Moth Sailing

Watching these Moth's run around on Sailing Anarchy. Pretty neat boat. Just curious what these boats run. I've heard they ship them from Taiwan in a box. There is a model called a Bladerunner which looks cool. Love to try one sometime.

I'm sure someone will give you the exact quote but I've heard about $10,000, plus "extra stuff", like a trailer, box, etc.

I've also heard from a very good cat racer, who tried a Moth at his club, it was a real exercise in -swimming- way too tippy I guess, you're too old for that crap anyway Mike! For a lot less you can get a skateboard, go out in the driveway and get hurt!

Way more than $10K now: that is the used price.
Its a new world out there....no more garage-sale Hobie 16s for $700... If ya still got good knees, abs and some quadriceps, why not try it? I'll let you know after next week.

Building class of moths at our club. There were a couple of demo days and now they have a one-design event on the schedule later this year. A couple of home-builds are on the water now and they're looking to stake out a section of the yard. I feel old.

I've heard directly from some cat sailors that have tried them and they say that they're extremely unstable until you get it airborne on the foils - at that point, they're solid as a rock (which makes sense since the foils have so much more beam than the boat itself). They didn't feel like it was a real good choice if lakes are you primary sailing arena.

I heard prices in the upper teens to low 20's...basically new a-cat territory.

also not a good boat if you sail in "grassy" areas. they are basically un-usable where we sail unless you can get "dropped off" in the deeper off-shore areas

Not going to get into a who's faster arguement but we got around the course A LOT faster... these guys spent lots of time swimming in the 25-30 knot conditions, they also didn't seem as efficient in those conditions.
They make "starter" models that are fiberglass that are low to mid teens and I think the bladeriders are 15-16K.
The big thing is that all the guys that sail these boats well are technoweenies like Jake.... they have a really good understanding on what is going on underneath them.

I sailed one during the demo days that JW alluded to. What a blast!!! If I was not so involved in Formula 18 sailing I would have to make a choice between a Moth and an A-Cat. Great reason to get in shape. The concept is a bit like sailing a windsurfer, as you lean into the wind you will get lift off the sail as well as the foils. They go pretty high to weather for an apparent wind machine. I was told that a new racer ready to go is about $20K. I know you can get one to two year old, in great shape, for $8K to $9K. You could also build one but that would run about the same as a good used one. If you watch the videos of launching in Dubai, going on right now, you will see that they are not to hard to get going.

Later,
Dan

I suspect the increase in stability when foiling has a lot to do with the increase and steadying of the aparant wind that results from being on the foils. We see the same thing when windsurfing with modern (planing) light wind equipment. Once the board pops up on plane everything steadies out and the apparant wind direction doesn't vary much even with changes in true windspeed, direction, or course.

I agree, sailing one of these boats on a small, shallow, or weedy body of water would probably not be a good idea.

As for sailing these boats in 25 to 30 knot conditions, that's at or approaching survival conditions for many small boats and certainly outside of the design conditions for Moths.

Definitly extremely cool boats though for sure.

sm

I owned one of the first Bladerders in the US. It was a blast in anything over 8 knots. If you are really good, then you're able to get it to start foiling in 6 knots.

I sold it because, it really was frustrating trying to foil in a light/shifty lake environment.

If I lived on the coast, I would still have it. But I sold it and went back to my A-cat...

We had 10 Moths race at Octoberfest Regatta last year at Sail Sand Point in Seattle. Looks like a lot of fun, growing local Fleet. Mostly young guys, but a few older guys also. They seem to catch on quickly. Looks like anything over 5mph, they can get up on the foils.

Moths at PUMA http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=156608&id=82078958838

We had two show up for one of my Seminars for Laser, Sunfish, Dinghy Sessions. They ended up only sailing an hour or two out of the entire week -- kept breaking down and capsizing.
Rick

Rick, You did remember to pull the submerged chains out of the water afterwards, right ;-)