Can Do

The canting keel phenom is obviously in full swing, and last week we ran a story about the Super 30' The Cone of Silence versus similar sized canters at Geelong. Robert Hick, a notable designer with a number of fast boats to his credit has some thoughts on the subject. Enjoy.

People are missing the point with the canting keel debate.

From my point of view It's not a matter of how fast a canter will go, it's a case of how the canting keel has given my clients more options.

I have now designed and built 3 canting boats, none of which were designed as ultimate speed boats.

The criteria for the first 31 footer was to come up with a design that could circulate with the current crop of 30's but with a crew of 4-5. The canting keel is perfect. Increasing RM without added displacement.

Our second boat was a 39 foot cruiser/racer/centreboarder for 2 handed sailing. While this boat has more than enough stability it was decided to incorporate a canting centreplate case that would allow for up to 20 degrees cant for those times when things are getting a bit ragged beam reaching or slightly cracked in fresh air.

The second 31 was for a Hong Kong client who wanted it to fit in a 40 foot container and be shipped around to various regattas. It also had to have half a chance on IRC in the light Asian conditions. This boat will ultimately sail in 2 modes. Irc with keel pinned and internal ballast and in a sports mode with no ballast. Again the canting keel provided the flexibility to achieve these aims. We built a 2 piece mast and a canting cradle. US$3000 to Hong Kong pretty good I think . Perhaps we have the makings of a new box rule.

"If you can't get it in a container, you can't race."

All 3 boats were built from strip planked super light durakore with carbon skins. The 31's are going in the water for AUS 160,000 plus sails with inboard diesel and carbon mast, the last time I looked that is about the same as a Mumm 30, bet you cant put a Mumm in a container.Hopefully these 3 examples highlight the flexibility the canting keel allows.

Now the "SHOWDOWN".

To some it may have been a "SHOWDOWN" but it was 4 boats in different divisions that just happened to be going roung the course together with aboout 40 other 40 plus footers.

The Cone of silence was clearly the fastest boat on the course and so it should have been. The stats on the boats show that as well.

All 3 Hick boats have identical working sail area, slightly more than a Mumm
The Cone looked to have a metre more mast height 

The wind over 7 races never rose above 15 knots. The Cone was quickest downhill in all conditions and upwind to 10 knots with Toecutter quite a bit quicker upwind in 15.

Toecutter beat the Cone to the top mark in 4 races with the Cone passing her downhill. Zutem sailed only 3 races being recalled in one and never coming to grips in starting against the big boats.

Ambush sailed for the first time the day before the first race and improved as the series went on.

The question posed was whether the big dollars spent on a canter actually results in a faster boat and the racing at Geelong did very little to provide an answer.

However in my opinion if you built a canting 30 with a similar sail plan to the "CONE" you would spank it every time, and be about $100,000 better off.

Keep up the good work.

Rob Hick