Motor Vessel, M/V.114'

I just spent three weeks in the South of France. The benefit of excellent weather, makes you forget the bleakness of winter in New England, for a while anyway. It is a nice break.

The French Riviera is synonymous with really big boats and they are all over. Mega Yachts interest me, not only for the design challenge they represent but also the fact that the commission for such complex project does not happen every day. Right now, I am working on an aluminum 105' with a certain originality in concept and realisation. I also like to sell boats, my friend J-M has a central on a 114' which might be of interest to someone, especially for a handicap person. Based on a Navy hull, the boat performs well and has speed. Built in composite, the construction is strong and the vessel presents well. The originality comes from an elevator going from the owner's state room down below to all the way up to the bridge deck.  She is a niche boat and having designed a 54' sail boat for a paraplegic client, I appreciate the thought that goes through the entire project to solve the many questions and problems associated by such a situation. So if you want to be " sur la Cote d'Azur" and on the water next summer without being out of place in St-Tropez or Monaco, please get in touch.

The 105' TYD#317.

Ski-Yachting. Christmas Regatta in Nice, France.

The classic S-Y has a long history in Nice, France. So long that I remember at the age of fifteen participating in it with my twelve-year-old brother. Sailing on an old wooden Lippincott Star boat which had seen better days, including, I believe, a second place in the 1946 World's Championship in Havana, 

Cuba.

2 Freight Trains Heading to the End of the Track @ Full Speed

Dennis St. Onge/ DA-WOODY.com sent me this video.
Velos versus Stars and Stripes.
 Of course DA-WOODY's boat is even faster.






- HOT RUM SERIES. Finish in race 3 (on bottom of page 10 of that race).
http://www.da-woody.com/Photoindex.htm

Vendee Globe 2012. In 24 hours; 545.3 miles.

                     
- We are talking about miles over 24 hours in the Vendée Globe Race. 

Note: 2024-2025. Now, 600 miles + are frequent.

- Besides the weather routing, wind, and options in tactics, superficially, I want to analyze the best of the IMOCA 60s. Macif and Banque Populaire are the current leaders as they approach the Western side of Australia. The two boats are the latest VPLP/ Verdier collaboration in design. Under the present condition, and for that matter, nearly all the time, M and B-P. seems to have an advantage in speed over the rest of the fleet. On the Vendee Globe website, I gather that M. is the lightest of them all, that both M. and B-P have rotating masts, which I consider essential to make a substantial difference in performance. This can explain the small deficit of the close sistership Virpak-Paper, which has a conventional standing mast and rigging configuration. From my point of view, the drawback of the rotating mast is presented in the form of the fragile and cumbersome outriggers. They have been the cause of problems in the past and in the present circumstances. I think there is a better solution, as explained in one of the comments.

San Diego Yacht Club. "Hot RUM Series".

- This year the "Hot RUM Series" had 130 entered boats, in six classes.

- Velos is a Tanton 73' based in San Diego.
The 28 years old girl is still going strong, but it is all about the wind. For instance. First race: positions, first in class, 8 in the fleet. Second race: very light wind. Only 57 boats finished and Velos ended up 28. Third race: nice breeze; Velos, first to finish and first in fleet.
It is hard to have a career based on the vagaries of the wind !

Suspense of the finish between Velos and Dennis Conner's Stars and Stripes.

Photos courtesy of Bob Betancourt and Bronny Daniels

Delivery November 2012.

Aurelius

The end of the hurricane season is marked by the annual exodus to warmer sky. Boats of all kinds and sizes descent south. My son Chauncey jumped aboard "Aurelius", a Gerard Dijstra & Partners classic design for a quick 8 days delivery from Mamaroneck to St. Martin.



                                 
 By luck a friend took this photo of Aurelius under the Brooklyn Bridge.

Over the 1500 miles passage, Captain Ken, Joey Waits and Chauncey + 2, encountered mostly light winds with the occasional squalls.









 Captain Ken, Chauncey and Joey.

                                          

                                                                    
                                                  Saint Martin                                                     

                                                                                                                                         
A little side story.

The small world of yachting, even at the top of the world. My son Chauncey first met Joey during the M/Y Began expedition to conquer the North East Passage. Joey was on a Ketch called Fiona. Both enterprises were successful in making the crossing in one season.



Vendee Globe 2012

- In a few days, the Everest of Sailing is starting. Non-stop round the world, no assistance aboard 60' boats handled by a single person. The following has been written September 17, 2010, and originally published by: httP://www.sailinganarchy.com The Open Class 60's has always been for me one of the most interesting sailing vessels ever conceived. In her scope, her goal, her pace, along with the stamina of her single-handed Driver. So, over the years, I have compiled a maximum of data, information, and designs to create and expand with an ongoing R&D for the beast. The boat is designed with the Vendee Globe in mind. Therefore, the total aspect of the design has to be considered for this Marathon at sea. Ergonomically, simplicity, functionality, and speed.

- The shape has a few peculiarities. A "Potemkin" bow allows a fine water entry, and the reverse curve of the bow gives a wide, drier deck for a strong base to the permanent installation of the bowsprit. The rest of the boat is built on a chined platform, wide in beam and almost wider at the transom. The chine separates the water, breaks the wetted area downwind while optimizing the placement of water ballast for upwind stability and downwind trim. The flat Veed stern narrows the waterline for a less sticky transom while keeping the buttocks as straight and flat as possible.

The lines are carried towards the bow in a deep and sharp section to give some grip to the water when going upwind. The slight reverse curve given to the sheerline delays the incoming water and reduces the freeboard aft. The deck features the interesting double companionway, separated by a trench. First seen on a Mini Transat 6.5 M in 1991, this arrangement permits centralizing the lines coming from the mast and cleaner side decks. I also needed, in my case, to give strong support to the boom vang/combination. The two entries offer protection to the helmsman and a better view when steering.

 

- The twin outboard rudders, placed well to the sides, are out of the wake exit and are perpendicular to the bottom angle. In case of hitting something, the rudders swing aft, thanks to a "fuse" line built into the system. The keel is designed to carry all of its lead into the shape of the bulb for maximum stability. The platform is designed to maximize the aspect ratio available with an optimized sweepback angle. But the most important part has to be the integrity and strength that have to be given to this heavily loaded pendulum keel. The curved dagger boards are placed as far outboard as possible in order to take advantage of their higher aspect ratio to produce lift with increased stability and less leeway.

- The Sail Plan represents an effort to place the mast as far aft as dictated by balancing the rig with the appendages. The column stability of the rotating mast is managed by a three-diamond wire system, much preferred in my view, to outriggers. The Main flat top is in line with what is the norm now. The large fore triangle is divided to accommodate four different distributions of the available sail area within the ten sails permitted. I would like to think that the overall design conveys a desire to achieve the best possibilities and straightforwardness with wherewithal.