Rob Denney's racing proa Bucket List hits the water and has first test sail

Rob Denney,
                     Innovative multihull designer and self confessed tinkerer has launched the prototype of his Bucket List 40' racing proa design.  The prototype has a number of innovations such as a telescoping rig a self righting system is in the works and also a "fuse" for the mainsheet that dumps power to prevent capsize.  The boat can be demounted into a 40' container for worldwide shipping along with three other sisterships allowing an instant one design division to be created at any event you may be interested in attending.  Initial base pricing seems to be somewhere around the 50kUSD mark.

More details can be found on Rob's Bucket List proa build blog which you can find here:

http://harryproa.com/?p=424#more-424

Still plenty of issues to be sorted out in the shake down phase but a short video of the first test sail is here:

https://www.facebook.com/Harryproa/videos/vb.1635980886634440/1929006950665164/?type=2&theater

And a photo of the prototype at the pontoon:

Corsair Pulse 600 trimaran update # 15

From the following entry by Corsair marine:

http://sail.corsairmarine.com/development-update-15-on-the-pulse-600

Following some great sailing last weekend on hull 3, it really feels like this Pulse is getting its rhythm!

We had decent wind conditions with 12-15 kts of breeze in semi-sheltered waters and the boat just felt fantastic. We were running without the bowsprit option (coming soon) and had some great screacher runs where the boat really got up and started to sing. As if the blood wasn’t pumping enough, skimming along at around 13-16 kts with the kite up, it was time to test the rudder balance. It felt so controlled that taking your hand off the tiller extension and letting the boat go was never an issue. So there we were, on a brand new boat, with all hands off. A great feeling!

read more here

Gunboat G4 launched and foiling in St Marteen, videos of boat in action

Several videos of the recently launched foiling Gunboat G4 catamaran have been published. 


GUNBOAT G4 from Gunboat on Vimeo.

The sound of speed onboard the fully-foiling Gunboat G4 from Bill Springer on Vimeo.

Design Catamaran team show renders of their new foiling catamaran model the Toro 34R

From the following entry on he Design Catamaran website:

http://www.designcatamaran.com/?modele=toro-34r-2&lang=en

Our original TORO34 flirts easily with 25kts and more off the wind… How could we make the Toro to blow 30kts? Design Catamaran is in the final stages of releasing the TORO34R, equipped with foils, a 6.1m (20’) beam and a 15.9m (52’) mast. This all carbon version will exceed all the performance characteristics of the original model. To be the fastest of your yacht club, have heads turn as you sail by and all within a controlled budget, Design Catamaran is offering this no compromise sailing beast : the TORO34R.

Life is too short to sail slowly … So Fly a TORO

read more here

Toro 34R, render courtesy Design Catamaran

Paul Bieker releases basic specs of new B53 performance cruising catamaran being built at Gold Coast Yachts in the US Virgin Islands

A new lightweight performance catamaran with foil assistance from yacht designer Paul Bieker specs and some further details on Paul's blog

http://biekerboats.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/introducting-b53.html

Construction blog of a Russell Brown/Paul Bieker designed proa

Lately I've been enjoying following a very detailed blog by Jak on the construction of his Russ Brown/Bieker designed proa.  Thanks to the  excellent Proafile for this link:

http://proa32.blogspot.com.au/

Radikal T26 trimaran, build coming along well

The Radikal T26 trimaran build is coming along well you can follow their project on their facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trimaran-Radikal-T26/1410096839227207

You can read more details on the Radikal T26 trimaran over at Perspective Design:

http://www.perspective-design.com/Trimaran-Radikal-26ft-full-carbon.html#.U0xogDiKDrc

New 32' proa plan from Paul Bieker approaching completion

From Paul Bieker's blog:

http://www.biekerboats.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/study-plans-ready-for-32-proa-it-has.html

