Replies: 8 Views: 1,352. BUILDING STRONG ® U. Prepare To Embark On A Voyage Of Classic Jeanneau Styling Blended Seamlessly With Cutting-edge Modernity. The other factor is that the boat is much narrower. Having navigated the last few years of global turbulence and uncerta. The accessibility lies partly in how a scow feels: unlike high-performance dinghies, which have to be balanced flat (which is part of the appeal!), upwind the M17 will heel over and take a definite set; that is, while it’s of course possible to under or over-heel the thing, the scow has a natural heel angle into which it likes to settle, and. sltak, Feb 23, 2011. This prototype with unique lines is robust, stable and very fast. But I knew that scow bows have a long and successful history so the chances were strong that this bow would work. (2) Heavy displacement with very low immersion rate so can carry a lot of weight. When the Mini Transat sent out a media release about some new designs for this year's race, we looked at the ugly scow bow in the. O. With six to seven crew, the A Scow is the fastest and largest of the Melges Scow family. They are typically used in inland waterways or harbors. 01111. With this design, the keel actually drops down towards the bow, resulting in an axe shaped profile. The first occurred in Australia in 1928 when Len Morris built a cat rigged (single sail) flat bottomed scow (horizontal bow rather than the "normal" vertical bow) to sail on Andersons' Inlet at Inverloch, a seaside resort 130km from Melbourne. With introducing a « Scow » coefficient (0 to 0,95) within Gene-Hull, one can put a dose of scow bow influence in the hull front lines. 3m foiling scow bow cruiser with its roots firmly in the racing scene, but with the concepts reworked to produce an ultimate. 55. So, the more gently this is done, the less drag created. The Skaw Paradise is a very beamy 11. Sailboat Bow Design. A normal bow, as what we would call it, has developed from its predecessor which was a vertical bow. What does SCOW mean?. O. Details: Stepping it off, my "foot-is-a-foot" tells me it is a 14' boat or 15' boat but not a 16. Weight will be distributed so the bow is out of the water, much like the way an Optimist sails. Having started four Vendée Globes and finished two of them, once on the podium in third place, once after starting a second time nine. The C Scow is a recreational sailboat, with the early examples built predominantly of wood and later ones from fiberglass. I chose to go for a scow, more powerful and stable downwind, the Maxi 650, from IDB marine, see more specs here. This mini-cruiser may look quirky, even extraordinary, but wait till you see the space it provides below decks. The scow was hard chined, 11 feet (3. Much more about the boat earlier in this thread. A pram is not a scow. The much-anticipated launch of the first two AC75 foiling monohull yachts from the Defender Emirates Team New Zealand and. Double cockpit. From classic bow to scow. and view of individual users. So I arrive at 26 feet (7. TT SCOW | THOMAS TISON YACHT DESIGN & ENGINEERING. David Raison and his scow Mini Team Work Evolution (read more about them here) have won the 2011 Transgascogne in the Proto class. 1 Engines. Interior of the Revolution 29. Video. Today's Posts; Member List; Calendar; Forum; Designs / Plans; The WoodenBoat Forum is sponsored by WoodenBoat Publications, publisher of WoodenBoat magazine. Imoca 60 hull with Scow 1,1 and more. Design: Development Class: Name:. It allows the bow to cut through cross-seas with minimal resistance. A scow is a flat-bottomed boat that is similar in design to a barge. Scow Bow's Ingenious Design The Favorite Of Class 40 11-02-2022, 10:40 AM The biggest category in the race, Class40 stands out too with many new wide-bowed boats. In the scows the bow instead of cutting through the water will stay high on it. Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 12 Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10 Location: Ohio MarkIFC Junior Member. 