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trimaran designed for cruising, with solid wing decks (as opposed to racing-type designs with mesh or
open wings), those with wide-beam floats able to support the whole weight of the vessel are more
likely to capsize than those with narrow-beam floats of lesser buoyancy that can be submerged as the
vessel heels. As the wide-beam float comes to take the entire weight of the heeling vessel, the centre
hull lifts out of the water; this exposes the entire area of the underside of both wings to the wind, and
also increases the turning moment of the wind force on the weather wing. There is now a considerable
overturning force due to the wind and the vessel is very likely to capsize. In contrast, a trimaran with
narrow-beam floats will simply submerge the lee float, exposing only the weather wing and that with a
lesser moment. In practical sea situations the windage effect is greater than the buoyancy effect and so
cruising trimarans with highly buoyant floats are more, not less, likely to capsize than those with less
buoyant floats.[3]
A trimaran is best stabilised not by adding buoyancy on the lee float but adding weight to the weather
float. This is the basis of the "cool-tubes" stability system invented by Tristan Jones and L. Surtees. A
large-diameter pipe closed at the aft end is attached to the keel of each float and fills with water. While
it remains submerged buoyancy forces cancel the weight of the trapped water and the weight of the
tube is effectively zero. But if the boat heels enough to bring the weather float out of the water, this
effect no longer operates and the water provides a heavy ballast weight on the float, creating a righting
moment.[4]
In the abstract sense, the principles at work govern the stability of all boats and ships including those
without lateral pontoons. See angle of loll and metacentric height.
References
1.
Kinetic Sculpture Racing Course (see "Water" chapter of Kinetic Textbook for explanation and
case study, retrieved 2008-03-02
What is the Pontoon Effect?, retrieved 2008-03-03
Clarke, Derrick (June 1969). Trimarans. Coles. ISBN 0229638899.
4. Jones, Tristan (1998-10-25). Outward Leg. Sheridan House. ISBN 1574090615.
Categories:
Naval architecture
Shipbuilding
Engineering concepts
Buoyancy