Open Designs 2015

Many have read about the F18 OP, I’ve wrote a lot on the project but worked even more on research & development in the background even to date. A great group also contributed & provided feedback:  Ralph Moolenaar & Ronan Currid, Francesco Moretei, Sanyi Roka and Andrew Gallagher.

After the first CFD tests of my initial lines, where a negative rocker section was recommended by Ronan to reduce wake drag, Ralph did several additional simulation runs, and I continued to refine the cad to date, and to a point I think it is ready to be built. I’m also talking with some top local riders for final feedback as we want to target BA 2016 Worlds and race with this new design.

A known experienced builder confirmed he will build the hulls in Europe, and the the work is scheduled to start in January 2015. The goal will be offering a cost effective platform , as hulls only and a complete builder branded alternative + an epoxy/nomex hulls version for those wanting to go for the FP path.
Will confirm more final details later with more updated renders of the V2 hulls after we’ve defined how we are going to implement the whole building project. As for the cads as I mentioned , it will be released afterwards.

In the process I started sailing A-Class and participated at Bordeaux Europeans where we gathered 100 boats, 5 from Arg. We all got hooked with the experience, and we are forming a new local  fleet.

The A-Class is the Nr 1 custom design & builder Class but no open or updated free Cads are available to my knowledge. I’ve been  asked on available designs for custom projects by people also wanting to enter or build their own As.
So I decided to go for it, starting with
the updated F18 OP lines as a base. Funny how scaling F18 lines matched some known production As rocker , confirming how all modern cats have converged to a common concept and almost identical lines.

Currently the As performance  have switched to foil design as Nr 1 design concept feature, so having an updated platform to fit the several current builders foils options to choose from sounds as an excellent alternative for custom & budget projects.

This A-Class CAD above (with F18 OP V2 behind) is a preliminary version, and will work on it next months.  I will build one for me next year. The idea is to go for hulls only and buy beams & foils, already have a Saarberg mast and a Landy sail.

I started the local F18 class this way, playing with some hull CAD lines. Only material available were 2 somehow usable Tiger profile pics  and Tornado plans. Today you can search the biggest and most complete Catamaran image catalog plus several profile lines right here in this website.
 After almost 10 years on those first lines, and after enjoying some of the best times ever while sailing, building and racing catamarans I will try to apply that experience and provide tools for others to have a shorter & simpler path to build their own Cat in the future. 
I can assure you there is no greater feeling in this Sport 
than Sailing & Racing your own custom built Cat.