Update from across the pond...

[Tim Noyce]

The lovely new ply built cherub in France has been coming along well since the last update, I discovered this on breizh skiff so thought I would share the ongoing story. It looks great!

http://www.breizhskiff.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=74&func=view&id=89968&catid=10



Here is a teaser photo!

[Banshee Ambulance]

Those racks look wide. What design is that boat built to?

[ross_burkin]

AFAIK, it's their own design. Fookin' narrow!

[Debi_Gibson]

looks nice....like the colour...

is it me or from the side does it look quite deep in the bow - below the mast sort of area?! might just be the picture angle....plus my french is rather limited

[Tim Noyce]

Thats not the only thing worth looking at. It seems to have gone un noticed that there is a stepped hull formation at about the aft quarter of the boat!



It's not very obvious from most views, but it's there!



If you do a google search for the Breizhskiff site, you can googletranslate the page. It's not perfect and some things need to be taken with a pinch of salt, but it makes more sense!

[daryl_wilkinson]

Is this the same Dude who made this http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/photos/forum/JackSparrow/2005-09-19_112517_P9110369low.jpg the LT300? Just looked like it in the background?

[Stuberry]

That's a bit nuts! Cheeky Frenchies, what are they up to?

[ross_burkin]

http://74.125.79.132/translate_c?hl=EN&ie=UTF-8&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http://www.parlier.org/hydraplaneur/bateau/innovations.php%3Flang%3Dfr&usg=ALkJrhg9bPPx0K09TP_rwLZkeUB2CzZ0GQ


hmmmmmm   

[joe_moore]

My understanding is the step causes aeration under the hull, reducing friction and encouraging the hull to plane earlier, with the trade-off being reduced stability when cornering (in a powerboat application anyway.. how it relates to a dinghy which has a tendancy to heel in a straight line i don't know).

How does this fit with the rule stating that "chines shall be fair and continuous curves"? From top-down this could be true, but in side profile they certainly wouldnt be.

[daryl_wilkinson]

the chine in front of the step looks over 2 meters and is fair.

[joe_moore]

Does a step not constitute the continuation of a chine then? Is the step and final hull section considered a different chine to that before the step?

[daryl_wilkinson]

you could see it that way i.e it is another chine. Or you could see it as 'not fair and continuos'

where's the technical officer when you need him?! 

[JimC]

Its been a very long time since a step was tried on a dinghy. The Nervous Breakdown Moth of the 60s is the most recent I can recall. I should be interested to see how it goes, but would fear Marineritis.

[Ben Howett]

Its an interesting idea... but from what I know of steps in powerboats id expect some brown wetsuits on the bearaways...

[Will_Lee]

They do not hang around over there!