IMCA Forum

Hello,
My son is currently interested in getting a international moth if he can get to uni.But i want to make sure that it is right for him.
Is there any chance that anyone knows of a willing person to allow him to have a go.
We live in the Banbury Area

Many Thanks
Dave Harris

Dave,

I'd love to help out but I think I'm about 20,000km too remote. Happy with some advice though.

Some kids go from Sabot or Opti straight into a Moth and do very well, some experience skiffies just don't get it and give up in disgust. Though I think modern foilers are a bit easier to sail than they used to be (but they are still a serious challenge if you come from a low skill base, I know!!).

I don't know how much sailing experience your son has or his ability, but having a go for an hour or so might not be enough to make a call on a fairly significant investment. Depending on skill and determination, it may be better to get a low rider for a season to get the feel of sailing a skinny boat that falls over if you don't act quickly to keep it upright. If he's over about 15 and pretty good at whatever he sails, perhaps a couple of hours in a well setup foiler with some good coaching will do the trick.

In any case, once he's cracked 20kn going past another boat doing 5kn in the same breeze, he'll never go back.

--
Rob

Hi,
It sounds like I'm in a very similar position, I'm a uni student who is too small to be competitive in my RS 600 so am looking to start sailing foiling IMs.

Rob, would you suggest that's the best place to start: buying a cheap ie an old lowrider (eg. http://sailingdinghies.apolloduck.co.uk/display.phtml?aid=223381) for a season or so to get to grips with the basics?

How best to learn as well, is it something you can pick up and sail 'competently' reasonably fast by just going and sailing it whilst being prepared to look an idiot, or are you going to need coaching at some point as you've suggested above.

And Dave, out of curiosity how did your son fare after all?

Cheers,
Joe Iliff
London, England

I think it's really important to get coaching from an experienced mothie at the start, so find one and ask for help. You might even be able to borrow a boat for an hour or so if conditions are right. Sailing a moth is completely different to any other boat, foiling is very different to low riding. Even tacking requires a lot of practice and a number of steps. Same for gybing.

I started out on my own, the first time I "sailed" one one I spent an hour capsizing 'cos I though it would be easier in light air (it isn't). If you can sail an RS600 reasonably well, you can probably jump straight on a foiler. But again, get some coaching. It doesn't need to be a lot, just someone yelling "heal to windward! More vang!" or whatever from time to time.

Go for 8-10 kn and just reach back and forth until you get the hang of foiling. Upwind is pretty simple, downwind is fast and more challenging as the waves get bigger. Keeping the boat sailing requires sheet, tiller and body movements, constantly. You never relax, except maybe in 10kn of steady breeze going downwind in flat water - can't remember the last time I had that!

Anyhow, have a go and be prepared to spend quite a bit of time getting to a competent level. But once you are there, it's great.

I did a regatta on the weekend in very light, shifty air (almost no foiling). At lunch time, the breeze kicked in 12-15 kn. The three Moths were straight out, having fun for an hour until the breeze died. Everyone else (40 or so Nacras and A class cats, a few Lasers) sat on the bank waiting for the next race.

Moths are a boat you can sail purely for the fun of sailing.

Rob.