wing sail sailboat

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

How wingsail technology could revolutionise the shipping industry

• October 26, 2022

Do superyacht designers have the answers to the future of efficient sailing and shipping? Mark Chisnell reports on why variants of wingsail technology could be coming to an ocean near you

On a summer weekend there’s always a bustle of activity on the foreshore at Hamble-le-Rice, on England’s south coast. The whirr of electric air compressors has been the soundtrack to the rise and rise of the inflatable paddleboard . And it may be about to initiate another transformation, simplifying sailing to the point where it returns to its birthplace; commercial shipping.

Matt Sheahan reviewed the Inflatable Wing Sail (IWS) for Yachting World more than three years ago and was impressed by the invention of Edouard Kessi and Laurent de Kalbermatten. Based on an unstayed, telescopic mast, the IWS inflates via an integrated air compressor to a surprisingly low pressure, just two millibars.

It creates a soft, symmetric wingsail with many of the efficiency advantages of a hard wingsail (amply demonstrated in America’s Cup and SailGP racing) but none of the problems – it’s very simple to raise and lower, and just disappears down to the deck when you don’t need it. Matt predicted that the much-simplified handling could mean a significant future for the IWS in superyachts and commercial shipping.

The simple to handle Inflatable Wing Sail (IWS) we featured in 2019

Simplifying the way that sailboat rigs work is far from a new idea. The IWS follows in the wake of many of these initiatives with its unstayed mast, an idea that has its origins in the Chinese junk rig.

Gary Hoyt’s Freedom Yachts utilised this approach in the mid-1970s. Meanwhile in the 1980s, a building beside the very same River Hamble produced the AeroRig, a free-standing mast with a rotating boom on which both headsail and mainsail were set. The forces were easily balanced and controlled by the mainsheet alone.

A descendant of the AeroRig is the Dynarig, developed by Dykstra Naval Architects and built by Magma Structures in the UK for two spectacular superyachts, the Maltese Falcon and Black Pearl . A recent partnership agreement with Southern Spars means that the Dynarig will now be developed with the support of one of the marine world’s most sophisticated technology providers. The rig is targeted at the people who want to keep it simple, and this can include superyacht owners interested in reducing crew numbers and handling issues.

Dykstra has a Wind Assisted Shipping Project (WASP) in process, a multipurpose cargo ship which uses the Dynarig masts as cranes, and is working with Veer on the world’s first emissions free cargo fleet. The Dutch design house, responsible for some of the most iconic superyacht and J Class projects, also tells us that it is currently working on a couple of new classified Dynarig superyacht projects.

This is where most of the momentum is headed with these new technology rigs in the superyacht world. VPLP is perhaps the world’s most successful yacht design groups since Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot Prévost set up their business in 1983.

They’ve won the Vendée Globe , the Jules Verne , the Route du Rhum , and in 2010 the America’s Cup with the huge wingsail on BMW Oracle. “Marc [Van Peteghem] saw the potential of that highly efficient automatable wingsail,” explained Simon Watin, president of their maritime division.

“He’s been at the forefront since that period, really pushing in parallel the maritime transportation and the yachting together,” continued Watin. VPLP started drawing the concept in 2016 and built the first Oceanwing to fit on a small trimaran. It’s an automated wingsail that hoists on an unstayed mast – similar to the IWS but using battens to create the wing’s shape, rather than inflation. It’s a two-element rig though, allowing for a more efficient foil and higher performance. VPLP built two 32m2 Oceanwings for Energy Observer , a former racing catamaran now circumnavigating as a technology platform. They also started to pitch eye-catching concept designs into the superyacht community.

“The people we are looking to convince are people that would normally go for a pure motor yacht,” explained Watin, “and who would not be so much interested in the sailing aspect itself.” Watin pointed to the gains in fuel economy, range, comfort and autonomy. The Seaffinity is a streamlined, concept trimaran from VPLP, “with a large main hull and two smaller floats featuring two Oceanwings, one behind the other,” explained Watin. “And this is really an illustration of a new superyacht that could have been a pure motor yacht, but actually benefits from the Oceanwing.”

Dykstra’s Dynarig projects, made famous by Maltese Falcon and Black Pearl (pictured), are being adapted for shipping

Superyacht concepts

Another VPLP/Ayro collaboration has resulted in the radical Nemesis One superyacht concept, a 101m/332ft foiling catamaran capable of 50-knot speeds. The fully automated, push-button craft uses a modified Oceanwings wingsail which can furl and reef and automatically adjusts its angle of attack. There’s no question that this and the Seaffinity are striking vessels, and that the technology could make a significant dent in the operating carbon footprint of yachts that might otherwise have been engine-only.

The first large scale Oceanwing will be a commercial shipping project. The step came when VPLP and the shipping company Alizé successfully bid for Ariane Espace’s tender for a new concept ship that could carry parts of the Ariane 6 rocket from European ports to French Guiana. Once it had the contract, VPLP created Ayro as a separate business to develop the cargo ship Canopée. She is scheduled to launch in late 2022, at 121m long, and will be powered by four 363m² Oceanwings set on 36m masts. VPLP thinks the wingsails will reduce fuel consumption by 15% without compromising speed.

“The technical concept is aerodynamic efficiency with the solid sail with two elements: so reaching maximum lift coefficient. Automation; so no lines, no unnecessary human intervention for trimming, adjusting, hoisting. And much less impact on the deck plan, which is quite major, especially for a superyacht,” said Watin.

The WASP uses its masts as cranes to unload cargo

The difference in the physical and mechanical realisation of the Oceanwing for superyacht and commercial shipping markets is interesting. The version for merchant ships will stick to industrial suppliers as far as possible – electric actuators that would normally mobilise cranes, for instance. The wing will use a reinforced PVC fabric skin, the type of material that would make a truck tarpaulin.

The masts will remain in place in normal use, and the fabric wings will raise and lower on cables powered by electric rams, so the sail area can easily be reduced. A tilting mechanism will allow the mast height to be reduced for ports and bridges.

Unsurprisingly, the superyacht version will be a lot more sophisticated, but is still based on the same self-standing mast and 360° rotation of the sails. “We would use higher technology material, lighter fabrics as well… and for the yachts, we have to be more cautious about the weight of the installation itself, because the sail area is going to be quite a bit larger in comparison to the boat. And obviously, the design is going to be important so we will package all the actuators in a much nicer way – you don’t want a ram sticking out.”

The 48m VPLP design Evidence uses automated and stowable wing sails

Bold initiatives

Ayro is now responsible for all the design and engineering on the Oceanwing, with its own 35-strong design office, but VPLP remains involved. “Ayro has successfully raised quite a bit of funding to sustain its growth,” Watin told me.

It was 2019 when Matt Sheahan made his prediction for the future of the IWS in his Yachting World review, and three years later it appears that the commercial shipping development is also well ahead of the superyacht market.

The WISAMO system is an initiative from Michelin, with two-time Vendée Globe winner Michel Desjoyeaux associated with the project and testing. It’s the same concept as IWS, an inflated wingsail, set on an unstayed telescopic mast.

“When I discovered that system, I thought it has checked a lot of boxes compared to other systems,” said Desjoyeaux. “It has a plug and play system which is very easy to install and use, whether it is for a refit, meaning an addition to an existing boat, or for a newly built ship; you lower the mast into the boat, plug it in and off you go. Once you are out of the harbour, you push a button and the machine does everything. It unfurls the wingsail and automatically chooses the correct setting for cargo ships. This is crucial because there aren’t many crewmembers on the bridge, and they don’t necessarily know much about sailboats. They need a system that operates autonomously.”

VPLP Oceanwing projects on Energy Observer

At the beginning of 2022 Michelin announced a partnership deal with Compagnie Maritime Nantaise to test the WISAMO. The system will be fitted to one of their roll-on roll off vessels travelling between Bilbao in Spain and Poole in the UK. The plan is to have the ship in service by the end of this year. Meanwhile, tests with Michel Desjoyeaux’s own boat continued through last winter in the Bay of Biscay.

Michelin are claiming the system could save up to 20% on fuel costs. It’s in the same ballpark as the Oceanwing, and while it sounds good – particularly at today’s fuel prices – it’s actually only half of what the shipping industry needs to achieve by the end of the decade.

Reducing emissions

The shipping industry pumps out a lot of carbon dioxide – the most recent (2012) estimates being that shipping is responsible for 2.2% of global emissions. The International Maritime Organisation, an agency of the United Nations, has published a strategy for reducing carbon. Global shipping must achieve an average 40% reduction by 2030, increasing to 50% by 2050. The European Union is acting to give these targets legal force, and the first deadline is just eight years away. The task is immense, and the clock is ticking. That’s why the money and energy pushing these new sailing technologies forward is coming from commercial shipping.

Radical superyacht concepts such as Seaffinity feature Oceanwing wingsails from VPLP

One thing that’s been learned in the 150 years since sail last dominated the world’s oceans is that changing the world’s merchant shipping fleet takes time. In 1866, the year of the Great Tea Race, an auxiliary steamer left China eight days after the clipper ships and it arrived in London 15 days ahead of them. Steamships already had a significant speed advantage, but it was more than another 80 years before the last sailing ship ceased trading. This is the problem for the shipping industry; ships are built to last. The world once again needs to restock the entire global merchant fleet with a new technology, but this time there’s a deadline.

The same pressure is unlikely to be felt in the superyacht market for a while, and perhaps it never will. Still, once these new technologies have been developed and proven in the highly competitive shipping industry, it seems likely they’ll start to migrate to superyachts.

No easy options

There are many possible technical solutions but the easy changes – more efficient routing through weather systems for instance – will not get the industry to anything like the 40% required by 2030. The developments that will – new propulsion systems, fuel sources or hull designs – are still in development and/or will require massive capital investment. It’s taken a while, but the shipping industry has finally woken up to the scale and the timescale of the challenge it faces.

“They’ve got a massive problem on their hands,” said Simon Schofield, chief operating officer of BAR Technologies, a spin-off from the British America’s Cup team led by four-times Olympic gold medal winner, Ben Ainslie.

Nemesis One is a 101m foiling supercat concept capable of 50 knot speeds thanks to a fully automated Ayro Oceanwing rig

“In the last two years we’ve seen a marked difference in the industry. Two to three years ago when we were talking about this [wingsail] technology, people were like, ‘Yeah, it’s nice. People have been talking about this for years, but no one really wants sails…’ And now it’s, ‘How quickly can we have wings? What else have you got? We’ve got to move, we’ve got to get going.’”

