Ringworld Timeline

[Tom Kalbfus]

Day 1: Portals open up

A 100-meter wide portal o, a few opens up in the Bermuda Triangle a few kilometers south of Bermuda. A chartered fishing boat passes through, at first the passengers and crew don't know what happened, what started out as a calm day suddenly became stormy and overcast. Waves tossed the boat, the captain canceled the excursion as the passengers were getting sea sick, so he put the boat back toward Bermuda, unfortunately they GPS wasn't working, it couldn't get a satellite signal, but the island of Bermuda was within site. The captain piloted the boat toward the harbor, only there wasn't a harbor. The captain put the boat into a cove and dropped anchor, tried to radio the Coast Guard, but got no response, even the broadcast radio had only static!, gradually the sea calmed down and the clouds parted, and there he saw the Arch, it was a very peculiar arch.

it started wide at the horizon and quickly narrowed as it climbed toward its zenith lost in the glare of the Sun, the Captain thought there was something wrong with the Sun's position, as it was directly overhead, that was a tropical sun at noon, and they were nowhere near the tropics, in fact it wasn't even twelve-o'clock! The captain announced to his passengers, "Well it look like were lost, I can't get a GPS signal, and I can't raise the Coast Guard or anyone else! The island there is supposed to be Bermuda, there isn't any other islands nearby, but no harbor, all I see is trees and empty beach, no buildings at all! Any suggestions? We could go fishing. I could bring the boat as close to shore as we can without bottoming out, drop anchor and we could swim to shore, we might need the boat later if this island turns out to be deserted. What do you say?"

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

Some farmland

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

This is the most realistic picture of a ringworld yet. Notice it doesn't have a horizon, where the horizon ought to be, you just have atmospheric haze. I am working on a story that will provide a taste of this setting. You've seen the first post. Now I got to find same names for the captain, crew members and the passengers of this boat. 8 passengers and 3 crew.

Some Stats for the ringworld:
---------------------------------------Niven's---------------------------------- mine
Ringworld width of----------1,609,347.09 km--------------------1,609,347.09 km
or----------------------------1,000,000 miles----------------------1,000,000 miles
Ringworld radius of------------158 million km----------------------187.5 million km
Ringworld circumference of---992.7432785 million km-----------1,178.097245 million km
Ringworld rotates clockwise at 1,239.197258 km/sec-------------1356.679595 km/sec
or--------------------------------770 miles/sec ----------------------843 miles/sec
has a centrifugal acceleration of---9.719049642 m/sec-----------9.816424127 m/sec
Ringworld rotates in--------9 days, 6 hours, 31 minutes---------10 days, 1 hours, 12 minutes
Radius of shadow squares----50 million km-----------------------150 million km
shadow square length-------13.78810109 million km------------29.45243113 million km
ringworld day length--------- 30 hours----------------------------24 hours
ringworld night length-------7.424277335 hours ----------------11.91297035 hours
Shadow square ring covers* -18.44871523 degrees---------------53.13010235 degrees
or from horizon to horizon---0.102492862 of sky-----------------0.295167235 of sky
* that is the entire ring of shadow squares all 20 of them

I put the shadow squares at 1 AU to reduce the amount of twilight caused by each shadow square's penumbra. Also I don't know why Larry Niven had 30 hour ringworld days with only 8 hours of darkness. My Ringworld averages just under 12 hours of darkness in a 24 hour day, it is slightly less than 12 hours because of the penumbra effect, as the solar disk is not a point source of light, so the shadow square eclipses a part of the solar disk before eclipsing all of it. My shadow square ring also dilates with the seasons. I decided that all of ringworld should experience longer days during summer and shorter ones during winter, and all of ringworld experiences summer at the same time with longer days. The tropical area near the edges of each hex do not experience much temperature variation due to heat redistribution, while the centers get colder in the winter than the summer, this pretty much mimics the entire seasonal variation of the Earth except for day length which is set at that seen from Earth at 45 degrees latitude.

Another difference between Nivens shadow squares and mine, his are solid rectangles of solar collectors blocking light, my shadow square ring is a continuous array of shutters, each one about 1 km wide and each rotates either to be parallel to the light rays coming from the sun, thus letting them through for day light or perpendicular to the light rays thus blocking them. My shadow square array is in orbit around the sun, so no wires are required to hold them together, the position of individual shudders determines whether light is allowed past for day or is blocked for night, from the surface of my ringworld they appear as 20 separate shadow squares but really are not.

