Folding frame puts big boat on car roof

Problem: . Space in boatyards in the South of England is both increasingly scarce and expensive. If the boat is kept elsewhere for its preferred point of launch, and transported on a trailer, sailors come up against extra toll costs for some roads, bridges and particularly ferries. Road speed is limited, so it takes longer to get to a favourite sailing destination and some people are not happy towing trailers, anyway. Catamarans, being big in both X and Y directions, are a particular problem, frustrating those who enjoy their particular speed and handling characteristics. Solution: Gareth Roberts, automotive diesel engine designer by day, but keen sailor at weekends, has designed a folding beach catamaran with FOUR hulls. This allows it to be folded both sideways, and lengthways, using a most ingenious frame. It offers a 12 ft x 6 ft (4m x 2m) trampoline space yet folds into a package, 3m x 1.5m x 0.7m. It weighs less than 65 kg without the rig, or 75 kg all up. It can be carried on the shoulders of two people or stored on its end in a corner. Roberts claims that the hulls are pure aerofoils, and have 15% less wetted surface area than conventional hulls, greatly reducing drag. Further, due to having buoyancy in all four corners, the hull shape does not have to be compromised for fore and aft stability like a conventional catamaran. As the hulls are small, tooling costs are very low and lend themselves to mass production. The folding frame only requires one specialist extrusion. Applications: Many other constructions can be devised based on similar folding frame concepts for possible uses both offshore and onshore. We await news of possible instantly unfolding and folding storm proof tents and garden party gazebos with interest. TS Four Hulls