FULL SCALE INVESTIGATION OF ONE-DESIGN CLASS CATAMARAN SAILS

PUDDU, PIERPAOLO;N. ERRIU;F. NURZIA;A. PISTIDDA;A. MURA

2006-01-01

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Abstract

This work is concerned with an experimental campaign carried out on a Tornado class catamaran. Full scale pressure measurements were taken on the boat main sail both on the pressure and on the suction side. Pressure taps were applied on the main sail accurately trying not to modify the flow field nor the flexibility of the sails. The distribution of the pressure taps is such that an accurate map of the mean pressure distribution on the sail surfaces has been reconstructed. Every pressure tap was coupled with a pressure transducer and the pressure values were acquired through an electronic scanning, so that they can be considered to be simultaneous. Static pressure coefficient distribution over the sail span will be presented, giving an insight into the flow structure over the sails and precious information for validation of CFD codes.