We are working on a project to fit a wing sail and set of hydrofoils to an F18 catamaran, called SHARC (Southampton Hydro-Aero Research Catamaran). The aim would be to create a wing sail and foil system that can then be rescaled to attach other types of dinghy and be easily broken down for easy travelling.

The project is the culmination of our four year degree in Naval Architecture/Maritime Engineering and will result in the finished boat being sailed in April. We hope that the project will provide a platform for testing new hydrofoil and wing sail systems that will be developed over the coming years by the university.
The wing sail which is being built for the project will be similarly shaped to those already being used by Americas Cup teams and the C-Class catamarans. We are going to have a leading and trailing flap, which will have a controllable camber, and then a top section that can be twisted off in heavier winds. The major problem with a wing sail is making the rig light enough to be able to not adversely affect the performance of the boat, and so lightweight and strong rigging will be crucial to the success of the project. We are fortunate to have the support of Forward WIP who will ensure that the sailors are properly fitted out so that they are as safe as possible during testing, their range can be found here: http://www.forward-wip.com/
We hope to begin building in January, and will be sailing the wing in March next year. Find us on Facebook to stay up to date with all of the developments! Facebook: /SHARCGDP