Here
at Van Gorkom Yacht Design we believe that "fast is fun". The XS-Spider
definitely fits into this category with its sleek stealthy canoe body
and powerful sail area.
Two to three people in close exciting one-design racing can sail this
little rocket hard. However, many of the Spider's design features make
this boat an ideal platform for a teaching environment such as found in
a yacht club.
The XS-Spider has a high initial stability, yet will be a very
responsive boat to handle in most conditions. The deck layout draws on
the latest dinghy technology to make sail handling easy and quick. In
addition, the boat will be virtually unsinkable with floatation
compartments built into the structure.
It can be built lightweight yet tough enough to withstand the rigors of
yacht club use. The basic composite laminate will include e-glass,
CoreCell C-mat foam and vinyl ester resin with a gelcoat finish. Carbon
fiber uni-directional material may be used in specific high load areas
for very little cost increase. With the proper manufacture and adequate
maintenance, there is no reason why the Spider could not enjoy a 15 to
20 year racing life.
The deck stepped mast, boom, and spinnaker pole could be light carbon
fiber sections or sturdier aluminum sections, depending on cost
constraints. Either way, setting up the rig will be relatively easy and
could be done by one person. The highly roached main provides all the
power while the non-overlapping blade jib keeps the boat at close
angles to the breeze. There is the option of rigging the XS-Spider with
either a symmetric or asymmetric spinnaker for greater versatility of
function.
The boat can easily be launched from a trailer via a single point hoist
or from a ramp and can be set up to sail in less than 20 minutes. The
retractable "L" shaped keel firmly locks in place on a thru-flange
connecting hull and deck.
The XS-Spider has been conceived for high performance competitive fun
with simplicity of function. The estimated production cost of the
XS-Spider will be around $18,000.