Unsurprisingly, there is no shortage of people trying to solve this problem. The reward for developing any cost-effective way of reducing a significant chunk of those 40% of emissions will be a massive new business. The scale of the shipping industry is enormous, it’s a global business with a total value of more than US$14 trillion. So, there’s no shortage of ideas either, and kites were early leaders in this field.

The SkySail was a stand-out that got tested at full scale, installed in a custom-built ship, the MV Beluga Skysail , and tested on an Atlantic crossing in 2008 after 10 years of development. It fell at that hurdle, with the company turning instead to developing airborne wind energy systems for power production. The fate of the shipping project is sadly recorded on their website: ‘The SkySails propulsion system for vessels is currently not marketed any more.’ There’s no mistaking the significant risk in these ventures.

Fortunately, risks have never stopped people trying to innovate and there are plenty more projects with potential. The Flettner rotor is a tall, smooth cylinder mounted vertically, that rotates in the airflow passing the ship. It uses the Magnus Effect (the same thing that causes a spinning ball to curve in flight) to generate a force that helps to push the ship along. Norsepower have already installed a rotor on one tanker and it provided just over 8% fuel savings – good, but still nowhere near enough.

Oceanwing projects also shown here on cargo ship Canopée due to launch this year

It’s now the wingsail that seems to be grabbing the bulk of the investment. A Swedish group, led by Wallenius Marine, has formed a joint venture with Swedish industrial company Alfa Laval to develop the Oceanbird, a wind-powered car carrier with fixed wingsails that will stretch an extraordinary 100m into the air.

More sailing ships to come

In France, Neoline have developed a more conventional sailing cargo ship and agreed a letter of interest for its construction. They plan to use the Solid Sail being developed by the French shipbuilding and fleet services company Chantiers de l’Atlantique. It’s a freestanding mast with a rotating boom setting a fabric headsail and solid panel mainsail – panels that Multiplast are building.

There are several projects in the UK. British yacht design firm Humphreys Yacht Design and sailing software tools designer, Dr Graeme Winn, are involved with Smart Green Shipping. In late July, they announced a £5m investment from a mix of private industry and Scottish Enterprise for a three-year R&D project to develop and test their FastRigs wingsail and digital routing software. They plan to put a demonstration unit on a commercial ship by 2023.

Also out of the UK is the Windship project, with a board of directors that includes yacht designer Simon Rogers and former Sparcraft director David Barrow. They’re proposing sets of three vertical wings, each 35m high.

Oceanbird is a Swedish programme with a car carrier in development using folding 40m high wingsails. The company estimates each sail will save around 480,000 litres of diesel per year

“We believe,” Simon Schofield told me, “that wind technology has become mainstream in shipping… we’re seeing announcements almost weekly of new technologies being trialled and fitted to ships and we are set up specifically with a supply chain for volume. We’re doing a run now, but we want to be doing hundreds next year.”

Yes, that’s right. Hundreds. If there is such a thing as first-mover advantage, BAR Technologies appear to have it.

BAR started the WindWing project with a computer simulation, but merchant ships presented new problems. “The ships have a yaw balance [weather or lee helm] problem,” explained Schofield. “They’re not designed for wings. So, you’ve got to monitor rudder limits.” This is exactly the kind of problem that’s fundamental to designing well-behaved, fast and comfortable superyachts, and it’s no surprise the same approach was taken by VPLP with a similar background in elite yacht racing design.

BAR Technologies predicts there will be hundreds of ships using its WindWings by next year

Complications

The problem is even more complex with commercial ships. The leeway the wings induce has other side effects. The loading on the propeller changes, and that impacts its efficiency. “We also needed to model the engine plant, because we are moving engines away from their optimum efficiency points, so their fuel consumption changes,” said Schofield. Eventually, using these tools, they developed the design parameters for the WindWings.

“They are three-element, rigid wingsails,” said Schofield. “The first ones we’re doing are 37.5m aerodynamic span, about 20m in chord and rising to about 45m off the deck. So big bits of kit… We operate in up to 40 knots of true wind speed, with a 25% gust factor on top. So if it’s 40 gusting 50, that’s fine.” After that the WindWings are feathered, much like a wind turbine.

Despite the advanced state of BAR Technologies’ WindWings project, it’s probably too early to predict who the big winners will be in this race. In fact, given the demand from the world’s merchant shipping fleets, it’s likely there’ll be several.

We can also be sure all this energy, innovation and investment is going to produce significant advances in sailing technology. Perhaps, in a few years’ time, the gentle whirr of electric air compressors will have found their way from the paddleboards on the beaches of the River Hamble, to former motoryachts in the river’s many marinas.

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November 10, 2009

The Fixed-Wing Is In: America's Cup Sailors Plan to Use Rigid Carbon-Fiber Airfoil on U.S. Entry

The U.S. team for the America's Cup is replacing its boat's mast and cloth mainsail with a hard, fixed wing that is 80 percent larger than a Boeing 747 wing, not to mention difficult and dangerous to maneuver

By Lynn Fitzpatrick

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SAN DIEGO—After more than a year of practicing for the America's Cup, the U.S. team is replacing its boat's lofty 60-meter mast and 620-square-meter cloth mainsail with a hard, fixed wing that is 80 percent larger than a Boeing 747 wing and will tower 58 meters above their giant trimaran's deck. The team, known as the BMW ORACLE Racing Team, will start to practice with and evaluate the high-strength yet lightweight carbon-fiber wing on its 27-meter carbon-composite trimaran later this week.  The Americans have been testing new frontiers with the loads that their massive multihull endures while sailing . Crash helmets, personal floatation devices and other body armor have been de rigueur during BMW ORACLE Racing's practices—even while using a mast and a mainsail, which preceded the wing. During a practice session on November 3, the boat's huge mast snapped and toppled into the Pacific. Thankfully, no one was injured. Although the team's research and development unit has been conducting a forensic evaluation of the mast mishap, another unit has been finishing the assembly of the wing under the cover of a huge tent at the team's base in San Diego, in an attempt to keep the technology a secret from competitors. The America’s Cup is the oldest actively contested trophy in sport and dates back to a race held in 1851 in England in which the yacht America beat 15 boats representing the Royal Yacht Squadron.  Members of the winning America syndicate donated the Cup via a Deed of Gift to the New York Yacht Club on July 8, 1857, specifying that it be held in trust as a perpetual challenge trophy to promote friendly competition among nations. According to an Allianz Economic Report conducted in co-operation with Tom Cannon, dean of Buckingham University Business School, the America's Cup ranks just behind the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup in terms of worldwide direct and indirect economic benefits that accrue to the winner and the event's host city. It is the largest inter-club sporting event in the world in terms of economic scale and impact. The only other time that a multihull and a wing have been used in the America's Cup was in 1988. Back then, the U.S. team defied tradition when they unveiled an 18-meter catamaran equipped with a wing to compete against New Zealand's 27-meter monohull. Burt Rutan , whose company Scaled Composites went on to win the Ansari X PRIZE for SpaceShipOne , and who worked with John Ronz, David Hubbard and Duncan MacLane on the 1988 wing, reflected on that achievement: "The wing-sail designs were more challenging (than aircraft wing applications) because they needed high lift in both directions and because we had a requirement to vary the wing twist to account for different wind gradients above the sea. An aircraft wing lifts in only one direction and does not have any twist control. On the wing-sail we twisted the third element and thus had to make it torsionally flexible." The scale of the 21st-century sailboat and wing is astronomical compared with the 1988 vintage. The 1988 wing height was slightly over 30 meters, and its area was approximately 165 square meters. The new wing's main element is a monolithic box with an aerodynamic nose along its leading edge. Hinges at different points along the main element's trailing edge can be adjusted to change the gap between the forward and the aft elements to adjust airflow depending on the wind velocity. The sections of the trailing element can be moved independently to induce camber (the asymmetry between the top and bottom curves of an airfoil), making it possible to flatten and even induce negative camber in the top section as well as camber in the opposite direction in the lower sections. According to BMW ORACLE Racing, "the primary advantage of the wing over a soft sail is that it is easier to control and does not distort. This makes it easier for the trimmers on board to maintain an optimum aerofoil shape in a wide range of conditions." Unlike conventional monohull and multihull sailboats , the BMW ORACLE team's trimaran sails upwind and downwind at apparent wind angles less than 30 degrees (Monohulls typically sail at between 30 and 40 degrees upwind.) On board the racing machine it always feels as if the wind is in the sailors' faces. The wing technology will improve the trimaran's apparent wind angle, and may enable the multihull to exceed  two to 2.5 times wind speed. The upcoming America's Cup challenge will be the first time ever that an onboard engine will be used to assist trimmers in controlling the massive foils by powering hydraulic controls for the wing and the forward sails. Mark Ott, co-founder and executive vice president of Seattle-based Harbor Wing Technologies, the first company to employ a wing that rotates 360 degrees and uses a multihull as a platform, commented, "BMW ORACLE'S boat represents the pinnacle of race boat design; however, the nature of this design limits the wing sail's range of motion due to the shroud and forestay wires used to support it. This design limitation causes these wing sails to be impractical for use by the average sailor. By not allowing the wing full 360-degree rotational capability in everyday sailing conditions, it is bound to it be held on a shroud wire by the wind and damaged, or worse, possibly causing the boat to capsize." All eyes will be watching to see how BMW will store the boat and the wing, because the latter is not nearly as easy to take down and stow as a cloth mainsail. The America's Cup showdown is set to take place in February 2010 in Valencia, Spain.

The design of a wingsail

Application of a holistic design optimization methodology

A wingsail is an aerodynamic structure analogous to an airplane wing, fitted to a marine vessel in place of a traditional sail. Over the past decade wingsails have become more and more popular among sailboat designers, owners, and skippers, due to their ease of use and control, but most importantly, for their advanced efficiency, compared to the traditional sail.

In this project Optiphore used design optimization and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technics to investigate the aerodynamic performance of two types of wingsail that can substitute the existing traditional sail of a sailboat. The first, a rigid single-component wingsail geometry, with variable chord length and varying airfoil geometry. The second, a flexible single-component wingsail geometry with variable chord length, varying airfoil geometry, and twist.