 

[simonh]

...Another difference between Nivens shadow squares and mine...

That's really neat.

Simon Hibbs

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

...Another difference between Nivens shadow squares and mine...

That's really neat.

Simon Hibbs

Works much as the jumbotron at a football stadium, instead of trning on and off lights it selectively blocks sunlight, if coordinated just so, it gives the appearance of shadow squares moving around the Sun. Alternately if can block all of the light reaching the entire ringworld at once so the who thing can experience night and day at the same time, but what fun is that? If people can see a shadow approaching they can tell night is approaching and be prepared.

Another way to do it is have the shadow squares shrink to nothing and then expand again to produce ringworld wide night and day, but moving shadow squares are more predictable.

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

Making the Ringworld

January 16, 2011Cosmos, SETI, SF, Super-Tech


Natural planets capture a minute fraction of the life-giving energy of their stars. Earth’s cross-sectional area facing the Sun is 0.45 billionths of the total area at its orbital distance. What can be done to reduce the wastage? Freeman Dyson originally proposed civilized beings might build an immense spherical cloud of habitats to maximize the sunlight captured. Some presentations of his idea, perhaps incorrectly, represented him as proposing a solid shell surrounding the Sun.

Given nuclear strength materials a civilization can make such immense structures, immensely bigger than planets in area – Dyson Spheres, Niven Ringworlds, Alderson Disks and Banks Orbitals, all of which more efficiently capture the energy of the central star. I’ll discuss them all in turn, but let’s look at the Niven Ringworld, so named because Larry Niven’s novel “Ringworld” (1970) first presented the concept to a wide audience in fictional form.

The basic idea is that a continuous ring around a star is rotated to provide centrifugal gravity on its inside face. The speed of the Ringworld’s spinning has to be incredibly high – a Ringworld at Earth-like insolation from a Sun-like star would be spinning at 1,438 km/s to produce Earth-like gravity. Niven uses that to good effect in his tale, but the engineering practicalities boggle the mind.

First let’s look at the strength required. Assuming the outward centrifugal force on each unit area of the Ringworld is what is stressing the structure, we can compute the Hoop Stress, s, as…

s = P.r/t

…where P is the outward pressure, r the hoop radius and t the thickness of the material. The radius is somewhat larger than Earth’s orbital radius – a Ringworld experiences day/night cycles via “Shadow Squares” which shade the ring, but orbit closer in, thus allowing 24 hour night/dark cycles. This means the heat experienced is somewhat more, on average, so there needs to be an adjustment to compensate. I estimate a distance of about 1.4 AU is optimal, thus r = 2.11E+11 metres.

A method proposed to supply the mass needed, and extend the life of the Sun, is called “Star-lifting” which would provide 1E+30 kilograms of mass to play with. Thus a Ringworld 2.11E+11 metres in radius and 1E+9 metres ribbon-width would have an areal density of ~7.5E+8 kilograms/kg^2 and experience an outward pressure of about 7.4E+9 N. That means the Ringworld material needs to be strong enough to withstand a P.r stress of 1.56E+21 per metre of its thickness. Alexander Bolonkin estimates the strength of nuclear matter to be roughly ~1.6E+32 N/m^2, thus a thickness of 2E-11 metres is enough to provide the x2 safety factor for the mass loading implied above. The Ring will definitely be strong enough. In fact it can probably be made with significantly less nuclear strength material.

If we want 100 metre thicknesses of water or soil (50/50 split in area) then the total outward pressure of that would be about ~1.96E+6 N/m^2 and would require ~4.14E+17 N/m of stress to be supported by the nuclear matter. But we have to factor in the mass of the nuclear matter as well. After a bit of algebra we can compute the nuclear matter layer is just ~5 femtometres thick, with an areal density of ~2,500 kg/m^2 (assuming density of 5E+17 kg/m^3.) Thus the total mass of the Ringworld is just 2.6E+26 kg – about twice the mass of Neptune. A lot less than the half-a-Sun we had to play with.

