SpeedDream Announces Expanded DesignTeam for Stage II Prototype

SpeedDream, in conjunction with their technology partner Yandex (NASDAQ: YNDX) have refined the Stage II Offshore Prototype design by completing an extensive computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) program administered by Tyler Doyle (Doyle CFD). The success of the CFD analysis had been in large part due to the extensive computing power offered by Yandex, as well as the addition of some of the most talented and respected yacht designers and engineers to the SpeedDream design team.

SpeedDream’s skipper Mike Golding, along with two other well known naval architects, both of whom have been very active in IMOCA and Class 40, will join lead designer Vlad Murnikov and co-designers Rodger Martin and Ross Weene to work together to refine the hull and deck lines, rig configuration and most importantly flying keel and appendages. Merfyn Owen, co-founder of Owen Clarke Design and David de Premorel from the Finot-Conq Group will bring their collective design experience to the project along with Mike Golding’s practical hands-on sailing experience.

“This is a very important step for us,” said SpeedDream lead designer Vlad Murnikov. “We proved with our first prototype that concept of a light, easily driven hull with a wave piercing bow and flying keel really does work. Now it’s time to take these innovations and apply them to a larger offshore prototype. As the boat size increases so does the complexity. It’s always been my goal to expand our design team to include other talented designers to test and improve my ideas. I am very happy that Mike continues to play an important role in the project and that Merf Owen and the Finot-Conq Group have also agreed to join us in our quest. They have designed some of the fastest boats on the water today and their inclusion into our team further validates the SpeedDream concept helping to move it to a much higher level.”

In addition to Merf Owen and David de Premorel from Finot Conq, the SpeedDream team have once again secured the services of Gurit, the world’s leader in composite engineering. Gurit played an instrumental role in the Stage 1 prototype by engineering the hull and deck to precise tolerances resulting in a very light, strong and stiff boat. They will work closely with the expanded design team to engineer the larger Stage II Prototype.

Quotes:

Tyler Doyle – Doyle CFD. “We have been able to accomplish so much more with the CFD analysis of the Stage II prototype than we did with SpeedDream27 simply because of the speed and power of the Yandex computers. We are able to make design changes and very quickly see how the boat performs. With the Stage I prototype that kind of analysis would take hours, sometimes days.”

Mike Golding – Skipper/Design Team. “It’s been very valuable to the overall success of the project by being involved so intimately in the design process right from the beginning. Having sailed SpeedDream27 I was comfortable with the overall design concept and could then bring my single-handing and offshore experience to the table to incorporate my ideas right into the new design.”

Merf Owen – Design Team “I have kept a close eye on SpeedDream since I first read about the concept. It’s not easy to come up with something so original and ground breaking in an industry already crowded with brilliant designers, so when I first saw a boat with a flying keel and slender, easily driven hull I was more than and little intrigued. It’s clear that the concept works and may be on the cusp of changing the way we all think about designing fast boats. I am happy to be part of the team and will primarily be responsible for the appendages and rig.”

Francisco Santos – Gurit. Structural Engineering. “We were very involved in the first prototype and thrilled to be doing the structural engineering for the Stage II Prototype. Because it’s a bigger boat it will be a bigger challenge, but we don’t foresee any issues in terms of structure and engineering that we can’t solve. The design team has given us some challenges with the Flying Keel but it’s a challenge that we relish.”

Gary Jolliffe – Gurit. Structural Engineering. “It’s very interesting to be working on a project that is so creative and unique. I know for sure that we at Gurit can engineer a light, strong and very stiff boat that makes the best use of the materials so that the SpeedDream team can go out there to set some new records and break some of the old ones.”

SpeedDream is a quest to build the worlds fastest monohull. SpeedDream 27 was the first development prototype design. mxSpeedDream is a design studio that has developed a complete portfolio of designs based on the styling and performance of the SpeedDream Design Concept which features a narrow sculpted hull, true wave piercing bow and extreme canting keel.

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