New Carbon Fiber Sport Sailboat to Debut in 2007: The V38

Victory by Design, LLC has announced that the production has begun on a new sport boat to be made of carbon fiber. It is called the V38, and looks strikingly similar to a racing boat called the A-scow. Brad Robinson and his wife, Susana, are the owners of Victory by Design, LLC., formed to put the V38 into production.

A fiberglass-hulled boat that Robinson designed and built in 2003 is named "Victory." Indeed it does have some very innovative features compared to the A scows with which it was designed to compete. Most of those features enhance the crew's ability to sail fast with less work and better sail control, such as the placement of its vang far aft with its car on a long track with a large radius. This gives much better leverage in the function of holding down the boom to shape the upper mainsail. His bowsprit for the tack of the asymmetric spinnaker provides better visibility beneath the foot of a 1,000 square foot spinnaker.

Robinson has long been an innovator and has engineered and hand-built numerous sailboat components over the years that make sailboat racing safer, simpler, and faster.

He has long been fascinated by the possibilities of lighter weights and applications of space-age materials for the purpose of making sailboats go faster, so this combination of events has given Robinson the impetus to go all-out and produce a state-of-the-art sports boat.

Hence the V38! Thirty-eight feet of spectacular sailing, yet safety is not lost in the mix.

Vertically Canted Bow Sprit The high outboard end of the patented bow sprit provides good visibility and spinnaker luff shape to maximize downwind speed

It will be built in the same molds as "Victory," but using carbon fiber roving for the hull, which will substantially reduce the weight without reducing stiffness or durability.

Carbon Fiber Side Boards The carbon fiber elliptical design provides not only lift but gives a high strength to weight ratio.

According to Robinson, the V38 is strictly a "super-high-performance sport boat" that he thinks there is a market for around the world. Many of the features of the V38 are already incorporated into the A Scow "Victory." Some of the key points of superiority include the vang and adjustable bowsprit, already mentioned, and a unique rudder linkage system connecting dual rudders to a single tiller, a self tacking jib that simplifies tacking and jibing, a set of sideboards and rudders that not only are perfectly designed for hydrodynamics, but made of carbon fiber. The fact that they float is an advantage, for it is easy to hold the sideboards down and let them pop up during tacking and jibing and it makes for easy removal of weeds.

Another innovation for the V38: the utilization of a rotating mast. It's not new (been on C Scows forever) but Robinson chose it because it simplifies the rigging. It's construction: carbon fiber.

Who is the potential buyer for such a high performance craft? Robinson believes there are many pockets of potential V38 owners out beyond the geography of the Minnesota-Wisconsin-Iowa area that will be excited about the adrenaline pumping speed the V38 will provide. Any enclosed or semi-enclosed body of water where you have enough room to get up to speed is perfect. That definition encompasses a lot of bodies of water around the globe. Just add sailors living nearby with a thirst for speed!

Sail Control All sail, track, vang, and backstay control lines are on deck and in easy reach when sailing in the fully hiked out position making all adjustments fast and easy.

Asked if fleet racing was the goal, Robinson answered that while one design fleet racing was what got him to this point, the simple thrill that comes with bearing off in a 15 mile-per-hour breeze, popping the chute, and feeling the spectacular surge of acceleration will make buyers out of sailors looking for more thrill in their day-sailing experience. Sure, the hope is there for fleet formation to be able to enjoy the speed thrill along with competition.

He espouses the idea of "quality by design" and it will no-doubt be evident in the final production of the V38. Every control line, turning block, fitting and assembly has been carefully researched and selected or created to minimize weight, yet provide ease of use by the crew, and be durable enough to last for years.

When will it be ready? Many components are completed and ready. The first hulls will be assembled this winter, ready for spectacular sailing in the spring 2007.
 

Victory by Design
Phone: 952-474-5757
Fax: 952-474-6363
email: VictoryByDesign@msn.com
Website: www.VictoryByDesign.org