How much energy is required to boost it up to speed? Lots. Roughly 23,000 years worth of the Sun’s output, which is a truly immense amount. But if we use rockets to do the job, powered by fusion, then we need only about 10% of the mass of the Ring (Vex ~0.05 c.) That’s surprisingly not a big burden on a project of this scale and relatively reasonable. Of course a mass of rockets boosting such a Ring up to speed would produce a brilliant display of energy that should be visible as a massive X-ray flare… which makes one wonder just how many Red-dwarf “flare-stars” are really undergoing massive natural flares and not fine-tuning bursts from their Ringworld motors?

 

[sideranautae]

What do you say?"

Within about 10 minutes of heading towards the island the Captain will realize that he isn't on a "ball" a spherical world or, something is HORRIBLY wrong. :wink:

Test question: Why would he realize that?

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

What do you say?"

Within about 10 minutes of heading towards the island the Captain will realize that he isn't on a "ball" a spherical world or, something is HORRIBLY wrong. :wink:

Test question: Why would he realize that?

1) No GPS signal.
2) No horizon, or rather a hazy, fuzzy, indistinct horizon.
3) to the north is the northern rimwall, about 60,000 km away and 1,600 km high.
4) There is the sky arch, with dark shadow square shadows.
5) Also the Sun doesn't move and remains at 90 degrees from the horizon, an impossible position for somebody supposedly at 32 degrees latitude.
6) Finally one of the passengers is a college professor and former shuttle astronaut, he has read Ringworld by Larry Niven and this looks like a description of his ringworld.

The Captain then wonders how he got here, he tries to back track and eventually finds the portal a huge camouflaged cylinder rising out of the water with a 100 meter wide gate. it is within visual distance of the Ringworld island of Bermuda, on the otherside it is just a portal hanging in mid air with water pouring into it or out of it depending on the tide on the Earthside.

The Captain's first conclusion is that he solved the mystery of the Bermuda triangle. Problem is the portal stays open and allows travel in both directions, one way toward virtual Earth, the other way back to the ringworld and then other people start noticing the open portal, including the Coast Guard and eventually the US and Royal Navy, as technically this is in Bermuda territorial waters, so the British Navy is in charge of it, since Bermuda is a colony of theirs, but the close proximity to the United States also means the US Navy gets involved. A 100 meter wide portal leading to the Ringworld. A number of tourists and fishing boats make the journey through the portal onto the ringworld ocean, and one of the things they notice is the fishing is real good. Fishing Boats make some rather large hauls until the US and British Navy arrives on scene to take charge. Now the question then becomes, what do they do from here? The cat's already out of the bag, a number of tourists and boat captains have already been on the other side and the portal is not going away, it is halfway in and out of the water, the largest Navy ships are too wide to fit through, but smaller ships can fit, including some destroyers and submarines. No one knows who lives on the ringworld, the Ringworld Bermuda is uninhabited, someone noticed a nest of Dodo birds on the shore of the island. Sonar indicates a maximum depth of 50 meters of ocean.

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

Here is the Yacht I'm talking about

 

[sideranautae]

What do you say?"

Within about 10 minutes of heading towards the island the Captain will realize that he isn't on a "ball" a spherical world or, something is HORRIBLY wrong. :wink:

Test question: Why would he realize that?

1) No GPS signal.
2) No horizon, or rather a hazy, fuzzy, indistinct horizon.
3) to the north is the northern rimwall, about 60,000 km away and 1,600 km high.
4) There is the sky arch, with dark shadow square shadows.
5) Also the Sun doesn't move and remains at 90 degrees from the horizon, an impossible position for somebody supposedly at 32 degrees latitude.
6) Finally one of the passengers is a college professor and former shuttle astronaut, he has read Ringworld by Larry Niven and this looks like a description of his ringworld.

Nope. More of the island (bottom) doesn't become visible as the boat gets closer. That tells one that they aren't on a sphere.

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

Actually less of the island becomes visible as they get close because of the ringworld's negative curvature in the east west direction at least, but this curvature is so slight that it might as well be flat. One could look up, and with a telescope, see continents in the oceans of the arch in the sky however. Also the cloud patterns and the ocean blue would remind one of the Earth as seen from space. How do you like the Yacht I picked for the story. Does it look big enough to do a lot of exploring?

