Veteran Member ????

[Tony B]

I just noticed that my social status on here is listed as "Veteran Member".

That reminds me of what Groucho Marx once said. "I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member".

Ta Ta

 

[markpierce]

Check with one of the moderators.* He could change your title to one that doesn't suggest membership.* Would you hang around then?

 

[Tony B]

Actually, I am one that doesn't suggest anything. I just ask.
Hmmmmmmm, maybe I've been on welfare too long.

BTW, what are those funny lookin' red things on top of your boat? Is that considered cross-dressing?

LMAO.

Regards

Tony B

 

[Tony B]

Mark

BTW, when I finally do get a trawler, I might end up doing some calculations and see what it would take to get some wind assistance. It really don't take much of a steady breeze to move a boat.

 

[markpierce]

Tony, check out http://www.trawlerforum.com/t44036882/steady-sailsdo-they-work/

 

[Tony B]

Thanks Mark

I left a comment there.
I am thinking that maybe I could do something like your set-up. Turn it into a motor sailer. It all depends on how the cabin is made. I would have to have a structural member just behind the center of lateral resistance - which is easy to find. After that it's simple. It would steady the boat out under power and also assist the power. Then I could look really cool like you, well almost.
Somehow, buying an older boat like I would be looking at, a set of sails and a mast would be low on my prioprity list.

 

[Tidahapah]

Tony B,
For wind assist you can allways look at a parachute, especially for smaller boats.
A 28 ft para will pull a boat along at a few knots.
They sell for a couple of hundred dollars.
Worth looking at.

 

[markpierce]

Tidahapah wrote:
Tony B,
For wind assist you can allways look at a parachute, especially for smaller boats.
A 28 ft para will pull a boat along at a few knots.
They sell for a couple of hundred dollars.
Worth looking at.

*Have you used a parachute?* Has anyone here used a parachute?* I can imagine many negative scenarios.

 

[waterhawk]

markpierce wrote:Tidahapah wrote:
Tony B,
For wind assist you can allways look at a parachute, especially for smaller boats.
A 28 ft para will pull a boat along at a few knots.
They sell for a couple of hundred dollars.
Worth looking at.

*Have you used a parachute?* Has anyone here used a parachute?* I can imagine many negative scenarios.

markpierce, your boat is awesome and love the 'cross-dressing' too, it looks like a real solid vessel (will work towards something like that) ...

re: parachute,,* was just thinking something similar the other day, was watching these land racers drive around desert with a big kite.**

I haven't seen it on boats either, but a parachute/kite concept 'seems' doable, benefit being you could reduce lateral tension on a mast, probably might not even need a mast of very much height...

But, you would have to have a way to collapse* and retrieve the parachute/kite....

but cool idea to toss around...


-- Edited by waterhawk on Saturday 23rd of July 2011 09:27:04 PM

 

[markpierce]

My sails are useful with winds*for 270-degrees and can be furled or adjusted in a few moments.* A parachute would only be useful with the wind well aft.* With sails, the center of effort*is much lower than a parachute (the boat will lean less).* *If the apparent wind drops to nothing, my sails are just limp and don't collapse on the water.* Unlike a parachute, sails don't increase the boat's footprint.

 

[waterhawk]

found these guys, looks really cool!!

http://inhabitat.com/power-your-boat-with-kites-wind-power-by-kiteship/

http://www.kiteship.com

*

 

[Tidahapah]

Guys , here is a link to some photos and info on parachute sailing.

http://parachuteshop.com/sailing_downwind_with_a_parachut.htm

I am seriously interested as an emergency power system, where the requirement is not strict but just to get movement as long as it is away from any danger.

 

[markpierce]

Tidahapah wrote:
...*but just to get movement as long as it is away from any danger.

*Doesn't look like it would help keeping off a lee shore.

 

[Tony B]

I am not a world cruiser but have sailed the Carribbean and crossed the Gulf several times and can tell you this....... This sounds like a coold idea but it will probably get most people in trouble.
If you wind assistance, figure out where you center of lateral resistance is - which is easy and then figure out how to put up a mast. Then get a boom and some sails and you have a motor sailer. You don't want a really tall mast like a sailboat because that will eventually roll your boat over on a good wind. You just want something to help with powering the boat. A mast and real sails will give you some maneuverability also. With a not so big mast and not so big sails the stress on your anchoring points for your mast and stays (cables supporting the mast) will still be great but not as great as a real sailboat. There is no reason that it shouldn't work.
But a parachute....only in open water with no one else around and only downwind it might be fun and it might be more work than you want. It's definitely not for me. If it had any practical value, it would have been invented before the sailboat configurations we now have today.

 

[RED]

parachute; as long as you have a mast, MP, there is this funny thing sailors call a spinnaker! Can be rigged with a douser, and can be cut into what is called a gennaker- an asymmetircal spinnaker. As long as you are going to sail, why not go all the way...

 

[skipperdude]

www.skysails.info/index.php?id=472&L=

Don't know about a set up for a small boat* This looks do able.

Sory this came out in German The pics will give you the idea

SD

*


-- Edited by skipperdude on Monday 25th of July 2011 10:56:00 AM

 

[markpierce]

RED wrote:
... parachute; as long as you have a mast, MP, there is this funny thing sailors call a spinnaker! Can be rigged with a douser, and can be cut into what is called a gennaker- an asymmetircal spinnaker. As long as you are going to sail, why not go all the way...

*A spinnaker is controlled by three lines: a halyard for hoisiting/lowering and two sheets attached to the clews.* Contrarily, a parachute attached at one point and*places a much greater load than the spinnaker where the load is spread out.* Also, a spinnaker's sheets are attached to the hull, thus lowering the center of effort.* Further, the spinnaker is more controllable and*can be used in a wider range of wind directions, about 180 degrees.** Still, a fair-sized mast would be needed.

 

[markpierce]

skipperdude wrote:
www.skysails.info/index.php?id=472&L=

Don't know about a set up for a small boat* This looks do able.

*

*Those are parasails which have certain advantages over the traditionally-shaped parachute.* Still, they are something I*wouldn't want*to deal with.