Doug - I’m trying to get you (and others) to just make a decision and get on with it. If like a few other examples, we can sit and write about “theory” until we are so sick of the “project” that it never happens - except in each of our minds.
Unlike you, I would prefer to grab a few basics, allow a period of development and then focus in on a design that makes sense and has proven, on-water racing experience. You know - sail it, change it and sail it again. If you don’t move forward, as I noted, we will all be sitting around “waiting” for the latest Bantock/Wolfson polars that can’t seem to be printed or posted, even though they “indicate” a fast performing boat. A year from now, it sure would be fun to actually be sailing something. And - at the same time, seeing how others have developed a canting keel and dealt with technical problems or issues.
Of course, your track record seems to be to analyze this thing to death. For goodness sake - it’s a boat less than 3 feet long, and you are trying to keep costs under - what $500? Do we really need to be so anal about this boat? It isn’t a Marblehead, IOM or US1M. It isn’t an ODOM or anything else related to those boats, their size or their technical requirements. It’s a “TRAINER” - how difficult do we need to make it? You can use a 2x4 piece of wood, sharpened on one end, add your idea of a canting keel, put a wood dowel into it, a couple of servos and rudder and add some Tyvek housewrap for a sail. It’s done - now go out and sail it and see how it performs. Perhaps it’s faster/slower than the other guy’s 2x3 or 2x6 hull. Perhaps it can use a smaller keel or a larger one. Why 2 lbs when perhaps 1 1/2 or 3 lbs. will work or be needed? Do you get my point? Will this become another of your discuss and argue about things but never put it on the water against another so we can see what works and what doesn’t? WHAT are <u>you</u> really trying to accomplish - string out this topic so next spring we will be no further ahead than now - or do you want to have a few boats on the water to see what works and what doesn’t.
Frankly, I would like to see how “MY” ideas stack up against Will, you and Greg. It isn’t going to happen if we all sit around with thumbs up our (well, somewhere) waiting for a majority agreement of opinion. Build a boat. Race it. Modify it - all within “general rules sizes and specifications”. If it’s inexpensive to build, let the first ones become a throw-away. Is it development or not? If not - let’s just see what kind of pricing discount Grunta would offer for an initial order of 30 boats. Then you already have a proven, technically new, canting keel boat.
My point, is that if you want to develop something like this - but want to string it out until every possible item and size has been discussed 27 times, I’m calling “bullshit” - cause it isn’t going to happen. In fact, if it’s really a home build project, I’m concerned that there still won’t be 15-20 people to take the time to homebuild one of these. THAT is just my opinon, of course.
Either way - get up and get this thing going - or just forget about it, and we’ll bury it along with other “great ideas” that never made it to the lake, and get on with something else.