Microship Status 08/16/93

As you probably read in the previous daily report (um, one week ago), I had a bit of a setback in the form of demolition crews tearing uninvited into my lab. This constituted a non-maskable interrupt, and major panic ensued. With the help of Clark Guest and Ron Fellman, we managed to secure the Microwave Lab adjacent to my office as temporary lab space (until spring), whereupon TJ and I did most of the move under human power last Thursday. Today Kevin Hardy and I will haul the remaining furniture (workbenches and tables) down to Seaweed Canyon (which will, SOON, be the boat shop...).
But despite all the logistical interruptions, PowerBook repair (talk about source of stress and panic...), and a weekend of sailing a J24 offshore, there have been some major advances in the project.
First, I had a good brainstorming session with Dave Berkstresser and Dave Wright, visiting from Silicon Valley. Much of the discussion focused on outrigger attachment and stress distribution, as well as solar substrate design, folding ama arrangement, and a method for lifting the amas a few degrees to allow me to fly a hull on a beam reach. While the design is my no means stable, the problem is now much better understood, and as Dave B often observes: "now that we've proven that it's possible, all we have to do is refine it."

Friday, I hooked up with Tom Nute (formerly of North Sails) and took a tour of the yacht-design community in San Diego. Most notable was a 5-person meeting at Sobstad Sails, attended by Mark Reynolds (president), two of his designers, and Robb Walker of Nelson/Marek (they designed Stars and Stripes). Fortunately, I had the BEHEMOTH media binder with me and generated enough credibility to offset what must amount to obvious ignorance about boat design -- by the end of the meeting, both companies had expressed a willingness to contribute design work and products. We also visited North Sails, Downwind Marine, West, Kettenburg, both major yacht clubs, and a few interesting individuals slaving away on their aquatic dream machines. Between all that and much brainstorming with Tom and others, here's a revised look at the Microship's overall structure:

The center hull is now in the 28-30 foot range, 4 feet wide, probably to be constructed with West System's moldless strip-composite technique after lofting from the CAD artwork. Outer hulls and solar panels are pretty much as defined prevously, though given a higher freeboard, the outboard edges of the panels will be well above the kayaks and connect to them with vertical posts (containing inflatable flotation bags to allow kayak-deployment without serious center-hull imbalance). Two cockpits fill the 10-foot space between the major structural beam assemblies, with a free-standing indexed roller-furling carbon-fiber mast integrated into the forward one to carry the transparent tedlar sail (genesis design). The mast sits on a thrust bearing and is rotated via lines to a drum at the base; an internal slip-ring assembly prevents cable twist to the masthead assembly; an index pin constrains reefing to 360-degree increments so the bicolor always makes sense; the leach of the sail is laminated with UV-inhibiting fabric to protect the sail itself when furled.

To solve the problem of getting a multihull through a tack (normally managed by backwinding the jib, Hobie-style), we plan to add a front rudder off a bowsprit, designed to kick up on beach impact. This will speed tacking, but also provide a very effective appendage that allows fine-tuning of the CLR (Center of Lateral Resistance) in conjunction with the rear rudder. This should eliminate the need for leeboards.
A pair of cowlings outboard of the hull body houses retractible wheels, pivoted from the hard points associated with the aft beam assembly. These include trailing-arm suspension to absorb road shock, and convert the boat into a trailer towed via a ball-hitch receiver on the bowsprit. Obviously, a bit of preparation is required before entering this mode: the kayaks stow atop the main hull, the four solar panels wrap around them, and beams and mast assemblies are lashed inside astride the console. The wheel cowlings provide virtual deck surface for the complex set of control lines and their associated cleats.
Deck layout is evolving to take advantage of the increased space. The main cockpit is still based on the bike and console; but the bike's forward mount can be released and dropped into the bilge to clear the way for the crew cockpit's cushions to be converted into a 4x7-foot bed that is safely under deck. I will still use the tented on-water bivouac mode described earlier, but that presents problems with windage and security (and is much more work when I'm exhausted).

There are six bulkheads athwardships, with the electronics bay further bisected along centerline into a pair of sealed enclosures, one each for comm gear and general electronics. This is to contain flooding in a severe emergency, as well as to enforce isolation between equipment classes that have been proven to be mortal enemies (RF and computers).
Further details are best communicated graphically -- I should have a new drawing of all this in a few days and will distribute it appropriately.

In other random news, I'm studying info on non-ceramic head options, wind generators, International Medcom's new radiation monitor that includes a wide-aperture gamma probe, night vision equipment, video, and much more. I'll keep you posted!

Steve