what is the largest size bulb i could put on a 18 inch aluminun (i think) fin, and still find a servo powerful enough to cant the thing? I am figuring on an overpowered boat so i want the most righting moment possible
I think it really depends on your canting mechanism as well as you intentions. I was thinking about this the other night. Is the idea of a canting keel is to have a lighter boat, with the same righting moment rather than the same displacement boat with a larger righting moment? Here are the trade-offs I thought of. With a lighter boat you could accelerate faster, plane easier and the cnating mechanism would be under less stress and strain. A heavier boat would allow you to carry more sail area due to the larger righting moment. So it really boils down to your goals for the boat. As for the canting mechanism, I have been tossing around a bunch of ideas and havent found anything that seems too terribly exciting and reliable. Also remember, that displacementis also a factor of the design of your boat, so too much weight in the bulb may not be beneficial, unless you are designing the boat for a specific weight.
Andrew Miller
i am planning on a boat of the same displacement with much more righting moment generated by the canting keel.