While new sailboats can be designed from scratch with a wingsail configuration, in this case the goal was to find an appropriate geometry that could also be retrofitted on an existing sailboat, producing equivalent sail characteristics by roughly maintaining the existing centers of gravity and effort respectively. Therefore, while the developed design methodology is generic and can be applied to a plethora of sailboat models, the end-result is a custom wingsail geometry, designed specifically for the needs of a certain sailboat model.

The applied strategy for obtaining a wingsail geometry is divided into two parts. In the first part a proprietary evolutionary algorithm is used to generate airfoil sections at various wingfoil spans, taking into account the wind’s speed and the airfoil’s angle of attack at each wingsail span. Every airfoil is described with an appropriate parametric, mathematical representation and subsequently, a panel-method software is employed to evaluate the airfoils’ lift-to-drag ratio. This is a versatile approach that can produce optimal product design solutions by exploring among a huge number of feasible designs, inside a given design space. It can be coupled with any type of third-party software to evaluate the validity of all the different design variable combinations it explores, promoting optimal solutions as result.

In the case of both the rigid and the flexible wingsail types, each airfoil section is submitted to a different wind velocity, based on its wingsail span location, to conform for the wind's velocity profile. In the case of the rigid wingsail, all airfoils have the same angle of attack, as a rigid wingsail cannot support a twist. In the case of a flexible wingsail a linear twist is applied to reduce its induced drag, with the angle of attack at the tip equal to zero.

In the second part of the utilized strategy, the 2D airfoil sections are used to produce the wingsail’s 3D geometry. At a first glance, any unexpected features of the wingsail shape can be identified, so the 2D analysis of specific sections can be performed again. A CFD analysis of the resulting shape can provide insight about any three-dimensional phenomena that occur on the wingsail, which cannot be identified with a 2D analysis. Moreover, its overall performance can be assessed at this point, by calculating the lift-to-drag ratio of the 3D shape and validating that the resulting shape is appropriate for the sailboat's needs.

Optiphore offers a comprehensive design optimization methodology. Starting with a blank canvas and a set of design requirements, a number of ideas get produced with the help of our proprietary design exploration tools. Those ideas can be evaluated often at a reduced computational cost. Eventually, the performance of the most promising ones is thoroughly evaluated to converge to the final design. Most product development design cycles can greatly benefit from such an approach.

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The dinghy below is a Chinese Junk rig, but instead of one sail surface there are two on the same mast with the leading edges joined together.  Technically, she is a wingsail with several variations of the design having been used all over the world.  What is unique about this rig is that all of the running and standing rigging plus the mast is between the two sail surfaces so they don't interfere with air flow and you don't see the mess of rigging that is a nightmare to view.

News   |  How It Works   |  Materials & Costs   |  Construction   |  Sailing

References   | Links   | Other Designs   | Graphics   | Message Board   | Background Info

The rig was designed by a Chinese fisherman over 100 years ago.  The major modifications the owner made to the rig were the following: increased the aspect ratio, changed the taper ratio.  Some aspects of the construction and size of the parts were determined through trial and error since not every detail was available.  The materials used are different too.  Please use the links above to read the owners construction details.

Рекорд под парусом: крылатые лодки обгоняют ветер  - 21 июля 2004

Xождение под парусом — увлекательная наука. Непосвящённые с трудом представляют себе, как можно двигаться на паруснике против ветра. Изобретатели же придумали очередное чудо — аппараты, способные только за счёт ветра разгоняться намного быстрее, чем бежит толкающий их же поток воздуха.

Лодка Боерна на полном ходу. Пока в компьютере (исллюстрация с сайта dsto.defence.gov.au).

Схема сил, действующих на крылатую лодку (фото с сайта dsto.defence.gov.au).

Tеперь Боерн мечтает построить полноразмерный вариант своей лодки с размахом крыла 8 метров и побить на нём мировой рекорд скорости для парусных судов на воде (есть ещё сухопутные парусные машины).

Yellow Pages Endeavor — мировой рекордсмен (фотографии с сайтов foxxaero.homestead.com и wingsail.neuralfuzz.com).

Прогулочные катамараны с крыльями-парусами пока экзотика, но уже не единичная (фотографии с сайтов sealord6.com и antrimdesign.com)

Пусть они развивают не такие большие скорости, как спортивные машины, может быть, когда-нибудь появятся комфортные прогулочные катамараны, с лёгкостью обгоняющие сам ветер без использования двигателя?

Источник: Membrana.ru

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В интернет-магазине OZON: В царстве воды и ветра. Очерки и картины из жизни и истории Земли Издание выпущено в 1913 году А.Ф.Девриеном. Второе издание, просмотренное, исправленное и дополненное, с 134 рисунками. Книга эта стоит в тесной связи с другой книгой А.П.Нечаева "Между огнем и льдом". Там идет речь о вулканах, землятресениях и  

Водомоторная техника в кредит за 30 минут. Доставка по Москве бесплатно! Лодочные моторы Yamaha, Mercury. Лодки QUICKSILVER.

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Omer wing sail on Maya port side

Wingsail Science on the Web

There are several resources on the internet that give info about the science of wingsails: LUSAS , an engineering software firm, have an analysis of the wingsail ; the US Windsurfing Newsletter has an introduction to marine aerofoils ; this link is a detailed discussion of aerofoils ; and Dynawing offer a comparison of wingsails and conventional sails , as does Wingsail Co . 

Boatek of Felixstowe market a small wingsail boat for single-handed racing. The Cornish firm Ecocats Ltd build environmentally friendly catamarans, which can be fitted with wingsails. Wingsail Charters offer wingsail boats for hire in Portsmouth. Wingsails also offer advantages to disabled sailors . 

Omer Wing Sails

Wings are aerodynamically more efficient than sails. They provide the boat with more lift (Driving Force) while inducing much less drag (Heeling Force), and at the same time, the wing's small Angle of Attack gives Excellent Upwind Performance. "OMER" Wing-Sail is a Soft and Variable Geometry wing-sail , that:

Maya sailing boat equipped with Omer wing sail upwind

OMER Wing Sail LTD. 23 Hohit St. Ramat Hasharon. Israel, 47226.

Tel: +972-3-5401675 Mobile: +972-54-4277617 (Israel) Mobile: +90-506-4228404 (Turkey)

Email: [email protected]

Walker wing sails  - Youtube

Catamaran rotary sail - Youtube

Model rotary sail boat - Youtube

Eloxel rotary sail cruiser - Youtube

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This is how SailGP's NASA-inspired wings make the F50 boats fly

Is it a bird, is it a plane? Nope – it's a boat. But it does have wings...

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Protecting paradise – Sailing towards a more sustainable future

Like so many coastal communities all over the world, preserving the delicate marine ecosystem and the health of the ocean is of huge priority on the island of Bermuda

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You may be cruising to that idyllic location or aiming at your next line honours or regatta win.  Either way the SRW (Semi Rigid Wing) can make it easier.

The most advanced soft wing sail technology in the world is here. Simple, light, robust and breath-taking performance.

If performance racing is your objective, learn more about how the SRW drives the performance cycle improving not only your aerodynamic but also your hydrodynamic performance.

For making your cruising easier, more comfortable and more enjoyable - Find out more

Why Choose Advanced Wing Systems

​ • Light weight

• Cost effective • Suitable for multihulls and monohulls

• Able to be retrofitted to existing boats

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• Simple, robust, reliable • Thick, asymmetrical wing section • Variable section thickness • Variable camber • Variable asymmetry (i.e. asymmetry can be swapped from port to starboard) • Easy to rig • Easy to sail

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Wing’soul. Easiest to Build Wing Sail.

Introduction: Wing’soul. Easiest to Build Wing Sail.

Here's an incredible Instructable for building a wing sail, called the Wing'soul . It's the world's easiest to build wing sail because simplicity overrules complexity. Common components (found at most hardware stores) are chosen over custom boat parts. Flat cut canvas is preferred over curved cut. Easy to sail and safety wins over specialized sail wardrobe.

First, there is no rotating mast requirement. The Wing'soul is best paired to a static freestanding mast. An example is the Laser dinghy, with its plain mast. For a larger boat, a junk rig or the Freedom rig is ideal for conversion. If you want to convert a standard Bermudian rig, you'd have to change the mast. The mast must be round (not have a flat side) and without mid-mast spreaders. Due to the change in the center of effort, probably the new mast will need to move forward (about 3% of the LOA), closer to the bow.

Guess why wing sails were invented decades ago, but never got popular? Because almost all of them were designed with a rotating mast. Nothing kills adoption faster than this costly complication.

Another simplification: no hardware hinge . You'll notice a lot of other wing sails require a pivot or a hinge at the boom to switch the camber around. However, when the Wing'soul tacks, the wing sail (mainsail and jib/jiblets) changes camber automatically. It works exactly like a windsurfing rig.

In fact, the Wing'soul is heavily based on the Aerojunk , a rig invented by Paul McKay back in 2012. The Aerojunk is a junk version of the windsurfing rig; the Wing'soul is a winged version of the Aerojunk.

The sail is cut flat. No broadseaming or darting or rounding to create draught, unlike the cut in a Bermudian mainsail. Assemble the mainsail by seaming together long strips of rectangular sail cloths. The teardrop shape of the small winglet battens gives curvature at the luff. Aft of the luff to the leech, there is enough sail slack to produce camber.

The jib is also cut flat. The jib can be one long flat sail, or broken up to several pieces called jiblets. Jiblets are trapeziodal. The battens arrange the jiblets so there is slack, both horizontally and vertically. This creates camber in both axises.

This Instructable is for a small trial sail, perfect for a sailing dinghy like the Laser. It is also a learning tool, prototype, about how to build a bigger one. Fortunately, this rig scales up easily . A larger version will be bigger and sturdier, but has no additional components. I dream of making a Wing'soul rig for my 50-footer three masted schooner.

A lot of the Wing'soul's characteristics can be based off the Aerojunk and the original junk rig. You should find: the Wing'soul reefs easily , handles very well downwind and beam-reach. On a broad-reach, it is possible to ease sheet past square, and "sail in the lee" for best performance. Like a junk, it's superb in heavy seas , mostly because of how well it reduces sail area, hardly ever flogs , and docile because of its semi-balanced design (the jib's CE partially offsets the main's CE).

