Putting stays on certainly will improve matters. There is generally too much side force generated by a multihull rig for an unstayed rig to cope without going to much larger diameter spars. This is borne out by the top marbleheads only running unstayed for the top rigs.
As for your propecies, I think you’ll find unstayed rigs long before 2000…
I think I missed something and would ask for clarification please. “Top Rigs being the only rig unstayed” - wouldn’t they assume many of the same forces as the stayed rigs? It seems we drive the top rigs much farther into the B rig zone every time while trying to extract that last bit of power - often from winds exceeding the design/build specifications of the sails. This assumption is borne out by many IOM photos where there are “A” rigs in competition with “B” rigs - but in true “B” rig conditions. It also seems to be more prevalent to see swing rigs in a variety of sizes and still being able to cope with winds that normally would “suggest” a stayed rig.
Just curious. 
Dear Niel,
thank you for your brilliant explanation on swing rigs. It looks like there are very few people out there who know about swing rigs. I’m not an expert into swing rigs as well but I like to use them because they rig up so easy.
@aardvarkissues - I know the temporary aluminum mast was very bendy but it was just a temporary solution, the new carbon mast is very stiff, the setup has been prooven on my other trimaran for a year already. I think you should ask Niel about the swing rig issue, but as far as I remember the Marblehead guys use conventional B and C rigs not because the swing rig won’t withstand the forces in B rig conditions but because the boat won’t withstand the forces created by the swing rig under those conditions and would nosedive more quick on a swing rig setup. This will clarify the issue for Dick as well.
Cheers
Roland
Just to get that straight.
I never used any unstayed rigs, but as far as I´m aware no one used a swingrig on a Mini40 before me.
A swingrig with stays is no problem to build or sail.
And I´ve never been into Marbleheads.
Monohulls are not interesting for me.
They sink sometimes.
Hi all,
last weekend I had the chance to sail my Triton II with the new mast and with a standard center board and rudder. It sails as stable as the boat with foils and T-foil rudder. This seems to be related to the stern mast position. The new carbon mast itself is not bendy as the temporary aluminum mast.
I joined with Siri to do some initial tests with Siri’s new asymmetric foils. The boat reacts well but we need some more testing - there was not enough wind to get the boat on foils. Some more clips from our last sailing weekend can be found at Siri’s YouTube channel ( http://www.youtube.com/user/sirisail?feature=mhum ).
@Chad: You can see your cool stickers on the main sail - thank you very much for the great RCSailing stickers, enlarge the first picture to find them.
Cheers
Roland
Hi Roland!
Your boat looks good with the new carbonmast and also seems to perform very well!
Aftward tilted mast looks a bit much for those lightwindconditions.
Do you have a possibility to move it fore and aft for different conditions?
I can´t wait to see your boat flying on float foils + T-foil in higher winds!!!
This is, what we are all up to now.
Just follow Ian Holt`s example at Perth!
My suggestion:
Get away from that little lake - drive down to the beach with Siri and your trimaran(s).
It´s time for that boat(s) to sniff some real saltwater, waves and windier conditions!
Sweet water is for wimps only.
Also a good opportunity to get your ladies out for a picknick.
Just my 5 cents.
Cheers, Ernst Zemann
Hey Roland,
Very nicely done! A beautiful boat, seems to sail very smoothly through the water. Even goes pretty well uphill too.
Hey guys,
Swing rigs are un-stayed because stays would hamper rig rotation and add more windage.
My swing rigs mount in trunks that allow not just movement fore and aft but tilt angle as well. I can rake the mast forward or aft. The mast trunk is bonded to the keel trunk or the keel root, depending on construction with a removable keel fin for larger classes or built in ones for smaller boats. Having the keel and the mast as one unit eliminates the need for side stays and the hull can be made lighter with less structure. My removable radio board is also mounted on the keel trunk so 90% of the stuff that stresses the hull is concentrated in one robust area.
For my monohull class boats I have swing rigs in different sizes for different wind strengths. The best point of sail for swing rigs are reaches because you maintain the carefully tuned upwind sail relationship on all points of sail. Conversely the reaches are probably the worst points of sail for conventionally rigged boats because it is hard to get the jib and the main set up to work together as the sails are let out. Swing rigs can be overpowered if sailed directly downwind, but in conditions where control begins to deteriorate broad reaching back and forth with a swing rig is not only faster due to the better relationship between jib and main but avoids nose-diving as well.
