| The experimental sailing boat "Mesure Z," has been designed and built on behalf of F.I.N., (the French marine industry association). This research project has been managed in close collaboration with Bureau Veritas, Ifremer and the CEA. The GRP hull is similar to that of a production sailing boat, but it has been designed as a transducer-hull, i.e. a hull sufficiently sensitive to allow measurements (hull strains, acceleration, spar loads, etc), due to its structure and mechanical characteristics. This paper presents different aspects of the experimental boat, the materials and structure of the transducer-hull, and the behaviour of the central and bow regions of the hull during sailing. |
