Organic dinghy - building in a nutshell

In a project together with Chalmers Sports & Technology, SSPA has contributed to the design and build of a racing skiff dinghy where 70 percent of the hull is made of biomaterials. The dinghy will soon compete in a three-day regatta against other boats representing universities all over the world. This dinghy is one of a kind. The sail plan is very large in relation to the boat, the mast height (9.5 m) is more than two times larger than the boat length (4.6 m), making it rather extreme. 70 percent of the hull is made of bio materials. The hull and deck are a sandwich construction with skins of flax fibre in a cashew-based epoxy matrix, and a core of balsa wood. The principles of skiff dinghy design have been combined with innovative, more environmentally friendly materials.

Since August last year the project, called Chalmers Formula Sailing, has been working to combine sports and technology. The rules for the sailing competition require that the boat must be designed, built and sailed by students from the participating university. The boat builders are students at the master’s programme Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, and they have been supervised by Professor Lars Larsson at Chalmers and Adam Persson, Ph.D. Student, Sailing Dynamics at SSPA. The boat will be sailed by two students from Chalmers, who are elite level sailors in the Olympic 49er class. Since this new dinghy is similar to the 49er, their experience will be a great asset in the regatta.

About the dinghy

The boat is designed according to a “box rule”, with very few restrictions on dimensions: a maximum length of 4.60m, maximum beam of 2.10m and a maximum sail area of 33m2. In addition, 70% of the hull weight must consist of biologically based materials. The Chalmers boat is a sandwich construction with skins of flax fibre in a cashew-based epoxy matrix. The core is balsa wood.

Read more at www.chalmers.se

Update 25 September 2018

Cashew nut-based Swedish boat wins Italian sailing competition (Press release from Chalmers University of Technology)
 

Photos

Formula Sailing is a part of the Chalmers Sports &Technology initiative, where SSPA is a partner. On 20-23 September the students will race this unique dinghy against other universities.
 
The boat builders are students at the master’s programme Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering and they have been supervised by Professor Lars Larsson at Chalmers and Adam Persson, Ph.D. Student, Sailing Dynamics from SSPA.