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Keith:
My TI is modded and configured to handle big water (offshore). I just don't like to go out in heavy seas and high winds as a matter of preference. I've had the boat out in 25mph winds and 4ft seas a few times, the boat can handle it, it's just I can't mostly because of my bad back, and I don't enjoy getting wet and cold in the winter.
The boat was widened to 12 ft on purpose so I can show way more sail in higher winds (no need to furl the main anymore because I can no longer bury my AMA's, even on a broad reach in 15mph winds. Another advantage to widening the boat is it lifts the AMA's out of the water (because the AKA bars are angled), it's only a few inches but it's nice to have the AMA's out of the water in no wind and just pedaling.
The bow sprit was added to kick the bottoms of the foresails out forward 2 more feet (the main on the TI is mounted too far forward). The problem with that is if you are going downwind with a spin and the main, or the main and big jib in batwing (one sail to each side), the bow dives underwater (what I call nautilus mode). With the foresails tilted they create lift on the bow, and lift the bow out of the water.
The tramps and spray skirts were re-enforced so we can walk around on them with scuba tanks on, and they are now strong enough that your butt doesn't drag in the water when sitting on them.
Actually my next project is to make some Foamcore Hakas (like surfboards). Now the boat is a foot wider on each side, there is room for HAKA's outboard of the tramps. I think they would be great for coolers and gear storage. Of course the trick will be to design them strong and light enough to be able to sit on them (I'm shooting for 7lbs ea) maybe ten inches wide.
The aluminum framework on the bow was added to strengthen the bow so it can support bigger foresails, and prevent the front hatch from leaking when the boat flex's (FYI,,, it flex's a lot).
The rear of the hull was modified to add a little extra flotation (around 80-100 lbs flotation, because we often overload the boat). The mod also converts the hull to a semi-planing type hull vs displacement. The stern goes under at around 12mph without the mod (plus the Hp requirements go up exponentially), Plus it's pretty hard to move the bow wave (the displacemend wave that buries the stern) out back behind the boat a few feet without the mod. When planing you still get the wave, but it occurs a few feet behind the boat (I doesn't hurt you back there (if you look behind a powerboat you can clearly see the wave. This is also why the stern swamps when you slow down, it's the wave catching up with you.
The AMA safety lines were added because as your speed capability increases (by adding more sails), so do the water forces on the AMA's when you hit waves and boat wakes. On a stock Island you never see those speeds so it's not a problem. However if your traveling 15-20 mph and you hit a boat wake or wave, the AKA sheer bolts snap every time.
The wing jib was added because wing sails are 1/3 more efficient vs regular sails, with the added benefit being the heeling force (the force always trying to tip you over) is only 1/4 that of a conventional sail. Before adding the wing jib, I had a similar sized jib (around 30 sq ft (the wing is 33sq ft). The problem I had was on a 90 degree reach in 12 mph or more winds with full sails out, the AMA would go completely underwater unless you hiked out on the tramps (more side force than the boat was designed for). With the wing there is very little side force (I've shown videos of this). Actually in 12mph or more winds I can go close to the same speeds with just the jib as I could with just the main out, kepping the main furled) (I've shown videos of that also). In other words that 33sq ft wing has equal power to a 90 sq ft main. Actually when it gets really nasty I usually furl the main completely, and just sail with the wing jib (it's been tested up to 30mph winds).
All the above was done to improve the regular sailing ability of my TI, plus the spinnaker for downwind. In that configuration the boat is a regular sailboat no different from any other, with the sails as the primary power source.
The boat is quite capable in all normal sailing conditions, and all points of normal sailing. In regular sailing mode I have to follow all the same rules as everyone else, and obviously can't sail directly into the wind (no different from any other sailboat (about 30-35 degrees off the wind is as close as I can get upwind in regular sailing mode).
Now the next part is where my boat differs from any other sailboat on the planet. In addition to all the regular sailing methods described above, the boat has an additional mode available. This is called the Tri-power mode (human, sail, hybrid propulsion). 40% of my power requirements come from the wing sail, 40% from the supplimental hybrid propulsion (either hybrid gas or solar/battery electric), then the remaining 20% comes from human power (me peddling my wonderful mirage drive), with two strong peddlers I can eliminate the Hybrid supplimental propulsion but we become exhausted in a few miles (the reason for the supplimental propulsion is because I'm no super athelete, and never will be.
When the boat is in tri-power mode it creates it's own apparent wind, so the actual wind speed and direction means very little, actually the boat works just fine in almost no wind at all since it creates it's own apparent wind. I can easily sail almost directly into the wind and I usually do because that's my best point of sail. It's no different from a piper cub airplane, the wings provide no propulsion, the engine and prop provides the propulsion, if the engine quits you fall out of the sky, with my boat if I stop peddling the boat stalls and stops. The sails are no longer the primary propulsive force, actually they become just power amplifiers similar to the way an air conditioner or heat pump works (an AC unit or heat pump takes the cool (or heat) out of the air and amplifies it). The wing takes the 6-8 mph air rushing over it, accelerates, aligns, and organizes the passing air and directs it over the back side of the mainsail, basically forcing the mainsail to do work in conditions where it would normally just be luffing and doin nothin.
The reason I don't go out in higher winds is because I don't have to. I can go out in perfectly flat water and very light winds (even no wind at all (there never is no wind at all, I mean when I say no wind is actually 2mph wind (otherwise known as irons). Regardless of conditions the boat averages 8-10 mph and I get a pretty consistant 100mpg. Next generation (gen2) will average 10-12 mph and get 100 mpg average, then gen 3 will get 150 mpg and still cruise at 10-12 mph average. Obviously with more wind it does better, however as wind increases you get deminishing return, and It's probably a good idea to raise the engines and switch back to regular sailing mode, with the sails as primary propulsive force.
I only invented the crap so I can easily get my 15 peddling miles in every week in the normal really light winds around here without roasting in the hot sun for ten hours, now days im in and out of the water in a couple hours, and never overheat in the normal 90 deg plus hot sun that we have down here most of the year.
What I have serves my specific purpose, and is of no interest to anyone else, I only write about it because it's kinda cool.
Thats my story and I'm sticking with it.
FE
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