Osram IX is a 16' minature catamaran designed for extensive coastal cruising and for offshore passage making in appropriate cruising seasons. She is primarily limited in her offshore capabilities by her payload capacity which is only about 500 lbs. A single crew with supplies for 6 weeks would be doable. With a crew of two the boat would have to carry significant extra weight unless the crew were very minimalist.
For coastal work she can be taken in thru moderate surf and beached. She is also trailerable so would make a good boat for taking to the Sea of Cortez in the late fall for a cruise down the Central American coast.
She is intended for those who would be comfortable doing dingy cruising or kayaking, but has a few more ammenities, with a double berth, and sitting headroom in each hull by the bubble windows. Head would be a micro porta potti in the port hull and a 'direct deposit' arrangement in the cockpit. As currently planned a single 80 watt solar panel would provide ships power and as well a daytime propulsion of approximate 2Kt with a small electric outboard.
Construction is stitch and glue marine ply epoxy, with the masts out of wood. The rig is similar to that on Paradox. with a roller reefing lugsail except in a biplane configuration.
A nice cruise for her might be Victoria to Mexico then coasting to San Juan del Sur Nicaragua, thence overland to Lake Nicaragua, then out the San Juan river to the Caribbean or perhaps overland to the Sea of Cortez then the same cruise as above.
Short video of model going upwind in waves.
Short video of model upwind into 5' wake (scale).
Short video of model on a reach with the leward sail reversed into clear air forward.
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Copyright © 2008 Tony Bigras.
MicroCat sketches
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