This paper compares performance predictions from a Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) based Velocity Prediction Program (VPP) to on the water testing of a J70. The J70 has been outfitted with a system to determine sail flying shapes, apparent wind conditions and performance data. The on the water testing is conducted in both racing and controlled sailing conditions. Data taken during racing conditions is analyzed to determine optimal performance envelopes while data taken in controlled conditions is used to match exact sailing and VPP states. The data acquisition system combines a number of standard marine sensors including a sonic anemometer, a GPS, a digital compass, an accelerometer and a gyroscope with custom sensors that measure rudder and boom angles as well as a custom sail shape acquisition system. The RANS based VPP developed by Doyle CFD has three main components; an aerodynamic force model, a hydrodynamic force model and an algorithm to balance the forces. The force balance routine uses four degrees of freedom; boat speed, yaw, heel and rudder angle to balance the aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces for a given true wind speed and angle. The force models are derived from RANS CFD data calculated using OpenFOAM. The aerodynamic forces are calculated using steady state RANS as a function of apparent wind angle, apparent wind speed and sail flying shape. The VPP force model is derived by fitting response surfaces to this data. The aerodynamic CFD is run with sail flying shapes recorded from on the water testing. Using accurate flying shapes is critical for picking out slight aerodynamic differences in sail and rig setup. The hydrodynamic CFD data points are calculated using RANS Volume of Fluid CFD (VOF) as a function of boat speed, rudder angle, yaw angle, heel angle and displacement. Response surfaces are generated from a 128 data point array of RANS VOF simulations.

While sailing offwind, the trimmer typically adjusts the downwind sail "on the verge of luffing", letting occasionally the luff of the sail flapping. Due to the unsteadiness of the spinnaker itself, maintaining the luff on the verge of luffing needs continual adjustments. The propulsive force generated by the offwind sail depends on this trimming and is highly fluctuating. During a flapping sequence, the aerodynamic load can fluctuate by 50% of the average load. On a J/80 class yacht, we simultaneously measured timeresolved pressures on the spinnaker, aerodynamic loads, boat and wind data. Significant spatio-temporal patterns are detected in the pressure distribution. In this paper we present averages and main fluctuations of pressure distributions and of load coefficients for different apparent wind angles as well as a refined analysis of pressure fluctuations, using the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) method. POD shows that pressure fluctuations due to luffing of the spinnaker can be well represented by only one proper mode related to a unique spatial pressure pattern and a dynamic behavior evolving with the Apparent Wind Angles. The time evolution of this proper mode is highly correlated with load fluctuations. Moreover, POD can be employed to filter the measured pressures more efficiently than basic filters. The reconstruction using the first few modes allows to restrict to the most energetic part of the signal and remove insignificant variations and noises. This might be helpful for comparison with other measurements and numerical simulations.

There are many uncertainties in the interpretation of full-scale sailing vessel data taken under dynamic conditions, and even more uncertainties when forensic analysis is attempted based only on survivor’s recollections. Frequently, the analysis is based on static equilibrium assumptions, sometimes modified to steady-state motions of the wind and heeling response of the vessel. Dynamic conditions are generally non-deterministic and statistical methods must be used. Even more complicated is the non-stationary random process nature of most accidents. In the wind-heel research carried out on Pride II, it has been shown that wave action frequently adds uncertainty to the correct attribution of contributions to establishing the cause of the resulting heeling action. The best data are found in steady 10 to 20 knot wind strengths in minimum waves found in the lee of a shoreline. This criteria can be interpreted as minimizing the uncertainties in characterizing the wind-heel performance of a given sail combination at normal angles of heel...