Such an excellent video! One practice I’ve adhered to is having at least one “rover” high capacity bilge pump on board. If the worst happens, being able to have a mobile pump that can help if the principal bilge pump for a certain area can’t keep up and gets overwhelmed, or fails for any reason, can save the day. Some people call them a mobile “gusher” pump. Cheap insurance, so to speak. Then of course is the technique of using a valve to close the raw water intake and using the engines to act as a bilge pump for that area of a vessel…
Loving the updates!!! Btw that rescue you mentioned was 'out there' because the ship (that picked the survivors up) had to slow down a day or so before as one of their passengers had to medi-vac'd off via a helicopter... in doing that placed the ship at the Prom at the right time for the rescue... things happen for a reason... eh
Wow - interesting. Thanks for letting us know that extra bit of info, Ned! Several folk know who we were talking about , even though we did not mention any names out of respect to them.
I watched your sad VLOG about the boat fire and I'm very sympathetic. I was also very interested to hear your chat about grief after losing the boat. Maybe it's only an object, but perhaps it's something more. It represents your hopes and plans for the future. Your next boat will have an aluminium structure, perhaps as a reaction to the speed at which fibreglass allowed fire to propagate throughout your last boat. But now you have traded one potential source of increased risk (fire), for two others (corrosion and metal fatigue). Can you tell us what steps Portofino have taken to minimise their impact on your lives? Your boat will be built in 5083-h1116, which is an alloy recommended for boat building, so maybe corrosion will be very slow, but corrosion is relentless, like gravity. And the three things that promote corrosion are concentration, temperature and time. As for metal fatigue, I expect you will maximise the radius on all openings and provide structural support to minimise the amount that panels flex when subject to cyclic load. It's not my field, but I'm keen to learn about the design choices made for your next boat.
Hi David, thanks for the kindness and understanding! WRT the build and design, the Portofinos are being built with significant over engineering - spare strength and sustain trauma (rocks, containers, Orcas) as well as corrosion. There was a technical episode we did about the mechanical rigidity of the boat and with 20T of weight in one corner, the opposite corner only flexes 4mm. However the extra strength and aluminium thickness (6mm) is a compromise as it makes the boat heavier so this will be 16T dry weight compared to a Mumby / Odisea that builds with 4mm aluminium.... The corrosion monitoring that we will be using is also continuously monitoring for current which occurs if there is ever any galvanic corrosion starting. Many AL boats are now 30-40 years old and still good so it is all down to the effectiveness of the protective systems that you use (we understand and hope!) We do not think it is inevitable and Portofino is putting is sophisticated monitoring processes for our protection.
I wonder if you will show a little more often now that production has started? 10-14 days is a difficult time to wait in between. I think this is so fun and interesting. I think this is the first time someone has built something that is exactly the way I want it if I could sail. So this is really a uniquely good boat build.
Hi Magnus, I see your comment also has got lots of likes so many people want the videos to be more frequent!!! The biggest challenge for us is to create the videos as it takes the best part of two days and we don't always have that much free time every week.... We will try hard to keep them regular but without any extra support, it is not easy. Glad we are doing what you would want to do and thanks very much for your kind words and we are so sorry to make you suffer in waiting any extra time when it occurs!!!
More info, the better Docs! Thanks for sharing. I live south of the 40th… I’ve been quietly trying to figure out what Cat makes sense. So very glad to hear about the Portofino cats!
Wow, you must be tough Micael! That will be cold... Are you in Tassy or NZ (as I presume it is not America)? Of course it does depend what type of sailing you are going to be doing and Portofinos (like Garcias) can have extra insulation in the boat for extra warmth and the Diesel heaters for the winter. I am certainly hoping for significantly better performance than the Garcias and the theory looks good but the truth will be seen in Dec 24 after launch! Probably you should make you list of what you want in the boat and allocate priorities scores to each item and then you can go through the list of boats to see what the options are and what you had to lose with each boat.
bulkheads - the old Crowther cats were built with a box beam main bulkhead that was also part of the front of the main cabin - incredibly big, strong and zero flex and light and massively bonded to the hulls - this was in the 1980's and that boat is still sailing
Excellent presentation John, and unfortunately a very necessary discussion since the catamaran business has been taking advantage of uneducated buyers for years.
