Katana Marblehead Design – Hull
Katana has the same waterline beam as Octave. Canoe body maximum depth has increased by 2.4mm. Maximum cross section area is unchanged, staying at a value that has proven optimal. Moving some midsection area from the turn of the bilge to the bottom of the hull gives a midsection that returns to being as close […]
Marblehead Development
A sneak preview of our next RM design: Katana. Katana is an evolution of Octave, incorporating improvements in several key areas. The individual changes are small, but sufficiently numerous to cumulatively warrant a new designation. This decision has been made with existing customers in mind as it will give them a clear option when placing […]
Octave Development Bearing Fruit
We now have comprehensive feedback on the Octave design. Qualitative and quantitative tests have enabled us to evaluate the radical features incorporated into the prototypes in order to decide on values for future production boats.More detailed explanations of the design choices will be published later, but the broad concept has been validated. Overall beam, prismatic […]
Congratulations to Michael Hickman
For a well-earned third place at the Australian Championships sailing an Ajax by Carbonicboats. Great to see that the M Class is alive and well, with a very high standard of sailors and equipment. The Event Site can be found here
Octave Marblehead Prototype Rigs: Sail Controls
Very neat execution by Ray Joyce of an experimental ‘mode’ control system. It closes the exit of the mainsail automatically when the boom is on centreline. This allows a standard ‘open’ setting for acceleration and reaching to change into ‘pointing mode’ once the boat is up to speed close hauled. The standard four rigs are […]
Octave Marblehead Prototype Rigs: Progress on Spars
Carbon/foam sandwich jib booms were chosen to maximise jib efficiency and allow ‘finite’ adjustment arrangements using notches and pin/hole systems. The jib boom swivel line goes through a fairlead in the top skin of the yard and is anchored through the bottom skin. This is to maximise length for the required twisting of the line. […]
Octave Marblehead Prototype Rigs: Swing Rig Junctions
The lower panel of the mast tube is 14mm outside diametre high modulus tube. A piece of 16mm tube forms the basis of the horizontal element of the joint. It is glued in place together with pieces of 14mm sleeve that form the first telescopic taper element of the main boom and jib yard. The […]
Octave Marblehead Prototype Rigs: Boom Elbows
This is one solution for M class booms. A bit labour intensive but light and stiff. The balsa core in the elbow could be replaced with foam though arguably using balsa offers toughness. There is possibly a windage advantage in round booms, and our experience shows this to outweigh the downwind projected area and end-plate […]
Octave Marblehead Prototype Rigs: Cranes
Ray is making progress with the rigs for the Octave prototype. The design uses a simple method for cantilevering the cranes from the upper mast tubes. After drilling, fitting, and bonding, carbon tow is used to prevent splitting. The mastheads are filled with low density filler mainly to keep water out. This system eliminates all fittings […]
Octave Marblehead CAD Files
Screen shots in preparation for tooling files. Part of the tendering process for outsourced production tooling.