Unfortunately, a previous topic was again locked, but the inaccuracies of the initial post need corrections…
[:-magnify]1. The Mini40 Class rules and designs were based upon the Formula 40 multihulls of the mid 1980’s - <u>NOT</u> the Open 60s, of the current 2000’s. The Formula 48 Class rules are based on the Mini40 Rules, thus they also represent dimensions and sizes from the Formula 40 big boat class - <u>NOT</u> Open 60 multihulls. Interestingly, by far the majority of boats in the big boat Formula 40 Class were catamarans, not trimarans. The best performing trimaran during the first year of the Class was Gougeon Brothers <font color=“purple”>ADRENALIN</font id=“purple”> which was effectively ruled illegal the following year. This left the <font color=“purple”>TEAM SUPERLUBE </font id=“purple”> (and other catamaran configurations) as the dominant winner the second year with Randy Smyth as winner. Also interestingly, was the technology employed by <font color=“purple”>ADRENALIN</font id=“purple”> used “hinged and moveable” floats which seems to go against the current R/C thinking of a stiff platform with no torsion between floats and main hull.
[:-magnify]2. The Hobie 16 catamaran and the Formula 18HT catamarans are so far apart in design, concepts and technology, I’m not sure how/why they were chosen for comparison. The Hobie 16 was a new design in the mid 1970’s while the Formula 18HT are current designs of 2001 and newer. They have different sail/rig ratios - the H-16 being low aspect ratio, and the Formula18HT being high aspect ratio. Mast heights are different, weights are different for their sizes, the H-16 uses a fully battened jib, while the F-18HT uses a self-tending jib. Also the F-18HT uses a large asymmetrical spinnaker for all off-wind legs.
[:-magnify]3. Stability is also based on beam - which ignored the difference between the H-16 and the F-18HT. Throw in a NACRA 5.5 (18 Square) and run the numbers through the calculator for scaling and there is a definite difference. Both of the first listed cats are 7 1/2 to 8 feet in total beam width, while the NACRA 5.5 is 12 feet wide. Here are the numbers for the NACRA … 18 feet length, 12 feet beam, 32 feet mast, and 194 square feet of uni-rig sail area (no jib) the boat was designed to be sailed by a single person with average weights between 165 and 185 lbs. All up boat weight could range from 260 lbs. To 330 lbs.
[:-magnify]4. If one WAS going to use a modern Open 60 trimaran for any comparisons, it is interesting to note that neither they, nor the larger boats such as Playstation/Geronimo use moving ballast OR foils as “suggested” in the locked post. I never have seen crew trapeezing or sitting along the windward rail as moveable ballast. No full flying foilers either - whether crewed or single-handed as in the Transat. Canting keels (daggerbaords) are also not used. Thus, I am not certain why a comparison was trying to be made using these boats. If a 60 (or 125) foot multihull doesn’t use moving ballast or canting keels or foils, why would one expect the Mini40/Formula 48 r/c versions to do the same? The R/C class rules for both indicate a specific approval to decorate (advertise) in a similar fashion as the full size boats. To me (personally) this means the founders were trying to keep the boats “looking” like their big counterparts. Adding a bunch of “moving stuff” to the deck of a multihull not only looks like heck, but it certainly doesn’t add to it’s visual appeal.
[:-graduate]Again, whether new or experienced, nothing prevents anyone from using - or discarding any ideas presented. It really is up to you and how you wish to spend your money. If you aren’t on the water, none of the arguments mean a thing?.. until you try it for yourself. Then you can embrace the idea, or ignore it. I guess I would urge you to look around at <u>ALL</u> of the classes (and even the “almost-classes”) of the AMYA - or your own National R/C Sailing Associations to see what boats look like, how they are built, rigged and outfitted, and begin there as a starter. I would include monohulls as well as multihulls in this visual overview.
Simply look at the provided details and results …
“Normal” (old style) ideas: <u>Lots</u> of photos and detail and many boats (relatively) currently sailing.
<font color=“red”></font id=“red”>Moving Ballast Multihulls = <font color=“red”><u>Zero</u></font id=“red”>.
Canting Keel Multihulls = <u><font color=“red”>Zero</font id=“red”></u>.
Foiler Multihulls = <u><font color=“red”>4 total </font id=“red”></u>- and they do not meet any U.S. organized class rules or sizes!
<center>Where do <font color=“green”><u><font size=“4”>YOU</font id=“size4”></u></font id=“green”> want to spend your money is the ending question?</center>