Great video. This one fits in with the technical books I've read (and that every sailor should read and watch.) There's a couple of things that can happen with something like a bulkhead on a catamaran. The shape and forces are complex so it's easy to get it wrong. 1. The bulkheads can be inadequate (Lagoon) 2. They're not properly connected to the hulls and bridging (Lagoon) 3. They might be overbuilt and add unnecessary weight. 4. They might deteriorate over time (Lagoon) And it was Lagoon who said a bulkhead wasn't structural. Another of the many mistakes Lagoon made was thinking that their thin plywood sandwich wasn't going to shear, separate and bend between the layers of veneer. Plywood is a great material if used correctly. Something else: The sinking in the Pacific of the sailboat that hit the whale: Raindancer. 15 minutes - sunk. I'm guessing the sail drive was broken off making a large hole in the engine compartment. I wonder if it's possible to construct engine compartments so they can be completely sealed. First you'd need to seal them below water level. Now they're like the manifold in an Amel. If they could then be completely sealed (closing the air intake) compressed air could be pumped in to keep the water level to a minimum. The boat could then sail to port instead of the leak spreading throughout the cabin. Of course diesel engines need a lot of air. Thinking of this made me realize, I don't even know where the air inlet for my diesel is. Bilge pumps. In one of my three heavy checked bags I'm taking to Vietnam is the brand of bilge pump you show (a bit more capacity 3700). What I know about pumps. 1. They are almost never enough. (If you can block the hole the boat's saved, a pump, maybe not. So what is the maximum pump your boat and batteries can handle - that's the one you want) 2. The height of the hose is more of a factor than the size of the pump. You can have a pump rated for 3700 gallons/hour, but as soon as you put a hose on it and lift it up a meter the capacity is now less than half. The ideal distance a pump should have to lift water is the smallest distance to where it dumps. In a boat this would be just above the waterline. (Of course if you're sinking this changes.) (I don't know if there's any advantage to the depth of a water pump. Pressure increases rapidly with depth.) I do know that the capacity of a pump in the sump of a basement lifting water 10' (3m)to get it out and away from the house, is a fraction of the rating.) A lot to think about. I may not know what I'm talking about but I'd like to see the option of a shaft drive prop instead of sail drives. My Hunter has a shaft. I wonder if that whale didn't want to scratch its back on some flotsam, noticed the big keel moved to the side to avoid it and took out the saildrive (injuring itself and sinking the boat.) Sorry to go on.
HI again Will! Lots of very good info and yes you are right about the sunken boat and it's name and very good points about protection for water influx and the pump capacity issues... We will look into what pump is best and is a petrol one better than 12V incase the batteries get drowned... Charter boats in Australia have to carry an independent operating high capacity pump for fire and bilge drainage... We will discuss more detail in the future.
Glad you liked it Colleen! I was not sure if it was a bit boring but certainly no-one else had talked about it and the large brands are still putting out comments that are very misleading.... Hopefully if the knowledge is across more of the yachts, they won't be able to get away with such stuff!
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 ..Detailed videos are an excellent help. I am also becoming increasingly concerned about the corporate structure at Leopard and how they intentionally split the manufacturer and warranty claims functions. I have followed another channel that is having a hell of a time getting warranty work done. They claim they must sign an NDA before work is authorized. Was that your experience with your Lapboard 50?
@@michaeltca3103 BHi Colleen, we have only had small things go wrong and they were just dealt with by being told to fix them and send the invoices. They were not fast to pay but not the hassles that the other guys seem to have had with structural issues...
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 ..on a somewhat related matter, I have good knowledge regarding the prosecution of insurance claims. It is not acceptable for an insurance company not to pay a claim while it determines whether third parties will indemnify them for any payout to you. They must first payout your claim. Be sure to have submitted a formal insurance claim for the loss of your catamaran within the limitation period (usually one year from date of loss). Failure to do this is a bar to collecting and often the insurance company strings you along intentionally. The insurance company must either accept your claim and pay out or reject it in writing. Upon rejection you should immediately file a lawsuit against the insurance company for the entire loss plus legal fees and punitive damages plus out of pocket costs due to the insurance delay (keep excellent records). No point in waiting. Just so you know, in almost all situations, insurance does not pay out claims over $20k without a lawsuit being filed. That is simply the way they work most often. If you have not yet been paid out on your claim, then you are being played and you should retain a lawyer on contingency, or, if you have one now, retain a different firm. This is simply unacceptable that you have not yet been paid out in full. NEXT - forget the approach of not naming the insurance company - NAME THEM NOW - it will only help push your case. You are absolutely within your right to name them and show all correspondence. You also have an obligation to your fellow boaters to reveal exactly what they have failed to do. Remember, the internet's best feature is that it is a BS detector. So "detect" please.
Some good info. However I would not agree that welding aluminum makes it stronger. Yes, when filler rod is used you are adding material. However, you are also heating the base material and this can cut yield strength in half. This can be countered with heat treatment but can be difficult when dealing with such large parts such as boat hulls. Welding also removes the anodization on the material, which can lead to corrosion at the welds. This can also be addressed by painting, but is best done by dipping the entire assembly in an anodization tank. I’m not sure if this is done on these boat hulls, again due to the massive size of the welded assemblies. It would be interesting to know what Portofino does to address these issues. An additional issue is that any interface between aluminum and stainless steel will be a corrosion point. Many high end marine applications use Monel instead of Stainless to reduce corrosion. I wonder what Portofino does.
