World Cruising Designs for the Future

by Brian Eiland/Sail-World Cruising on 13 Aug 2007 With most yacht designers going for the leading edge of racing sailing, it's refreshing to find a yacht designer who is concentrating on the best yacht design for exploring the world's oceans. So here we present the ideas for world-roving yachts of the future from US designer Brian Eiland of Running Tide Yachts.

'RunningTideYachts, Ltd has chosen to concentrate its yacht design and consulting efforts on vessels capable of exploring the world's wide ocean expanses on their own bottoms.

'To reach many remote areas there is often a question of fuel availability, and/or certainly considerations of fuel efficiency and range that need to be accounted for. These 'fuel factors' beg for solutions. One primary solution we suggest is achieved by adopting the use of an older, oft-forgotten vessel concept known as a 'motorsailer'...vessels capable of motoring and sailing, in combination, to reach unlimited vistas.

'The multihull vessel form lends itself extremely well to a significant improvement in both the motoring and sailing capabilities of the traditional motorsailer. For years the multihull itself was considered a renegade design form. Much of that past stigma has subsided, and acceptance is now much more favorable.

'Concurrently, there are other exciting new technologies that need introduction and acceptance by the yachting fraternity. RunningTideYachts, Ltd intends to be at the leading edge of adapting both the multi-hull form, and these emerging technologies, to the exploration Motor/Sailers of the future.

'Our latest design, the DynaRig MotorSailer takes a bold step forward to incorporate several new technologies into a very practical, generous size vessel that would allow for a private owner to go off cruising the world without need of a crew. She carries a modern version of an old square-rigger sailplan termed a DynaRig, which has recently been showcased on the exciting new superyacht, Maltese Falcon. We carry only a single-masted version on this 20m design verses the 3 masts on the Falcon, but the concept is basically the same. I believe it is the first catamaran to propose this square-sail rig, and it should prove quite an exciting project, while being very considerably cheaper than Falcon.

'This vessel also makes use of an innovative new motor/propulsion system, the combination of diesel-electric power generation unit(s) supplying electrically driven rim-drive propulsors. The diesel-electric power units have gained tremendous respect in the yachting field during the past several years. The rim-driven prop units have been utilized as thrusters for a few years, and are now just on the verge of reality as propulsion units. Alternatively we are still pursuing belt & chain drive propeller technology as well.

'On a less grand scale, note the optional fishing chair mounted on an elevating rear deck platform that can be lowered down to sea level to create a family swim /sunning area. Also, the outdoor grill/galley area on the port side of the cockpit. In charter, a number of passengers might welcome a second yacht tender that can be carried up forward and launched with help of the swinging lower yardarm..a second car you might say.

'Our next design (coming soon) will be an adaptation of this new motorsailing design into a kite-assisted power vessel. We will substitute a SkySail kite rig for the Dynarig . Then next, will be an entirely new hull design making use of the kite-sail concept

'Interestingly most of these new technologies are European based. The DynaRig is older German technology. The SkySail rig is new German technology. The rim-drive units are mostly Dutch.'

To learn more about the designs of Running Tide, go to their WEBSITE