What about close-hauled? This point of sail needs further testing. However, the main and jib has plenty of camber for upwind beating. Camber can be anywhere from 6% to 12% . Really, it depends on internal lengths of the battens versus the length of the sail's chord. The slot effect , a key to a Bermudian's strength, is also part of this rig. Even better, the main's luff is a wing, further improving the aerodynamics at the main/jib junction, while reducing mast turbulence. Finally, induced drag (drag from vortex creation) is reduced because the planform may be tapered and rectangular. This is an improvement over triangular Bermudian mainsails. The Bermudian does have an advantage over the Wing'soul: higher aspect ratio for equal sail area. How all theses factors play out in the real world requires more testing.

Finally, this rig will be fairly cheap to build , as nearly all the materials can be sourced from non-marine industries. For example, the mast can be a re-purposed aluminum utility pole, the sail material is outdoor utility canvas, the battens from aluminum tubes. This prototype cost $300 USD in parts. $100 was for the light rip-stop fabric. $100 was for the aluminum tubes, to make the wishbone battens. The rest was $100 for miscellaneous parts.

Please comment if you built this rig and tell me how it performed for you!

The most important tool to have is the drill press, when building the battens. You'll want to create clean, straight 90 degree drills. Also desirable is the ability to drill 15 degrees from normal.

A good sowing machine is important. A "yachty" machine is perfect, but any small home machine will work for a small sail.

• Drill press
• Hand drill & bits
• Hand saw (or jig saw) for aluminum and ply wood
• Measuring tape, pencil, marker
• File, sand paper, rasp
• Rivet gun and pop rivets
• Nails & screws to hold wood temporarily
• Sowing Machine
• Grommet press and grommets
• C-Clamps to hold things down
• For a cruising yacht, use UV resistant fabric such as Sunbrella, Top Gun, or Weathermax. The multiple wishbone battens takes most of the sailing loads, so there is no requirement for Dacron. However, you may use Dacron, plastic tarp, or old sail cloth if you wish. Material selection depends on if the sail is a trial, bluewater, tropical-tolerant, or made-on-the-cheap.
• Plywood for the winglet template
• Round aluminum tubes, 15mm diameter, 1mm thick walls, 2m long, QTY 11
• Square aluminum tubes, 20mm each side, 1.5mm thick walls, cut to 40mm length, QTY 10
• Aluminum flat bars 15mm wide by 2mm thick, 2m long
• Aluminum flat sheets, to make the C-keepers.
• Bolts and Nuts, M6, 60mm long
• Hose clamps
• Rope for rigging the halyard and sheets
• Single block sheaves for rigging the halyard and sheets
• Sticky sided Velcro, 15mm wide, 20m long

Step 1: Learn About the Aerojunk and Junks in General

Before you get started on the Wing'soul, read about its predecessor, the Aerojunk. Big thanks to Paul McKay for inventing the Aerojunk, as the Wing'soul would not be possible without him!

Original Aerojunk Design:

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/38970140/t...

If you join the Junk Rig Association (there's a small membership fee), the 84th newsletter has updated Aerojunk information.

http://www.junkrigassociation.org/

Here's a website to learn about junk rigs in general, and why they make good rigs for cruising yachts.

http://www.kastenmarine.com/junk_rig.htm

Here's an article from Practical Boat Owner, comparing the Split Junk vs. the Bermudian, side-by-side. They concluded the junk is best off-the-wind, and the Bermudian is best on-the-wind. Either rig has its weaknesses and strengths, it depends on which point of sail. The Wing'soul is the best of both worlds. It should sail upwind like a Bermudian, while retaining formidable off wind performance and ease of handling.

https://www.pbo.co.uk/seamanship/bermudan-rig-vs-junk-rig-17481

Step 2: Cut Aluminum Tubes

In this step, you'll make the wishbone battens by cutting tubes to the correct lengths. Don't worry if the battens look complicated, with all its curves. The batten shaping is actually fairly easy to do.

The Aluminum Cuts

Cut the round aluminum tubes (15mm diameter, 1mm thick) to 2m lengths. Even better if the tubes can be bought at those lengths. You'll need QTY 10 of these outer battens to make 5 wishbone battens.

Cut the remaining round aluminum tubes for the removable crossbars. The length is around 320mm, to get a 12% mainsail camber. Shorter crossbars makes the wishbone battens skinnier, and hence less camber. Don't worry about the length too much, it can always be adjusted shorter, later on. Make QTY 5, all of equal lengths.

Then cut the square aluminum tubes (20mm side, 1.5mm thick) to short pieces, at 40mm lengths. Drill a hole through the pieces, big enough to have the round tubes slide through. You'll need a fairly big drill bit, 15mm or 15.5mm diameter. Then rotate the piece 90 degrees and drill a hole meant for a M5 sized bolt. Take a look a the diagram for reference. Make QTY 10.

Assemble Battens Into a Long Legged H

Place two straight, 2m long, round battens side by side on the floor. Slide a square end piece, into each of the battens. Stick the removable crossbar (round, 320mm long) inside the square end piece. Now is a good time to look at the diagram again, to see the end result. What you have arranged looks like a long legged 'H' on the floor.

Before bending the two battens, first secure the removable crossbar to the square end pieces. Use a hand drill and drill a M5 hole at the end of the crossbar, using the hole at the square end piece as a guide/template. Use the same sized drill bit. Once you drill through the ends of the removable crossbar, secure with bolt and nut. Repeat on the other end.

Install hose clamps over the outer battens. Loosely slide the clamps until they are adjacent to the square end pieces.

Now you're ready to bend the outer battens in the next step.

Step 3: Bend to Make Wishbone Battens

Use a measuring tape and mark off the tip of the battens to the location of the crossbar, a distance of 525mm, on both battens. This is shown as points "A" and "B" in the diagram. Once bent, the distance from the tip to the crossbar, will end up as 515mm (roughly).

Slide the crossbar along the battens to the 525mm mark. Lock the crossbar/square end piece, by tightening the hose clamps** on each side. Make sure both battens are equal, so the bends are symmetrical.

With a friend's help, hold down the battens. Then another person can bend the batten tips (points "A" in the diagram gets closer) . The aluminum tubes will spring back a little.

Lock the bend down with bolts & nuts. Use a hand drill to drill holes through the battens and use a long bolt. Another option to a long bolt, is to use a threaded round bar. A third option, what I did, was to use a drill press to drill at 15 degrees offset. Then fitted a small diameter aluminum tube through and rivetted in place.

Now you are finished making the aperture for the jib/jiblets.

Don't worry too much of how long this cross bolt should be (the distance between the "A"s). Its not super critical. Even the distance between "A" and "B" = 525mm is not critical. It is best to start with something, and adjust the battens later.

To make the aperture for the mainsail, the technique is almost the same. The difference is to place a wooden stick about 340mm aft of the crossbar. The diagram shows this as 340mm from point "B". In the diagram, a third (right-most) wooden stick is shown. That's optional.

Make the bend at the tail ends of the battens, with a friend's help. Then lock the tails together with long bolts or threaded round rods and nuts.

Once one wishbone batten is complete, repeat the previous and this step to make the other battens.

----------------------------------------------------

** hose clamps to lock the square end piece is preferred. If you look at the example photo, the square end piece was riveted to the battens, instead of a clamp. This okay for a trial sail, but not okay for a "real" sail. A drill hole, for the rivet, will severely weakening the aluminum battens at this location.

Step 4: Make the NACA0012 Winglets

In the previous steps, you learned how to make the wishbone battens. They are the key to the Wing'soul's simplicity. No rotating mast is needed as the mainsail and jib/jiblets rides on the battens; the battens rotate around the static mast. No articulating hinges are necessary because the outer battens allows the wing sail to tack and create camber.

In this step, make the winglet battens. They create the luff pocket for the mast. The airfoil is based off the NACA0012.

Begin by making a wooden template, shaped to an airfoil. Then mount on another wood board.

Start by downloading the airfoil, NACA0012, and print out the shape.

Try http://www.airfoiltools.com/

Size the print out so that the mast will fit inside the nose of the NACA0012. For example, if the mast has a diameter of 40mm. Scale the print out so a 40mm diameter circle can easily fit inside the nose section. See the diagram; the airfoil encompasses the mast, with some room to give.

Cut the printout with scissors, then apply it to the wood piece.

Draw the outline to the wood plug, cut out the shape with a jigsaw or handsaw. Only 50% of the airfoil shape is used. One could also use 100% of the airfoil, instead.

Mount the male plug on a flat wood board.

Wrap the aluminum flat bar, 15mm wide and 2mm thick. Secure the bar to the wood plug with C-clamps. Use a mallet to wrap and pound the bar into shape.

Rivet together the ends to finish the winglet so it does not pop open.

Repeat this step to make a total of QTY 5 winglet battens.

Finally, add a small piece at the nose of the winglet. This is the flat plate. The plate prevents the mast from jamming the insides of the winglet. Without the plate, reefing the sail becomes very difficult.

C-collars, Make Later

C-collars prevent lifting and capsizing from the wishbone battens. They are attached to the winglets on both sides of the winglets (windward and leeward). You do not need to make C-collars now. The reason because, the placement of the C-collar is unknown. Once the rig is assembled together, then positions can be marked, and the C-collar can be positioned correctly.

Step 5: Make the Riblets

Riblets are shorter versions of the winglets. Winglets are 50% of the NACA0012 airfoil chord. Riblets are only 25% in length.

Riblets prevents the windward side of the luff to collapse under windward pressure. Aim to make two riblets between panels. Riblets billow out the luff, improves luff shape, and prevent the luff from"sticking" to the mast if the sail gets wet.

Modify the wood plug used in the previous step to make the winglets. Cut the wood plug in half. Mount the front nose of the plug back into the wood mount.

Then wrap the aluminum flat bar, using a mallet just like the previous step to make the winglets. Rivet the ends.

A flat plate is NOT needed for the riblets, as this omission does not affect reefing.

Repeat to make the other riblets. Make at least QTY 8.

Step 6: Jib Sail Canvas

The jib is one long piece. Jiblets are several smaller pieces, when combined, works together like one large jib. This step focuses on making jiblets, as this is preferred over making one large jib. Jiblets tack better in light winds, have deflection to improve performance, and easier to make due to the smaller size.

Jiblets are trapezoidal and cut flat. The luff of the jiblet is the nominal distance of one panel. In the diagram, one panel height is 0.89m. So the luff distance of the jiblet is also 890mm. Technically, the eyelets at the luff will attach at a distance of 0.89m. The jiblet is slightly bigger to accommodate the eyelets, plus overlap to allow rolling and stitching for the edges.

