Techniek

What type of documentation will need to be presented for the batteries?
In step 3 of the design we will ask you to tell us the type of battery you will be using. If you are using other types than lead-acid or lead-gel we will ask you to send us a Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

If a laptop is onboard the boat will it’s battery have to be recharged by the solar panels?
This depends on what you would like to do with the laptop. If you consider this a safety device you may use a separate battery. If this is an integral part of your design that would make you go faster (e.g. the laptop is running a optimization program for determining your optimum speed) you will have to power it from the solar panels.

Why should the cabin of the boat be at least 50 cm width?
The organisation maintains within the specified minimum size of 50 cm, because the mandatory use of lifejackets that, especially if they are inflatable, the skipper has enough space under all circumstances to quickly and safely leave the boat.

Is the use of a Lithium Iron Phosphate accu also allowed?
Yes, this type is allowed. We assume an energy density of 114 Wh/kg. This means that the storage batteries can weigh max. 8,8 kg.

Is there a particular lay-out or specific shape expected in which we make our first sketches? 2D or 3D models, Cad drawings or just simple sketches?
We would like to see a dimension drawing, a descreption with some sketches of the drive together with a design principle of the attachment of the solar panels. We would like to receive the drawings in PDF-format. You can download Frisian Solar Challenge assessment form step 2 for more information.

The regulations say that the seatinga area must have a minimum width of at least 50 cm. Is this required over the full length of the position of the captain, meaning also in the area where the feet are located?
This question refers to rule 5.12. The meaning of this rule is to guarantee a safe evacuation. We have seen a trend in developing more narrow seating areas over the years. This might lead to problems during evacuation. For instance assume that the captain is wearing a self inflating life vest that inflates due to capsizing. In that case the captain could get stuck by his or her inflated life vest. That is why we give some additional rules via the bullited items of rule 5.12. The minimum width is one of them. At the place where the feet are this is less relevant. The design must be such that it is easy to evacuate the vessel. During the technical inspections we will pay attention to this via both the evacuation test and measurement of the width in the most critical areas of the cockpit. We want to make sure that the width is at least 50 cm in the places where the torso and the upper legs are. For the area of the feet we will look at the ease of evacuation but not measure it. There cables hanging loose are more relevant for safety.

The rules states that only 4 persons must be part of the lugging team. Does the pilot need to be on the lugging team?
The pilot does not need to be part of the lugging team. If he or she decides not to be a part of the lugging team he/she may not touch the boat during the whole of the lugging process.

The rule also states that if we use auxiliary systems to help in the lugging stage, those items need to be carried aboard. Do we need to carry them during all the days of the race or only during the day of the lugging stage?
Please refer to the additional guidelines for removable parts. In there you can find that these parts need to be on board at all times during the race.

May the solar panels be removed during klunen?
Yes, but only during klunen the solar panels may be removed from the boat. Solar panels will not be allowed to be classified as removable parts during the complete race as you can read in the guidelines removable parts, maximum voltage and solar panels.

Step 3, point 8 of the evaluation asks for structural calculations of attachment of seat, battery container, solar panels and motor. Are we talking about real structural calculations of the boat, about calculations on our model that we have designed on paper or about theoretical calculations of simply the attachment mechanisms (bolts, clamping mechanisms,…) The first one is very difficult since we take part for the first time and we may not have a complete hull at the time of the deadline.
In step 3 we want you to make the step from a conceptual design towards a technically sound structure. This involves structural calculations. The calculations have to be made for your design. It does not matter whether you have the hull finished or not. What matters is that what you calculate will be build as such. The calculations should start with determining the loads you expect on your structure (weight but also wind gusts on the solar panel, crash loads, etc.) Then you assess the attachment methods (bolts, clamps) by means of a calculation and finally you should also calculate whether the structure holding these attachment mechanisms is strong enough to hold the load. It would be a pity if you would have to experience that the solar panel is ripped of you boat whilst the bolt holding the solar panel itself was strong enough but was ripped out of the hull. This could seriously injure the sailor. We would like to avoid this. We do not expect that you perform a full finite element analysis, simple hand calculations normally would be sufficient. It is for the sake of your own safety.

In the guidelines for removable parts it is said that there are parts that may not be removed (solar panel, floats) . We fully understand that these may not be removed during the sailing. However, during the lugging (as the idea is that this is not part of the sailing itself) we would like to remove some parts (like the floats) to make this more easy. Also somesolar panels connected to the floats we would like to remove. Is the removing forbidden during the whole week? Is it forbidden during the sailing only? Is the lugging included in this?
During the lugging of your boat (Kluunen) it is allowed to disassemble the parts you think are necessary for doing so. So you may remove also the solar panels and the floats. Be aware that the time for disassembly and reassembling your boat will count for your overall race time.