I imagine one problem it has is its limited range as it depends on a fuel source. But a sail boat would require a larger crew than three. This looks big enough to cross an ocean without much trouble, and the immediate objective would be to explore those land masses that are closest to it. the yacht has a range of 16,883 km, so it can go half that distance and then return without refueling, it could defnitely explore the coast of Ringworld North America. They can tell what direction they are traveling in by the orientation of the arch in the sky, the direction the shadow squares are moving relative to them and also by visual sightings of the North rimwall on a clear day. If they travel east of Ringworld Bermuda, they should happen upon the coast of North America. It would probably be a good idea to leave a radio transponder on the island of Bermuda so they can used a radio direction locator to return to that position. I also think ship to shore and ham radios also should work here, cell and satellite phones would not of course. the Ringworld might have its own cell phone network of course, but now one yet has figured out how to use it. As I said before the natives in North America look like American Indians, but there are some surprises there that one may not expect to find. Hint: the dodo bird's nest is a sign of things to come, as there might be larger "extinct" creatures lurking in Ringworld's oceans, and swimming might not be advisable in some places.

 

[sideranautae]

But a sail boat would require a larger crew than three.

There were designs (real ones) YEARS ago for very large multi-masted ships that were computer controlled from a bridge. Only a couple crew needed. Instead of canvass sails it had rigid ones. Think of an aircraft wing stuck vertically with mast inside. Solar cells imbedded in "sail" surface provided electrical power on the smaller ship version.

Here's a pic of it implemented on a large cargo ship. (sans solar)

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

yes, but I wanted a typical yacht, not some unorthodox or experimental design. A portal opens up and this Yacht inadvertently goes through it, it has no physical structure on the sim Earth side but on the ringworld side, it is a giant camouflaged Cylinder standing up from the floor of the ringworld projecting up through the bedrock and through 50 meters of water, the cylinder is 1000 meters in diameter, but the portal in its side is only 100 meters wide, half in and out of the water. So half the portal goes above the water 50 meters, the bottom half reaches down and touches the seabed floor. Actually since the Earth where the Yacht comes from is simulated, the portal can just appear in front of the boat in whatever direction it is traveling. The computer after all knows precisely where in the simulation this boat is, and knows where to place the portal so the boat goes through it, after that the portal remains open where it is and stays there allowing travel in both directions. This is the only portal from this sim-Earth leading to the ringworld.

Here is a map of Bermuda by the way:

The ringworld map of it is much the same. the Portal on the ringworld map is located 5 km due east of Warwick long Bay. There is no Bermuda International airport, but the terrain where that airport runway would have been is strangely leveled. I mean there are trees growing on it and every thing and it hasn't been cleared, but the terrain where the runway existed on the Sim Earth is level as if ready made to be paved for a runway. Elsewhere on the island is a number of road beds, but no asphalt roads, as if the designers had copied the topography a little to precisely, as modified by humans. It would be fairly easy to pave roads in these places, all that would need to be done would be to clear the trees, lay down the gravel and pour on the asphalt The road beds confrom precisely to the road maps of Bermuda, though there are no inhabitants on this island. some extincts species of bird are found on this island such as the dodo.

This is what it looks like by the way. A very unusual flightless bird, and very much alive. Makes one wonder what other extinct creatures might exist on the ringworld.

 

[sideranautae]

yes, but I wanted a typical yacht, not some unorthodox or experimental design.

Then just use the automated type set up that around the world soloist's use on their sailing yachts. One man can handle it and it sails itself while asleep.

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

the above is not a competition sailing yacht, it is rather much more like a minicruise ship, it has 14 full size staterooms, and most of its 8 passengers are there just to relax or do some fishing or water sports or whatever. the people on this boat were not expecting to do any exploring, they get caught up in this situation without prior preparation except for having a full tank of fuel Power boats go faster than sailing vessels besides, this boat can cross the Atlantic in about 3 days. It would be enough to explore some of the coast of North America. I also figure when the existence of this portal becomes widely known, the government would probably take charge of it. I don't know what their policy towards it would be. Would people start pouring out through the portal in boats and ships? the first place to be settled would probably be Ringworld Bermuda, followed by Ringworld North America, fuel would probably have to be shipped through the portal to power the boats, ships and planes, over the longer term, fuel would have to be produced on the ringworld itself. One possible answer would be ethanol, there is a lot of land to grow corn after all. Nuclear powered ships, which the Navy has would come in handy, but each ship would have to fit through the 100 meter wide portal, and I think this excudes the Nimitz class supper carrier. Well on second though the Nimitz class would fit, I looked it up.

