Get into foiling on a budget! Waszp Moth cheaper than Laser!
There's been talk in the Moth fleets for years about designing a really cheap foiling Moth that lowers the barrier to entry for sailors wanting to fly, and thanks to an Aussie designer, it's happening in 2016.
Andrew McDougall started designing Moths as a kid, back when they were scow hulls and Dacron sails. After taking when he describes as a short break from sailing (16 years!) to focus on his sail company KA Sails (who were making windsurfing sails), he returned to the Moth scene just as things started getting interesting, later designing the Bladerider Moth, which was developed into the Mach 2.3. Throughout this summer, he's been working on a new project named the Waszp. A far cry from his world dominating Mach 2 boats, the Waszp is designed for entry level foilers and promises to deliver a fully foiling, competitive Moth for the same price as a new Laser!!!
Featuring a list of cost saving measures as long as the foils themselves, the Waszp uses aluminium hydrofoils, Dacron desctions in the leading edges of the sails and a unique boom design that's obviously borrowed from windsurfing. It will also use daggerboard style foils and rudder, so the boat can be trolleyed down the beach/ramp just like a Laser, sailed off into deeper water and then the sailor can drop the foils once it's deep enough. The result of all those cost saving measures, is a little white hydrofoiling Moth that's perfect for learners, for less than $15,000 delivered.
The plan is to start up a one design class for the Waszp, and considering the interest so far and the fact that they're Australian designed, all it's going to take is for someone to draft up the rules and a strong fleet will begin to grow in Australia. Move over Laser, there's a new kid coming to the block!
Check out the promo footage of the Waszp, a budget foiling laser that's hitting Australian shores soon…
Cunjurong Pt, NSW
