In this Gallery:
RG65 Prototypes On The Water
- “The Black Boat”
- “Mr Orange”
- “Black Dahlia”
- “The Green Machine”
- “The Shrink”
- “The Shrink Swing”
The RG65 is an ideal test bed for design. It is smallish, parts are fairly basic and the hulls can be produced in just a few sections if you have a good build dimension on your printer.
A simple reason to start with the RGs was because I had a Dragon Force rig (my sails) and the keel, bulb and rudder all ready to go.
The desire was to research the possibility of producing lightweight rigid hulls and the internal fittings to hold the winch, rudder, keel etc. So having the DF running gear supplied a constant for each change of yacht until the most recent prototype with it’s own 3d printed keel, bulb and rudder.
The images are mostly in chronological order of the research steps carried out. Five prototype RG65s were used to try out all sorts of ideas from how to 3d print items, to construction, coating, gluing and hull efficiency. The earlier ones certainly looked a lot more “rough and ready” than the more recent fine yachts. All part of the learning curve.
Prototype 1: “The Black Boat”
(Designer Craig Smith, 3d printed by Brian Dill, construction Selwyn Holland)
We made most of the mistakes with this little fellow.
Prototype 2. “Mr Orange”
(Designer Bill Hagerup, 3d printing and construction Selwyn Holland)
Prototype 3: “Black Dahlia”
(Designer Bill Hagerup, 3d printing and construction Selwyn Holland)
This and the next prototype were “workhorse platforms” for trying a whole bunch of ideas. When they were retired they had all sorts of extra holes, change pin positions, etc etc all in the name of “research”. They happily sleep now in the big box in the shed.
Prototype 4: “Green Machine”
(Designer Craig Smith, 3d printing and construction Selwyn Holland)
This variation won the Australia Day Regatta for RG65s in Sydney in January, 2016. All firsts and one second.
It also picked up a second at an RG65 Regatta at Kogarah Bay, Sydney in November, 2015.
This started to tell us we were actually making headway.
Prototype 5: “The Shrink”
(Designer Bill Hagerup, 3d printing and construction Selwyn Holland)
Bill has hit it on the nail with this little beauty. At a bit less than 1000g it flows wonderfully through the water in all conditions. Tacks easily, accelerates strongly and has lovely balance and manners. All those who have tried this love the “feel” of it. So easy to sail.
We stepped out with this one and designed keel, rudder and bulb. All 3d printed in just a few hours. Yes, we have worked out a method of 3d printing beautifully accurate bulbs. More of that in a future article.
It is doing very well in the club sailing, which is very strong in our club. I can hardly wait to get it to a major RG65 regatta.
Prototype 6; “The Shrink Swing”
This is a sister ship of “The Shrink” by Bill and has been specially designed to carry swing rigs and conventional rigs as wanted.
It is very adaptable with the option of either 3d printed keel, bulb and rudder or Dragon Force running gear. The machines become more sophisticated at each version.
These are the sorts of things you can play around with also once you have learnt the basics of 3d printing. You are only a day or so from an idea popping in your head to it being on the yacht and being tested. Sometimes you only need hours depending how big it is.
Not in the water yet, but being constructed currently. So should be soon.