Type: Aircraft carrier
Displacement: 100,000 to 104,600 long tons (101,600–106,300 t)[1]
Length: Overall: 1,092 feet (332.8 m)
Waterline: 1,040 feet (317.0 m)
Beam: Overall: 252 ft (76.8 m)
Waterline: 134 ft (40.8 m)
Draft: Maximum navigational: 37 ft (11.3 m)
Limit: 41 ft (12.5 m)

An Aircraft carrier should be able to sail through this, and then what?
What do you think the Navy would do with it?

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

In the meantime the crew and passengers of the Yacht have their own story to tell:

captain Kevin McKready pulled the boat toward what should have been Warwick Long Bay, instead he saw sandy beaches with a back drop of an unbroken cedar pine forest. The sonar registered the depth of the water. Kevin eased the throttle as the water got shallower. "George," the captain called to oe of his crewmates, "Drop the anchor here."
"Yes Captain," said the sailor, he released the anchor which splashed into the water. Kevin throttled the boat forward until the anchor caught on something, then he cut the motor. "Lower the Zodiac into the water," Kevin said, the two crewmen lowered the inflatable motorboat into the water on winches as the passengers gathered around. "What's going on?" Said Brittany Ford, one of the rich passengers. "I can't seem to find the harbor, though the island does look familiar, all the signs of habitation are missing. Since there are no docks to tie into we'll have to anchor out here, and I go in with the Zodiac and George and see if we can find anyone living here. "I'm coming with you," said Brittany. "You got to be kidding," said Kevin. "Its my father's boat!" Brittany continued, "and you work for me." Kevin shrugged, "All I'm saying is that things don't look right." "Hey wait a minute, you aren't leaving me out of this," said Alphonso, "I'm coming with yous." "and I think I better go too," Said Professor Brian Radcliffe. "Very well," Kevin relented. So George, Brian, Kevin, Alphonso, and Brittany boarded the inflatable Zodiac, George started the engine and the five of them headed for the island shore. It was a big island.

Warwick Long bay was a unprotected beach. George skilly navigated over the breakers and the five of them dragged the rubber boat onto the sand. Further into the grassy dunes were a couple of strange looking birds with short stubby wings and large hooked beaks.

"Oh my God," Exclaimed Professor Radcliffe, "that's a Dodo! They've been extinct for about 300 years, and the species is not native to this region!" "What region would you say this is?" asked Kevin, as he looked up to the arch in the sky. The professor looked up in the sky, "I don't really know, but from all appearances, we appear to be on the surface of a ringworld."
"What is that exactly Professor?" said Kevin. "Its the product of a kardashev type ii-level civilization, an artificial world in the shape of a ring with a Sun at its center, in Niven's book, it was 95 million miles in radius, and 1 million miles wide with walls 1000 miles high to hold in atmosphere." "Is that what you say were on? How did we get here?" asked Kevin. "I don't really know," said the professor.

 

[sideranautae]

the above is not a competition sailing yacht,

So? Not relevant to the tech I'm talking about.

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

the above is not a competition sailing yacht,

So? Not relevant to the tech I'm talking about.

There is this:
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/royal-huisman-yacht/3738-review-royal-huismans-athena.html
This yacht is actually larger than the one in the previous picture. Maybe I should switch to this yacht, it does seem to be the sort that might be owned by a Noble.
I think I'll have Brittany come from one of these families for her Noble Career:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_family_seats_of_English_nobility

"ATHENA"
Goddess of the Sea and Zeus of the Sail!
Review by YF Publisher Carl Camper

She stands tall and proud; a testament to today’s technology and yesterday's splendor. She’s Athena; goddess of the sea… and the most significant splash since the Gemini orbiter fell to earth. She's not only the world's largest privately owned sailing yacht, but she has single handedly resurrected the golden age of sail, while capturing the imagination of mariners worldwide. The brainchild of software developer Jim Clark, who previously commissioned another yacht that stood mast and shoulders above the rest… the 47-meter “Hyperion”, Athena has struck a remarkable balance of hi-tech materials and old-world craftsmanship with a 3-masted schooner of mythical proportions.

Software and sailing are two worlds’ that could not be further apart. One is an art and the other a science (you decide which applies). As an art form, Athena embodies all that we know to be classic beauty in the yachting world, from her clipper bow to her fantail transom. As a science, it’s no surprise that Clark would have the highest level of computer automation onboard. You name it… and there’s a microchip behind it! Just about every mechanical and electronic system is sequenced by software. The power of Zeus at the touch of a button!