5 is the latest generation series production Classe Mini 6. Hmm, a vessel that would legitimately be categorized as a scow that had enough freeboard to provide a get-down-inside-it cockpit would be an interesting craft in an 18 foot incarnation. This Vessel Boasts A Revolutionary Scow-Bow, Hard Chine Hull And An Ingenious Walk-around. This bow is used by him since 25 years in a variety of boats from fishing, small ferries, pilot boats to pretty fast above 40 knots small patrol boats. I raced a scow Moth (Imperium) as well as several skiffs in the UK and Europe in the 1970's. comfortable design for rest leisure tourism travel View from the deck to the bow of a sail yacht tilted in a wind on a sunset sailboat bow stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. We stronglySquidly-Diddly Senior Member. A plumb bow and stern is the best approach for a rowing shell that will operate in flat water only. tlouth7 Senior Member. Flat going well forward too. ROSIE G: A Scow-Bow Junk Named After a Dead Dog. It offered the opportunity to experiment and validate new. 00. But also the. 29 tons so far. The scow bow favored by French naval architect Sam Manuard, designer of Jérémie Beyou’s Charal 2 and Bureau Vallée (the former L’Occitane En Provence skippered by Louis Burton) is one. Interesting "scow bow" on an old Route de Rhum competitor "Ovum" dsigned, Jun 8, 2018, in forum: Sailboats. Base Price. Hull form lines, lengthwise and in cross-section. Version 1 : Beam = 1,12 m at 1m aft of the bow end (= the limit of the rule) version 2 : Beam = 2,50 m at 1m aft of the bow end Version 1 : Version 2 :-100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900-300,00-200,00-100,00 0,00 100,00 200,00 300,00-300 -250 -200 -150 -100 -50 0 50 100. “Scow Bow” The most striking feature of the Jeanneau 440 was on display even at the dock. Let's just say it has simply languished in the memory hole and, if you were to ask me, a scow bow makes a whole bunch of sense for cruising, too. The foiling system provides low drag and minimizes the risk of crashes experienced by most other foiling systems. 80333; -92. In a first for recent years, the class. Skin-on-frame scow. Sam Manuard. The aim is to maximize power for a given efficiency. She is a scow bow design, optimised and focused on providing a platform to win the Route du Rhum and THE RACE AROUND. The boat has been designed by Frenchman Etienne Bertrand in 2017, entering that year´s edition of the Mini Transat race as a prototype, finishing off at an impressive second place. Synonyms . The hull has a scow hull with a plumb transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller, twin retractable centerboards and polystyrene foam flotation for safety. Rupert Holmes December 22, 2022 The Ace 30 is a new design intended to bring the scow bow concept, popular among offshore racing machines, to IRC yachts TAGS: Extraordinary boats monohull Top. 85. It is a project boat, balsa cored and has been on the hard for 10 years. 865 & 747. The Ace 30 is a new design intended to bring the scow bow concept, popular among offshore racing machines, to IRC yachts. A double cockpit accommodates the crew, from 3 people in category A to 7 in category C. Thread by: Terje Dahl , Nov 22, 2022 , 71 replies, in forum: SailboatsThe Reverse bow will simply continue to drive down under. Thread by: Terje Dahl, Nov. There are several reasons why reverse bows—also called wave-piercing—have become more popular of late. A common variant, the topsail schooner also has a square topsail on the foremast, to which may be added a. Designed by Christophe Couton, a professional. A vertical, or unraked bow having a straight edge is known as a plumb bow. For most racing, this will not do. This single handed scow dinghy was created as an architectural experiment, while working for the America’s Cup. It is significant, I think, that Spanier, a lifelong sailmaker who in. America’s Cup: Differences in design. Scow bows – more righting moment and better downwind speed. Of course, over size mains, big spinnakers, big wind and waves can use up the reserves, but I think a scow/flared bow would just give some extra reserve. The rig of the scow needs to be set up so the bow height is steady through puffs and at various speeds. 00. It shifted my focus from naval engineering to naval architecture. If you were designing a boat from scratch and there were no limitations, would you design it with a vertical bow or a sloped bow?. Published on September 27th, 2019. Built as a performance boat, the scows are particularly fun for those interested in racing and becoming a competitive sailor. Like the 440 and 490, the Sun Odyssey 410 features a new Scow-Bow chine hull and innovative walk-around deck. Bottom Cover +$295. Dolfiman Jun 10, 2018. At 38 feet the A-Scows are the largest and fastest of the scows. . FOR SALE: 2001 Melges A Scow “Animal House” M-10 DESCRIPTION: After 11 great years of racing their 2001 38 foot A scow, the partners of M-10 Animal House have determined that infirmities of their individual bodies due to age dictate they pass their pride and joy – A scow M-10 Animal House – on to a new owner or set of owners. It was in 2010 that the designer David Raison crossed the Rubicon by adapting the concept of the scow, day boats with rounded bows that sailed on North American lakes at the start of the 20th Century. These vessels are invariably rectangular in shape with scow bows and with a block coefficient well over . It was inevitable that a builder would jump on the scow bow for a. Sail with full power into the 30 kt wind range without any weather helm and the boat not wanting to round up - simply incredible design! Classic Jeanneau styling in an extremely modern yacht. The development of these “scows” confirms that the class is thriving. The flare represents the maximum width, likely right around where the ama braces meet the hull. Scow definition: . Terje Dahl, Nov 26, 2022. LEARN MOREHe constructed two scow schooners. 4 m) long, with a single 7. This applies to the stern as well, because the passing water has to be allowed back up to the surface. Owen Clarke, working with Peter Hobson Design (PHD) and PURE Engineering have come up with the fastest, most versatile Class40 drawn to date. David Raison, who introduced this design (well known since long on lakes and sheltered seas) on the oceanic scene in 2011 with his successful Magnum, is now. Note there is also a predecessor design, the Revolution 22, more directly based on the 22-foot racing Mini. In order to optimise the vessel to a level based on primary and secondary requirements, a naval architect while making the designs decides the ship’s hull form before anything, keeping in view the cargo capacity, vessel speed, passenger comfort,. Please Support OCSS Through Patreon! Filming this project and editing video is a lot of work! Anyone who si. The Melges MC Scow is modern and more performance driven than ever before. These two. TAGS: Extraordinary boats monohull Top stories. The 163-foot, 5-cabin Herculina, pictured above and built in the Netherlands by Feadship, is an excellent example of a raked bow. In The Realm Of Yachts, The Sun Odyssey 410 Is A True Marvel. S. Scow Bows. Skips and hops across wave & swell, displaces water outward, very dry and comfortable ride! 2018 "Boat of the Year" -Most Innovative -Cruising World. Will be ready for the Mini transat 2023. A chine in boat design is a sharp change in angle in the cross section of a hull. The later scows like Wardie's Effineffable etc had narrower sterns which allow you to sink the stern and lift the bow up, greatly reducing the nosediving problem. Front range. In most cases, the criteria for the design of the bow begins with the half-angle of entry. Search . Officially launched in 1924, the 28-foot E Scow was an answer to the much harder to manage 38-foot A Scows that began sailing in Minnesota in 1900, and the single-sail, 20-foot C Scow that was usually used for training. Interesting "scow bow" on an old Route de Rhum competitor "Ovum" dsigned, Jun 8, 2018, in forum: Sailboats. Most scows I've ever seen are necessarily of low freeboard, particularly in the popular one design classes. This Vessel Boasts A Revolutionary Scow-Bow, Hard Chine Hull And An Ingenious Walk-around. The scow bow: Ugly but effective. It is significant, I think, that Spanier, a lifelong sailmaker. Typically constructed of inexpensive Douglas. Sailboat Bow Design. It is an-exclusive Reichel/Pugh design manufactured by Melges USA. . In the design loop, the Mach5 (his latest design) has the Route du Rhum as its primary objective. Scows are fantastic boats; I wish we still had ours. scow. Interesting "scow bow" on an old Route de Rhum competitor "Ovum" dsigned, Jun 8, 2018, in forum: Sailboats. . The long overhang forward reduces bow down trim and increases waterline length when beating upwind or reaching. BILBON-was another French design built for the "concours de plans Moth Classique" sponsored by Chassse_Marée magazine in 2001. The etymology of the word is. This definition is not the same as “the. They may have missed the mark by not doing electric on this boat. The idea is simple, shove the water under the hull. Siemer named the first after his daughter, Adelia. The bigger one broadside on could be "Rimu" with single topmast only on main, bluff bows and plumb stem. Some scow designs may also include a. Crosscall is a great example of innovative yacht design, featuring a scow bow with a frigate. Replies: 1 Views: 6,792. Custom design your own dodger or see our dodger design page for some potential options that fit you and your sailboat. The variables of the good-bad behavior Gliding-Surfing Big Waves are: a) High side pressure. 