Martin 162 Features
The Martin 16 two-person sailing format has been under development since the spring of 2003. Sailors at the 2004 IFDS Two-Person World Championship recognized that a more traditional “helmsperson aft” arrangement of skipper and crew works best, with the appropriate controls led aft. After the 2004 Worlds event, Dan Fitzgibbon of Brisbane Australia and Gustaf Fresk of Sweden initiated the M16Z Project, whose goal was to optimize the Martin 16 for two-person sailing at Paralympic level.
In March 2005, Abbott Boats began to produce a new M162 deck layout, incorporating these ideas.
M162 features…
Extended cockpit – the M162 deck removes the battery box and the cockpit floor extended back, and a second, standard Martin 16 seat is fitted. For large people, this seat can be positioned 5” lower than the Jump Seat in a standard Martin 16. The M162 joystick is mounted in the aft seat.
Two-part keel box – the M162 keel box is split horizontally, so that the keel can be lowered to either 1) 1.0 mR or 2) 1.3 mR depth. A Class Legal keel is used, and the Class Rules allow fairing the lift block cavity. In the lowered position, the keel provides (nominally) 30% more righting moment, necessary to carry larger sail plans.
External Keel Gantry – the M162 eliminates the extra weight of an internal keel lift system. Similar to modern sport boats (J80, U20, etc.) the M162 uses an external Keel Lift Gantry to lower and lift the keel. You leave the gantry on shore while sailing.
Larger rig and sail area (see chart) – Under Dan Fitzgibbon’s M16Z initiative, we’ve been evaluating rig dimensions based upon the Bethwaite 29er skiff. The M162 has a taller mast (+33”; + 840mm) and 33% larger sailplan, with a mainsail constructed with full battens. This larger sailplan has been tested and proven to enhance the upwind performance of the M162, especially in lighter wind with up to 400 lbs (180 kgs) crew weight. The 29er rig dimensions work well in all wind conditions, and is well matched to the 1.3mR keel depth.
The M162 uses the standard boom section, but requires a 12:1 boom vang and 2:1 mainsheet to manage the additional sail area.
The M162 uses the Class Legal spinnaker hoist point, and Class Legal spinnaker and rigging.
The M162 jib sail is 12” (300mm) taller than the M16, but the “J” measurement is the same as the M16, so either jib will fit the standard jib boom/jib traveler.
Steering and main sail controls in rear seat – the joystick mount can be positioned in either seat location and the main sheet, boom vang and spinnaker halyard can be led to rear seat on a cleat module on the back of the front seat (standard on M162). Additional main sail controls can be led aft, and the mainsheet can be double-ended and cleated in both seat locations (optional).
Retrofit to any Martin 16 (this is the best part…)
ANY Martin 16 can be made into an M162 ! – we’ve had a lot of innovation in the Martin 16 over the years, and all enhancements for the Martin 16 can be retrofitted to ANY existing Martin 16, including the M162 revisions.
- These retrofits can be made by skilled craftsperson with basic FRP materials.
- The retrofits are designed to maintain the structure and integrity of the Martin 16.
- There will be no overall changes in the construction or weight of the parts or overall weight of a Martin 16 modified to M162.
ANY Martin 16 can be converted to an M162 in minutes! – once the split keel box is installed, and the M162 mast and sails are available, you can drop the keel and fit the M162 mast in about 20 minutes. This allows any Martin 16 to be used as a “program” boat during the week, and sailed as an M162 in two-person regattas.
M162 deck design approved as Class Legal – February 2005 – the M162 deck modifications were reviewed by the Martin 16 Class Association Technical Committee and approved as Class Legal under the 2004 Martin 16 Class Rules (www.martin16class.org).