STUDY PLANS READY FOR THE 32' PROA

It has been a long gestation process, but we have finally finished the majority of the design and lofting work for the Jester class proa.  Attached is the Sailplan and Arrangements for the boat.  We also have the construction drawings for the Hull, Ama and Beams completed.  The foil and composite part drawings will be done soon.

to see the Sailplan and arrangement pictures go here

New outrigger design 15' CLC outrgger junior, description and gallery of photos

From the following article on clcboats.com by John Harris

http://www.clcboats.com/life-of-boats-blog/Introducing-the-Outrigger-Junior.html

This didn't work out how it was supposed to. The big idea was that this compact and easy-to-build multihull would slip in on the heels of Madness-the-proa, capitalizing on the torrent of interest the big proa generated. The idea was good; for example, sales of our trimaran-conversion rig quadrupled during the Madness media cycle. But we got busy enough that the "mini-Madness" project moved along like molasses running uphill in January, and is only just now ready for sea trials. 

This outrigger design predates the big proa by almost ten years. In 2003, a giant and very well-known national youth program got in touch, looking for a weekend boatbuilding project that would be exciting for kids. A committee was formed, which included some notables from the sailing community. I thought that adolescents were most likely to get excited by something genuinely fast and fun, a boat that would look right with shark's teeth painted on the bow.

The boat needed to be simple enough for unskilled adult-child teams to build, and since really scary numbers were in contemplation---say, a hundred boats the first year---it needed to be cost-effective. 
After much discussion a small multihull was agreed upon, but this would be tricky. Catamarans require a lot of engineering and expensive hardware to support the masts on the forward crossbeam, and there was the issue of a trampoline having to be sewn up. One of the sailors on the committee mentioned the old Malibu Outrigger. This is an intriguing Warren Seaman design from 1950, of plywood, with a big lateen sail. It was much admired and some 2000 were built. The Malibu Outrigger has one big hull, in which the mast is mounted, and a smaller hull like a proa. Unlike a true proa, however, the boat tacks conventionally, with the small hull in the water on one tack and skimming the surface on the other.

read more here

The two class leaders have been constructed and launched and a photo gallery is on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152081108197398.1073741898.47629047397&type=1

new VPLP designed DIAM24 one design trimaran 12 boats ordered so far

The new DIAM24 trimaran is designed to offer competitive high performance one design racing in an easily transportable package.  It also will be a functional and fun daysailor.

http://www.vplp.fr/news/11/60/DIAM-24-One-Design.html

More information is available at the following website:

http://www.diam24onedesign.com/?lang=en

Gunboat G4, performance racer/cruiser

An entry on the new Gunboat G4 courtesy of the excellent catsailingnews.com

http://www.catsailingnews.com/2013/10/new-gunboat-g4-next-generation-racer.html

If we already liked the SIG45 , what we can say about this one? The concept defines it 100%: "To make a big small boat and not a small big boat"

Peter Johnstone from Gunboat contacted me two weeks ago to place an ad banner, later past week he announced that they were launching a new project that I would surely approve. Told him that nothing was 'wrong' with his Nigel Irens 60 ... Lets put it this way, If I would have stay at the office I would be owning all my small racing cats plus one of those.
Yesterday the news were out and I was surprised that the DNA gang was involved , although they've told me they were working on a secret a 40' project.

read more here

more details on the new design at the Gunboat site: http://www.gunboat.com/series/gunboat-g4

The new Gunboat G4, a performance racer/cruiser

Box Boat 8.5 catamaran will race at Lock Crowther Memorial Regatta 2013, test sails available

From the following entry on the Box Boat 8.5m racing catamaran website:

http://www.boxboat.com.au/_blog/Box_Boat_News/post/box-office-on-the-move/

Aus 100 is on the move at the end of September. We will be competing in the Lock Crowther Memorial Regatta on the weekend of the 5th October. We are really keen to take as many New South Welshmen (or women) for a spin on the boat while we are down there so please get in touch with us sooner rather than later. Everyone of any experience level is welcome!

and a video of the boat in action

Corsair trimarans, Cruse 970 trimaran passage from Brisbane to Thursday Island upload of a gallery of photos

From the following gallery of photos.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.568334616541787.1073741830.126051344103452&type=3

And a note published with the gallery of photos

The New Cruze and crew arrives safe an sound . From Brisbane to Thursday Island, a 1200 nautical mile voyage. All reports, no problem, reaching 18knt with just Jib downwind, Well done.