Athena's Alustar-aluminum hull and superstructure, adorned with teak and mahogany, give rise to three soaring 61-meter gaff-rigged masts. Athena spans some 289 feet in length, over 36 feet in beam, displacing over 1000 tons and stretches four years of spirited teamwork. Combining the unique talents of Pieter Beeldsnijder (exterior and interior design) with the naval architectural skills of Gerard Dijkstra & Partners, Athena is the culmination of their talents and the artistically endowed at Royal Huisman. A virtual dream-team of sorts, that has shaped the sails of yachting history.

Photo Caption: With only 20 knots of wind filling her sails, Athena heels at 10 degrees and cruises leisurely at 14.5 knots. With the topsails unfurled, she will gain another 1.5 knots. When the wind reaches Force 5, she's capable of 18.9 knots.

THE BUILD...

Athena was a repeat performance for Royal Huisman, having built the Frers designed Hyperion with Beeldsnijder styling in 1998 for Clark. As an experienced yachtsman, Clark wanted a classic sailing yacht that would inspire the senses. By combining old world charm with the luxury and amenities of a new-age motor yacht, Athena bestows a magical aura to all that behold her.

The entire team worked closely to complete the interior and exterior styling, leaving Dijkstra to refine the hull, keel and rudder… an important element in optimizing the schooner’s sail rig plan. On deck, Dijkstra and Beeldsnijder joined forces to put form to function with a myriad of deck details that lend their origins to the golden age of sailing, from the lovely bow ornament that graces Athena's bowsprit to the classic, open-air Dutch wheel that guides her.

Decorating the main decks is a plethora of custom Rondal equipment, which is set against an expanse of varnished teak cabin tops, seating areas and teak soles. The infinite deck areas are proportioned for intimate gatherings, but balanced with the equipment necessary to sustain sail. Dijkstra’s sail plan, deck lay-out, and classically inspired design influences all lend themselves to Athena’s character.

Athena’s three masts harness some 2500 square meters of wind. Powering down, the uprights are complete with in-mast furling for the topsails, as well as in-boom furling for the skyscraping swing-arms. Over 50 Rondal hydraulic winches hold the sheets captive and permit speedy tacks under full sail. The sails can be set or stowed at the press of a button!

Photo Caption: Athena has 25 Rondal reel winches and 25 Rondal drum winches, allowing automatic sail trimming for each of her 3 tapered Alustar masts. Each mast is equipped with in-boom furling, including the carbon fiber gaffs.

THE BUILD CONTINUED...

Using Alustar plate mast construction, the tallest of Athena’s three masts is 62 meters in height. To give a sense of scale, the view from the Athena’s crow’s nest is much the same as peering over the top of a 20-story hi-rise. And similar to a building… Athena’s mast is equipped with a hydraulically operated elevator to transport those with a sense of adventure to the birds-eye view.

Athena benefits from the use new alloys, such as Alustar, which is roughly 25% lighter than conventional aluminum. This is the basis for Athena’s hull and superstructure. When it comes to sailing, weight is crucial. Reducing the same is of fundamental importance, especially when building regatta-type boats, where a lighter boat means increased performance. One example of weight saving measures is Huisman’s innovation in lightweight, watertight door development, which is certain to be seen on future generations of their yachts.

It took four years to build Athena and she was delivered three days ahead of schedule, demonstrating Royal Huisman’s complete understanding of the time involved in bringing a project of this scale to fruition. Huisman feels strongly responsible for every aspect of their builds. They prefer to do all manufacturing in-house, where they can control the entire production process, thus guaranteeing maximum quality for every level of detail. Everything necessary for the construction of their yachts is made under one roof, including aluminum and carbon masts, which they also build for other boatyards like Nautor Swan and Baltic.

Photo Caption: Cruising speed is a by-product of sail area. There are three main masts; Fore, Main and Mizzen, with topsails filling out the upper masts. In addition, there are three jibs; Outer, Inner and Staysail. All together, they account for over 2600 square meters of sail power.

THE AWARDS...

