Design #533 Transpac 52

we have examined the average boat speed profiles for a series of events and built upon our extensive knowledge base in this area to select an appropriate level of transom immersion in sailing conditions that we feel balances the competing demands of round the buoys racing and high speed offshore sailing. The waterline is maximized at the bow leaving just enough distance to the upright stem to fit a reasonable knuckle radius.

Appendage Geometry & Sizing

There is a wide range of freedom in the design of the appendages. Within the restrictions of overall draft, permitted materials, and minimum keel fin strength we were free to develop low drag, good handling solutions. The rudder was sized to provide sufficient lift and good handling characteristics with minimal area and drag. The combination of optimized planform shape and our own foil sections, designed in-house, produce a high lift/low drag rudder that gives the helmsman plenty of warning of an imminent stall. The keel fin was sized to provide sufficient lifting area for starting and other maneuvering situations while balancing the competing concerns of upwind and downwind sailing.

The bulb concept for Design 533 also reflects efforts to balance upwind sailing and maneuvering issues with the desire to minimize viscous drag. We chose a chined bulb shape to improve the upwind performance and achieve the deepest center of gravity. The bulb shape was optimized using our understanding of transitional flow mechanics that contributes to reducing the bulb viscous drag.

Deck Geometry and Layout

The deck geometry combines the minimalist coach roof and flattish deck camber of our previous design work with an aggressive cockpit aimed to position crew not hiking as far outboard as possible. Substantial weight savings have beenachieved in the aft cockpit by continuing the cockpit sole out to the hull, thereby eliminating the cockpit sides. The cockpit sole has been sloped down aft of the traveller to minimize its