Thanks for that detail, Keith. Obviously there is a lot of conflicting info from different sides and it may depend on how hot the alum is heated in the welding process (how long it takes and how wide the weld is). This is not my area of expertise so that may be something we can get more expert advice on but welding a frame onto a flat sheet is essential as it increases the structural strength enormously so perhaps this compensates for the local fall in the yield strength you talk about. I will try and find out more details about this.
The first of many Portofino Catamaran’s to be built but definitely the most important because this one belongs to Eli and John! 🎉❤ I had no idea that bulkheads were so crucial to the construction but your detailed explanation has me never taking a bulkhead for granted again! There is nothing more important to me than the safety of you two and watertight bulkheads check ✅ that “box.” I can hardly contain my excitement that your Portofino is starting construction. 🎉🎈🎊🥁🥁🥁 This is the BEST news and I’m sure you both are beyond ecstatic watching the beginning of your future dream. Stay safe my friends! (Are you in Portugal?)
Glad you liked it! With everyone talking so much about bulkheads, we thought folk needed to know what they actually do and the brands have to not be talking such rubbish!
Interesting comments on bulkheads. There are 3 other channels showing new cat construction (actually, one is reconstruction) so will be interesting to compare each design
Thanks for commenting Robin. Are you talking about SLV (Rapido), Wynns (HH), Ruby Rose (Seawind) and MJ sailing? There is also Sailing into Freedom (Odisea) about to start and others very close so exciting times. When they are manufacturers making the boats, you will see less detail as the bulkheads are built and glassed in but all of those boat brands have good reputations to build strong enough bulkheads and glass them in well. MJ Sailing is well past bulkhead stages but you would have been able to see how they ensured their bulkheads were sound... What details were hoping to see - or just compare to what I was talking about?
Are your hull floors above or below full displacement waterline? You can consider adding camlock fittings to your seacock hose before the sea strainer to use your engines as crash pumps, and also use the deckwash pump as well. If interested refer to Freerange Sailing vid #192
Thanks you two. I had never really understood bulkheads before or why they are so important - consider myself educated now! If any part of a catamaran needed mindfulness it would be the bulkheads... why? Because they are always under a lot of stress! X
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 your new boat will be the equivalent of a Buddha in a Ferrari! Peaceful and quiet inside, roaring along on the ocean outside!! 🧘♀️🏎️
I love your informational videos! I really appreciate how concerned you both are about boat safety and the well being of others. So inspirational! Keep up the great work folks! ❤🙏👍👏🏻👌
Good video on the bulkheads guys, Portofino will be a very solid boat! You should really clarify that the boat that sank was a monohull with 10,000 pounds of lead ballast dragging it to the bottom. Aluminum also doesn't float, so it is even more critical to have multiple separate watertight bulkheads on this type of boat! Performance carbon fiber/epoxy catamarans that are well built with closed cell foam (that does not absorb water) have positive buoyancy, although they could theoretically sink, most would float for years until they finally wash up on a shoreline.
Thanks for the comment Kirk and yes, you are right that the monos sink in a very short time cause of the ballast. My understanding is that even the foam boats need to have air tight voids or watertight bulkheads to trap air because of the all the extra weight of the engines, mast, rigging, gear, winches, food, stores etc. Every boat has tons of extra gear that helps pull them down if the hulls completely fill with water... Fortunately the well designed and built boats have properly built floatation areas that will save the boat in the crisis...
congratulations on the first bulkhead cut and managing a whole episode on bulkheads without saying " unlike Lagoon". Aluminium is by far the better building material and will no doubt serve you well. look forward to the next episode relax and enjoy the build process it is long but you can have it quick or good not both
Yes, we are sure they are going to be inundated with orders and even more so when the finished boats start rolling out the yard and the quality of build can be seen and touched!
No idea where you guys are… yet, wish I was there. :) Sounds like future episodes will talk about beams because “thickness” is literally only one dimension of structural integrity. The quick image of the Leopard beam supporting the vertical load of the mast was designed for shear and moment forces much greater than what bulkheads experience. Great point about sizing pumps and how quickly the can be overwhelmed. Besides the hole size head pressure just adds to the complexity. The deeper the hole, the faster the flooding.
Thanks for your comments again Boston! Yes the calculations for water inflow were too complex for me at first but we will have to pick a random depth and work out the pressure at that depth as an example... I now when taking the log out of the bottom of the hull at only a few feet, the water comes in the 1 inch hole fast like a fire hydrant and I know the pumps are not that good!
it sounds like Vietnam or Thailand, the leaves on the tree. Confusing is the building behind that have thicker window sidings and pink color. But it is tropical. The tree are a bit wet so it sounds and looks like it just rained.
Nice deductions Sherlock Holmes, but unfortunately not Thailand or Vietnam! You are in the right type of country but not the same area... Yes it had just rained and it was cold /higher altitude?
All great advice as per usual. As a former Rowing Coach I had the choice of Rib, Plastic or Aluminium Safety/Coaching Launch and I would invariably choose aluminium due to its lightweight construction and ability to withstand the typical flotsam and jetsam (Tree's, Refrigerators, Gas Bottle's and Car Wheels) floating down the river.