Cruze 970 at Thursday Island, photo courtesy Corsair Marine

New Farrier F-33 trimaran design

Ian Farrier has posted some details on his F-33 design.  The first example is under construction in the Phillipines at Multihulls Direct.

http://www.f-boat.com/pages/trimarans/F-33-2013.html

Photo courtesy of Farrier Marine

photo courtesy Multihulls Direct

Great Cup 32 Catamaran makes it's racing debut at Lake Traunsee, Austria as part of the Allianz Traunsee Week

From the following article on the Great Cup 32 website:

http://www.thegreatcup.com/newsitem.aspx?newsId=04f65659-6828-4c4e-b962-e7b22e263e9a&month=05&year=2013

Grand prix catamaran racing comes to the idyllic setting of Lake Traunsee, Austria next week (8-12 May) with the much anticipated debut of The Great Cup, as part of Allianz Traunsee Week.

Competing will be the first three GC32s built (a fourth is already en route to Europe from the UAE).

For the event, the three carbon fibre catamarans will sail under the colours of the Netherlands, Switzerland and Austria and to maximise the number of teams competing, each boat is being allocated two crews, who will alternate.

Thus, Spax Solution Sailing Team from the Netherlands, skippered by creator of The Great Cup, Laurent Lenne, and whose four man crew includes Aussie catamaran ace Andrew Macpherson and Swedish Volvo Ocean Race and America’s Cup sailor Micke Lundh, will be swapping with another exclusively Dutch crew led by ex-Tornado Olympian Pim Nieuwenhuis. The latter team includes Thijs Visser, who won the new Nacra 17 catamaran class at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia in Palma in March.

read more here

GC32 racing catamaran sailing in Ebensee with Team Austria

Multi50 update, Lalou Roucayrol taking "Arkema" out on her first sail

A short video at the following link of the new Region Aquitaine/Arkema Multi50 trimaran out for her first test sail with Lalou giving his early approval of the new craft.

From an article on Aquitaine.france3.fr

http://aquitaine.france3.fr/2013/04/23/lalou-roucayrol-et-la-joie-de-tester-son-nouveau-bateau-239735.html

Here is the rough bing translate:

A month after her lauching, the trimaran of Lalou Roucayrol comes to his first outing at sea off the coast of the Verdon. The MEDOC browser will attend his first race in the departure of Douarnenez, may 3, accompanied by including Marc Thiercelin may 3.

GC32 Great Cup racing catamaran, upcoming events

I've reproduced this recently issued press release for anyone who is interested in becoming a prospective owner/competitor on the Great Cup circuit.  I'm very impressed by their willingness to set up the competition and provide events at which the boats can be raced. More information on this exciting new one design racing catamaran can be found at https://www.facebook.com/GC32Racing or on the web at http://www.thegreatcup.com

The GREAT CUP – the brand new circuit for state of the art foiling catamarans

 

With the Nacra 17 in the Olympic Games for Rio 2016 and the 34rd America’s Cup being sailed this year in foiling AC72s, soaring interest in competing on two hulls has prompted a new circuit to be set up for the absolute state of the art in racing catamarans.

 

Created by cat sailors Laurent Lenne and Andrew Macpherson, the Great Cup makes its debut next month on Lake Traunsee, Austria, and will be sailed in brand new, purpose-built GC32 foiling catamarans.

 

Built in entirely in carbon fibre by Premier Composites in Dubai, the GC32 has been designed by Martin Fischer, best known for his groundbreaking Capricorn, Hobie Wild Cat and Phantom F18 catamarans and his work on Franck Cammas’ Groupama trimarans.

