Micro 10’ Sailboat for Global Circumnavigation

'Yrvindaren 4.1'

You will note from yesterday’s blog that Sven Yrvind has announced that he intends designing and building a 10’ micro yacht for making a single-handed voyage south of all three great capes, i.e., Cape Agulhas, Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn. In so doing he would also sail south of the Cape of Good Hope, South West Cape of Tasmania, and the South East Cape of Tasmania.


Many of us will be itching to learn about the design of his new boat. For sure, she will not be like ‘Yrvindaren 4.1’, because there would not be sufficient room for Sven and his provisions for a period of 12 months, which is the time he believes it will take. She could be a shortened version of his latest hard chine micro yacht, but with more internal volume brought about by increasing the height of her sides and by fully extending the upper cabin structure to the width of her full beam. He has said his next boat will have an aft steering position, in preference to the central one of ‘Yrvind.com’.


This new vessel will essentially be a downwind drifting ‘pod’ capable of withstanding large breaking waves characteristic of the Southern Ocean. Yrvind will want to avoid icebergs; therefore his passage will be far enough north to be clear of them. These factors will require that his tiny boat can be sailed with the wind on her quarter and she must have reserve buoyancy in the bow, which will require a fairly full, possibly spoon shaped bow. There may be times when the sea state is extremely rough because of winds well in excess of Force 8, in which case, Sven may opt for a series drogue for riding out the seas. In fact much of the voyage could be sailed backwards at a leisurely pace while Sven is wedged in a secure seat, even strapped into it, no doubt reading his choice non-fiction books.


For sailing downwind, a skeg at the stern would help orientate the bow away from the wind, and a mast forward of the centre would enable very small twin boomed headsails to be deployed so as to form a ‘V’ facing into the wind, which would also keep the boat pointing downwind. Both clews could have sheets attached to the tiller for simple self-steering. A long keel would be helpful for maintaining directional stability and for minimizing yawing.

Micro 10

All of these requirements make me think Sven’s new boat may look a bit like Paul Fisher’s Micro 10, but I doubt he will go for a lifting keel. On the other hand, he may want a keel of sorts, perhaps shallow twin keels for when making into land to find a safe haven. He does not rule out stepping on terra firma, and if there is a suitable place where he can safely get ashore, he may want to, in his own words ‘stretch his limbs’.


Text for the Day

1 Corinthians 2:9 ‘But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”’


Links



Great Capes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_capes


‘Yrvindaren 4.1’

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2009/11/yrvindaren-41.html


Paul Fisher Boats

http://www.selway-fisher.com/


10’ Ocean-going Sailboat Designs

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2010/04/10-ocean-going-sailboat-designs.html


Solo Circumnavigation Record Attempts

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2009/10/solo-circumnavigation-record-attempts.html