What about a model yacht really “OFFSHORE.”
[FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=Black]With the available technoligy would it not be possible to sail a model yacht say accross the Atlantic?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=Black][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=Black]A large model perhaps 3 metres LOA, roller furling single sail. solar panels to charge batteries, locator beacons on board, cameras fitted and uploaded to satellite receivers to view in real time along with status of wind direction & speed, heading etc. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=Black][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=Black]It could be expensive, but if a major sponsor could be found it would be a most interesting project for youngsters to follow and so be an attractive target for an advertiser.
Hey just another wild idea dreamed up in the middle of the night, as you do right? :idea_125:
Maybe time to resurrect the “syndicate” idea for limited class size monohull boats not exceeding 3 meters - or size to be determined. Unlimited channels (and crew to operate them) sponsorships encouraged, possible membership fee per year to be redistributed/returned through a series of regional regattas ending in a championship series. Maybe “sell” major sponsor idea to help increase the amount of payback.
Yes - it would require travel
Yes - it would be expensive to participate and require a “team” or “syndicate” to share build and costs to campaign
Yes - there would be transportation issues for shipping the boats
Yes - owners could designate skippers in a different country to sail their boats
Yes - the class would be open and developmental allowing canting keels and moving ballast and spinnakers
I was invited to consider a different big-boat class with boats at 1.2 meters - and am still pondering that idea, although at 48 - 50 inches, the Marblehead class already fits the general idea.
I am thinking - Max Z-86 or TP52 style boats. “Heaven Can Wait” could expand his “WILDCARD” design to this size and have a leg up on many - and could (if he wanted to) produce hulls and decks at finished size allowing for a semi-one design concept for those wanting to participate but not build a hull.
Think of this as the opposite of the Footy Class with less rule issues restricting ideas.
Perhaps I’m crazy - but living here in upper midwest with long winter nights - some brain stimulation is desired. And I am pretty sure I could find a few Aussies or Kiwis to drive the boat in local races downunder if I ship it to them.
If “international” won’t work - any local US sailors interested?
Just a quick survey to see if any interest. I do have a local team willing to give consideration to further discussion.
What we are taling about is a remotely manned ‘real’ high tech boat. Yes it probably does need several crew/channels. From more time I care to remember trying to make the ‘thinking crew’ - as a opposed to the quasi-mythological ‘mindless deck apes’ - work like a corps de ballet when everyonecan actually see what they are doing, I think you might need a lot of telemetry/video FROM the boat for best results. More expense - but great fun!
It’s been done … a google search should bring up some results … as I recall the effort was to build an autonomous model that would cross the atlantic … as I also recall it was less than 2m loa. Link to technical proposal below
The folks at York University in Toronto are talking about sponsoring a Race which circumnavigates Lake Ontario. If they go ahead I’m guessing they’ll adopt the Sailbot rules. These are extremely high tech boats … the York U faculty lead is Michael Jenkin, a robotics expert with a hand in developing the space shuttle’s robotic arm. He’s also a sailor :devil3:
I like the SAILBOT idea, but without the auto-robotics. I would still want to keep my hands on the sticks, while telling at the spinnaker team to trim the spinnaker, and ask the canting keel team why the keel is on the “wrong” side of the boat.
Too much extra effort to have the boat do all the thinking, and without involvement with skipper. A one boat process is possible, but trying to rather quickly build a boat that can tell port from starboard, and identify another boat that isn’t - is well and clearly beyond my original intentions and something left to the MIT grads with federal government development funds. I know, by the time one is built, I should have gone a bit bigger, a bit more expensive - and I could ride on/in it !
I do enjoy the rules for the cross-Atlantic idea where it suggests keeping costs to a minimum ? :lol:
As noted by someone else (off line) the critical number needed for this idea is N+1 where N = number of boats committed, and the +1 being the next person we can “sucker” (errr- convince) to participate. As I recall - Larry Ludwig has or can obtain aluminum for masts in legths we would need. I will start a new thread to remove this hijack so further discussion and exchange of ideas can take place.
My Masts do go up to 10’ in length, and have already been used for a project at MIT for an autonomous sailing device. I have turned loose boats that were sub-standard just for fun of it off the Gulf coast. They probably ended up 2-3 miles down the coast on a beach somewhere… but you never know. I keep waiting to get an email from someone on the other side to tell me that one made it that far. If you seal them up really well… they have a better chance than a bottle, as they can atleast travel several miles in a day.
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