 

The GC32 features the latest S-foil daggerboards and L-profile rudders. These generate enough vertical lift to elevate the GC32 out of the water when she is sailing at speed, in a similar fashion to the foiling AC72s. But unlike the solid wing used on America’s Cup catamarans, the GC32 features a simpler and more conventional rotating wingmast rig, making its launch and retrieval an easier process.  

 

Significantly, the Great Cup is aimed at accomplished amateur sailors looking to go racing aboard the fastest, most advanced boats for their size. “We want the Great Cup to be the catamaran equivalent of racing a Melges,” says Laurent Lenne, himself a businessman and an amateur F18 sailor, who conceived the GC32 as the boat he most wanted to sail.

 

As a result The Great Cup is being set up to give owners and teams easy access to their boats without their having too far to travel for their racing. The intention is to have a number of local circuits, the first being in Western Europe, with others to follow in the USA and Australasia. When these are established the cream of these fleets will meet up to compete in the equivalent of a World Championship.

 

Because The Great Cup is aimed more at private owners than sponsored boats with pro crews, the circuit will be less-orientated towards ‘stadium sailing’. While races are sure to be kept short, emphasis will be placed on ensuring the best racing for the competitors. The lightweight GC32 is also designed so it can be raced in the widest range of conditions, from 5 to 25 knots, to maximise the opportunities to compete.

 

While the prospect of racing a boat capable of 15 knots upwind and more than 30 while ‘flying’ downwind might seem alarming, the GC32 has been conceived to be very well behaved on all parts of the race course. If an AC72 is the equivalent of a fully fledged Formula 1 race car, the GC32 is more a super-high performance road car. For example the hi-tech foils may give the impression of making the boat harder to sail. In reality their effect on the helm is not overly noticeable, they reduce pitching and while the usually terrifying bear-away at the top mark still incurs considerable G-force on the crew, it does so with the risk of pitchpoling much reduced. In effect the GC32 design maintains the catamaran’s outstanding speed around the race track, while minimising the possibility of capsize.

 

As Laurent Lenne says: “To me, as an owner, the first time you step on the boat you are overwhelmed by how impressive the speed is, but at the same time you feel safe very quickly.”

 

2013 will be the year where The Great Cup establishes itself. Already three GC32 have been constructed and these will have their competitive first outing in Europe at Allianz Traunsee Week on Lake Traunsee, Austria over 8-12 May.

 

The boats are then scheduled to move on to Lake Geneva in June where they will compete in the Geneve-Rolle-Geneve and the Bol d’Or Mirabaud.

 

Great Cup 32 Catamaran, sailing fast in Medemblik, Netherlands

GC racing have uploaded a video of their GC32 catamaran sailing fast in Medemblik, Netherlands.  It's obviously not flying fully out of the water on the foils but the foil assistance is obvious.

http://youtu.be/9NeI0qCR2VQ

Morelli & Melvin new 45' composite racing catamaran design to be built by McConaghy Boats.

CALIFORNIA 45: New foiling catamaran

 

From the following press release

 

http://www.mcconaghyboats.com/newsletter/20130410.asp

 

Morrelli & Melvin, have announced that they will collaborate with McConaghy Boats to produce an exciting new 45ft racing catamaran with hydrofoils. 

 

After helping write the AC72 class Rule, M&M is working with the best designers and sailors in the world as part of the Emirates Team New Zealand challenge. Drawing on their experience with foiling Americas Cup 72 ft catamarans, Morrelli and Melvin have conceived the California 45 with the objective of making the exhilaration of Americas cup sailing available to the club sailor. 

 

The California 45 will foil in relative comfort, with high coamings, and solid aft deck, the effect of high powered water spray on the skipper and crew will be minimised. Electric winches and an ergonomic deck layout will make high speed, high adrenalin sailing a breeze. Transportable by containers will make it possible to ship to favourite regattas easily.        

 

read more here