Custom Catamaran Sail Plan Revealed: Quantum Sails Partnership & Rigging Delos 2.0

Sail Plan Design with Quantum Sails

• 🤝 Quantum Sails is announced as the partner providing the entire suite of sails for Delos 2.0, chosen for their understanding of long-distance cruising needs.
• 💡 The initial design process began with a sail plan and deck arrangement, emphasizing the need for sails that are safe, durable, and performant in all conditions.
• 📏 The discussion with Quantum Sails designer Doug covered the importance of early sailmaker involvement in the boat build process.

Main Sail and Genoa Configuration

• ⛵ Delos 2.0 will feature a square top mainsail with horizontal battens and a sail pack, chosen over a furling mainsail for increased sail area and better performance when sailing off the wind.
• 💨 A large genoa (69 sq meters) is included, providing significant horsepower for the catamaran.
• ⚙️ Traditional single-line reefing with separate leach and luff reefs is implemented for simplicity and ease of use from the cockpit.

Downwind and Reaching Sails

• 🚀 A Code Zero (149 sq meters) is highlighted as a key sail for light to moderate winds, designed for true wind angles between 90-130 degrees.
• 💨 An asymmetrical spinnaker is also part of the sail inventory, with its size and crossover points to be determined.
• 📊 The IQ program will be used to simulate sail loading and determine optimal reefing points and sail crossover angles.

Sail Material and Durability

• 💪 Hydranet is the chosen sailcloth material, known for its durability and shape retention, having lasted 20-25,000 miles on previous sails.
• 🌟 A new fabric, 233 NB Hydranet, is discussed, offering 40% increased strength over standard Hydranet, comparable to low-end carbon laminates.
• 🔬 The INSTRON machine is used to test fabric elongation and strength, demonstrating the significant improvement in the NB fabric.

Rigging and Hardware Installation

• 🛠️ The team meticulously positions and installs winches, clutches, and blocks, ensuring straight runs and aesthetic parallelism for all control lines.
• ⚓ Doubler plates are fabricated and welded to the deck to reinforce mounting points for hardware, avoiding drilling through the deck to prevent leaks.
• 📐 Precise angles and lead-in angles for winches (5-10 degrees) are critical for preventing line overrides and excessive chafe.

Customization and Problem Solving

• 🧩 Adjustments are made to block positions based on sail dimensions and desired sheeting angles, showcasing a trial-and-error process.
• 💡 The ability to grind off and re-weld aluminum components allows for corrections and optimizations during the build.
• ✅ The final setup integrates control lines for jib sheets, car controls, and tack lines, all managed from accessible cockpit areas.