Vertical Camber and Deflection

The angle at the luff corners are 7 degrees. Why 7 degrees? It's a good starting angle. It gives enough slack at the leech to create camber vertically. This vertical camber allows the jiblets to deflect out, with respect to the mainsail. The bigger the corner angle, the longer the leech. The longer the leech, the more slack; extra slack begets more deflection.

Most of the sail "lift"** in the rigid two-element America's Cup wing sail, came from deflection. Deflection is the angle between the chord of the first-element wing with respect to the second-element wing chord. The deflection of the jiblet works the same way: it increases the driving force of the sail.

Horizontal Camber

Camber in the horizontal axis happens when there is slack at the foot of the jiblet. The diagram shows a foot distance of 1020mm. The ideal batten would hold the jiblet at 1000mm apart. That means the jiblet has a 2% slack (1020mm is 2% longer than 1000mm), which creates horizontal camber. Why 2%? It creates about 10% of actual camber. But your results may vary.

-------------------

** lift is an aeronautical term, but you know what I mean when applied to a sail on a sailboat.

Step 7: Wing (Main) Sail Canvas

I used the book "A Sailmaker's Apprentice" by Emiliano Marino to help during this step.

The basic outline for the mainsail is this:

Start off with making just one panel of the mainsail. Since one mainsail panel runs horizontally, the raw canvas when delivered will be approximately the same size as the final panel. In this example, the final panel height is 0.89m, or the distance between wishbone battens. So the ideal roll of canvas should be slightly wider than 0.89m. Roll and sew the edges and the final panel height will be 0.89m.

The diagram shows where to apply the Velcro. First apply the Velcro for the winglet batten and the riblet battens. Then hand stitch them to the canvas to secure. Velcro may be too thick to sow with a machine. Some Velcro have bald edges, where a sowing machine may penetrate the thinner backing onto the canvas.

The two vertical strips terminates the trailing edge of the wing portion. Temporarily stick the Velcro there, but do not stitch.

Setup the mast, along with two wishbone battens. Install Velcro to the winglets and riblets. Assemble the one panel of the mainsail to the wishbone battens, winglets and riblets --like a dress rehearsal. Once that is complete, examine the mainsail and make necessary changes, measurements or adjustments.

Mark where to punch a hole, or crossbar aperture, on the mainsail. This aperture is there the removable crossbar will go through both plys of the wingsail. The crossbar and aperture are aft of the mast, to allow room to pivot during tacking. Don't forget to reinforce the aperture, or else the aperture will rip.

Once the mock up is finalized, make the other mainsail panels.

Sew all the horizontal panels together to make one large mainsail.

Add the two long strips of Velcro that run up the sail. This holds the trailing edge of the wing together. Hand stitch or machine sew the Velcro to the canvas.

Phew!! That's a lot of steps to make one mainsail. And we did not cover any the details, like grommets, eyelets, bolt ropes, corner patches etc... Luckily, for a small trial sail, you can skip all that.

----------------------

To tell you the truth, the mainsail for this particular Wing'soul was done in vertical strips, instead of horizontal strips. There are pluses and minus to either case, but not a concern for a small sail. If I were to make a large sail, I'd opt to make the mainsail with horizontal strips, as outlined in this step. Mostly because a completed one-panel mainsail can be hoisted with just two wishbone battens. Then sizing and testing can commence without making the entire mainsail.

Step 8: Put It All Together

Once the mainsail and jiblets are complete, assemble the sails along with the mast and battens.

Install two single blocks at the mast top, to run the halyard. Then raise the mast onto the mast support.

Run the halyard up the mast, through first block, then down to the yard block. Then up again to the second mast top block, and terminate on the second harness on the yard (your top most wishbone batten). The yard is wide, so a harness will balance the battens from tipping.

Slide the top winglet through the mast. Let it sit above the crossbar of your yard.

If winglets and riblets need Velcro, apply them now.

Wrap the mainsail around the top winglet. Secure the leech of the mainsail to the batten end.

Remove the crossbar, by loosening the nuts and bolts. Then re-install the crossbar through the mainsail. Since the crossbar aperture is already there, just slide the crossbar through.

Also install the top jiblet.

Insert the riblets inside the mast, and stick that to the mainsail.

Slowly hoist the yard with the halyard, one panel at a time. Continue adding more wishbone battens, winglets and riblets and jiblets.

After the bottom panel and boom (bottom most wishbone batten) is assembled, your sail rig is completed and hoisted!

Step 9: Final Details

Collars and Stoppers

Once the entire sail is raised, you'll first notice the battens tend to capsize and shift. There are two solutions to remedy these problems:

1. C-collars added to the winglet battens, prevent the wishbone battens from tilting, "capsizing", out of the winglets. Capsizing causes the wishbone battens to not be parallel to each other. The C-collars must not be too restrictive; some play allow the winglets to move around for tacking.

2. A winglet stopper in the middle of the crossbar to prevent the winglet from straying or shifting outside of center. The stopper can be a hose clamp or a pin.

Finally, all the batten ends must be controlled with the sheet line. The preferred method is Chinese junk sheeting.

This features:

1. The ability to set the twist for each batten. This translate to ultimate control of twist from the foot to the head of the sail.

2. The mechanical advantage of running the sheet through multiple pulley blocks; couple this with balanced configuration (the jib's CE partially offsets the main's CE). Therefore, sheeting does not require further assistance. The general rule is, Wing'soul and other junk rigs do not require sheeting winches. The easing and tensioning of the sheet is done solely by hand. Even on my 50 foot heavy steel boat, with 500 sqft (46 m^2) sails, in 20 knots wind, sheeting is done manually without a winch.

Topping Lif t

Topping lift holds the sail up when the halyard is eased, so it does not lay on the deck floor when reefed. A small sail would not need a topping lift. However, a practical larger sail would require one.

An excellent reference book for rigging is "Practical Junk Rig" by Hasler & McLeod.

Step 10: Testing and Final Notes

A big problem with this project was the testing. The sail was built in Romania -my land base when not cruising. This part of Europe has few sailboats. A land sailer, made from off-road skateboard wheels, was built specifically to test this rig.

It was difficult to find the right days to try the sail, as few days were windy. And harder still to find a suitable surface large enough, yet open to the wind.

On the day of the test, one of the wheel axle broke, due to poor welding. With a wheel missing, the rig was ballasted on only one side.

Included is a video made to show how well the Wing'soul reefs. There's the dry reef. Which the sail did excellent on. Then the entire sail was doused with a garden hose to simulate a rain squall. The wet reef was nearly as good as the dry one.

Have fun making the Wing'soul! Would love to hear how it works for you in the comments below!

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Soft wing-sails are the next generation of sails 

Why soft wing-sails .

Why do we keep using sails like the old Dutch windmills rather than wings like the modern wind turbines?

Why do we try to make the sails look like wings rather than using the real thing?

Why do we use sails, knowing that wings are more efficient in terms of driving force and upwind pointing?

​ As a fighter pilot and an enthusiastic sailor for long time, I discovered that there are lots of similarities between flying and sailing, such as driving a machine on fluids, no brakes, windage effects on the bow / stern, the propeller walk, etc., However, the most and remarkable similarity is the use of lift force .

Airplanes use lift force, created on the wing due to the air flow around it, in order to hold the airplane up in the air. Sailing boats can use the same lift force, created on the sails as their driving force.

The answer to the questions "why" above was to make Omer Wing-Sail which is a simple structure wing-sail , easy to use, reliable, and good for all cruisers / cruiser racers in any weather condition.

Extensive sailing with the Omer soft wing-sail, strongly convinced me  that wing-sails are the next step in the evolution of sails.

Omer Wing-Sail

Why free-standing mast?

The idea of a mast without wires is foreign to most people. It is hard to fathom how a sailboat mast can stand, all by itself, without something to hold it up. However, those airplanes that long ago got rid of the wires holding the wings on in exchange for a spar, fly very safely. No one really thinks that the wing spar is not strong enough, and that an  airliner wing will fall apart.

Unstayed masts are designed to take the heeling and sailing loads the same way wing spars take the loads of the airplane.

The unstayed mast is held up by two parts - the heel fitting and the deck fitting. It puts no downward compression loads on the hull, which makes for a lighter hull structure as well as saving chain plates,  shrouds, turnbuckles and other fittings.

There are already many boats sailing out there with free standing masts such as the Superyacht "Black Pearl" that has three 64 meter free standing masts and the "Dwinger" with its 63 meters long free standing rotating mast.

In order to be efficient in almost all wind directions, the wing-sail should be able to freely rotate into the wind and maintain it's 0°-10° angle of attack. A free standing rotating mast is the perfect solution.

Omer wing-sail design

​Omer wing-sail is based on a rotating A frame mast, that supports both sides of the wing, having an accurate wing cross section as well as high moment of inertia. 

The wing is made of three different sails: two main sails and one U shape leading edge sail. All three sails are sliding independently up and down the mast. When all three sails are hoisted, we get a wing that one can reef and drop down like any other conventional sail. 

With the same sails area, we get a 10%-15% faster boat while pointing higher. 

Main design differences between America's cup wing and Omer Wing-sail 

Omer Wing-Sail cross section

AC 40 wing and jib cross section

37' Omer Wing Sail Cruiser

37' omer wing sail racing (optional), america's cup ac40, patents granted: .

US 6863008, 7603958, 8281727

EU 1373064, 2404820

NZ 529216, 586805, 593939

AU 2002236181, 2008344923

SA 2010/04809

OMER Wing Sail Ltd. 

23 Hohit St. Ramat Hasharon,

Israel, 47226

Tel: +972-3-5401675  

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I slip it onto a Sunfish mast; a 2.25" diameter by 10' aluminum tube. Three sets of mast holes were drilled into the ribs, one at the center of pressure (lift) and 2 on either side for experimental purposes. Three feet of duck-under room was created by plywood doubling the appropriate rib hole for the mast to rest and pivot on. No downhaul was used. This is a nine pound wing for those concerned about leverage moment arms and tipping. Theoretically, the airfoil will have less air drag than the plain round mast, so allowing it to weather-vane should prevent most tip-over worries.

