Currently we have Fleets located in the following areas. We are gradually getting this info together, contact the any of the people below or if you don’t see contact details, send a mail to our group list as described in the ‘getting in contact’ section.
Annapolis
Annapolis is becoming a spawning ground for moth boat wakcos. In a year we have expanded from a fleet of 1 to a fleet of 4 foilers, with 3 more boats under construction and 2 other foilers who can occasionally be talked into a long commute to sail here. While arguably spawning isn’t exactly our strong suit, we have got the wacko part down pat. Of the 9 boats in the “Greater Annapolis Metropolitan Area” (spaning from Philadelphia to Norfolk) only two are Bladeriders. The other 7 boats are home builds of 4 different designs ranging in technology from stressed plywood to full on carbon nomex boats. At this point it is probably fair to say our moth building skills exceed our moth sailing skills, but we have a fine time with both.
Local moth activity has been informal with sporadic participation in Tuesday night races in Annapolis harbor and the occasional weekend regatta. If you’ve got a boat, bring it down. We all suck and you’ll have a gas beating us. If you don’t have a boat but want to give it a try, call me and I’ll see about getting you out on mine.
Seattle
We currently have 7 boats in the Seattle area, Bates McKee is now the NW Fleet captain. More are being built/bought all the time so we are looking pretty strong.
E-mail the mailing list if you want to get in contact (see the ‘getting in contact page).
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Fleet of one boat (but 2 mothy) with another one to come within the next few months. We sail on Lake Jordan and occasionally drive up to Annapolis for some proper spanking by the Beaver dude. We suck as bad as the Annapolis fleet, but we’re much better looking.
Email Guillaume (gvernier at hotmail dot com)
Newport, Rhode Island
There is an active fleet in the north east, based primarily in Newport, RI. Contact Matt Knowles (matthewknowles at gmail . com)
Norfolk, Virginia
The moth activity in Hampton Roads has a long history. Before last year’s Gorge Worlds, the last International Moth World Championship held in the United States was at Ware River Yacht Club in Gloucester, VA in the Bicentennial year (1976) and was won by Ted Causey from Poquoson, VA. In 1977 three local sailors (Richard Wallio, Tommy Lutton, and I) built glass Magnum 2s and shipped them to Hayling Island, UK for the moth worlds. We sold those boats after the regatta to avoid shipping them back home and effectively initiated the death of the IMCA-US class. Subsequently, in 1997, I have built and raced six different classic moths. In 2002 Brian Moum and I built two new “modern moths” from the female mold that was used to build the boats in 1977. These two boats are relatively wide low-riders, and we experimented with retractable bowsprits and kites. Of course, with the spinnaker neither is legal, but we had fun with vacuum bagging and experimenting with rigging innovation. I have since ditched the kite and bowsprit and last raced the boat as a class legal International moth (albeit a very dated 1977 vintage moth.) In 2007 I started building, with the assistance of Bill Beaver and George Saunders, the second Hungry Beaver foiler, a variant of the Hungry Tiger design. For the past two years I have raced it, named “Try-Foil,” notably at the Moth Worlds in Weymouth, UK, and in the Moth Worlds at the Gorge.
My focus now is to help build interest in foilers here in Hampton Roads and to continue to build my skills. Since the majority of active boats in the US are on the West Coast, I also want to swing the center of activity at least a little more east. Our largest regular East Coast moth competition is at the American Yacht Club’s HPDO in October. I’ve also recently tried to fit a classic moth with foils and expect to try prepare the experiment at the Classic Moth Midwinters in February. So either for International foilers or Classic low riders, give me a call and we’ll talk moths!
Vancouver, Canada
We currently have one active and one inactive boat in the ‘fleet’.
The Low rider is an Axeman built several years ago by local builder Trevor Salmon.
It is currently in storage as the new owner is away – really hope to see it back on the water soon.
I added a Prowler in late 06.
We sail out of Jericho Sailing center on English bay, great facility, perfect launch, excellent staff and racing program, and REALLY good for light wind training…
What we lack in wind we make up for in a real interesting set of other single handers, all getting into racing. Jericho has been particularly accommodating and enthusiastic about this ‘new fleet’.
Last year we had two single handers’ regattas and many casual Sunday racing events.
At best we got 3 Swifts, 3 Mustos, 2 ICs, 1 DC, 1 moth, and 2 single handed cats all on the start line at the same time.
Every (summer) weekend there are always Tornados, F18s, Nacra 20s, Formula windsurfers out in the bay all trying to prove who is really faster on the water, (So much more fun than on the net)
I will post regatta dates as soon as I know them, free casual Sunday racing every non regatta weekend. Check outwww.jsca.bc.ca
For anyone in the area interested in seeing a moth in the carbon, or having a test sail, please give me a call /email. Andy, 604-317-7309, m02andy at yahoo dot com
Los Angeles
The LA Moth scene is developing quickly. Karl with the “Frankenmoth” ( highly modded Prowler) has been joined by several others sailing a mix of Mach 2s and Bladerider X8s, including Bobby and Nat with their home built Cinzillas. We are based out of Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, which is quickly becoming “Foiler Town” for LA. The club is incredibly supportive of building the fleet and is aiming for a bid for the Worlds. ABYC has a healthy club regatta program and as of Q4 09 we have been getting our own starts. There is usually a practice session each weekend the exact day being wind dependant. We sail inside the breakwater which guarantees flat water and high speeds. Of late we have had 6 boats out, with two new potential owners looking to join us. In 2010 we are planning to travel to San Francisco as well as San Diego, for key events, both of which have flourishing fleets.
The ABYC fleet is both very friendly as well as competitive and we enjoy the fantastic facilities offered by the club. Launching is from the ramp, easy and safe. In really windy conditions we can always sail in the safety of harbor its self.
A rapidly growing fleet, fun, exciting and supportive. Come and join the fun!
There are four Moths in San Diego at the moment, and there are plans for all of us to get together in Long Beach before year’s end (2007) to do a little boat-on-boat tuning and socializing.