America's Cup: Wing sails to become more common?

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Wing sails to become more common?

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Keelboat classes
Forum Name: America's Cup
Forum Discription: Your thoughts on challenges to win the 'Auld Mug'
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=7797
Printed Date: 10 May 25 at 10:04pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Wing sails to become more common?

Posted By: Mark Jardine
Subject: Wing sails to become more common?
Date Posted: 03 May 11 at 8:24am

While the http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=156879 - wing-sailed Optimist is clearly just a bit of fun and the http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/photos/?s=64&PID=58235 - Charlie McKee using a wing-sail at the International Moth worlds didn't go that well , do you think that wings will eventually trickle down to be used in mainstream sailing? Or are the impracticalities, such as transport, storage and maintainance just going to keep them always as esoteric products, only used in high-end events?

Is there a half-way house that could be used? Something that bridges the gap between a wing-mast and a wing-sail?

Replies:

Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 03 May 11 at 8:49am

I reckon the storage and transport will stop them. Look at the Moths- one of their objections is that it turns the boat from something that can be shoved on the roof or packed into a couple of coffins into a boat that requires container transport- even for short journeys.

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Al

Posted By: bert
Date Posted: 03 May 11 at 10:04am

Certainly from MY point of view it would stop me from buying whatever boat due to price,transport,extra hassle for extra performace?.

Most boats have sails that are pretty much opitized for the boats they are fitted on,so that leaves a new design of boat & sail - a new class.

Not for me thanks

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Phantom 1181
AC-227 IC 304
blaze / halo 586

Posted By: Foiling_Toff
Date Posted: 03 May 11 at 10:54am

Really can't see it being worthwhile for the vast majority, myself included.

Posted By: RobbieP94
Date Posted: 03 May 11 at 4:06pm

well
i do see the major flaws in the wing at the moment mainly cost to purchase,repair,store and transport
however it's not a new technology just look back to the 1988 Americas cup and how stars and stripes used one
i do believe they will become more practical and feasible over time
there are some pretty smart brains out their that will come up with a solution it will just take time
i am very open to the idea and would love to learn to sail a wing

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Laser GXD 184358
I14 1395 (crew)
RS200 352 (crew)
Coribee Keelboat (helm)

Posted By: Foiling_Toff
Date Posted: 03 May 11 at 5:18pm

I think could become more common at a professional level. I was very skeptical of the new AC rules, but I have to say those AC45s don't look half bad. They seem to deal with capsizes much better than the extreme 40s.

For the average dinghy sailor I'd say that storage is as big a problem as any. It would put an end to club sailing I'd imagine.

Posted By: Hughph
Date Posted: 11 May 11 at 8:47pm

But, what would the feasibility of a 3 part wing be? Something that say slotted onto a carbon mast, and fitted together would certainly reduce storage- So you would have the top,middle and bottom slotting together and solving the storage problem?

I'm sure that would work with storage reduced from a container to not much more than what we have already...

From the Y&Y article- 'a designer with ORACLE Racing. “The top section of our A-class catamaran wing is removable,'

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Posted By: Laser 173312
Date Posted: 12 May 11 at 10:11am

I think Hugh may be on to some thing there if a wing sail can be built that is easily dismantled for storage and assembled in a reasonable time it could be feasible.

However I’m not sure about retro fitting to existing boats as I’m sure the mass of a wing sail is much greater than a soft sail. So your going to need a much stronger mast step, no problem on a new boat designed with a wing sail in mind, but a whole different ball game on an existing design.

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Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 12 May 11 at 10:21am

Even in 3 sections where are you going to store it? Its far too fragile to be dumped under a cover.