250 lbs. $460,000. - LOA 4. On the other hand, scow bow is a non sense for displacement boats and coastal programmes with more upwind and short waves conditions. with a heel, the lines pivot sharply around the bow beam (10 to 12°), so the hydrostatic volume is clearly. 2. From classic bow to scow. About 4 bulkheads, 1 at each end of the cockpit and two more under the forward deck. To be clearer, 2 pictures are added. Using the stitch and tape method with pre-shaped ply hull panels weight, cost and building time are reduced to a minimum. Dolfiman Jun 10, 2018. Boat Design Net. Auch wenn dieses Thema vereinzelt in anderen Threads angesprochen wurde, würde ich gerne noch mal speziell über das Design eines Scows und speziell seines platten Bugs reden und Eure Meinung wissen. and it's not scow bow. As scow sailors of the 1920s put it (in a slightly ambiguous sentence that matches the ambiguous use. An infusion hull and lightweight manual centreboard makes for a light boat at 800kg including engine, while two. A 4-5kw electric engine would be suitable for this size. This design of generous forward volumes is intrinsically linked to that of the stern volumes in order to have a hydrostatic force when the boat pitches up, is often. 5 a modern look with go-faster wave-piercing floats. ROSIE G: A Scow-Bow Junk Named After a Dead Dog. Ray's plans and building instructions for the Bunyip IX, reproduced below, is a fascinating study of how to. The first occurred in Australia in 1928 when Len Morris built a cat rigged (single sail) flat bottomed scow (horizontal bow rather than the "normal" vertical bow) to sail on Andersons' Inlet at Inverloch, a seaside resort 130km from Melbourne. The hull is a scow design with a raised counter, vertical transom; dual spade-type rudders controlled by dual tillers and dual retractable centerboards. . Here I taped the topside panels to the bow transom, you could also start by taping the topsides to the stern transom. From. Boat Design Net. He describes it as an example of a scow that was refined locally. fr With introducing a « Scow » coefficient (0 to 1) within Gene-Hull, one can put a dose of scow bow influence in the hull front lines. It has a catboat rig with wooden or aluminum spars. The shape is so wide and flat that it. It's being skippered by Giancarlo Pedote and is named Prysmian. And a scow bow will not do as well upwind, even for its length, than a pointed bow boat will do. It has a fractional sloop rig with either wooden or aluminum spars and running backstays. See more ideas about boat design, boat, small boats. The latest hot trend in ocean racing design is the scow bow. I was thinking about building a scow-shaped hull. 115187 aux. Much more about the boat earlier in this thread. Then I taped the stern transom to the hull bottom. $15,250. 1 Engines. The Scow Schooner from BWAOM is 28' long and a hair under 10 feet of beam. The Vector 6. 3) Provides a crash barrier, thus protecting the integrity of the hull. Bolbous Bow design theory. Watch Video. The tall bridge decks on larger boats also looks unseaworthy for ocean passages as it raises the height of the CE/CG and makes the boom so high for any type of repair or maintenance access at sea. As a consequence of this, the A scow is the highest rated centerboard boat according to the US Portsmouth yardstick numbers. Scow Schooner Curved, slightly flaired sides, deep rocker. The desire is to move. time for some comic relief in the form of a Pogo boat and outrageous paint job and stupid name. 5*42. ABOUT THE MC SCOW The MC Scow is a fast, fun boat that appeals to all ages and skill levels. Toby Hodges steps aboard from the. But it's ugly and it looks as if it'd be brutal upwind I’m torn when I think about the latest trend for ocean racing, the scow. Random thoughts and rants on boat design, boat building, and other boat bits for those in the 99%. B. From all wood bows to laminated bows. 5 is the latest generation series production Classe Mini 6. 1 Engines. Designed by French naval architect Sam Manuard and built. Assuming sealed ends a single 40' tube supports about 9,070 pounds at 8" of draft. Home Boat Design Forums > Design > Sailboats > Scow designs. 2) Assists in avoiding the depression of the leeward hull. Niccol dim. 1 with a focus on the Cp evolution) Jean-françois Masset December 2019 contact : jfcmasset@outlook. 