AVS, a model-based racing sailboat simulator: application to wind integration

Racing sailboats are becoming more and more complex systems, especially with the increasing interest in total 3D attitude control. In such competitive context, realistic simulation appears as a key point for new developments. This paper presents AVS, a framework dedicated to sailboat simulation, integrating both requirements of a generic simulation framework and domain-specific aspects. The AVS framework provides a collection of models and tools to design, generate and evaluate racing sailboat simulations. Tools are also provided to integrate heterogeneous wind sources in simulation. Thanks to component-based approach, different simulation scenarios can be considered by adding or configuring components. Two simulation examples illustrate the AVS framework agility to evaluate sailing boat control law.