Twenty-four ribs were easily made in half a day. Slots were made in each for a pair of 1" x 0.25" x 10' pine stringers by drilling three 0.25" holes side by side, then cleaned up using a 10" mill bastard file. The ribs were then strung six inches apart and bonded with Gorilla glue. The location of the stringers isn't critical. In hindsight, the ribs could have been spaced a foot or more apart, allowing for a slightly lighter structure, and a faster build. A 1/16" plywood "X" shaped stub mast (main spar) supports the section above the aluminum mast in one of the alternate sets of mast holes.

If I have lost you, just look at the pictures. It's far from rocket science. The leading (LE) and trailing (TE) edges are simply Duck TapeT ala Mythbusters. Try to keep the surfaces smooth. Three overlapping strips on the LE, and one on each side of the TE is enough. The covering material came from 2 large packages of 3M heat shrink window insulation film. That's another $15. It was attached to the four outer edges using 2" wide clear packing tape. I bought extra double sided tape to stick the film to every rib as well. (On Piper Cubs, the fabric covering is sewn to each rib.) The strings in the pictures mimic airplane drag/anti-drag wires. I was hoping to reduce any twist and assure that all the bits would stay together in a catastrophic failure. It wasn't worth the bother. The wing is now complete except for some spiffy colored and checkerboard tape, and number decals. Looking cool is 50% of the effort.

I transported the wing to the lake on top of my Uncle Johns Skiff in the back of my pickup. The wind plasters it down to the boat gunwales and it rides along at highway speeds just fine. Two people are required to hang onto it though once at the boat ramp and exposed to the wind. It's a handful. Keep it pointed edge into the wind because it wants to fly. The mast is slid into the bottom rib until it hits the stop rib. Then by keeping the top of the wing facing into the wind, and allowing it to weather-vane as it is brought to vertical, it can be stepped into the boat. Do this when no one is looking.

The first day I tested the wing, there was no wind and I simply drifted into the middle of the lake. The second day I tried it, there was too much wind and a gust pick up the boat and knocked it over on the launch ramp, a testament to the strength of my mast step and dispelling the "less drag then the bare mast" theory. The third day, a tornado damaged my house. Fearful of any fourth attempt, I dry sailed it a couple times on the front lawn. Contrary to the extreme flimsiness, there is absolutely no twisting in any amount of wind. And as far as strength, I have yet to accidentally puncture the skin or break any internal bits & pieces, even after the wind tried to double it in half a couple times while off the mast.

I finally found a decent 6-8 mph wind day on a 2,400 acre oxbow lake that is silting in at 4 feet deep (great waves though). After rowing out, I attached a sheet to both ends of the bottom rib for control. There is no conventional 'feel' to a wing sail, so the only way to point it is to watch a wind vane attached to the stub mast. The wind vane rocked with the boat and wasn't a lot of help. The wing also had a tendency to flop long its center of gravity if both sheets were not held firm. I haven't tried the mast in one of the alternate holes yet. But once pointed into a direction that moved the boat (speed measured by calendar, not GPS), some conventional handling pressure could be felt.

Unfortunately for aerodynamic theory, the wing was at a negative angle of incidence when propelling the boat! The NACA 0012 generates lift between just 12 and 15 degrees to the apparent wind, not much margin. So as a rigid sailboat sail, it's the wrong airfoil without adding lift devices (flaps, slats, slots, jibs, etc.). Once we put on the usual Sunfish Mach II lateen sail, we rocketed up and down the lake at a blistering 2.5 to 5 knots like always (eighth season sailing this fun flatiron skiff).

At this point, I'll probably let my son try to hang-glide it off a small hill. I sailed on Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes 12 meter yacht (#56) in Cozumel Mexico last fall. I learned that when the wind isn't blowing, all sailboats handle exactly the same. The rigid wing sail is no exception, but it looks a whole lot cooler than a conventional polytarp sail!

Phil Frohne

Uncle Johns Skiff, 1974 Chrysler Buccaneer, Catyak

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Wingsail Yachts?

• By David Schmidt
• Updated: October 1, 2019

French design house VPLP is using its experience penning grand prix-racing sailboats, ­including the America’s Cup winner BMW Oracle Racing 90, to create an expedition-grade trimaran series from 130 to 260 feet. The Komorebi series will have a hybrid propulsion system with electric engines and fully automated wingsails—a first for expedition-level cruising.

Unlike rigid, film-paneled America’s Cup wings, VPLP’s Oceanwings use supporting carbon-fiber spars and (possibly ­photovoltaic) sailcloth that’s ­hoisted to create two-element wingsails.

While VPLP says it has several ­interested customers, to date the Komorebi concept exists only as lines plans and scale models. Marc Van Peteghem, VPLP’s co-founder, points to three main challenges in reaching this point: hoisting and lowering sailcloth, reefing, and wingsail trim, all of which will be tackled by automation.

The wingsail-powered trimaran platform should deliver less roll ­motion than catamarans and greater comfort and speed than monohull yachts. “A wing can work at every ­apparent wind angle—it’s one of [its] big strengths,” Van Peteghem says. “With no wind, only the engine will be used; up to a certain wind speed, both engine and wing will play together, and above [this wind speed] it could be only wingsail. It’s very flexible.”

Take the next step: vplp.fr

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Our ambition

WISAMO -Wing Sail Mobility- aims at contributing to maritime transport decarbonization, improving the environmental footprint of commercial ships through its innovative wind propulsion solution. 

Discover our wind-powered innovation to decarbonize maritime transport

Growth in maritime transport  has led the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to impose regulations requiring drastic reductions.

The 2023 IMO revised strategy strengthened levels of ambition to reach net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping “close to” 2050. GHG emissions must be cut at least 20% (striving for 30%) by 2030, and at least 70% by 2040  (vs. 2008).

New players are emerging to develop more climate-friendly wind propulsion solutions and accelerate the decarbonization of sea freight.

WISAMO, a MICHELIN innovation, develops an unic wind-powered solution offering ease-to-use, robustess and performance.

ENGINEERING the sustainable future of shipping

At the forefront of this new industry, WISAMO is engineered around three key features : an inflated fabric wingsail and a telescopic mast , raising and lowering automatically thanks to a digital control system .

As the telescopic mast unfolds, the fabric inflates via an integrated fan system. Thanks to our low-pressure technology, the wingsail keeps a completely symmetrical shape, avoiding any wind deformation and effectively absorbing shocks.

A telescopic mast consisting of several segments raises and lowers automatically. Its fully retractable design facilitates loading and unloading operations as well as passage under bridges.

A digital control panel allows you to raise or lower the wingsail automatically, without any human action. Sensors detect the wind direction and force to maximize performance and make it completely safe and easy to use.

UNIC technology

WISAMO is at the forefront of this new industry using the free, clean and inexhaustible energy of the wind to propel ships more sustainably.

The wingsail is a “plug and play” system, for all   type of vessel, including new builds   (Original Equipment) or existing vessel (Retrofit), with no impact for the crew and reducing their carbon footprint.

Based on 5 criteria, the Solar Impulse label is performed by external independent experts

WISAMO WINGSAIL AWARDED "SOLAR IMPULSE EFFICIENT SOLUTION" LABEL

In July 2023, our WISAMO wingsail is certified as an efficient solution for economic and clean growth with the Solar Impulse Foundation's label. Joining more than +1,000 projects in the world combining profitability and sustainability, WISAMO embodies now a vision of a society committed to a more sustainable world.

The Solar Impulse Efficient Solution label is the only label combining positive-impact companies for environmental protection and financial profitability. It supports WISAMO in its commitment to carbon-free shipping with a simple, effective solution.

Testimonials

WISAMO is a reality, it is an innovative wind propulsion solution developed by Michelin to help decarbonize maritime transport. ​

​ Gildas Quemeneur – Director WISAMO Michelin ​

WISAMO wingsail can fit any boat that is looking at using wind energy

Michel Desjoyeaux - French Navigator and WISAMO Technical Consultant

Got a question about WISAMO?

Interested in implementing the WISAMO wingsail on your vessel and want a free diagnostic?

Please get in touch with us.

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WISAMO is supported by the French government for the project France 2030.

Founded in 2018, the Conseil d’Orientation pour la Recherche et l’Innovation des Industriels de la Mer (aka CORIMER) to finance innovative maritime projects.

Discover more on https://corimer.fr/

Provides wings for a shipping revolution

Wind propulsion - harvesting a free and renewable energy source.

Innovative Swedish technology makes it possible to power even the largest vessels by wind. Wallenius and Alfa Laval have joined forces to supply wind propulsion to existing and newbuilt vessels, which could use it as wind assist or fully sailing.

The stiff wing sails resembles air plane wings rather then the tall ships from the past. It is a robust solution with high efficiency. Thanks to our strong mother companies, we can have a long-term perspective with focus on quality, safety and performance, and a global service network.

The wind helped us discover our planet – now it can help us preserve it

Stay up to date

Tirranna is bringing her wing foundation to docking

The foundation that will connect the wing sail with Tirranna, is currently laying in place on the vessel´s deck. In about a month, it will…

A bird with six wings

The fully sailing vessels from the Oceanbird concept have taken several forms since its creation but are now getting closer to the final design. The…

Assembly is about to begin

The first big parts to the full-scale wing prototype, have arrived at the shipyard Oresund Drydock in Landskrona, southern Sweden. Assembly will soon begin, which…

Key figures

1920 tons co2.

saved every year with only one Oceanbird wingsail on existing vessel, on ocean-going routes.

40 metres height above deck

but still the same performance as previous wing design

can be carried in the cargo hold of the first vessel from the Oceanbird concept

will the first wing sail be installed onboard a vessel

The future started long ago

Thousands of years have passed since we learnt to harness the wind so that ships could travel faster and further. Oceanbird is about revolutionizing technology that will put an end to the era of fossil-driven cargo ships in maritime transport.

And history is being made right now

Oceanbird is a result of over a decade of determination, pioneering spirit and successful partnerships. From the early sketches to forming a new company. This is our story – so far.

Oceanbird in the news

All articles

What is Oceanbird all about?

Everyone can dream, but to make dreams come true you need strength, perseverance and partnerships. Find out how we have ensured to be future proof.

The ZEN50 is a game changer. World’s first series production catamaran equipped with a wingsail, it defines a new distinctive class of its own, where genuine zero-emission meets high comfort and performance, limitlessly. 

Designed from scratch for ZEN Yachts by award-winning naval architect Julien Mélot , this full carbon catamaran is the ultimate essence of technology driven, high performance and luxurious, eco-friendly leisure yachting. 

