M1 Photos?

[Guest]

Still massive!

 

From memory was 13ft6in with a trim tab and only a 840kg Thompson 30 bulb when the last idiots had it.

 

But then we did crash it so bad the lewid water balast tanks were 3/4 full when we got it back on its feet.

 

Still the greatest downhill rides around.

[Adrianp 120]

840kg on a 45 footer - nice

 

Hey Bull can you give us a rundown on some of the other things you did with her -like the wings?

 

The new paint job on the new boat looks awesome too by the way.

[Guest]

Well that could be a shaggy dog story really. It certainly kept Gary P out of mischief for some years and caused x- wives and bank managers alike some consternation (both now retired).

 

 

 

By the time I got M1 out of the states she had been rolled bowled and arseholed. 3 transpacs, dropped two rigs and had the keel torn out when it hit a reef with a kite up at 20knots. Apparently the boys were having a beer after the finish of a long island race, got to close to the reef, keel was left upright in the reef, boat lights up without the keel, goes about 100m out of control before rolling out to weather.

 

 

I got her back here mid 90’s and just sailed and enjoyed her, kept Starlight and the Grader honest if it was a reach or run.

 

 

Had grown up in and engineer/propellerhead house, so by then dad and I had re-faired a 727’s appendages, re-keeled a 930, I had put a trim tabed, telescopic to 14’ keel on Midnight Oil (E11)so it was just a matter of time really before M1 got some attention.

 

Bellow is the inspiration I guess, from circa 1970. The old man having spent a year or so of nights in his man cave out it came. It is a single A Class hull and extended rig fitted with foils as near as damit the same config as Hydroptere has, although foils not adjustable on the move. Had an adjustable T rudder to keep the stern down if trying to trip, lifted the front of the hull at speed plenty of stability on the move, tricky to start, but went pretty well.. Sailed 3-4 times, proved the theory, and he was always going to build the real thing.

 

 

 

Back to M1 we break M1 one day, so out she comes and we start the mods design. The thought process went like this, similar to bellow, not to try to lift the boat but to gain stability as required. Couldn’t get the foil thrust line through the center of effort of the sail which allows you to lift boat around the foil, but had enough theoretical stability gain, to beat the fleet!

 

4 years a divorce and a kings ransom latter we were ready,

 

Asymmetrical Foil on an extendable arm, so foil can retract and turn 90 degrees to park when not in use (for little wind or if windward foil). Built a new deep (13’8”) short cord keel, with a trim tab for use if and when you either didn’t have sufficient wind for the foils or had a foil failure. The bulb 830kg Thompson 30 just enough to be self righting. Total wetted surface no more than original. (Keel + 1 foil)

 

 

 

No it didn’t work! Yes I asked that too, and we think this is why,

 

 

 

High mods did the structural carbon design. They asked are you going off shore? Of course! so they need to be able to take the boat dropped 20ft onto them….the loads went through the roof, so we modified the design again, erroneously deleting the ability to vary the angles of attack on the move, as the hinging mechanisms under that load were enormous. We could reset them but not adjust. This was the biggest single mistake as the lift and therefore angle of attack required, varies depending on the point of sail and wind speed variations.

 

 

 

The internal mechanism just to retract and park the foils and yet support the lift and potential shock loads, became too heavy.

 

 

 

The foil struts came out from the hull too close to the waterline so 12-15 degrees of heel immersed them causing drag even when in parked position.

 

 

 

It had moments of brilliance, legs where it was a significant improvement, but around the track it could never compete with even the original. By then with my patience and bank balance exhausted we chucked it out and for a relatively small cost put in a water ballast system 800kg a side, which augmented the undersized keel. The result was really pretty good and leapt the performance well ahead of the original configuration.

 

 

 

So Mr Partridge, like I said when you bought the boat, one lady owner never been raced rallied or rolled much!!

[Guest]

am trying to attach photo sorry computor illigitimate opperator

[Adrianp 120]

Thanks Bull! Cool idea for a cool boat!

 

I think my first keelboat experience as a kid was a rumrace on Midnight oil with you! The lifting keel was pretty cool. Did a rumrace on M1 once too. hopefully i'll get a ride on the new toy one day!

[Guest]

Sorry dont know all the alias's.

 

Sure hastle me at the club some time, am easily bribed with bottles of alcohol.