RT Firefly
Enigma
Greetings,
Many happy returns Ms. F.
Many happy returns Ms. F.
Happy Birthday from us too!
With much respect, I really wish you would launch that work of art you are building, I worry that she is getting too too-heavy and your extraordinary skills are adding to the issue every time you add weight up high. One of my buds has been a tug captain since we were in high school (back when my relatives were sent to Oz for various reasons - Younghusband Peninsula?) and he has harangued me regularly over stability issues and I’m very sensitive to that. Is there a local agency that would do a stability evaluation for you? I don’t mean to be critical, I have followed the entire build and thread these years and I just want you (and Flic!) to live happily ever after.
Ok so you’ve scared me again with stability so I’ve been reading a heap of online stuff. I read this
“As a general rule of thumb, coastal cruisers should add at least 1,360kg (3,000 lb) to the displacement, and offshore cruisers at least 2,270kg (5,000 lb).
Much of this weight is liquid – water and fuel. You also have batteries, chargers, inverters, calorifiers and other add-ons, a toolbox and spare parts”
Based on that I have the following on or below the waterline.
(Excluding the weight of the hull)
800ltrs of Diesel - 800kgs
800ltrs of water - 800kgs
Perkins diesel - 900kgs(?)
Battery banks - 240kgs
300mtrs of 8mm anchor chain. -300kgs (?)
Tools and equipment - 200kgs
That’s about 3,200kgs of “ballast”
The empty hull was around 2,000kgs. So that’s 5,200kgs at the midrail which by comparison is double of what the article suggests. Not sure what the super structure weighs from the midrail up.
I also found a calculator and added in the info I know. Anything around 2.0 is considered good stability for a boat. Mine is 1.3
I guess no one will really know till it’s in the water and we start trying to roll her over
View attachment 79116
Matt my mate - I understand your concern and feel it is good that you are concerned about SOLSTICE's operational capabilities after launch. You'd be blind to not be concerned.
Having watched ALL you do [and have done from the start] for/with SOLSTICE; especially regarding the "in general" weight distributions you have sort of automatically installed in her... air-height rollover weight and natural ballast COG weight distribution factors seem to be in general accordance with one another. Ballast-weight types of productcan be added/adjusted or removed once you splash and actually get the "feel of the deal" as to how she reacts to in-water-use conditions.
I believe it was wise of you to couple years ago decide SOLSTICE should not have flying bridge. That weight distribution effect may have created a too high rollover fulcrum.
There is no way that in such a "one-off" boat build and freehand design-creation while on the hard that any custom boat can become surely ready for all affected trim conditions once in the water. High production boat builders spend millions for engineering and in-water testing for first builds of new model boats before they can feel confident in its operational-trim capabilities under all conditions. Even then... the builders are forever tweaking and modifying design features as years on a model's production continues to create up to 1000's of new boats. A boat's operational trim realities are never perfect and have the same stigma attached as all other boat items - i.e. "There's a Trade-off for Everything!
The weight-distribution itemabout SOLSTICE that I believe will be your most carefully adjusted [after splash] will be her water-hull-trim conditions at different speeds. You have taken a sound hull-bottom design, that obviously worked well in years past, and modified it to a large degree in the rear section. And, of course modified it nearly completely in weight placements of superstructure and operational components as well as its internal 'creature comfort" layout items.
That said - There are many successful custom built one-offs that had no big money engineering accompany their build-out. Many of those one-off boats become stars in the boating community - Such as SOLSTICE most surely will!
IMO: Will SOLSTICE float? - Hell YES! Will she tip right over - Hell NO! Will she be fully/correctly water-operation-trimmed in the realm of ballast positions/placements - Probably Not! Can you make SOLSTICE behave for you once you get her wetttttt! - I'd say, having watched you create build-out magic for years - That Is A ":Slam Dunk"!
I got faith in your capabilities Brother!! Get It ON!!!!
Thanks brother. Can’t wait to see how she behaves. It’s been a mighty big gamble putting so much time effort and money in to something I know nothing about. I just hope I can pull it off
Why are your messages coming all crossed out mate?
This was your post from the other day
Art
Looks fine here on my computer.......
Talking about looking pretty when "wrapped up": Everything you do to SOLSTICE looks pretty.
We all [your self especially - I'm sure] look forward to the days when you can really wrap her up tightly in the final build-out getting ready for her/your BIG Splash Day!
Mate I can’t wait.
Hahahahaha
And when the boat is all finished, tested in the water and you are happy then what will we do? You will have completed your project.