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Alpha,
winner of the 2007 International C-Class Catamaran Championship, is
constructed from lightweight carbon fibre and carries an adjustable-camber
hardsail (wingsail). This project included the design of Rocker,
the world's first hydrofoil C-Class cat. Rocker also entered
the competition, and though spectacular, it was not able to match the
20+ knot pace of Alpha.
The C-Class
rules leave ample room for imagination. Make a symmetrical catamaran
that fits into a box 25 feet long, 14 feet wide, stick on 300 square
feet of sail area and you will be legal. Any kind of sail, any hull
shape, any weight, any material. A designer’s dream.
The boat was
sailed by project leader/skipper Fred Eaton, and wingman Magnus
Clarke. While I was the chief designer, Fred and Magnus both played
significant roles on the design team and that improved their
understanding of the boat while sailing.
In any race
victory there are a host of small factors that combine to produce
success. In our opinion, the biggest factors that led to our win in
the C-Class Championships were our lower overall weight (the lightest C-Class
ever built at 360 lbs. ready to sail), our high aspect ratio, thin
foil section hardsail and the crew’s opportunity to spend more
time on the water leading up to the event. The latter gave them an
edge in boat handling and racecourse tactics, which played a
significant part in the result.
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Related
Links |
Article
by Adam Mayers (The Toronto Star) on Fred Eaton and his
C-Class boats |
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Slide
show of C-Class construction and racing courtesy of The
Toronto Star |
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Winner
of International C-Class Catamaran Championship 2007