3m foiling scow bow cruiser with its roots firmly in the racing scene, but with the concepts reworked to produce an ultimate cruiser. Please do not focus on the optimist-style esthetics of the boat, it is just for explanation purposes. THE BOAT: The boat with which Alberto Bona participated in the Route du Rhum in November is a latest generation Class40, with a scow bow. This prototype with unique lines is robust, stable and very fast. The shape is so wide and flat that it creates hydrodynamic lift, which also helps the boat get some lift to break away from the waves. 90 m), a round bow boat designed for cruising. Otherwise, itt will tend to be dragged behind the boat. Dolfiman Jun 10, 2018. Definition of SCOW in the Definitions. The plum or cutter bow: Another handsome workmanlike bow, the plum bow cuts trough the water like the blade of an axe. It therefore retains an efficient shape when reefed to 35m2, when it can be used close-hauled in. For river and harbor work, scows of 500 or 600 yards capacity are the most popular. Replies: 1 Views: 6,794. What we today call a normal bow has evolved from what was previously a vertical bow. The scow was hard chined, 11 feet (3. You could hit damage anywhere down. The Class 40 Crosscall in action. He began work full-time as a draftsman for boat designers Lindsay Lord and then John Hacker in the early 1950s. (This term is often very erroneously used to describe any tug with omni-directional propulsion, including ASD tugs). . you're screwed. However, due to their size, many people enjoy sailing the scows at Hoofers for fun, the most popular being either the C-scow or the E. Meaning of. c) High vertical pressure. 01-27-2011, 10:32 PM. CarlosK2 Senior Member. 5 feet wide at the waterline and a length of about 27 feet. Joined: May 2011 Posts: 517. Check Out Blue Water Cruisers under $40k. . $398,500. Published on November 26th, 2021 The scow-bowed Revolution 24 is certainly weird, but is it wonderful? This mini-cruiser may look quirky, even extraordinary,. . Alternative design. The term scow or sweep is the one adapted for the flatboats of Idaho. So for the. With over 110 fleets and well-attended regional and national regattas, the MC class is one of the most active one-design classes in the U. The superyacht bow stem – the very tip of the bow – slants. In 2012 the shipwreck site was added to the National Register of Historic Places. OC's new 2023 scow design (graphic at bottom of this page) is a another product of 'out of the box' and innovative thinking that's been a feature of each of the six generations of. Hopper Fleet 1. ADS. It was on this boat that Joris took his first tacks. Dec 1, 2022 - Explore Simon Spriggs's board "Scow bow" on Pinterest. The scow bow favored by French naval architect Sam Manuard, designer of Jérémie Beyou’s Charal 2 and Bureau Vallée (the former L’Occitane En Provence skippered by Louis Burton) is one. After David Raison won the 2011 Mini Transat in a scow-bowed Mini 650 of his own design there was excitement as to what this step-change in design thinking could mean for cruising yachts of the. Begining to look like the scow is here to stay in the Mini class. gonzo, Aug 25, 2013. The canting keel, twin rudders and retractable bow sprit make it a powerful one-design weapon for windward/leeward, in-shore and coastal racing. Class 40 Scow. Foil Bag - Rudder, Tiller, Daggerboard +$195. A straight-edged vertical bow that is perpendicular to the waters is known as a plumb bow. Home Boat Design Forums > Design > Sailboats > Scow 450 Pocket Cruiser. Scows are often used for transporting cargo on rivers and other inland waterways, but they can also be used for fishing, pleasure cruising, and other. Support this channel on Patreon! this episode I re-think and re-build my 1/10 scale model of the boat, ad. Pram bow of solid wood/plywood (possibly framed 1/4 inch) 6"-8" rocker. The mast is the standard one-design spar for the class, however, the boom is by Southern Spars. Beyond such « Scow » effect, the notion of half angle entry loss is less easy to determine and likely losses its. From classic bow to scow. Putting a pram bow on a hull does not make it a scow. Subject: Ship Motions, Theory, Seakeeping, Bulbous Bows JSR March 1970 -----Design of Bulbous Bows Authors: Kracht Subject: Hull Form, Bulbous Bows TR -----From Bulbous Bow to Free-Surface Shock Wave--Trends of 20 Years' Research on Ship Waves at the Tokyo University Tank Authors: Inui Subject: Waves, Resistance, Residual,. Home Boat Design Forums > Design > Sailboats > New Zealand Scow. In the Mini 6. She was remarkably dry when heading into a chop - the advantage of the "developed bow" perhaps, and the flam given by the NZScow shape. Replies: 1 Views: 6,756. in hulls with full midsections as long as there is enough length to provide fine entrances and long fine runs in the design. The angle at which the ship stem makes with the waterline is called the rake. Sun Odyssey 440's High Performance Platform Incorporates A Full Length Chine Hull With NEW "Scow Bow" Design. . This time being sailed by the Italian Giancarlo Pedote. 