I Love Sailing

There are different types of hydrofoil sailboats. Most are like a Moth which has a foil on the daggerboard and the rudder and these require body placement for stability. My observation of these boats is that they have two modes - full tilt speed and swimming. These moth's have incidence controls by trailing wands but they lack stability. Others like catamarans of a style like the AC boats use three foils - twin rudders and one forward daggerboard down. The problem with these boats is they require manual incidence control to maintain ride height and optimum foil angles. The C class boats are also indicative of this style of foiler. These boats have stability but are difficult to keep going at speeds because of manual incidence controls - the Angle of attack of the foils. I own a Hobie Trifoiler - it has both stability - resting on three foils one rudder and two spread forward foils AND it has automatic incidence controls - an ingenious mechanical system of forward sensors.

But you asked what it is like to sail. You trim it in displacement speed and when you hit oh seven or so knots you trim it hard and it POPS up on the foils and in a heart beat accelerates to 20 plus knots with insane acceleration then you trim in harder and if it is windy enough it starts going faster - I have sailed mine as fast as 35 knots. What is that like? Scary freaking fast is what that is. Meanwhile the boat is almost bullet proof - a very solid ride and well engineered. Thing is they are no longer being built but Hobie sure supports them well. Oh - and on our boat - you can gybe it at close to full speed - a 180 degree gybe that pulls about 2G's in the turn - head snapping and then you are going the other way at full tilt in a flash. What is it like to sail? It is a BLAST and I am being very polite.

I figured I wanted to get it out of my system and once I went really fast in it that I would sell it - meanwhile I still own it and it is addictive. Look I like keelboat sailing too but for flat out speed and exhilaration - going flat out on a foiler is incredible. I mean how many sailors do you know of that have run their boats at 35 knots?

I have been a sailor for over forty years and i have considerable experience in a wide variety of sailboats and even some power boats. I have raced at the highest levels and cruised for many years with my family. I have met and sailed with some of the finest sailors in the world and I owe sailing a great deal - including meeting my Wife. I have taught my Daughters to sail and love sailing - My eldest just took her housemates sailing in Cancun Mexico and they all had a very good time. I did not write about this to make you jealous. You are absolutely correct about this boat minimizing drag resulting in explosive speed. These boats were WAY ahead of their time - and the AC boats and the C class cats have foil sections that are basically the same as those used many years earlier on the Trifoiler. On a dollars per knot basis this design is one of the best performance values EVER made. Used ones in good shape are out there. but rate.

Yes the youtube videos tell the tale quite well. It is an incredibly exiting and entertaining boat to sail. Fast is fun - no doubt about it.

I'm so jealous of your Trifoiler. I watched a few YouTube vids, I must have one! I have a big sheltered bay to play in almost to myself, so there would be room for it to stretch its legs and no risk of collisions.

I'm a speed junkie and have thought about buying an iceboat, but the lakes here are not reliably frozen. There is a Zen about the slow pace of keelboats, and I think they teach you important lessons in patience, but for me it gets to be a drag and I much prefer multihulls. Adding foils would take it to the next level.

Thanks very much for your description, that sounds like my kind of thing :)

Thank you - yes, I am quite skilled at boat handling in all conditions and I am proficient at all aspects of owning and managing a sailboat from operation to maintenance to repair. We have a pretty and great old boat that has a lot of new features and it is very reliable despite the wide variety of systems on board.

I am sure you enjoy doing that

I was down on the boat today. I put the genoa on the furling headstay and flushed the water system and filled it. Next step is to go shopping for groceries.

Please explain? How do we build circles of like minded people if we don't add them as friends?

There is no point in adding people if u can't inbox them

I always wanted a foiler. What's it like to sail?

You should be able to inbox them

Oh surely you sail well