Category: C class catamaran

What a difference a day makes/ C-class sunshine

harbour court august 26 2010
cogito rig in ruins

the french-patient lady iv

the start

canaan (fred eaton/magnus clarke)

alpha (glenn ashby/james spithill)

Yesterday saw the destruction of “Cogito’s” rig. The French capsized on the way out to the start today and towed back to the dock missing all the races today. “Canaan” won the three races, followed by “Alpha”
  This regatta has attracted a lot of attention. Most of the designers and project managers for the potential America’s Cup syndicates have come to look. In 2004 the last time this event was on Narragansett Bay it was a lonely site.
   Steve Killing who designed three of the boats here(Canaan,Alpha,Orion) should feel proud; his boats are showing great form.
  This is truly a developmental platform that is exciting; the possibilities for exploring speed are almost limitless.

C-class Catamarans blown out for a second day

Harbour court today 
wings under the tent
Dave Hubbard and Duncan Maclean
“Cogito” at speed

Duncan and Steve Clark

The big low that has been almost stationary over our area, brought an abrupt end to the heat of summer. It also brought plenty of wind and rain. The “C” class competitors who have travelled far to race against one another have been grounded for the last two days. Tomorrow should bring lower winds followed by sun.

These boats have long been at the fringe of the yachting world. It is the recent America’s Cup and the use of a wing mast by Oracle that has brought them out of the shadows.

C-class Catamarans are in Newport

wings in the mule barn

duncan measuring

It is raining, the rigs are in the mule barn at Ft. Adams being measured by none other than Duncan MacLean.
  Racing starts tomorrow, weather permitting. Unfortunately the forecast may not be what anyone hoped for; that’s sailboat racing. It does not diminish the excitement of having these boats assembled in one place.
  Paul Larsen and Helena Darvilia are here with “Invictus” the Airbus entry. Steve Clark with his new boat and old rig having had teething problems with the new one. Steve Killing’s design, the defender, is here. The French have chartered “Patient Lady IV”.

WING MASTS

The roots of modern wing masts rests firmly in the “C” class catamaran. These boats will be in Newport at the end of August. The technology used in the most recent America’s Cup came from what had been learned sailing C cats. Of course the scale changed the physics dramatically.
     Paul Larsen a friend will be in newport with a boat and a re-worked wing. click HERE
I should add that this is the same Paul Larsen that has been developing Sailrocket

Finally I have added a clip of the big oracle trimaran, which was truly a remarkable feat.