Let me add some more thoughts to this discussion:
There are several offshore full sized boats that are specially designed for specific purposes. The Volvo 60s and 70s are purpose built (sort of) for long distance around the world racing. Open 60s are the same way. The TP 52 class is designed as good all around boat with an emphasis on the transpac race (hence the name of the class).
There are also a bunch of boats out there that are referred to as sport boats. These include boats like the Melges 24, the J105, J120, Mumm 30, and many others.
There are also racer/cruisers that are designed to do pretty well at both racing and cruising, so they have sleeping quarters, galleys, etc.
Then there are boats that are specifically designed for inshore buoy racing. The IACC class fits in this category, as does the 12 meters that they replaced. Olympic classes such as the Star and the Soling also fit this category.
I would say that the most of the current model boats out there emulate boats in this final category. And for good reason. You don’t sleep aboard your model boat, so no need for racer/cruisers. There are no distance races out there that I am aware of for model boats. In fact driving your boat remotely almost certianly requires that you remain near shore.
So most model boats are modeled inshore racers. We have 4 distinct classes that are designed to look like IACC boats: Victoria, CR914, Seawind and AC. We have classes modeled after 12 meters and even J boats. We have the star 45 and 2 versions of model solings. The development classes like the 36/600 certainly are long narrow and massively powered much like the current generation of IACC boats.
One could argue that the IOM fits more in the category of sport boats, but since most sport boats do a lot of inshore racing, that makes sense.
The bottom line is that many of these boats would do quite well in “open water” coastal racing around the cans.
What would make a more interesting design project would be a true offshore boat for a true offshore race. What sort of boat would one design if the race were something like a 20 mile point to point race? I have a cabin on a lake in Northern michigan that is 17 miles from one end to the other. I think it would be a blast to sail from one end to the other with a model boat. Given the prevaling winds in that area, it would be a predominatly downwind race with a good chance of broad or even beam reaches. What would a boat look like for that race?
How would you sail it? Would you follow it with a motor boat (I have a boston whaler that could be pressed into service)? what about sailing it with a remote feed video link instead? What about battery life? What about safety? Would you design the boat so that it could not sink if it sprung a leak?
There are a lot of interesting things to think about if you start talking about real offshore model racing. That would be a much more interesting boat design than an open water inshore racer…
Will Gorgen
