The navigation controller has been tested on a hobby RC boat which was navigating through multiple waypoints on a lake. Different approaches were evaluated to find the best algorithm working at high speeds. Stability at high speeds would be difficult to test with a sailboat as the winds in the middle of the ocean can…

This is a 65-cm prototype of the wingsail. It’s made from a foam wrapped with carbon fiber. This kind of sail seems to be pretty heavy and mechanically complex when compared to a typical sail. However, the advantage is BIG – it automatically maintains an effective angle of attack using the small “tail” behind the…

The boat design consists of 12 carbon fiber parts that will be made by resin infusion – a modern technique providing the best strength properties. Building a mold for each part is a labor-intensive process that may take several days or weeks. Once the molds are ready, the carbon fiber parts can be made with…

A month ago, I published a test of a worm drive that is going to do the most critical job – steering the rudder. The motor made over 3 million cycles under decent load until it failed last week. You can see in the picture that the worm gear is completely worn off. The motor…

There are three widely used materials for boat building, each one with its own advantages: fiberglass, carbon fiber and Kevlar. How to combine them properly to withstand the extreme ocean conditions? The way to find out is to test all possible combinations and examine their properties. Numerous tests have confirmed that the best composite is…