Design

Total design

from Megaptera novaeangliae – the ‘big- International 14 guru and one of Oracle Racing’s ‘masters winged New Englander’, otherwise known of execution’, Paul Bieker has just launched another rather as the humpback whale. A look through the portfolio of Riptide brilliant all-round design. Dobbs Davis has the story… designs reveals a common theme: fast boats, modern features and construction, Most of what usually goes into a Seahorse and production support projects. These plenty of sail area, but also lots of stability Design feature represents the latest and range from structural hull and appendage and creature comforts, whether racing or greatest thinking in either traditional fully design for Oracle Racing’s AC31, 32, 33 cruising. In fact, the Riptides could be crewed inshore/offshore raceboats, or their and 34 yachts, and the wing-lifting system viewed as modern interpretations of Bill shorthanded oceanic equivalents. We usu- for the giant USA 17, to new daggerboards Lee’s famous ‘Fast is Fun’ maxim that ally examine subtle nuances in design, and centreboards for Wild Oats XI and a revolutionised offshore racing over 30 equipment choice and/or materials used to passenger conversion package for Oracle years ago and kept a boat design and build demonstrate how a slight performance Racing’s Version 5 ACC monohull USA culture sustained nicely 900 miles down edge will be achieved over the boat’s con- 76. They are also active in the commercial the coast for over 20 years (and may have temporary rivals. And more often than not shipping world, designing and engineering still been going had not Silicon Valley this edge can only be realised by another a carbon composite foil-borne passenger wealth spilled over into sleepy Santa Cruz). key component to the project: the highly ferry, a freezer plate installation on a Into this culture comes a seemingly dedicated and trained professional sailor. factory fishing trawler, and providing unlikely client. Mike Schoendorf is an But rarely do we have the pleasure of CAD lofting for various commercial boats. attorney from Milwaukee, the home of reviewing a design concept and its full- This breadth of experience has allowed Harley-Davidson and a prime example of scale expression that fits a rather rare the Biekers to think outside the box when a mid-sized, mid-American manufacturing niche, that of an endangered species it comes to designing solutions to meet the city whose prosperity rose in the late among yachtsmen: the gentleman racer. needs of their clients as well as taking orig- industrial age and has been more or less But what does this mean – some character inal approaches to solving thorny prob- coasting on that fame ever since. Milwau- wearing a bowler as a caricature of a 19th- lems. An example of this is Paul’s rudder kee has a small but active local yachting century yachtsman? Actually, no – in fact, tubercles, an interesting approach to scene, with a reasonable diversity of boat it’s a term that may apply to more of us reducing high-speed rudder ventilation types based locally, but in many ways it than you would think. through clever design. Drag is increased acts as a northern chapter of the much Seattle-based naval architect Paul Bieker somewhat with the large serrated bumps larger racing scene in Chicago, 100 miles and his partner Eric Jolley come from a on the top half of the leading edge, but to the south and on the same west side of high-performance pedigree, where their stall angle is increased and, in the case of America’s largest and most populous International 14 designs are legendary in rudder arrangements that are likely to inland sea, Lake Michigan. the world of planing dinghies. But many ventilate easily, the vortices caused by the That said, the most active raceboats in people may not know how their business tubercles at large angles of attack act a Milwaukee will race both locally and in has evolved to include numerous custom little like fences, reducing ventilation and the big events in Chicago, make the occa- and semi-custom offshore-capable racers subsequent flow detachment. sional race across the lake, and race yearly and cruisers from 25 to 55ft (most with the Like many in the granola-friendly in the region’s annual offshore pilgrimage, brand Riptide), plus an impressively wide Pacific northwest, they say they found the 300-mile Chicago-Mackinac Race. It is and diverse array of design, engineering their inspiration in nature, in this case in these distance races where Schoendorf