I generally put my my swing rig masts under tension by curving them aft. The bend in the mast lets me adjust camber in the main, subtly but to some effect. The prebend also makes the mast more stable so the tip doesn’t start to whip in a strong breeze. It will still deflect to leeward a bit but it won’t mess up the sail shape when it does.
I have contributed an article on swing rig construction that can be found on Siri’s website. In it I have a step-by-step description of how to rig a swing rig using my method and an explanation of some of the concepts that make swing rigs different from sailing conventional rigs.
Hi all,
I have been sailing together with Siri today, my Triton II with asymmetric foils and Siri’s Nightmare X had the first trials with with symmetric foils. We had a very light breeze so no spectacular clips.
Here is a short clip of my Triton II from today:
Another clip of my Triton and Siri’s Nightmare X clips from today can be watched atSiri’s YouTube channel.
Cheers
Roland
You did it!
You REALLY DID IT!!!
Salt water/blua water sailing finally!
Congratulations, my dear friends! 
Cheers,
Ernst
Which boat points better to windward ?
Hi Dick,
in the moment the Triton points better than the Nightmare X, this is because of to different foils and foil angles, with standard appendages both were about the same. I will continue to test my Triton with different foils, new angles and foil positions on the next weekend if weather allows.
Cheers
Roland
I thought perhaps the shape of the float hulls might have made more of an impact. Thaks for response.
Dick
Hi all,
I have been continuing the foil experiments on my Triton II - moving the foils further to the bow and changing the foils angles. The boat is starting to lift on foils now, what is needed now is a bit more wind. By changing the foils angle the boat gets twitchy when on one float, next I will try some winglets on the foils.
Here is a short clip from last weekend:
More clips can be found on Siri’s YouTube channel:
Cheers
Roland
Are you trying to fly the entire platform? If so, I might be able to find and send you a couple photos of the wand system used by MicroSail back when they were in production. Basically wands control the attitude of the front foils, and the rudder foil is there to maintain horizontal attitude. If not trying to fully fly, the best application would be for off-wind sailing in my opinion, just assuring the possible pitch-pole is reduced.
Again - only my opinion.
Hi Dick,
I’m trying to fly the whole thing like Ian does with his Nightmare8 in Australia. Any pictures of other foiling trimarans and their foil systems would be great.
Cheers
Roland
Hey Rolando,
The best foiler I´ve seen so far is this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmakeKMG-1s&feature=related
Please note:
Built of carbon, “mainhull” is a Mini40 trimaran float, width of that whole thing 1.60m (not Mini40 class legal),
swingrigg and centerboard in mainhull + foils in floats!!!
Below 2.0 kg overall.
The centerboard in the mainhull is necessary, if you also want to sail upwind.
Otherwise you will more or less only be able to sail halfwind or reaching.
Just my 5 cents.
Roland - I will dig out what I can find and post. They are of the old Microsail foiler which worked very well. I had opportunity to sial a local one and was able to tack up-wind from one tack to another while it remained up on foils. It also wasn’t Mini40/Formula48 class legal. At the time, I had long discussions (and arguments) with the designer/builder.
Most of the video (including the link by Disabled) show a boat foiling - but usually only on a reach. Unless you are building for fun, the foiler needs to accomplish several things … 1) it must foil on all points of sail or the apendages are simply drag, … 2) it needs to be self-adjusting relating to height off the water, … 3) it can’t be used on pods that have weed growth … and back to #1 - many races are held windward/leeward with little if any broad reaching. … and finally, anything hanging down will creat problems when winds are light - but gusting. Will it “fly” or will it “sail” ?
I’m guessing you are building for your own enjoyment, but to be a viable racing multihull - it needs to address most of the items above.
Dick
Hi Dick,
I’m sailing for fun only and intend to fly only sometimes, not all of the time - it will be still a Mini40. The foils are to keep the boat sailing smooth and stable, flying will be additional fun if there is enough wind. The foils wetted surface is not much more than the standard dagger board’s wetted surface so I do not expect much additional drag.
I have sailed my boat today with the new winglets. The Triton sails smooth now and responds well to the rudder. Have a look at the clip at Siri’s YouTube channel:
Cheers
Roland
Yesterday I have been sailing my Triton II once more, wind conditions were great, the boat did foil several times - unfortunately after an hour or so the servohorn for the rudder cracked - you will see at the clip what happened then
There is one more clip from yesterday at Siri’s YouTube Channel
Cheers
Roland