Masteruppsats
Ny kölkonstruktion på segelbåtar
Sammanfattning
This Master Thesis is a product development project that has been carried out in cooperation with
Svea Teknik AB. The company has developed an apparatus for attachment of a keel to a hull base of
a boat. The purpose for this thesis has been to compare a new concept of keel attachment in
composite material to the
traditional
design solution. This new keel attachment minimizes the
damages that may arise on the keel and the hull of the boat in shape of stresses impacts at grounding.
Today it is a problem, relating to keel attachment on sailing boats having a fin keel or a bulbous keel.
The manufacture focus on developing larger draught and shorter keel blades. The overall purpose is
to increase performance of the sailing boat.
The task for this thesis was to develop a concept of keel blade in composite material and investigate
attachment to a sheet-shaped element. The new design solution has been to compare a sailing boat
called Albin express. The comparison has a focus on price, performance, manufacturing and
maintenance work.
During the thesis work three main concepts have been developed in composite material. The
final concept is based on integration of keel with
sheet-shaped element. The main reason for this
concept solution is the
advantage in manufacturing.
An Albin express with this new concept will be at least 15 % lighter than the old design. With
this new design the force impact on keel attachment will be reduced by a factor of 6 if you
compare to the old design. One of the main drawbacks with the new concept is the cost of
manufacturing. The new design costs twice as much as the old design.
The conclusion of this work is that it is possible to reduce the total weight of a sailing boat if the
draught increases with the new concept. This feasibility study shows advantages to develop an
attachment of keel to the hull in composite material.