The blue water capable ZEN50 lightweight racing carbon hulls are combined with a huge solar roof for an unrivaled solar power vs. displacement ratio above 1:1 (18 kW / 17 tonnes), making this yacht completely energy self-sufficient. A revolutionary, fully automated, wingsail - by Ayro© - can be added as a range and speed extender. The yacht’s high capacity battery bank powers a powerful silent electric propulsion, allowing the ZEN50 to achieve 14 knots and maintain high continuous speeds in unrivaled safety and comfort, indefinitely… 

The ZEN50 is offered with or without wingsail and comes in 3 main different versions: Racer, Cruiser and Explorer, each dedicated to a different usage and owner profile. We use these versions as a basis to define a final, bespoke specification for each of our valued clients and ZEN Community Members. Scroll down for more details, specifications and prices.

1st WINGSAIL series production yacht in the world!

The OceanWings32 - by Ayro© - was initially developed for Team Oracle, for the America’s Cup 2010 in Valencia. Over years, it has further been developed and automated by VPLP and was installed on Energy Observer in 2019. Two years of field feedback have allowed the Ayro team to fine tune the algorithm commanding the wingsail. The ZEN50 is the first series production leisure craft to be equipped with this fully automated wingsail. It is controlled at the touch of a finger on screens, is automatically adjusted and has several safety modes and features. The two parts of the wingsail can be hoisted and lowered independently and with the simple touch of a button. The wingsail OceanWings32 is the ideal complement for the solar roof for those wishing to cruise long distances off-shore with zero-emissions.

Greatest ratio SOLAR POWER / weight on the market

At 17 tonnes lightweight and 18,000 W of peak solar power, the ratio of the ZEN50 is at over 1 kW per displaced tonne of water or beyond 1:1 which is far beyond any other blue water CE Cat A yacht in this size range. Lots of solar power for little water to displace is the strong and healthy foundation the energy self-sufficient ZEN50 is built upon.

Performance CARBON sandwich hulls

The hulls of the ZEN50 have been designed from a blank screen for ultimate efficiency - understand minimum drag or minimal energy consumption for a range of speeds from 6 to 10 knots. Their shape is aggressive, sharp and slender. Their reverse bows cut through water like a sword cuts through butter and their curvature is reminiscent of graceful dolphin bodies. These hulls are undoubtedly of the performance type and are built with the best available composites: Carbon fibre and Corecell™. The combination of high strength, low weight and performance design allow the ZEN50 to reach speeds of up to 14 knots.

INFINITE range at high CONTINUOUS speeds

With maximized solar and wind power and minimized energy consumption… the ZEN50 can sail continuously at speeds varying between 6 and 10 knots. Thorough simulations in various sea states and weather system have consistently shown the ZEN50 will be able to achieve performance catamaran speeds continuously without using a genset. With the ZEN50, the world is your oyster and the wildest destinations are within your reach with this self-reliant vessel!

True ZERO-EMISSION operation

The first ZEN50 unit, whose construction started in March 2023, will not be equipped with a genset at all and will not have any fossil fuels onboard. The ZEN50 energy system with its very large capacity 160 kWh battery bank, has been designed to function for days in complete safety with minimal solar energy harvest and no wind. It is perfectly safe with no backup genset and operates 24/7 without any polluting emissions.

NO FUEL , no costs

Naturally, requiring no fuel to operate day in day out is great news for the environment, it is also fantastic news when sailing into remote areas where fuel bunkering might be near impossible or where the fuel quality might be an issue. Finally, it also makes a massive difference in this yacht’s costs of operation. Imagine the hundreds of liters of diesel saved over just a week, the obsolete engine maintenance schedules, the clogged filters and dirty tanks from another age… Welcome to a new burden-free, energy self-sufficient era, welcome to clean and graceful eco-yachting, welcome to ZEN Yachts.

Highest SAFETY & reliability

At ZEN Yachts, we have made some design choices to attain energy self-reliance with the ZEN50 that reduces the habitable volume in the hulls, similar to performance catamarans. Where we have not and will never compromise is on safety. Our main voltage system is 48V making it perfectly safe to work on. The level of redundancy of the batteries and solar panels is 10! The main electrical architecture is split in 2 so that should anything happen on 1 hull, the entire vessel can still operate normally. There are 2 independent helm stations and the ZEN50 is packed with special safety features, nonsubmersible compartments and we can even offer an in-depth practical course on safety equipment usage and management. Sailing with the ZEN50 is not only exhilarating and clean, it is ultra safe!

Unrivaled space & COMFORT

The ZEN50 offers the speeds of a performance catamaran, the comfort of a large motor yacht and the simplicity of an electric car. No less than 2 large day beds, 3 dining areas for over 10 people, 1 professional galley and 2 wet kitchens, 5 heads, up to 4 double ensuite cabins, 1 bunk double and 1 single together with both saloon and dining areas converting into extra sleeping areas, this is simply unrivaled on a 50 ft. catamaran. Add an electric tender, dive compressor, satellite internet, 2 helm stations (cockpit and flybridge), a solar roof that converts into a gigantic upper deck to enjoy the most epic sunrises and sunsets, welcome onboard the ZEN50!

SPECIFICATIONS

Main particulars.

• Length Over All: 15.7m

• Beam: 8.4m

• Depth Molded: 2.7m at midship

• Displacement (light) : 17 T

• Draft (design): 1.3m (4.3ft) incl. keel

• Passenger Capacity: 12

• Berths: 12 (4 x double + 2 x single + saloon)

• Building Material: Carbon Fiber - Corecell™ composite

• Certification: CE Cat A - Unrestricted with 12 persons

Note: Some of the above figures may vary between versions

PROPULSION & ENERGY

• Propulsion: 2 x 50 kW brushless DC motors

• Main Battery Pack Capacity: 160 kWh Lithium

• Solar Roof Peak Power: 18 kWp

• Wingsail: Oceanwings® OWS 3.2 by Ayro©

• Backup Battery Pack Capacity (Nav/Com/Wing): 5 kWh Lithium

• Main System Voltage: 48V - Low voltage for total human safety

• Accommodation Voltage: 110V or 220V

SPEED & RANGE

• Max. Speed on e-motor only: 10 kn

• Max. Speed on e-motor & Wingsail: 14 kn

• Cruising Speed for continuous operation - solar only: 4.5 - 5 kn

• Cruising Speed for continuous operation - solar and wing: 6 - 10 kn

• Cruising Speed day time: 8 - 10 kn

• Range Over 24 h: 180+ nm

Note: These values may vary between versions and sea / weather conditions

EQUIPMENT INCLUDED - RACER VERSION

• Integrated power management system

• Solar power & energy storage system

• Electric propulsion system

• By-wire steering system

• Helm stations at cockpit & flybridge

• Galley counters, storage, sink, oven, stove, fridge, freezer

• 4 en suite heads with enclosed shower, toilet, sink & faucet (in each head)

• All cabin furniture (as shown in layouts)

• Aft deck fixed dining table and aft sofa with collapsible back rest (as shown in layouts)

• Fore deck day bed and lateral seats (as shown in layouts)

• Outdoor marine cork decking / indoor saloon natural bamboo decking

• All cushions In/Outdoor upholstered with Sunbrella® fabric

• 6 deck hatches

• 2 x 500 liter (2 x 132 gal) fresh water tanks

• 2 x 100 liter approx. (2 x 26 gal) fresh water tanks + 1 fresh water pump

• 2 x 350+ liter approx. (2 x 92 gal) holding tanks

• Railings, cleats and fore deck trampolines

• Mooring equipment: 33 kg Rocna® stainless steel anchor + 50 m stainless steel chain 10 mm + 150 m nylon rope + e-windlass

• Regulatory navigation equipment including navigation lights & mast

• 2 x chart plotter 16”; 2 x VHF with DSC button

• Regulatory Life Saving Appliances

• Critical spare parts kit

Note: The above equipment is for the Racer version. Cruiser & Explorer versions carry additional equipment

ZEN50 Solar Wingsail Electric Catamaran - Solar Roof Layout

ZEN50 Solar Wingsail Electric Catamaran - Flybridge Layout

ZEN50 Solar Wingsail Electric Catamaran - Main Deck Layout - Asymmetric D (subject to changes)

ZEN50 Solar Wingsail Electric Catamaran - Cabin Layout - Asymmetric D (subject to changes)

ZEN50 Solar Wingsail Electric Catamaran - Cabin Layout - Asymmetric E (subject to changes)

SOLAR & WINGSAIL

OCEAN RACER

Solar power & Wing, basic configuration, navigation, safety, fridge, etc.

EUR 2 150 000

WORLD CRUISER

Solar power & Wing, well equipped with A/C and water maker

EUR 2 400 000

ARCTIC EXPLORER

Solar power & Wing ultimate configuration with all available options

EUR 2 650 000

Solar power, basic configuration, navigation, safety, fridge, etc.

EUR 1 700 000

CONTINENTAL CRUISER

Solar power, well equipped configuration with A/C and water maker

EUR 1 900 000

TROPICAL EXPLORER

Solar power ultimate configuration with all available options

EUR 2 100 000

Ready to reserve your ZEN50?

Want more information .

Inflated Wing Sails

La voile-aile gonflable, une aile souple, + simple + performante + user friendly, inflated wing sails (iws), laurent de kalbermatten, aviator and iws creator, edouard kessi, sailor and iws creator, based on paragliders and on inflatable aircrafts.

• A double skin forming a symetrical airfoil
• Fans placed inside the leading edge, stabilizing the sail’s shape for every wind conditions
• Free-standing and retractable mast located at the airfoil’s aerodynamic center

The IWS for yachts:

A soft and groundbreaking wing, the advantages.

• The sail flies vertically
• The NACA airfoil has been studied to develop a high driving force for a low righting moment
• Using a symetric airfoil allows to tack from one side to another without having to trim the sail shape
• The symetric airfoil is balanced and place itself in the best position to maximise the driving force
• The aerodynamic center stays stable in every wind condition
• This kind of sail could easily be driven by an automatic system

reduces effort on the boat:

• Shape control using the internal pressure
• no local stress
• better aging
• The wing flies vertically and does not create local stress inside the membrane (light sail cloth used for both ribs and the fairing)
• Little heel angle upwind
• Perfect for gigantic sails such as superyachts
• Free-standing, retractable and light mast hidden inside the wing
• Less leeway control needed, lighter keel and boat reinforcements
• A refined deck free of any hardware

IWS behaves like a muscle,

Stabilized by high internal pressure.