Congratulations! Excellent episode, lots of essential information to take into account to build or buy a boat. I loved the safety details, behavior of the hooves, etc. Portofino should hire them as consultants. You are brilliant and fantastic.
I'm Portuguese, I'm 69 years old, I'm an economist and my English is not very good, so I resort to the translator to express my opinion. I love your way of being in life and if God allows me, one day we will be together somewhere in this world. Much success and when you come to Portugal, I will be very happy to show you this wonderful country.
Yes Andy, it is very scary. We have been in couple of situations with total loss being imminent. Many folk never go sailing again after that do I glad you survived and still enjoy it!!!
Glad you enjoyed it, Timm! It has created a lot more interest and value than I expected but Eli did tell me that people needed to know the details - so I bow to her greater wisdom!
A lot of good information. I love your channel. Keep up the good work. I'm going to take a strange guess and say that your in Canada. Don't laugh at me.
Keeping all switching high in the hulls will reduce the risk of shorting in a hull leak situation...all through bulkhead services need to be waterproof like a shore power connector or sealed in a gland set up ... 🤞🏼🤔 . I put forward the idea of a self righting air bag on a multi million pound out and out V hull sports boat .. but salvage bags linked to fixed lines and hoses built in to a hull might be a future safety idea for offshore vessels and race boats.. packed into protective cases in the hull sides or decks and activatable by mechanical pull release or air valve. They could be deployed on one or both sides to keep a vessel afloat in event of a catastrophic breach...and wouldnt take up much space ..if international orange they would make the vessel easier to see from the air if low in the water.
Yes we have seriously looked at air bags, either in hulls instead of air tight voids oreads inflated or triggered like you say… Not had enough time to go this yet though. I think in the big brands, all owners crossing oceans should have those salvage bags in the hulls to save their boat or use for others in distress…
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 Another thought for further down the line .....look up the Liquid piston motors company they have a prototype rotary diesel engine that is forty hp and one tenth the wt and tiny compared to a conventional 35 hp 4 cylinder diesel. Its also small enough to hold in your hands.... as an APU generator motor its brilliant. Though theres already a 12.5 kw Rotary engine powered genset thats been tested by DARPA etc and is the size of medium size suitcase and weighs less than 80 lb ready to run. Rotor power already do a single rotor motor and a double. ... Even Mazda are trying their Rotor Wankel motor as a generator range extender in their latest PHEV.🤔
Ohhh yes we really like your channel, follow your work closely. We are behind you, but thinking about copying your construction journey.. Thanks for sharing👍
Go for it, MK and have fun! We are so much happier being able to get the features in the boat that we value highly when none of the usual brands could give us close to what we were looking for! Let us know what you are creating...
There is really no comparism to other catamaran construction. Aluminum is expensive but look at the strength and rigidity, bulkheads, frames, ribs and plate all bound together with welds. This is how they build ships and yachts and airplanes for decades. You don't see any Superyachts made from GRP. Much respect to you for your decision, after all your research and years of experience. Kind rgds from Toronto
G'day Guys, a very informative and interesting video which I thought was a simple way of explaining to the uninitiated in laymans terms, well done. Pumps, the vain of every boatie. I have seen Bilge Pp's installed with a float switch that was set to go off too early (Shallow) ie; the Pp still has air trapped in the impeller area which makes the Pp inaffective (useless) and unless you bleed off the air or more water comes in to overcome the air lock, it is not going to work. As for emergency Pp's, your local rural supplier can supply a small petrol Pp that they use on small dams or for firefighting. I carry a small 2-stroke one onboard with enough length of hose to pump from the engine room to over the side. They pump a fair volume of water, are light & small enough to stash away and can also be used for firefighting. I run mine about once a month to keep it in good operating condition. I'll take a stab in the dark and say you guys are in Singa's, on your way home for a much needed break!! :)
Hi TEx, that petrol pump is exactly the thing we are looking for to double as a pump not dependent on the batteries and dual purpose as you say. Thanks for your comment again! Singapore is not where we are - but good guess as it is an Asian country.
Very excited for your build! I'd love to know more about how lines are run to the raised helm location, and in fact how all lines are run. I'd love to hear more about Portofino's experience in designing/building folding keels, and the mechanics involved.
HI Todd, thanks for the interest and we will share all the layouts of the deck hardware in due course. Portofino has been operating in marine fit out and rebuilds for 15 years in Dubai and Raffaele is an engineer with a Captain's ticket to 200,000 tonnes. He has been working with lifting keels and fixing broken ones from other brands and ran his own commercial scuba diving super yacht before that. So involved in all aspects of yacht engineering and systems so hopefully we will benefit from all the things that did not work so well with other brands.
You are definitely the 'safety sailors of the seas'. I will never own a boat however I find the care you share is intriguing and so important. As far as where you are ... I've read the guesses - I think it's time to fess up :) Btw ... I'm in Montenegro now. Oh my goodness the marinas here and the sailing waters are incredible. Paradise!
