Think with a Twist
In response to an avalanche of questions about how our experimental foils with the lifting surface mounted at the forward end of a ‘fuselage’ tube can be extracted from above… Here are some illustrations: First the foil is raked top-forward so the tube sits vertically through-hull slot. Then the foil is rotated about the long axis of […]
Paving the Way
Lots to report as we continue to test over the winter… We are working on the next-generation Paradox A Class Cat design for the 2015 season, resolving the details for all new tooling to be created in-house at a new facility. Now that our new expanded production facility is operational we can tackle such jobs […]
The Internship
Two talented and enthusiastic young guys have joined us to lend a hand and learn. Raphaël Censier and Sébastien Canva are students of the engineering school of ISMANS (Superior Institute of Materials And Advance Mechanics) in Le Mans, France. They have made the trip Down Under to spend some time at CB/Cx. They have already proven […]
Like a Swan
…Quiet on the surface but paddling frantically below, out of sight. That is the situation at CarbonicBoats / Carbonix, as we are getting the new premises up and running. Our factory A Cat test platforms are also ‘in the shed’, being fitted with new foil cases that will be used to validate a couple of […]
Another Result
Using Paradox rudder blades retrofitted to his customised DNA platform, Mischa Heemskerk dominated the first Dutch event of the 2014 season at Muiderzand with 5 bullets out of six races. Skilfully balancing in good foiling trim, the instant expertly captured in a nice still image. Remaining in this trim requires very active control. Image copyright Jasper […]
Honing In
We are continuing our tests of L/V foils. The constraints imposed for this series are:– Foils made of straight segments with minimum (hydrodynamically clean) transition radius.– Total foil horizontal projection not more than 400mm to respect the inboard exclusion zone (tip-to-tip measurement) in the A Class Rule. The two main variables to explore are:-Foil […]
Mythbusting
Some thoughts on our recent testing with heave-stable ‘acute L’ foils (L/V for short). This experiment had one aim: To prove that a simple cheap upgrade is possible to convert existing A Class catamarans to stable foiling without major structural modifications. The story so far We knew from previous testing that L/V foils give stable […]
A World(s) of Learning – Part 1
One of the things I love about yacht racing is the ability to get objective feedback in testing and competition. As with any experimental science, the feedback comes mixed with noise, and bundled with data that is correlated to, but may not be caused by, the variables being tested. Part of the challenge is to […]
What It Is
Answer to the SA quiz about this pic: Rapid proof-of-concept prototype of a system to adjust rudder winglet/elevator Angle of Attack in real time. Actuated by twisting the tiller extension, it uses worm drives to rake the entire cassette on both hulls, maintaining rudder balance but adjusting the lift produced by the rudder foils. It is […]
Stability Principles
Time to answer some questions about stability in pitch. Over the past few months of testing we have found some very interesting things worth sharing. Stability as an Alternative to Active Management Without going into the maths, stability in pitch has a strict definition in aircraft theory and is a requirement for what […]