marblehead foil design presents an interesting challenge because the maximum permitted draft is extremely generous. In most monohull keelboat classes, maximum draft is well short of the crossover where additional righting moment gained becomes outweighed by hydrodynamic and structural considerations. For most classes, draft can therefore be regarded as fixed (always go to maximum). In...Read More