Foiling - the "off the ground" sailing experience on hydrofoils is on everyone's lips. Whether it's a small Moth or an Imoca Open 60 - anything that is supposed to be really fast on the water must now also be able to "fly". But getting started is not that easy, as YACHT editor Lars Bolle during his self-experiment on the Foiling Moth had to experience first-hand.
An initiative from England now wants to make it easier for everyone to enter the world of foiling with the Foiling F101 project. As a trimaran with three hulls, the F101 sails more stably than a moth and cannot capsize. This means: less swimming for beginners and also for advanced sailors and when manoeuvring. The F101 can be sailed well and safely even in light winds, even without an acrobatic balancing act.
The F101 should be able to take off at a wind speed of just eight knots, depending of course on how heavy the glider or gliders are. The wings are designed for a crew weight of between 70 and 120 kilograms, so the small aircraft could also be sailed by two people. The mainsail measures 8.5 square metres, and a small, flat gennaker with a sail area of 7.0 square metres can be rolled out for the space wind courses. Launching and retrieving at the ramp or on the beach should also be easier than with the Moth. The two T-foils (centreboard and rudder) can be raised using a mechanism. They are then locked at the bottom for the flight phase.
The F101 is built by White Formula in England, entirely from carbon fibre. Ready to sail, the foiler will weigh just 80 kilograms. Among other things, the shipyard also builds the widely used SB20 standard class and the Whisper" foiling catamaran. With a width of 2.55 metres, the small trimaran can also be transported on a trailer without being completely dismantled. The carbon mast is also in two parts. The makers have not yet drawn up a detailed price list. However, the F101 is expected to come onto the market for less than 16,000 euros.
Moth sailing self-experiment at YACHT tv