42 SEAHORSE was looking for a new platform. Like many positioned in outboard tanks that when of us, he grew up in offshore sailing crewing heeled not only places this weight centred on various old IOR boats with friends and about over the bulb, but positions it closer family, with lots of miles both raced and to the CG of the boat rather than out on cruised on the lakes. He then took an the bulb. So in waves the boat actually interest in smaller high-performance boats, pitches less with this feature. Water ballast and from then on did not want to go back to is 850kg a side with a gravity-transfer the lead mines of the past. system. Bieker reckons water is needed at Schoendorf was introduced to Bieker in about 8kt of wind with a reduced crew. Seattle by a mutual friend who knew that he was in the market for a new design… Rig one that provided for an efficient transfer The fractional rig employs high-modulus of increased wind pressure into dynamic carbon throughout, designed and con- forward kinetic energy without increasing structed by Southern Spars. The rig is also Above: Bieker’s rudder tubercles act to system complication. Schoendorf got to provide better control for a given foil size. two-part, using a regatta splice for ease of know Bieker and his design concepts by Left: hard chines allied to relatively soft aft shipping. The design includes two sets of visiting Seattle and racing on DarkStar, sections ensure that for such a powerful spreaders, EC6 carbon standing rigging; 2:1 Olympic gold medallist Jonathan McKee’s design Paul Bieker’s latest offshore main halyard, two masthead chute halyards Riptide 44 built by Ian Franklin in creation still slides along easily in light air (one set up as a 2:1 Code 0 halyard) and Christchurch, New Zealand in 2001. The two fractional jib halyards with locks. The DarkStar sailing experience provided the Systematic research was conducted for main is hoisted on a roller-bearing Battcar impetus to continue the design dialogue all procurement requirements for con- system with take-offs in place for lazy jacks that started in the autumn of 2008. struction and sailing. After an analysis of for shorthanded cruising. Bieker then visited the Great Lakes to cost and available technology, concrete Notably the main and topmast deflector get a feel for the Chicago-Mackinac Race, decisions were made system by system to clutches are mounted on the mast itself to and he sailed with Schoendorf in the 2009 stay within the design and budget parame- prevent the transfer of shock loadings to edition to better understand the type of ters. A schedule was developed and bids the deck. Finally, the forestay set-up experience Schoendorf was after. After from vendors were solicited to verify cost attaches to a chainplate using multiple sharing a few brewskis during design and delivery requirements to launch the length strops for rake adjustment. sessions a five-point matrix was developed boat in the autumn/winter of 2012. to guide the detail of the new design: Key team members were now also Standing rigging 1. The boat needed to be safe and sound engaged to perform their own holistic The original design choice was for rod for ocean offshore racing. analysis of the project. These core sailors standing rigging with Kevlar backstays, 2. The boat needed to have planing would form the initial crew of Blue and so but composite rigging was revisited when capability in high-medium wind speeds would reap the benefits of their attention Southern offered a very competitive new while keeping a balance and capability for to the design and build. package including EC6 (Element C6 cables effective upwind sailing. are constructed from bundles of small- 3. The boat needed to be sailed efficiently Construction diameter pultruded carbon-fibre rods). with eight or fewer solid sailors who are Hull and deck were constructed on male The finished rig includes twin topmast not necessarily of grand prix calibre. moulds at Jim Betts’ facility in Anacortes, backstays to accommodate a squaretop 4. The boat should be fun to sail with WA, alongside the Riptide 35 MkII. main, with the deflectors pulling the back- uncomplicated sailing systems and no Laminates are carbon sandwich using stay into the hounds when desirable. The hydraulics. Divinycell core. Blue has a powerful hull Kevlar backstays themselves go to 3:1 5. The boat should be comfortable and shape with hard chine almost stem to stern purchase system led to cabintop winches. practical for offshore racing, after-racing and water ballast of 850kg each side with rest, after-race social time as well as gravity-transfer system. Other features Sails during delivery to and from race venues. include twin carbon steering wheels, twin A diverse North Sails inventory includes a Using the above design goals a budget rudders, a 2.3m prod with dual tacklines, squaretop main, no2 and no3 jibs in 3Di, was decided upon and a first rendering of a interior room for eight bunks, plus a com- with 3DL used for the no1 and no4. A 14m yacht was developed by Bieker. After prehensive Harken hardware package with comprehensive offwind inventory consists honest budget discussions the impract- liberal use of soft shackles rounded out of A0, A1/3 and A2. icality of sailing a high-performance 14m with a suite of Spinlock XX rope clutches. Blue has one final progressive innova- boat with eight people became apparent; tion… the boat’s programme is the basis the LOA of the design was duly reduced to Interior for a new non-profit corporation founded 12.5m. The design was further refined Bieker’s upbringing in the Pacific north- to raise money to provide clean drinking over the following two years after collabo- west meant time spent both racing and water to those in the world without it. So ration and further sailing. Requests for cruising, so he has a realistic feel for what every time Blue goes racing there will be a builder bids were placed with four yards in works without unnecessary compromise to further modest contribution to Blue H2O the autumn of 2011. each purpose. To fulfil the design brief full Inc. The term ‘high-performance gentle- One of Schoendorf’s crew, Eric Cooper, headroom was required and adequate man racer’ thus seems the perfect moniker suggested an overall project management space for creature comforts for at least six for this project: enjoyable and refined and system to help guide both the process of on the race team. The functional modern with thought for others less fortunate. building the boat and the sailing pro- interior layout also shows a clear focus on gramme. Organising and sharing data keeping weight in the right place, close to Owner’s verdict would be accomplished using Google the boat’s CG, not off to an end. ‘My first impression after our initial trial is Drive. At the centre of the process was that Blue is strong, pretty and playful. She creating a workbook with all the necessary Ballasting has great feel and balance. Certainly a budget categories including hull, sails, rig, With the tremendous sail area needed for skiff-like feeling in 25-30kt. I’ll probably deck hardware, mooring and anchoring, performing in the predominant light air of never experience a first sea trial like that safety equipment, navigation, electronics, the Great Lakes, more stability is needed again. And I’m very pleased with the galley equipment, launch, running rigging, for when the wind blows without having interior; she will be comfortable to deliver transportation and crew gear. to pile on crew weight. So water ballast is and sleep on... and functional to race.’  SEAHORSE 43