The Royal Dutch Corporation of Shipping Technicians recognized Athena in many categories. The receipt of this prestigious award is the first time that Royal Huisman Shipyard has been acknowledged by an organization that typically monitors the commercial shipping industry for innovation and technical achievement. Among a short list of specialty vessels that have achieved this recognition are the RORO carrier; a special espionage vessel for the French Nayy and purpose built carrier to transport modules of the Airbus A380 airplane.

Athena was presented with the unusual designation of “pioneering”. The judging panel felt that Athena pioneered the following…

1. Sectional Large vessel construction in Alustar aluminum.
2. A high level of automation for sail handling.
3. Use of carbon fiber materials in conjunction with Alustar.
4. Sailing characteristics under large heeling angles for machinery (exhaust)
5. The development of the hull in conjunction with the Technical University in Delft, for the attention to hull speed, sea keeping ability and roll period.
6. Attention to noise and vibration.

Taking into account the very high loads exerted through the hull by the three 61 meter masts, the execution of the construction and the fore/aft strength of the vessel were noted as well, in addition to build execution and innovation. The award also recognized the overall design and the level of finish for both exterior and interior workmanship. Because various Dutch contractors were utilized to develop and manufacture many of Athena’s components, the award also acknowledged the impact that Athena had on the entire Dutch yacht construction industry.

Photo Caption: At 36 feet wide, she measures 89 meters from the bowsprit to the aft deck, but her waterline is only 61 meters in length. The overhangs of her bowsprit and fantail transom add significantly to the overall length of 289 feet.

THE YACHT: EXTERIOR DECKS...

The remainder of this feature are deck and interior pictures with narratives only...

Photo Caption: Sheltered by stainless tube-frame with stretched and sewn canvass, the Dutch style wheel and compass pedestal stand prominently at center stage. What is unusual about this arrangement is… most sailing yachts have their wheels located aft. But of course, Athena IS an unusual yacht!

Photo Caption: The ship’s wheel embodies the spirit of the Athena and represents ALL that is traditional and much of what is right. Like so many of Athena’s components, it is engraved with her name and stands as a symbol to the era.

Photo Caption: Reflecting her level of detail in wood and metal, the compass is also engraved with her name. It’s ironic that a ship with so much digital automation would have something… so analogue!

Photo Caption: As the sun goes down and Athena's lights go up, the backlit display of the her compass glows with an amber warmth. Likewise, most of the ship's lighting systems are computer controlled to set a desired ambiance.

Photo Caption: A rising storage pedestal located on the aft upper deck gives way to this shade lounge. It also serves as a divider from one of three main propulsion systems… the aft mast. Most of Athena's lounges and seating double as a storage lockers, for stowing cushion and deck equipment. When guests tire of lounging, they can take a ride up the aft-mast elevator to the crow’s nest.

Photo Caption: The main deck strikes a balance of hard covered and canvas covered areas. In-deck drains mark the entrance to the bridge deck's aft covered area. If the side deck looks expansive, it's because one of the RIB's that normally occupy this deck position is MIA. Same for the port side too.

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

I completed my second Character, Brittany Ford, she is a Singer/Popstar/Actor who began her career at age 14 working for Disney, Because of a charity Benefit she put on, and for her excellence in music, she was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at age 16, hence she is a Noble. Her current age is 18, she is basically a composit of Paris Hilton (because of her connections to the Ford Family), and Taylor Swift, because of her musical talent and her popularity as a celebrity. I think I'll work on the Mobster next that would be Alfonso.

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

Here's what the future holds for ringworld Bermuda on the Map of Earth.

This is of course after our 11 adventurers get back from reality to their simulated Earth.
The US and British governments will probably take over, but their is no sense in keeping it a secret, they will just charge a toll for using the portal. Cruise ships like this one can sail through and get to see the primordial Bermuda on a ringworld map of Earth, in this picture the cruise ship looks too close to the shore, but this can be explained by the fact that their is unusually deep water right next the the shoreline, and the shoreline and everything else on ringworld is artificial, this island of Bermuda is not quite the same as Earth's Bermuda, for one thing this one was built to accommodate large ships, there is also fresh water available on Ringworld Bermuda, which the real Bermuda doesn't have naturally, thanks to Ringworld plumbing. Traveling through the portal has become a popular tourist destination, plus their is the sale of land all over the nearby continents, not sure how the US government would handle the natives a second time around. One good thing, the natives have been inoculated against the many diseases carried by the Sim Earth people, so the great die off that accompanied Europeans first contact with native Americans doesn't happen here.