Good advice! yes I do realize the challenge of building such a boat, I'm in second year engineering, this would be my second ice boat, and I've build a couple landsailors too. hehe so ya essentially I think I know alot! :D
but If my boat didn't tip over first and the sail didn't rip I would have a tension of about 1700lbs in the windward side stay and a mast downward force or around 1200lbs in 100mph wind square to the sail. of course this would never happen, wind is always at quite an angle. but I plan on building it strong. Body will be a monoque (sp?) of 1/2" or 5/8" ply, this part 10' long about 18" high, goin bigger yet, total length 20ft, front "beam" will be a 3 1/2" alum tube. width 14ft, rear beam 12" wide, 2" thick foil shaped, skinned in glass, possible alum stiffiners. Its gotta look like an ice boat by Jan 13th, goin in a big engineering show at the U of S then.
Only thing I'm stuck on really is ream beam construction, what wood I can use other than unobtanium sikita spruce, and laminating techniques. hints on this?
ah, true flat is the inches of runner that when you put the runner against a straight edge, no light comes through. Thanks!
Jesse