International Moth

Originally posted by Skiffman on the subject of international moths, how much is it to build a hull ofr one from carbon??? Im thinking next year of building one so I can use it in my A2 physics coursework!! I was thinking of getting a National twelve or merlin mast or maybe even making one out of pre peg carbon. Then getting a windsurf sail. Has anyone else done this, if you have how hard was it? PS i dont know the design name but its the one were you make sheets of carbon foam sandwich then put it together afterwards.

You don't need to use prepreg to make a mast, you can do a wet layup provided you vacuuum bag. A mast is a very serious laminating job, best to do the boat first to get the practice.

For Moth Plans Bloodaxe Boats do a CD complete with building information, photos, tips and all sorts of other stuff.

For cost of materials you just have to join the Moth Mailing list, plenty of knowledge there. For How-Tos on construction etc, boats and masts, go to the Cherub Website Tech Support section.

I only capsized the 300 in one competative race last year, and that was the winter champs at QMSC(gusting force 6), and I sailed quite a lot! It does get easier if you keep moving.

I think they look great! Try one some time, they Rock!

Well, sometimes they roll, or wobble, or nosedive, but generally, they Rock!

If you fancy a boat of that type, why not try an RS300? Designed by a Moth man, they are the way Moths where before they got too extreme for normal people(IMHO). Prices are low and dropping, about £1650 will get you a good one, and they're bullet-proof. They aren't easy to sail, but I came straight into one after 12 years not sailing dinghies, and I came back cos I was too injured to sail boards anymore, so they're not out of reach! It's a nice friendly class, too. 75 kg is enough for the big rig, but within range for the small rig, which is much easier if you aren't confident. They rate almost exactly the same as the non foil moth, and they are so responsive and fast!!

Well I'm a failed ex-Int-Moth sailor. Quite a few years ago I bought a cheap old Magnum 6 (which was about the last "wide" design). It was OK in F2/3 and I never tried it in more. It was an absolute pig in light airs - no inherent stability and if you capsized in the light stuff, it was incredibly hard to get back on the boat without pulling it in on top of you. Climbing into the stern didn't seem to help either. I would have called myself a reasonable club-level singlehanded helm at the time, getting a few wins at club level in my Europe, but I found the Moth very tough. I rapidly concluded I preferred sailing to swimming and sold it on.

I would still love to sail one if I was in the position of putting the many hours in on the water to practice before even considering racing. But are they incredibly hard to sail? I would say yes, compared to the vast majority of other classes.

Are you heavy enough at 75kg? You are probably too heavy. I may be out of date, but around 60kg or even less used to be ideal. You really need to talk to people in the class.

Do things break easily on them? I would say yes. They are very lightly built indeed.

Price? You can pick up old Moths for a few £100 which will be sailable at club level. New boats don't have a long competitive life on the open circuit so they depreciate fast. Therefore second-hand Moths are cheap.