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From: David Lugg & Karin Orlemann (dwl_ko@tpg.com.au)
Date: Tue 26 Feb 2002 - 14:35:06 GMT
My views:
1. It is worth noting that early researcers of the planing hull form
considered it to effectively increase the length of the boat. Naval
architecture text books from the 50's talk of a "Ghost length" being the
distance from the transom to the point where the water meets again after
leaving the stern. Today, some recent planing hull resistance formulations
are based on sink / source distributions to model the impression that the
planing hull leaves in the water. The drag of the "extra length" part aft
of the transom is then subtracted from the total calculated drag.
Restricting a boat to 14 foot long and a given waterline beam is a very good
way of limiting speed for displacement hull forms. We adopted planing hulls
in the 50's to exceed the hull / wavelength resistance hump.
Those of you that read their Australian 14 foot history will see that the
first planing hull was, coincidentally, from Western Australia. It caused
enormous uproar. The transition from displacement hull to planing hull was
too great for many and there were moves to ban it. Just as well they didn't
have e-mail or they may have suceeded.
2. It is dangerous to try to restrict development. Look at the IOR rule.
They plugged every loophole and development as soon as it appeared. The IOR
created ugly, slow expensive boats that no one wanted. Are we going just to
ban foils this time? What will we do next year;
- when someone uses a canting rig?
- when someone uses a kite sail instead of a spinnaker?
- when someone proves that two or three rudders are better than one?
- when someone builds a boat out of Boron whiskers?
- when someone builds something we haven't even dreamt of yet?
Just because we enjoy sailing 14's as they are now shouldn't mean we freeze
them at this point for all time. Future generations won't be satisfied with
todays performance. If you need convincing show the cover of Seahorse to
the junior members at your club.
3. Don't confuse the foil issue with the increased beam issue. Increasing
the beam is a move to change one of the basic parameters of the class.
Foils are already legal. I am surprised at the over reaction. When it was
proposed to merge the Australian 14 with the I14 I made it quite clear that
the new rules would allow hydrofoils, no one complained then.
<p>David Lugg
email: dwl_ko@tpg.com.au
<p>----------------------
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