Second Mini Launch for MITEC |
| Friday, 25 July 2003 |
For the students of the BSc Sail and Powerboat course and their tutors, this marks the end of another intense year of endeavour. The standard of finish on the boat is very high and a credit to the efforts of all those involved in her creation.
This preliminary launch was to enable her to have her rig stepped in readiness for measuring for a suit of sails, and for initial stability tests to be carried out. In order to qualify under the Classe mini rule the boat will have to meet certain stability criteria, and this first test shows that the boat exceeds the current requirement by quite a margin.
Utilising the same tool that produced the hull for the first boat, MITEC is a subtle development incorporating a more widespread use of carbon fibre for the internal structure and the foils, optimisation of the keel and daggerboard positions and numerous other small improvements.
As a further development, a composite keel fin was designed using solid modelling and finite element analysis tools. The structure, which was fabricated by the students, was bench tested prior to installation in order to validate the results of the analysis.
To be named ‘MITEC’ at an official ceremony scheduled for 24th September, the boat will then be used as an experimental and teaching platform for future courses, during which further analysis and optimisation work is planned. Additionally it is hoped that she will undertake promotional sailing work, providing an opportunity for the students to get afloat.
As a collaborative project with Owen Clarke Design, this unique educational opportunity puts the student body in direct contact with an active design office, and at the same time allows us to give something back to the grass roots of the industry.
www.pembsmaritime.com for more information regarding MITEC and the courses it offers.
www.classemini.fr for the mini class association.
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