In the last year, the prototype construction has gone a bit lazy. On the other hand, this is an activity that we do for passion and unfortunately not always the profit coincides with the delightful. The invention, the detail design, the definition of the constructive detail, for such an innovative object, requires so much dedication and a great deal of time.
But Now, we are going quickly!
The construction details are now fully developed: connecting beams between hulls, dredging system, tree structure and abatement system, sail plane, domes, wheelhouses, all joints, hinges, calculations to define types, profiles and thicknesses of materials. Now it is a time to finish it.
Rangoni Basilio - Florence
And here it is, the Maggiolina created ad hoc for SilverKat!
its dimensions, when closed, are: 130x210x33 cm and it weighs approximately 55 kg opening it is very simple: just release the four rubber tangs and pull gently upwards: it opens by itself, through its hydraulic system, to a height of 94cm
The interior is very well ventilated, with four openings:
two smaller ones, in front and at the back, fitted with mosquito-nets
two at the sides, fully opening, also equipped with mosquito-nets
The ample interior, fully comfortable for two people, is equipped with a latex mattress and two pillows, all with cotton slip-covers, easily removable.
The interior fittings are completed by a 12-volt ceiling lamp and four large storage pouches, two on each side Closing it is very simple, just be careful to fold the canvas well; the fiberglass body has been reinforced at the top to adapt it to utilization with the SilverKat.At the bottom, the system of hooking onto tracks makes the tent adaptable to different types of support, so if you decide to leave the SilverKat at moorage and take an excursion by car, you can easily mount it on the roof… just like I did to test it!
Navigating is a lot of fun, but it’s also tiring. Although SilverKat is designed in a sportive, Spartan spirit, we also want to ensure that you will sleep well and comfortably. That’s why, for the middle bunk, inspired by camping systems for cars, we called in the very best: Zifer Italia Srl, inventors of the world’s first car-roof tents to be designed, patented and produced in series, and the world’s first, for fifty years now, in production and sales.
The system mounted on SilverKat will be trademarked AutOhOmeDesigned starting from the most highly developed model of the Maggiolina range, it has been specially modified to meet the needs of SilverKat. Specifically, the upper part of the body has been reinforced to make it strong enough to support the concentrated weight of one person standing up, or the distributed weight of two people lying down to sunbathe.
The prototype is shaping up!
What can we say? As designers, we are used to working on drawings and models, both physical and virtual, but working on the real thing is something else. As long as you see it only on paper, or in a video, an object, no matter how perfectly rendered and how expert your eye, can only be imagined. The sensation you get from the real material, when you can feel it hot or cold, rough or smooth, get an impression of its real size in relation to your own physical dimensions, while the object acquires all the consistency and importance that you could only imagine before, is truly striking.
Encouraged by our success at the Miami International Boat Show and the Vela Festival in Santa Margherita, as well as by the very positive review published by the Giornale della Vela, we have decided to embark on the adventure of really implementing this project.We selected some workshops specialized in aluminum nautical carpentry, we conducted inspections and interviews, and in the end we made a decision: our prototype will be built by the Carpenteria Nautica Cancelli
>> watch the video of the interview>>
>>See the Article>>
SilverKat was presented at the Miami International Boat Show, in the Strictly Sail section, from February 12 to 16, 2015. Many thanks to all of you who have visited us, for your appreciation, for your many precious suggestions and your warm encouragement. We will keep you informed on future developments.
One of the salient features of the SilverKat is its “mast system”. We designed it to be easily retractable, so the boat could pass under bridges on the way to inland waterways, canals, or lagoons. Furthermore – and no less important – in shallow-water zones inside canals or after bridges, the docking facilities are always much less expensive than in ports and marinas.
The fork mast, hinged to the base and devoid of backstays, is lowered and raised in a single operation. To lower it, you just have to unhook the jib mainstay. When the mast has been raised, a locking system automatically locks it in the optimum position, with no need for a backstay. The aluminum lattice structure weighs less than an equivalent traditional shrouded mast.
In the meantime, we have also realized the chest of drowers, that forms the base of the airtop and the main furnishings of SilverKat. It’s made in aluminum, partly settled and partly riveted, in line with the design of SilverKat. Six large drawers, strong and leakproof, in which to lodge crockery, galley, clothes and small equipments. Usually, in a boat, you’ve not too much space, but in this case, combining the drowers and the peaks, you have so much indeed of it.
And here we are in assembly phase. The enclosures, in which the beams have to slip, have been welded in the hulls. The connection beams are stopped by latches, so the wole structure is perfectly secured and, at the same time, easily demountable. In all the point of contact among metallic parts, will be inserted ertalon gaskets, realized on specific sketch and currently in production
The carpentry shop is at work. The lee-boards, afterpieces of the rudder, finishings of the bows and bulwarks, transoms, ceiling and peak covers are built of marine plywood coated with epoxy fibreglass, stuccoed and smoothed, painted with primer and anti-vegetative and non-slip coating on treading surfaces. The warm colour of mahogany contrasts beautifully with the sheen of aluminum.
For the deck fittings we have chosen Antal: an all-Italian company that has been operating successfully all over the world for over 35 years.
The metallic parts in contact with each other and subject to friction caused by sliding or rotation are protected by plastic gaskets. During operations of assembly or disassembly, the tubular cross beams connecting the hulls slide inside sheaths and are locked in the correct position by inner frames, fitted with collars and terminals in a plastic material. The same material is utilized for all of the fastening systems as well as for the systems for sliding and rotation of the helms and centerboards.
The material utilized is LM303 PA 6. Each element is produced to design, especially for SilverKat, by LIMA s.r.l. Industrial Plastic Solutions, in their plant at Bolgare (BG)
The SilverKat sail plan is unusual (like all the rest of it, for that matter). Our goal was to combine performance and practicality, safety and easy handling. The forked mast is stable, easily furled and simple to install, to disassemble and to regulate, but it is unthinkable to rig it with a full-batten mainsail. Upon request, SilverKat can also be rigged in more traditional manner but on the prototype, since we are in the mood to experimenting, we preferred to play around with ideas:
- furling mainsail, 20.25 sq.m, cross cut, dacron 7.0 us os, fabric, twist-proof cable mounted in luff, trisditch stitching, moulding lines and weathervane, Selden free-cable CX 15 furling system,
- furling jib, 10.00 sq. m., triradial cut, dacron fabric, self-smoothing, twist-proof cable mounted in luff, leech line, anti UV band, moulding lines and weather-vane, Selden free-cable CX 15 furling system
All made to design by Veleria Viganò.
This will be the effect of the wood, when mounted on the aluminum structures. Do you like it?
We’re almost there!
The workshop is working hard to assemble the last components. We’re going to show the images very soon.
In the meantime, I’m here to announce that SilverKat26 will be hosted at the dock of the Yacht Club Italiano in Genoa for the summer months, and it will be available to be tested, if you want to, by prior appointment.
We’re planning to launch SilverKat26 in the middle of July. We’ll keep you posted!
We are on a pier of the Genoa harbour. The structure is fitted.
Tomorrow we’ll handle the sails and the equipment.