Sorry guys, I'm no ornithologist but my guess is that you are on the northern side of the Med, maybe Portugal. Otherwise, I was completely nerding out on the tech aspects of your build !!
This video is so informative. It really contributes to your decision to get a Portofino which is strongly put together. Thank you, thank you for the important information.
Aluminium has a relatively low panel stiffness, hence the need for many frames and stringers to support the skin. Composite sandwich panels are typically much stiffer, so less bulkheads/frames/stringers needed. The issue is all about quality of construction with either material….welding or bonding/tabbing has to be done right. Aluminium is a great material, but watch the weight growth during construction. Every weld is added weight.
All very good. I suppose it would be right to say there might be ‘partitions’ or walls on a boat that are non-structural . These should not be called bulkheads. Of course as you build the boat lighter you might rely more on the bulkheads and frames for structure . Some builders will save weight by using the partitions as structural members( frames or bulkheads) I don’t think you should be saying you have 52 bulkheads , you have at least 4 bulkheads per hull plus many frames. Looks like an exciting build Cheers Warren
Yes Warren, the terms are a vague as in monohulls all the frames are bulkheads… However the 4 important bulkheads are the one that go across between the two hulls as you say. It was the naval architects that said to us there were 52 bulkheads (although like you I would have just called them frames… It doesn’t really matter as long as we all know what we are talking about. All the complete “walls” in the hulls are bulkheads and where there are doors, they are part of the structural build too (frames). There’s no non structural walls and even in the 42 foot cat, the saloon seats and lockers acted to increase the structural strength of the underwing. All those things help making the boat stiff. Thanks for your comments and we agree…
Hi Guys, Just wondering if you still have your 45 that Leopard arranged for you to buy. The reason is I found a channel called "Travel Sketch" who are having massive issues with cracking in their forward crossbeam supports of their Leopard 45.( could be caused by the lack of strength of bulkheads further back in the boat?) Have you looked for any problems with your 45? Their boat is 2 years old ( I think) so maybe Leopard have changed the attachment points , so yours might be ok. The other thing is how tight do you have your stays to hold up your mast? I used to race a maricat 4.3 cat rigged cat (back in the day when I was much younger lol) and the rear lee stays were always loose when sailing to windward. Is this the case in larger Cats or are all the stays as tight as possible? Thanks for the video. Good luck with your new build.
Thanks for the info and the comment, Stephen. Yes we still have the Leopard 45 and will do for the ext 2 years until the Portofino is near completion. We do not have any of those issues that those poor guys have experienced. Our rig is not overly tight which puts less strain on the pressure points but it was rigged by R+C and so was their 45 - we hope their problems are able to be sorted and allow them to enjoy the sailing more...
Fire? You are in the middle of the sea how can it catch fire? 😵💫😂🤣….. it’s amazing how flammable a boat can be surrounded by sea water. Fire extinguishers needed as well as builder pumps.❤
The usual cause of fire at sea is diesel leaking onto something hot, electrical wires or equipment shorting out or batteries (esp Lithium) overheating..... Yes fibreglass is very flammable and as soon as it establishes the whole boat will go up so you have have to kill it fast when it is small....
Thanks for your ongoing support and comments Jim. The insurance saga is still "in process" and we wait and we wait and we wait. In the hands of lawyers and various approaches underway but no resolution as yet....
Aluminum in aircraft and boats. Aircraft use alodine treatment before painting. . I heard another sailor that has been around the world in an aluminum catamaran. His comment was to coat with paint the bilge where any salt water can collect. I saw a fisherman in Australia with an aluminum fishing boat on RU-vid. He didn't clean the inside very often. He found corrosion holes clear through the hull in multiple locations .luckily he could get to location of the holes to weld and paint. The issue was there were conditions where salt water was present a lot of the time. Will you be painting your bilges? Croatian birds.
HI Gearing, at the moment I do not know what the plan is for the inside aluminium. 2 Things however - I would want the insides of the boat to always be dry and I succeeded with that with our 42 foot performance cat. Unlike the old boats that leak, AL and western red cedar with expoxy do not so the hulls are dry and ANY water raises alarm bells. Secondly, my understanding is that AL should not corrode unless there is a leak of power, your anodes are dead or there is power leaking from another boat / marina. So if the hulls are dry, we should not corrode and separately if the anodes and leak detectors are in place, we separately should not corrode. Silly things like metal debris, nails, screws or coins in the wet hull will cause the AL to corrode so keeping everything clean and dry is therefore important... Sorry not Croatian birds - a different continent...
