AYRSLIDE: an Add-On Go-Faster System for Catamarans

Developed by Slade Penoyre, Little Pond, Kennel Lane, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6AA.
Telephone: 01276 472 208
E-mail: slade@freeserve.co.ac.uk

Back to Yacht Research Homepage | To AYRSRIGHT

Photo: Slade Penoyre

Do you sail a beach cat (Hurricane, Dart, Hobie, etc.) ?
Do you dislike being overtaken by windsurfers ?
Do you feel threatened by the new fast dighies ?

If so, you need AYRSLIDE !!

This project is developing a sliding seat for small catamarans and sportboats which will let the crew move outboard and aft to increase sail carrying power and hence speed. It is being carried out by Slade Penoyre, with the help of other AYRS members in the Berkshire/West London area.

It was featured in an article by Jeremy Evans in "Yachts and Yachting", May 1997, p.62. His opinion of it:

"It doesn't look bad, though we haven't tried it on the water, and there is little doubt that it must have a major effect on righting moment for only a modest increase in all-up weight....
You have lots of time to do this on the relatively stable platform of a cat tramp, unlike the tricky sequence needed to move the seat on an International Canoe. "

As well as making ordinary catamaran sailing faster and more exciting, Slade hopes that AYRSLIDE will

let people sail two-crew cats single-handed - provided they also fit a righting system like AYRSRIGHT!
let people with leg disabilities - or advancing years ! - enjoy the speed and excitement of a high performance cat without having to trapeze. AYRSLIDE may therefore allow the realisation of the brilliant proposal from Ian Harrison of RYA Sailability that the Hobie 16 should be one of the sailing classes in the 2000 Paralympics.

Photo: Slade Penoyre

The latest (late 1996) version of AYRSLIDE is a light, simple aluminium tube frame with fabric covering (like a camp bed, pipe cot or stretcher), about 2 metres long by 1 metre wide, which is slid outboard to extend a catamaran's trampoline to windward. The crew then either sit on it or trapeze off its end, getting their weight out and aft to increase sail carrying power and hence speed.

The outer end of the frame is hung from the mast on a trapeze wire, while the inboard end is hooked over and supported by a tube mounted along each gunwale, between the ends of the catamaran's beams. The frame's fore and aft position and angle to the boat's centreline are adjustable with lines.

When tacking, the frame is pulled inboard onto the trampoline and is then pushed out onto the new windward side, the support and control lines being unclipped and refastened as necessary.

For light wind sailing or when racing under class rules the frame and its mounting are left ashore.

Earlier developments of the project:

For several years, Slade Penoyre has been investigating "safer" alternatives to trapezing, using his own Catapult - a production inflatable catamaran.

A sucession of sitting out devices has ranged from a wooden ladder, via a trough to the present camp bed.

Photo: Fiona Sinclair
AYRS Speedweek, Oct. 1995.

Photo: Fiona Sinclair
Winter 1995 Bray Lake again.
Prototype with ladder and farmer's gate

A project like this needs good wet or dry suits, life jackets and thick skins - we were not "going to paint your mast, then ?" as a wit among the spectators suggested.

Photo: Fiona Sinclair
Winter 1995. Bray Lake, Berkshire, UK.

Photo: Slade Penoyre

Winter 1995. Bray Lake. with Fiona Sinclair.

The Mark 1 trough was a 4mm plywood trough sliding on two 16 swg 41 mm - o.d. aluminium tubes each 2 m long; single extension. It was tried at Bray Lake, Winter 1995 - our thanks to John Lindley of Happy Hobies for the use of his excellent facilities.

The Mark 2 trough was as Mark 1 but with double extension (45 mm tubes inside 50 mm ones). For 2-crew cats (Hobie, Hurricane, Dart etc.), to allow fast exciting sailing either single-handed in fresh winds or two-up in stronger winds.

Back to Yacht Research Homepage | To AYRSRIGHT

e-mail to: slade@freeserve.co.ac.uk