Design # 95; NUMBERS

Built by: Goetz Custom, Bristol, RI

Launched: 1997

Photo by Sharon Greene

DESIGN #95: 49 ft LOA Grand Prix ‘IMS’ Racer 4/9/97

Preliminary Specifications:

LOA 15.0 m                                                                      Sail Area (RSAT) 127.3 m^2

LWL 13.3 m                                                                      ‘IM’ 18.6 m

Max Beam 13.6 ft                                                             ‘J’ 5.3 m

Draft 3.0 m                                                                       ‘P’ 19.6 m

Disp (Meas Trim) 9,250 kg                                               ‘E’ 7.1 m

Ballast 6,125 kg                                                               Est IMS “GP” (‘97) 537sec/mi

Equipment:

Spar: Carbon fiber 3-spreader fractional w/jumpers

Rigging: Discontinuous rod

Winches: Harken

Electronics: Ockam

Engine: 50 hp Yanmar Diesel w/sail drive

Construction Details:

The Hull consists of unidirectional and biaxial Kevlar reinforced skins over PVC foam cores, whose density is varied to suit local loadings. The Deck is a similar laminate of Kevlar skins over PVC foam, with high compression core and additional laminate in way of all deck hardware. Pre-impregnated epoxy resins are used throughout. Both hull and deck are locally reinforced with unidirectional Kevlar to minimize the longitudinal deflections resulting from the headstay, running backstay and mast compression loadings. Weight control is a high priority, and all components are carefully weighed before assembly.

Design Comments:

The new Taylor 49, NUMBERS, is the third IMS racer of the same name that this office has designed for Nova Scotia native John Risley. Always motivated by the toughest challenges, the owner’s goal this time is to win the 1997 Admiral’s Cup.

For this high profile design, we (my long-time associate Penn Edmonds and I) undertook an especially comprehensive research program. From our work as core members of the America^3 design teams in both 1992 and 1995 we were used to the benefits of the team approach to design, and with Helmsman Russell Coutts’ help, we tapped the resources of both of the last two winning America’s Cup technical teams in our extensive Velocity Prediction Program computer modeling and limited wind tunnel and tank test studies. We gave A^3 Lead Engineer Dirk Kramers responsibility for her structural engineering, and chose A^3 builder Eric Goetz as the builder. Matthew Mason (NUMBERS’ Captain and 1995 TNZ crew), supervised construction and was responsible for much of her highly refined deck hardware detailing.

The resulting TAYLOR 49 design is distinct from most of her competitors in that she is constructed of Kevlar composites rather than carbon fiber; her hull is proportionately longer and narrower than most; her keel has no ballast bulb at its tip; and her carbon fiber mast is significantly larger in section.

A convincing win against a very strong international field at Key West was a promising first step towards realizing NUMBERS’ real goal of victory at the Admiral’s Cup. We are very enthusiastic about her prospects, and already have a similar 40-foot design under construction.