Evaluation

Lots of testing in the ‘off season’. We completed some very productive sessions over the past few days and have more planned. As some of you may have observed, we went through some different concepts to the initial S foil setup. We are working on several areas for both numbers and feel, testing initially alone, […]

FAQ: Optimum Altitude

Q: “You seem to be just ‘skimming’ above the surface. Why not fly higher?” A: Altitude control in the current (initial) foil concept is supposed to come from the change in foil curvature just below the hull exit point. As the boat rises, the radius of the part of the foil immediately under the water […]

Stable

We tested over the weekend with reduced horizontal surface area on the rudders and the results were interesting though more work still lies ahead. Stability is unaffected but the boat is more responsive to changes in longitudinal trim. In the following sequences Tom Stuchbery is deliberately ‘provoking’ the boat with aggressive steering inputs to get […]

More FAQs

This is the second post in response to questions we are receiving frequently, mostly in connection with design choices on Paradox and how they may compare to developments seen elsewhere. I have added ‘FAQ’ as a label so in future these posts can be filtered out by those (fellow sailing nerds) who are interested… Why […]

Illustrated

A few images to further explain some characteristics of our Version 1 S foil configuration. Posted in response to questions sent in by some of you. Firstly the effect of foil rake on the angle of attack of the horizontal part of the foil, the part that provides lift in the up/down direction: In the […]

Versatility

This week we started production of tooling for an improved rudder design for Paradox. Design work from here on in is entirely in-house. Considerable drag reductions should be possible through increasing the efficiency of the ‘L’ surface. This is achieved by improving the aspect ratio of the horizontal foil.  Increasing the aspect ratio dramatically reduces […]

Sweet Spot Part 2

Rerunning the Numbers In light of observations over the season and the ‘below expectations’ performance results, Martin has decided to check and optimise the foil setup on Paradox. Using updated software he plans to compare optimised setups for S foils and for hypothetical C foils similar to ones used by the current generation of A […]

Prototype Under Lights

par·a·dox  (par-a-dks) noun 1. A tenet contrary to received opinion. 2. A statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense but is nonetheless true. 3. An assertion that is essentially self-contradictory, though based on a valid deduction from acceptable premises.

Sweet Spot Part 1

Optimising a system such as a sailboat is a fascinating process. Once the basics are right, picking the best settings for different conditions is an art in its own right. Varying degrees of scientific thinking and ‘gut feel’ based on experience seem to be called for and an open mind is definitely an advantage. Even […]

Learning Curve

All packed up after the Victorian State Championships, ready for the long drive back to Sydney. The event was run with great efficiency so that we were able to have seven races over three days leaving plenty of time to enjoy the great atmosphere ashore. It is interesting to reflect on the places that our […]