Yea that’s not including the 30 or so sail designs that didn’t work out so hot, took a lot of years to get it all right, but it was an absolute blast figuring it all out. Never did make the 8” thick furlable wing main sail that I designed in 2014. I designed a jointed wing main last year, but am still waiting feedback from some wing experts like Tom Speer, on how to best proceed. I have the new hull designed. Which will still revolve around the TI platform. The new hull will be a drop in slipper, where the TI kayak drops into the slipper easily. To use the kayak alone just lift the hull out, and leave the AMA’s and sailing rigging back at the campsite, ( the TI kayak by itself is by leaps and bounds faster and better than any kayak we have ever owned). The new hull will be a foam glass planing hull design about 23 ft long, shooting for 18-20lbs weight, ( last hull mod weighed 9 lbs), (most of the extral length will be forward of the mast, ( my last hull design had a serious pitchpole and diving problem). The stern will be squared off around 28” wide. Still need to work out a stronger rudder design. The boat with AMA’s out will be the same 12-13 ft wide, (same as current, which is just about right for the craft). Hobies AMA design itself ended up being way better than anticipated, ( good job Hobie). The last design had around 700-750 lb load capacity, this one will be 900 plus lbs weight capacity. The AKA bars will be lengthened again, but this time I will strengthen the AKA bars considerably. Starting out I will still be using the hybrid Honda’s, ( but I won’t be souping any extreme Honda’s anymore, ( not my goal). Once I get the wing sail efficiency up to 60% of my power requirements with my new wing designs, ( currently only around 35% to 40%) I should be able to convert to solar,battery, electric propulsion, (all the details on the electronics have already been worked out). Last design had upwind cruise speed around 10mph in very light winds, and got around 80mpg. Next solar/electric design, ( once all the wing designs are worked out), will cruise 12mph upwind, ( in around 5mph winds) with a completely unlimited range, ( if the sun is shining it goes), with ample battery backup of course. Since we live in Florida sunshine is 80% to 90% of the time down here, and we don’t go out at all in winds over 7mph, ( personal preference). Obviously the boat will handle much more than that, ( it will be fully hardened for offshore use), but that’s just in case we get caught out there, ( which happens a lot). Of course it will still be a pedal boat, the last design with 2 strong peddlers with the wing, (no motors) we could peddle a mile or two at around 7mph, but got pooped out, ( I’m not an athlete by any stretch of the imagination). The new design I’m shooting for 8-9 mph upwind in very low winds for around 5-10 miles, (with no motors at all) utilizing my wing tech. Obviously it will still be a full blown very efficient sailboat on all other points of sail. The old design was 25% human power, around 30% to 35% wing sail power, with the rest from supplemental propulsion. The next design will be 25% human power, 50% to 60% wing power with the rest from supplimental power. Obviously we all know the turbo fins give up the ghost at around 8-9mph, but the flow-90 eclipse fins provide useful propulsion up to 12mph, ( that’s why my cruise speed will be 12mph). With 7-8mph natural headwind, ( upwind close reach, around 20 deg off the wind) plus my 12mph forward speed makes the wind on my face 20mph while underway. The 150 sq ft wing will have plenty horsepower. The new wing designs will also work much better on all the other points of sail as well. Everything is designed, I think it will be the best solar/tripower rig out there, lol everbody else I’ve seen is doing human/solar electrics that do 4mph, ( a total joke in my mind, and a huge wasted effort). My back is all better now, I can’t wait to get back at it, ( this kind of stuff is fun for me). But to be perfectly honest, I love designing the stuff, workin all the details out, that part is all done now. However being fully retired now on just social security. I will never get the money together to even buy just the boat itself. Making all the rest is very simple, the hull mod is around $400 in materials, the new main wing costs will be around $500 to build, I still have my old Honda’s, but the two 403 Torqeedo drives, batteries, and solar panels are still very expensive, ( way more than I have). The rest of everything is only a few hundred bucks in materials, all easily built in my garage shop. To be honest to myself, I won’t be doing anymore, it was a blast designing everything, but that’s as far as it’s gonna go. Hopefully someone else will now take the ball and run with it. It’s been a blast. FE
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