2017 Eastern Class E Scow Association Championship Regatta Final Cumulative Results: Select to view a specific Class: Bow: Sail Number: Yacht Name: Yacht Design: Skipper/Crew: Race 1: Race 2: Race 3: Race 4: Race 5: Race 6: Race 7: T O: Total: Championship Regatta Racing: One Design Division: E Scow: 1. The two pictures on the right show the chine ending at the deck in a more abrupt shoulder. Sailing scows flat is often very slow because of the large wetted area and associated drag. While the latest foiling Protos in the Classe Mini (the “flying bathtubs”) are fully flat-bowed, Class40 has two max beam limits just short of the bow to prevent this. Sail out to sidestay. Except that this time, the idea is to use the benefits of the round bow hull of the scow type. Just looking for an opinion if you think this type of hull would actually sail. In the scows the bow instead of cutting through the water will stay high on it. Complete tech support and free shipping on orders over $99. Grouper 17' round bottom launch by A. Fresh water kept and easy to tow “Trailer sailor” category. 65 m² - Weight 200 kg - Weight full load 450 kg - Camper for two, daysailer for three ( CE D/3 protected waters ) Full plans in PDF with 3D building guide and photos. A true classic, the A Scow is monumental to watch, not to mention powerful to race. Another design with scow bow is under construction for the Mini 650 series class, the Vector 6,5 , builder Yacht Service (a polish yard) and NA Etienne Bertrand. The scow was invented by J. And to top it all off: a moderate scow bow, which generates dynamic buoyancy while surfing despite the steep ends. A perfect sporty sail for 2. In a few days, he will launch his new IMOCA, Charal 2 – this time from the board of Sam Manuard with. It grew to considerable popularity in the 1950s but its popularity gradually diminished during the 1960s. The angle between the boat’s heading and its actual track through the water is called the. Above the water, we rake the stem forward and flare out the sides. The Hemlock should be fine, I don't know much about using it for boats, but its just a Brockway. Replies: 1 Views: 6,957. Steward: 10. The Axe Bow also prioritizes a smoother ride for the crew, but with applications to smaller vessels. 0 in) Hull weight 61 kg (130 lb) Mast height 5. Examples . Support this channel on Patreon! this episode I re-think and re-build my 1/10 scale model of the boat, ad. Fortunatey, our readers include designers and naval architects, some of whom replied. So both boxes have a plumb, square bow and stern, but one has fence (no floor, no deck, just a wall) that give it a 12:1 slenderness ratio (total length of 52') and one is just a 8' long box. Hull: ~14 ft long, flat bottom rounded bilge scow shape with a slight point forming at the bow before sweeping up into the flat, round scow bow shape. Definitely a planing hull, slightly blunt at the front, with a small start of a keel, but the exit at the transom is ruler flat. LHCER. By tapering the bow both in height and in width, shocks with head waves are dampened significantly and the scow skims the surface immediately and displacing as. Generally. Trimaran scow bow. Tom Speer. SCOW HULLS OFFER STRONG, GAME CHANGING PROPERTIES, IDEALLY SUITED FOR RACING. we will all be equal on the scow design. Sleeker, lighter, with more sail area and more volume in the bow for the master cabin than its predecessor, the new Oceanis 34. Magnum came out in 2010, but was designed between 2006 and 2008. Dolfiman Jun 10, 2018. I imagine a 24-ish foot scow with another 2-3 feet added for a wave-piercing bow. The spoon bow helps, but the jib needs to be designed (and sailed) to be neutral through puffs, while the hull is neutral over a wide range of speeds in steady state sailing. Ask the experts: 260. From the drawing board of famed naval architect Mark Lombard, she is an embodiment of modern hull. Our bow building kits are great for the beginner bowyer looking to build their own primitive wooden bow at home. Sail SCOW 37 The Scow, a great idea! According to Gildas Plessis who is the architect, the scow hull "is a great idea. The whole idea is a kind of joke.