• No flapping
• No dynamic stress
• Spectacular absorption of the pitching effect
• Wing twist controlled by internal pressure

IWS sailplan

Is balanced around the mast:.

• No compression forces in the rigging which allows the use of a retractable mast
• No leech tension. The sheet is only used to adjust the wing in its best  angle
• The free-standing rigging allows gybing with the wing going forward around the mast, which makes the manœuvre a lot easier

IWS controls the sail area

By mast height:.

• Mast and sail expension varies according to the desired sail area
• Dropping the IWS is made by deflating the wing and retracting the mast
• The light boom, called “Nest” ® , is integrated inside the wing base and receives the part of the sail that has been dropped and deflated
• Being able to retract the mast allows a huge decrease in drag and pitch forces during motoring or while at the dock

is ideal for:

• Cruising Yachts purified from deck hardware and easier to sail.This type of rigging offers a brand new yachting philosophy
• Huge sails for passenger or cargo ships. With IWS, there is no more stress inside the sail cloth, the rig or the ship structure. This system would allow sail propulsion for this kind of vessel

the history

• prototype created using a Laser dinghy.
• International patent application.
• Comparison between a normal Laser dinghy and one with the IWS system.
• Performances and advantages validated.
• To analyse all the advantages of the IWS system, a 42m² wing has been built for a 5,5m one design boat. The retractable mast made out of 5 sections deploys up to 13m using a pneumatic system
• Test period is finished. The boat sails on lake Geneva and is at your disposal for sea trials
• Our experience aquired on the IWS proved that this system is very simple, efficient and user friendly

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• Sailboat Guide

Wing 25 is a 25 ′ 0 ″ / 7.6 m monohull sailboat designed by Colin Mudie and E. G. Van de Stadt and built by Robertson and Sons Ltd. and Tyler Boat Co. Ltd. starting in 1963.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

The original Colin Mudie design was modified several times since first introduced. Hulls molded by Tyler Boat Co.

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• About Sailboat Guide

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Middle East latest: UN nuclear watchdog 'concerned' Israel could target Iranian nuclear facilities in revenge attack

Israel says "we reserve the right to do everything in our power" after Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet meets to discuss how to respond to Iran's attack. But the UN's nuclear watchdog says it is worried Israel could target Iran's nuclear facilities.

Tuesday 16 April 2024 02:40, UK

• Israel-Hamas war
• Big picture: All you need to know about Middle East crisis after Iranian attack
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• Israel 'wants to carry out action against Iran coordinated with United States'
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• What Israel could do now and what its allies are saying: Here's the latest from our experts
• Alistair Bunkall analysis: Cameron not shy in message to Israel, but will they listen?
• Middle East 'is on the brink', UN chief warns
• Michael Clarke analysis: How all Israel's options for responding to Iran attack come with complications
• Podcast:  What happens next?

Iran's foreign minister has told his Chinese counterpart that Iran is willing to exercise restraint and has no intention of escalating the situation in the Middle East, according to Xinhua.

The Chinese state news outlet reported that Wang Li and Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke late on Monday about the regional tensions.

Mr Amir-Abdollahian said the UN Security Council did not respond strongly enough to Israel's attack on Iran's embassy building in Damascus and that Iran had the right to defend itself.

Mr Wang said China strongly condemned the attack on the Iranian diplomatic post, regarding it as a serious violation of international law.

"It is believed that Iran can handle the situation well and spare the region further turmoil while safeguarding its own sovereignty and dignity," he said in comments reported by Xinhua.

Iraq's prime minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani has joined calls for restraint in the Middle East.

He was speaking during a visit to the US for talks with various leaders, including Joe Biden, on Monday.

"In the spirit of partnership our views may be divergent about what’s happening in the region," Mr Sudani said through a translator as he sat next to Mr Biden in the Oval Office.

"But we agree certainly about the international law, the international humanitarian law and the responsibility to protect and the law of war, and we reject any repression against the civilians, especially women and children, and we encourage the commitment about respecting international norms and diplomatic missions."

Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Tamim, who co-chaired a meeting of the US-Iraq Higher Coordinating Committee with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, said Iraq was concerned about its region being "dragged into a wider war that will threaten international security and safety".

Iraq's own situation was also discussed - the US has welcomed Mr Sudani's economic reform plans but the influence of Iran-backed groups still raises concerns.

The US has 2,500 troops in Iraq helping local forces to prevent a return of Islamic State, which seized large parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014 before being defeated.

The United Nations nuclear watchdog chief says he is worried Israel could target Iranian nuclear facilities.

Israel's military chief said on Monday that his country will respond to last weekend's missile and drone attack by Iran, which was launched in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on Iran's embassy compound in Syria.

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said Iran closed its nuclear facilities on Sunday over "security considerations".

They reopened on Monday but IAEA inspectors were kept away "until we see that the situation is completely calm".

"We are going to resume tomorrow," Mr Grossi said on Monday.

"This has not had an impact on our inspection activity."

When asked about the possibility of an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, he said: "We are always concerned about this possibility."

He urged "extreme restraint".

The IAEA regularly inspects Iran's main nuclear facilities - Iran says its nuclear programme is peaceful but Western countries say Tehran is trying to make nuclear bombs.

Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the G7, is open to new sanctions against individuals engaged against Israel following the Iranian drone and missile attack, its foreign minister has said. 

"If we need to have more sanctions for people clearly engaged against Israel, supporting for example terrorism, supporting Hamas, it is possible to do it," Antonio Tajani told reporters.

"But we need to be very serious and to work all together."

G7 leaders have unanimously condemned Iran's attack on Israel and urged "restraint" on all sides to avoid the situation in the region escalating any further.

They spoke as part of an extraordinary meeting convened by Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the wake of the unprecedented attacks.

Exiled Crown Prince of Iran Reza Pahlavi has said the Iranian regime is "becoming weaker and weaker and [more] desperate by the minute". 

He told Sky's World With Yalda Hakim programme that "repression at home and aggression abroad is part and parcel of the [regime's] basic strategy". 

Mr Pahlavi said Iran spread propaganda after the attack on Israel to satisfy its base "but to the detriment of a nation that are the first victims of this regime". 

He argued that billions of dollars worth of weapons were "wasted" while Iranians are queuing for food, and that the regime "doesn't spend a dime on the needs of our society". 

"Iranians do not at all stand for what this regime stands for," he said.

Mr Pahlavi said the "ultimate solution" is for the regime to be ended and for the Iranian people to win freedom.

He calls on world leaders and decision makers to discuss the issue "seriously", saying they should invest in the "alternative to this regime". 

Two Palestinians have been killed today in the occupied West Bank province of Nablus, a local mayor has said. 

"About 50 settlers, a large number of them armed, attacked the residents of Khirbet al Tawil village east of Aqraba in the province of Nablus," said mayor Salah Bani Jaber. 

"They opened fire on the youth and this led to the death of two of the youth and the injury of others." 

The IDF earlier said its forces had killed a 17-year-old during a raid in Nablus. 

A spokesperson for Israel's Border Police said undercover border police troops, together with the Israeli army, launched an operation in the city of Nablus to arrest a suspect.

During the operation, riots broke out in which one person threw an explosive device at the troops and was shot dead by the undercover unit, the spokesperson said. 

By Dominic Waghorn, international affairs editor

Take the win, or strike back?

The question exercising Israeli minds in the wake of Iran's missile onslaught and the focus of intense debate here. The outcome will decide the immediate fate of this region. A return to shadow war, or all out escalation into something much more serious.

Joe Biden and other allies says Israel should bank a number of wins: Israel's military success repelling Iran's ballistic onslaught and its assassination of several high level Iranians in the Damascus consulate on 1 April blamed on Israel that precipitated Iran's retaliation.

And in the Israeli media there are others making a bigger point.  Ever since 7 October the steady process of rapprochement between Israel and former Arab allies has been in doubt.  Saturday night showed it's alive and well.

We don't know the details but a number of Arab states helped Israel either shoot down Iran's missiles or let in Israeli jets to do so.

There are passionate arguments being made here that that coalition effort is a template for the future. Its proponents argue Israel should build on the unprecedented cooperation from former enemies not jeopardise it.

But the hawks reject that.

"When a bully tries to hit you 350 times and only succeeds seven times, you've NOT won," tweeted former prime minister Naftali Bennett in a long screed calling for immediate action against Iran.

Many here can't accept that Israel is safer because it was helped on one night to avert a well telegraphed threat that took hours to reach Israel. They say Iran must be deterred from ever trying to do the same again.

"How DO you deter?" Mr Bennett asks. "By exacting a deeply painful price."

So while Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer and Joe Biden all say restraint is in Israel's best interests, many here are not convinced. Israelis are wary of outsourcing their security to others. The history of the Jewish people has shown tragically where that has failed in the past.

So while the world fears any Israeli retaliation that could plunge the region into a deepening and widening conflict, some in Israel say its long term security requires immediate action that could risk doing just that.

Reports suggest the hawks are prevailing in government. It is not a question of if Israel will retaliate, more when and what.

The hope would be for a goldilocks option, not so hot it risks all out regional war, but also not so cold it fails to land a punch deterring Iran from doing the same again.

Not easy in this volatile region.

Iranians have gathered in Tehran to celebrate their country's attack on Israel last weekend. 

Iran launched more than 330 drones and missiles at its rival in retaliation for an attack on its consulate in Syria. 

Israel has delayed its plans to move ahead with a ground offensive on Rafah after it was subjected to an unprecedented Iranian rocket attack over the weekend, according to reports.

The Jewish state's air force was set to begin dropping leaflets on parts of Gaza's southernmost city, however those plans were paused, according to CNN citing Israeli sources.

Heated debate was reportedly sparked in Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet over how to respond to Tehran's attack on Saturday night.

Disagreement between members seems to be over the speed and the degree of the response, with all determined to retaliate, but disagreeing on the particulars.

Among the options that are being considered is a strike on an Iranian facility that would send a message, but would avoid causing casualties, according to one Israeli official.

International pressure on the Israeli government to de-escalate the already dangerous situation in the region, is also said to be playing a part in deciding the severity of the response.

Israel's allies have branded Iran's attack a failure, saying it didn't manage to hit its intended targets. 

The White House hit out at suggestions Iran had purposefully failed, and said Tehran had intended to cause serious destruction. 

Our security and defence analyst Professor Michael Clarke takes us through... 

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