Thank you for your amazing content. The universe have you both on a wonderful path, filled with sadness and topped off with incredible joy. I was convinced on owning a Leapord 50, now I am convinced to get a Portofino, however i am stuck between the 47 and the 52 which you had a massive part in. For me the question is the flybridge, you let go of the flybridge for performance increase, which is a worthy sacrifice. Seeing the performance of the 52 succeeding your expectations, would it be considered that a 52 with a flybridge design of the 47, would still give amazing performance around 15-20 knots with a raised mainsail? It will help tremendous to make up my mind in which one to get, since I love your 52 design and I love the flybridge of the 47. And my dream is to sail the Siberian strait above Russia, will the Portofino be adequate enough or should I look at the Exploracat options? Thank you again for your content and your amazingness. You are a wonderful incarnation of Angels. Ps: not sure if you reply on old videos and comments so I am copying and pasting this in all your videos. Apologies in advance for this, and also thank you for the answer I know you will think clearly of, and will help both buyers and sellers. ❤
Dear Somebody (and everyone is someone - not nobody!) Thank you so much for your very kind and generous compliments ad we are VERY GLAD that our content can have positive effects for you personally and everyone else that gets those benefits! As for the "reincarnation of angels" that is certainly the domain of Eli but I am happy to just be dragged along on her wing feathers! We are certainly working to make our path a beautiful one while dealing with high level issues, ironically right now as we are in the middle of legal processes to try and get some outcome from the fire damage - so you kind words are like words of support, helping us on the rocky road!!! As of the incredible joy, Eli and I always ensure we create the joy and love around us so that any negativity no matter how intense does not prevent our daily love and happiness... It is sometimes hard work to rise above it but we focus on what we have and not what we don't have and remember Eli's mother's wise words "Honey, everything's gonna be ALLLRIIIGHT!" So to your important questions - the flybridge will probably lose a knot to the speeds up to 12 knots and perhaps 2 knots from 12-20 - these are my estimates only. So really if you are still getting easy 12s - 15 knots in the right conditions and sailing almost wind speed in light winds, the 52 with a flybridge will be spectacular too. We are going to have loungers on the flybridge that have backs that can fix in sitting position as a compromise but no structure up there and we sacrificed the flybridge cause we wanted the boat to perform as well as it can with all it's other features as well. If you want to have a boat that is also bale to survive ice collisions then Portofino can easily make it to suit - slightly more aluminium supports, thicker aluminium in the bow and probably an extra ton or two by the end but that is "easily" done. I specified to them that we would not sail into iceberg areas so the heavy construction requirements were avoided. By the way, the 47 would probably be strong enough for icebergs as it is but it is much slower and there are many features that we got added to the 52 that makes it an amazing boat! So if you are serious, ask Raffaele about your specs and I'm sure it can be done!!! Yes we do watch for comments on old videos and get to answer almost every one. Fortunately RU-vid has a filter that allows us to see comments that we have not responded to so this catches the comments on old videos - but feel free to drop the comments in every other video as it would probably be good for others to see and improve our RU-vid ratings!!! LOL.
I wish you had more video on your hull. And you are wrong on the "FILLIT" part of your video. For fiberglass yes but it helps with fiberglass to form around the corner if you will. The weld is to melt to pieces of Metal together as one Piece of Metal. Thank you for this weeks video. Can't wait for the next one. Ok until next time, Aloha from the Big Island of Hawaii! Aloha
Thanks Bill for the info. Glad to hear from you again as it has been some time since we heard from you - hope all is well for you in paradise! In relation to the filling idea, I was just extrapolating from my epoxy experience and those process cause it looks the same - but I take that on board if it is not true! Glad you're still on the journey with us!
A few years ago, I was searching for my last boat (I just turned 72). Looking very closely, I noticed a nearly universal lack of quality. The wiring especially was very often haphazard and I walked away from MANY boats because of that. My 2nd concern was always the inadequate material used. What's holding the boat together I would ask. The answer was invariably: not much. Builders are sacrificing strength for light weight and apparent "speed". The designers/builders will assure you that their boats are strong and safe. However, that is not the reality. MOST of those boats are highly compromised.
Hi Quackers, by the looks of the ethnicity of the people in the workshop, I'm going to say ur in Nepal. Sorry for my tardiness in commenting, if been watching other RU-vid channels, oops did I just say that out loud!! U both know I'm in tears of joy for ur new baby and ur incredible future. Luv yas later 🇦🇺🌈🤗 oh and how good are C and C machines, just so precise.
HI Karlene, Well done - you win the prize of guessing the right country! Not sure that the logic of your guess is correct but the result is 100% so who cares!!! We are in Nepal for 3 weeks before going to South Africa to sail a Leopard 50 to USA... Where are you based in Australia? Your prize will be announced in the next episode....
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 Oh Wow oh wow r u kidding, I'm soooo excited, and it's best not to try to understand my Logic, or u may need to see a Psychiatrist🤣 oh I'm actually speechless!!!. I live in Kempsey NSW. I hope ur both feeling much better now, I know I am. Abbadabbadoo Yahoo 🇦🇺🌈😲
@@seawench555 Good on yas! Eli will be in Brisbane in June/ July but was not expecting to go to NSW... Wait till the next episode to find out your prize...... We'll keep you in suspenders till then (It's not too grand but we're sure you'll enjoy it!)