M162 prototype – St Petersburg FL, March 2005 – two configurations of increased sail plan and rig were tested in Tampa Bay, in 10 knots and briefly in 30 knots. The boat and rig held together, and it was a VERY wet ride! (no photo boat out that day…)
M162 prototype – Canadian Championship, Victoria BC, May 2005 – Betsy Alison sailed a prototype M162 in the Canadian Championship, under controlled test conditions, observed and recorded by the RC of the event. Wind and sea conditions ranged from 4 – 20 knots. The M162 won most races by close to a leg, especially in the lighter wind conditions as expected. The larger sail plan was well balanced, powerful, exciting but still manageable in winds up to 20 knots.
M162 trial fleet – Toronto NOOD Regatta, Toronto ON, June 2005 – five M162s will be sailing in the Toronto NOOD, an IFDS Equipment Evaluation Event. To demonstrate the ease of modification of existing boats, a 1995 Martin Yachts M16-018 will be converted to sail with the M162 keel/rig configuration.
Martin 16 Class Association …
ISAF Recognized Class initiative – in February 2005, the Martin 16 Class Association initiated a Project to submit the Martin 16 for ISAF Recognized Class status, under the Leadership of Ken Kelly, Chief Measurer. The first step in this process is to revise the Martin 16 Class Rules into the “standard” ISAF format (www.martin16class.org).
M162 is not Class Legal – the Martin 16 Class Association is cooperating with the evolution of the M16 through Dan Fitzgibbon’s M16Z Project, and the prototype and testing programs undertaken in 2005 by INVENTURE MANAGEMENT LIMITED, the Distributor of the Martin 16. To date, the Martin 16 Class Association Executive Committee has made no commitment to the M162 revisions, but they have undertaken to consider them in due course.
M162 rig/sailplan is proposed for two-person sailing format ONLY – the M162 adaptions are intended to optimize the two-person sailing format and do not impact the traditional Martin 16 single-handed sailing format. The M162 revisions are engineered so that a Martin 16 can be switched from single-handed to double-handed format in minutes.
M162 cost – final costs are not yet available, but our goal is to produce new M162 for a cost comparable to an M16, and for a minimum upgrade cost to existing M16 owners. In anticipation of Class Association approval of the M162 once tested and proven, INVENTURE MANAGEMENT LIMITED has absorbed the cost of an M162 deck and split keel trunk in all new hulls produced in 2005.
| DIMENSIONS | Martin 16 | Martin 162 | ||||
| Measurement (mm;kgs) | Min/Max | Min/Max | wrt M16 | Diff | ERS Reference | |
| Mainsail area (mR2) | 7.1 | 72% | 9.9 | 100% | ||
| Jibsail area (mR2) | 2.7 | 28% | 3.2 | 33% | ||
| TOTAL (mR2) | 9.9 | 100% | 13.2 | 133% | ||
| Spinnaker area (mR2) | 16.0 | 162% | 16.8 | 170% | ||
| Keel draft (mR) | 1.0 | 100% | 1.3 | 130% | ||
| Mast weight (rigged) | 6.8 | kgs | 8.8 | kgs | 1.95 | |
| Mast Center of Gravity | 2420 | 46% | 2630 | 50% | 210 | |
| Height of Mast Datum Point | 20 | 0.4% | 20 | 0.4% | 0 | F.5.1 |
| Mast Overall Length | 5305 | 100% | 6145 | 116% | 840 | |
| Mast Upper Limit Mark | 5245 | 99% | 6080 | 115% | 835 | F.6.2 |
| Mast Lower Limit Mark | 670 | 13% | 670 | 13% | 0 | F.6.1 |
| Boom vang strut mount | 1325 | 25% | 1325 | |||
| Mast Forestay Height | 3825 | 72% | 4080 | 77% | 255 | F.7.5 |
| Jib Hoist Height | 3655 | 69% | 3950 | 74% | 295 | |
| Spinnaker Hoist Height | 5195 | 98% | 5245 | 99% | 50 | |
| Mast Spreader Bracket | 1845 | 35% | 2155 | 41% | 310 | |
| Mast Spreader Length | 420 - 465 | 420 - 465 | same | F.8.1 | ||
| Main Boom Outer Point | 2285 | 2285 | same | F.12.1 |