Hello everybody, This is my first post here and I hope to be more active from now on. I wanted to share my 180ft sailing ketch design which also selected as finalist in Showboats Young Designer of the Year Award. Any comments are welcomed. [Link removed]
Welcome to YF and congratulations for the acknowledgement received thus far. The see-thru bullwark that allows better floor-to-ceiling views is a good idea. Do you have a material in mind for this feature? One of our mods removed your link. I have removed your avatar. You can replace it per our rules.
My first comment is what is the mizzen using for back stays? You show what appears to be backstays on the main but the mizzen has none. My next is: What are you planning in way of shelter from the elements for those seated outside and for those operating the yacht?
The exact same question came up on me, when I saw the renderings. But I like the hull, a nice modern design. The flybridge design is the most appropriate way to design a steering position with adequate forward visibility on such a large sailing boat. But I assume, the renderings of this standing rigging are just an artist impression and have not passed any naval architecture jet. A ketch rig, which is just relying on running backstays for the main mast and on mildly swept salings in lieu of backstays on the mizzen, is IMHO not very save. On such a fragile rig, the boom preventers become the most important tool. One moment of inadvertence and the whole sh...... comes down with a high possibility of losses of live(s). The times of the ketch rig on larger sailboats are over. As the traditional schooner rig has (and will in the future) its place in yachting, the ketch rig for a modern yacht has its only place on larger sailboats, were airdraft (panamax) is a decisive factor. Modern technology and push button sailing with captive winches can handle the tallest sloop rig. If one insists on a ketch design for a very large sailboat, IMHO, Twizzle is one of best examples of a safe and fast modern ketch rig on a larger sailboat. The combination of solid and running backstays with cutterstay and swept salings on the main and largely swept salings with running backstays and a diamond stay on the mizzen plus a triatic stay or spring stay (the latter can make a rig very noisy) will make a very stiff and strong rig. The mizzen stay sail is one more option for light winds. But todays high aspect, full battened, full leech mainsails on a large sloop will make very fast and well trimmed boats. No need for a second mast. And Twizzle has enough shelter with her additional enclosed wheelhouse . Just my two (Euro) cents.
Beautiful sleek design, love the large salon windows! How much if any of the salon roof is transparent? What kind of keel/centerboard and rudder arrangement does she have? Any interior designs as of yet? She needs a jacuzzi someplace! Hopefully a portion of the swim platform transforms into a passarelli that goes to the dock for med mooring and down into the water for easy swimmer/diver access.