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 I'm just really excited, that I'll be in suspenders. 🤣👍, but seriously don't go out of ur way for me ok. I'm just glad we have fun together 😛
Love your videos. As a newbie I really appreciate your insights. Having been in the RV business one of our concerns was when welding Aluminium that the welds are strong, but it could crystallize the Aluminium on each side of it. How does Portofino address this?
Hi Kirk, That is not my area of expertise and we will have Raffaele discuss these issues in an upcoming segment. However, I would expect that crystallisation only occurs with excess heating of the AL. Fast smooth welding that I have seen does not cause that issue so it may be down to the skill of the operator - but we will see what the "clever" people say about it!
Very interested in learning the material science and why different alloys of aluminum are chosen for different parts of the boat. 5083 was chosen for your bulkheads, but there are several other choices (each with pros and cons, and costs). I’m not implying that 5083 is a bad choice, I’m just looking for a more scientific explanation as why without using generic terms like “it’s the best”. Also, will your boat be rated for ice impacts?
@@anthonyrstrawbridge The same can be said about 5052, 5182, 5086, 5754 and 5251. I’m assuming the Barefoot Doctors do not know the answers to this question, but they seem to have access to engineers that might. I have read through several academic papers concerning alloying properties and have come to the conclusion that it likely comes down to cost and availability. Maybe the engineers would rather use 5754, but it’s 6x the cost. Maybe 5083 for bulkheads, and 5052 for hull skin and something else for fuel and water tanks. Obviously I’m no engineer, I’m just curious.
@@nutsandbolts432 Yes, the 5 thousand series sounds great. Less zinc more chromium, less conductivity, low weight. I maintain 2024 and 6061 hulls for spraying corrosive salts and acids. It is the stainless steel which corrodes away and fails most often.
HI Nuts and Bolts - you are right in saying that we do not know the different properties of the different types of AL but we can get the engineers to let you now why they use 5083. All I was told that for seawater, it has the best properties... Will try and find out more detail for you.
Great news, its begun! Happy to be part of the process, although in the digital world. Good chat on bulkheads, essential (ask Collin from Parley Revival) 🤣Are all or most of the under the waterline area's watertight? Are you guys in Outer Mongolia?
Thanks for the comment Patrick and I built all the areas under the waterline was air tight voids but that is never done in production boats. Almost the opposite.... Water can just fill almost every crevice in the hull under the floor if it comes in. Your guess is the best so far - quite similar type of country and people - same same but different! Sorry that you just missed so far...
Hi John and Eli. Another great informative episode today. You raise the main points that most should know when buying a cat. So well done there. However, I've noticed two things in my years of sailing. With high performance catamarans under 30ft long - those used for racing - then tend to have a "striker" which points downwards between the two hulls under the mast which helps offset mast and hull forces, however with the the modern pleasure/cruising catamarans the sticker seems to have been moved forward to the bow and turned upside down. I can't see how this stops the hulls from splaying out wide. If it was a solid bar I can see how it would help stop the mast compression, but most a wire under significant tension themselves. So I'm intrigued. Can you explain how the upturned striker helps and exactly which forces it is cancelling? Or is it pretensioning the hulls' bulkheads? How much force would be placed through them? On another note, I noticed the seemingly unique ornate concrete railing posts of the balustrade behind you. I've not encountered them some ornately made. I think your still around Rome/Siscilly somewhere, but as to the actual city...I'm none the wiser. As I'm first here I doubt I'll win the prize. Fair winds guys!!!
Thanks Garth for the big comment but you don't win the prize for location yet... There is very little to go on though so tough call! The "striker" (if it is what I am thinking it is) under the mast, takes the load of the mast pushing down. The A Frame on the bow takes the pressure of the forestay pulling up to protect the beam from breaking, hence its upward orientation. It is not for the hulls at all and while the bulkheads do most of the work for hull stability, the front beam also helps as it is usually bolted / glassed very securely to the bows... Hope that helps!
Great lesson on bulkheads! Congratulations on your new build! In the back ground, the tree looks like Europe, the balustrade looks more Italian, are you in Italy?
Please can you include some more info on catamaran standing rigging and chain plates. Especially the lack of a back stay and the loads caused by headsails and spinnakers. Cheers 👍 ( Are you in the Canary Islands?? )
Noted, Geniex! We will talk about rigging in later videos. Catamarans usually use three point rigs with swept back shrouds to remove the need for backstays because the large roached mainsails (large bulge outwards at the top) would get tangled if backstays were used... Sorry but it is not the Canaries!
Really enjoying this series on building your new catamaran . It seems to me that a balance needs to be struck when making these considerations. I agree that one will get great peace of mind in being in a yacht built like a tank when in a crisis situation but a yacht built like a tank will probably sail like one too! All those bulkheads and multiple bilge pumps etc must add to the weight and at some stage you will lose sight of your aim of getting a performance boat.
