Auxillary Sails Added to Ocean 55

55' steel fuel-efficient sail-assisted ocean-going motor yacht. Fuel tankage of 1700 usg will allow a cruising range approaching 5000 miles at 7 knots. The 2006 commission was updated recently with a 833 sq ft ketch sailing rig to provide added fuel savings, increased range, and roll stabilization without the underwater drag of fins or paravanes. The sails are individually small and easily handled, and the vertical clearance is still less than 50’ for Intracoastal Waterway travel.

Stability Studies

  • 1. Transport Canada Stability Booklets

    • Stability Booklets for Commercial Fishing, Small Passenger, Sailing, Sail Training Vessels

      We have prepared Transport Canada Stability Booklets for the following vessels: Commercial Fishing, Small Passenger, Sailing, and Sail Training Vessels.

    • Preparing the Stability Booklet

      Every vessel carrying passengers for hire in Canada must meet Transport Canada requirements for Passenger Vessels. Requirements include some form of stability study which may include the preparing of a stability booklet. These vary depending on the vessel size, voyage class, number of passengers carried, and experience of the master and crew. In many cases older vessels are brought into passenger carrying with little or no documentation. I am often requested to facilitate and research these vessels, and prepare the necessary documents. This may involve a simple roll timing experiment, coupled with a 3D computer model to arrive at basic stability characteristics for any vessel. Or it may require extensive measurements of a hull, creation of computer models, and damaged stability studies prior to developing a complete stability booklet as required by TC. Canadian vessels carrying more than 12 passengers will require a damaged stability study and this involves establishing watertight bulkheads to control flooded trim and stability.

    • Stability Booklet Testimonials

      Dear Tad,
      Just to say thanks again for your help. Without your expertise and support there is no way we would have got this done so quick. We can recommend anyone who has to get an existing or new vessel through the certification process to secure your services, as they are money well spent and result in big savings and hassles in the long run.
      Kind Regards,
      Joanne and John Van Strien
      Sail Training Vessel, Western Grace

      Tad,
      Thanks for your great service on this project. David e-mailed me and the boat perfomed perfectly.
      Eric Duncan, Lifetimer Boats

    • Table Showing Intact Static Stability, Condition No. 2
      Table Showing Intact Static Stability, Condition No. 2

  • 2. Ocean Racing Stability Letter

    • Today all vessels entering offshore races are required by ORC (Ocean Racing Club) rules to meet a minimum LPS (Limit of Positive Stability). I’ve done a couple of short studies and created Stability Letters which meet this requirement. This past spring we did an inclining experiment on a Hans Christen 48 to facilitate her entry in the 2012 Vic-Maui Race. The inclining and floatation measurements required several hours work here in Silva Bay. And a 3D computer hull model was created from the original designer’s hull lines drawing (hand drawn by Scott Sprague in 1982) for which no stability data existed.

      Stability model for a Hans Christen 48 for her Ocean Racing Stability Letter

    • Stability model for a Hans Christen 48 for her Ocean Racing Stability Letter
      Stability model for a Hans Christen 48 for an Ocean Racing Stability Letter

  • 3. Building to Comply with Transport Canada and ISO Standards

    • Case Study for TC Approval to ISO 12217-1 and ISO 11812. Canada is in the process of adopting ISO standards for small craft stability, construction, safety, etc.

      The Clearwater project involved measuring a hull already under constuction, advising on ISO requirements, creating a 3D hull model, and doing an inclining prior to completing the traditional stability booklet as well as the ISO worksheets required to certify the vessel to carry 10 passengers.

    • Case Study for New Boat Concerns: Building to Comply with Transport Canada and ISO Standards for Small Passenger Vessels

      I was recently asked to look at a new Small Passenger Vessel project by a local builder. The owner intends to operate a 26' fast aluminum vessel in the Gulf of Georgia carrying 10 passengers on day trips. As the builder has not previously built a Transport Canada certified Small Passenger vessel, he had a number of questions regarding the adaptation of his stock pleasure model for this use. The owner also has a number of concerns regarding area of operation and propulsion options. Both the builder and the owner want the vessel to comply with incoming TC (2006) ISO standards for stability and deck drainage.

      The good news is that in my opinion complying with the regulations and standards is not difficult, if it is taken into consideration early on. In this case we are several months from start of construction. Open and cooperative discussion with Transport Canada is a major asset in this undertaking.

      The first requirement from Transport Canada is proper CAD 'as built' drawings of the vessel. Sketches on the back of an envelope will not do it. This is so the Transport Canada inspectors can satisfy themselves that the boat is designed, built, arranged, and equipped in a seamanlike way suitable for the intended service.

      The second major requirement is complete vessel hydrostatics written up in the form of a Stability Booklet. To create this the vessel must be launched and an inclining test (witnessed by TC) done to establish GM. This experiment coupled with the hydrostatic information from a 3D computer model allows the Naval Architect to determine KG, the vertical center of gravity of this particular vessel. Using the above information, stability calculations for all conceivable loading conditions can be calculated. This is important as the TC and ISO standards stipulate a stability requirement for each operating area.

      • TC concerns regarding the actual layout and construction of the boat include the following areas:
        • - Fuel Shutoff is to be directly inside the engine room and remotely accessed
        • - Fuel Tank Cleanout access to the fuel tank for inspection and cleaning
        • - Water tight Engine Room hatch
        • - High engine air vents
        • - Closures for those vents
        • - Positive engine room hatch dogs
        • - Positive cockpit side door dogs
        • - Solid gate on transom door
        • - Door sill height

      If taken into account at an early stage, these features add very little to cost or construction effort.

      The owner of this vessel was concerned about his options as to operating areas because TC certifies a Passenger Vessel for a particular use with a particular Master. I was able to assure the owner that the boat will not require any changes to operate within Home Trade III classification anywhere on the BC coast.

      Finally, we entered into a study of propulsion options. Though an engine has been chosen, the particular gearing ratio and outdrive vs. surface drive questions require some study. The outdrive option is proven and common in this application, the surface drive holds some promise of increased propulsive efficiency due to lower drag and larger diameter propeller. The surface drive is also simpler mechanically and slightly less vulnerable in high-speed collision. But there are risks involved when utilizing technology that is somewhat new. Reliability and possible downtime are major concerns that must be answered in a sound way for a single engine vessel. Access to dealer assistance and parts are also factors in the implementation of any system on a commercial vessel.

Tad Roberts