Enough with the emails. I'm killing the trapfoiler concept. Until I can get down to working one full time job (instead of 2) I just don't have the time to give to something so involved right now. I hope to get back to it sometime down the line if the need arises. Time spent developing moths and moth bits will only add to it down the line. Knowing how to sail a foiler might be a better place to jump from as opposed to ground zero with nothing but brain teaser concepts to work with. On the plus side, I might be able to get to sailing some time this century. After seeing a moth in the flesh(damn you Eric) it seems to me that learning to sail one of those will be hard enough without all the added complexity of developing a new foil system, rig and sail. After watching the local wind patterns for the last 2 years I have concluded that a trapeze in Colorado is super duper overkill, I'll be lucky to get up and foiling most days. I originally planned to relocate to a more wind friendly place (read Portland OR) where I could take advantage of the trapeze, but that's no longer in the cards for now.There are some development opportunities I have for the moth that are just more interesting to me than bumping around in the dark with this thing for the foreseeable future.
Rail on, or don't.
-The Reluctant Mothie
7 comments:
Sam:
Whatever time it has taken to reach this point has been well invested. The knowledge and experience gained far outweighs the actual boat that would result.
The point of the exercise was to get you foiling and having fun doing so. You just made that goal a lot closer.
I wondered a while ago about things when Bora was saying that he has no issues being competitive at 88+ kilos - the need for a bigger boat kind of becomes a lot less important.
Keep in touch!
--
Bill
Thanks for the support Bill. It was a hard decision to make, but I think its the right one. The original concept was a bit overcooked I'm afraid given my location. I feel kinda "lordish" dragging on and on like this. If life gives you lemons, make things simpler. I don't regret any part of the path I've been on, it got me here, just another twist in the road. The idea was to build a boat and sail it, not build and build and build a boat. Proof of concept is not enough of a pay off anymore. Now that there are other foilers turning up in these parts I want to race. I don't see anything that I did up to this point as a waist of time, in the 2ish years I've been doing this I have learned so so so much, all of it applicable, And now if I want to build hull moulds or foils or whatever the tooling can serve a community instead of getting thrown in the corner to collect dust. It wasn't some snap decision. I've been slowly cutting down the hull length, beam, and sail area with every reiteration, to where it was all just slightly bigger than a moth, might as well just make it one. I have also recently been approached to do some moth related projects, hard to do that without the correct test platform. As I have said, this idea is not dead, just sleeping, and if there is ever a need (if the moth class bans wings for example)I will revisit it.
Sam,
You experience and knowledge gained will hold for life.
Welcome to moth world, it was inevitable as was getting someone to race against.
We need more home builders and wacky boats, you will fit into the class very nicely.
Now to work on Bruce Gault.
thanks for the welcome Phil,
Feels good but strange. I've always kinda felt like a mothie seeing as all my foil contacts are moth guys. I'm pretty excited about the whole thing. Finally playing in the same sandbox as evryone else. Cant wait to line up at my first regatta. And I'm already looking forward to when the Worlds come back to the Gorge.
Just tell Bruce to cut 5 feet off his boat and reduce his sail by 1/3 and he should be just fine.
Sam,
You didn't just become a mothie, in my opinion you always were one ...
Bruce
The decision must have been more from watching me swim more than foil!:-) I'd hate to be on the wire during a crash while flying.
I don't think you are too heavy at all for the moth. If anything I am light.
You could alway develop a bit larger wing and use that at Union Reservior. If you drive to Big Mac there will be plenty of breeze for the 8m.
You just want to try out your new router table right? New molds forthright!
shhhh the new CNC is a secret. ; )
you were doing better than you give yourself credit for. Looks like I'm going on Sunday to hang with Len and mess with A Cats, you coming out? My wetsuit is on back order, so probably not going sailing for to long.
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