Thanks for the comment and yes, it is always a balance. However some things are worth the weight and we hope that despite the frames and stringers, it will come it at the target weight, then we just have to keep the stuff we put on the boat under control... We will be really excited to see how she sails though!!!
I think you are getting confused between Frames and Bulkheads. Yes Bulkheads are structural as are Frames and stringers. Try not to confuse "E" glass and Aluminum they have different build processes. But a great vid.. Thank you
Thanks for your comment Garry and thanks for clarifying the importance of frames and BH for structural strength and yes you are right that the different other products have different flexibilities so the spacing between supports is very different. I have no experience in building with glass so can't comment at all but foam sandwich and western red cedar epoxy sandwich don't need such close supports. Thanks for clarifying (and we do sometimes talk loosely - apologies!
Out of curiosity, if it is possible, would incorporating carbon fiber for some/all of the bulk heads have any benefits for weight savings, etc. vs aluminum bulk heads in an otherwise aluminum boat?
Interesting idea Paul, but my understanding is that even carbon fibre has the risk of electrolysis when used with large amounts of metal so I think that is why it is not done... Also Aluminium keeps the cost down and carbon shoots it all back up.
HI guys. Not sure if the manufacturer would be liable if an independent salesman was not speaking the truth and then the issue would be have you suffered any harm from that - if your boat sinks, perhaps you would have some possibility in a place like the USA but most countries would find in the fine print of the manual that it is stated that the sections drain to the one place and you were meant to read that... I'm not a lawyer at all and can't advise or answer that absolutely - however, I spread the info so future buyers might be more aware of what they are getting and not just accept the sales pitch!
Very late to the party (got totally sidetracked watching police chases, pit maneuvers, and jail guards!) I'm no marine architect, nor do I have knowledge of geometry, but I have a question about the shrouds. If they pull up so much by being attached to the outside of the hulls, why don't they change the system to have them through the decks to the inside edges of the hulls? I get that would mean more places for possible leaks, but many are already actually done thru the decks to the inside of the outer hulls anyway. I hope that was clear! LOL
Hi again Diana, nice to hear from you again! Having the shrouds attached on the outside of the hull at the bulkheads means the pressure is taken by the bulkhead and not by the bolts that it is attached with... If it was inside the hull, it would be the top of the bolts that were taking all the pressure, instead of the bolts just holding the shrouds in place and the compression taken directly on the bulkheads. Hope that is clear - a diagram would make it easier...
Hi Peter - good question and yes there are… We will do a video talking about them when we are close to installing as we have to investigate the best ones to use that are affordable. The price range that we have heard so far is $3000 to $20,000 and of course the performance of the expensive ones are much better…
HI Danny - what car are you wanting to know about? The fire issue is still in court without any payout so we need to keep it confidential till the proceedings are over but it was not a fault of the boat, the electrics, the engine or Lithium batteries. It is not a fire that would normally occur so is not a risk to others with Leopards or other brand boats.
@barefootdoctorssailing8567 thank youn for replay.. im Will build my boat it is in design stage . And I study safety first because I will build expedition.. Aluminum but not a katamaran.. there are many electrical things that boat builders are building wrong.. and other stupidity. Regards
Any where you weld aluminium, you weaken it, it is just a fact of welding. and your idea that it makes it stronger I have never heard before. Remember aluminium is very different to steel.....
Hi Rusty, that is what we have heard. Not sure if it because of the extra alum strip at 90* that stiffens it to create that effect but happy to be informed...
Btw: thinking dagger board activation recovery system possible problematic in 3rd world country world voyage......what happens if you lose electrical to that centerboard mechanism? A daggerboard is so much mush straight forward, and easy to replace/repair., plus visually indicative of its position to ondeck crew!!!! the daggerboard trunk could be creatively positioned(your current designer probably "locked-in" to having them dead center in th hulls), but many designs dn not do this, or have a bulkhead at th trunk, and have two entries to each hulls from th salon two companionways fore & aft of th dboard trunk...
Thanks Lincoln again for the comment. I understand we will have a manual system to raise and lower the daggerboard with a winch handle if we need to. Having had the daggerboards, there is greater risk if you run aground with one as something will break - either your daggerboard (moderately annoying) or your hull (major catastrophe)! What I like about this design is that it will just kick up and nothing will be harmed. It is only when sailing forward that you are going at pace so any fast collision will result in it kicking up directly backwards. If you drift sideways onto a reef, the speed will be very slow and much less damaging.. Our centreboard is below the soles (Floors) of the hulls so are not in the way of anything, an added bonus as daggerboard take up that section of lateral hull space. Always pros and cons so we all have to make those calls and that is personal choice.
Tomarto, tomaato - with aluminum in English, we even spell it differently as aluminium. Fortunately we are both correct as long as we understand each other when talking….
In Canada where I'm located, it's both pronunciations depending if you're primarily English or French speaking, so I'm used to hearing it said either way, LOL
