Progress

The moth media is awash with new releases, all aiming to be the next big thing in moth world and take out the big silver at Belmont. Here is another one maybe with less ambition.

The attached image is my rendering of the new ultra light moth hull made from 40 year old organic carbon mostly produced in the secret forest regions of Australia's east coast. My appologies for the double image which also shows the secret design for an automated solar powered clothes drying facility. As is traditional this image is only a computer generated rendering as its much more popular than actually building something. More images will be released as construction progresses.

Using the high tech bathroom mass spectometer the established mass of the product shown in the rendering is 5kg including the CB case installed between imaging and weigh in, or 89kg including my bodyweight in support.

Design is based on previous moths from the Stevo House of Nautical Horrors and has been configured using organic ceribal TLAR analysis and software, and drafted using hand held compact synthetic carbon rods encapsulated in organic carbon composite tube onto reconstituted organic carbon fibre and celulose film.

Production will progress with an estimated output of one per millenium, so get your orders in quickly.

End of Season and forward.

The season at St George ended with a good southerly on Anzac Day (thats our millitary memorial day, 25th Apr for Northerners). Dave won as usual even using an experimental new foil which did not seem as fast as his Fastacraft versions.

I had some exciting rides and finished OK finishing with a couple of late swims after a clean race. The wind switched after the start making for a short work and three angle of death reaches, then the pressure gradually built up to a touch over 20kts. Lots of fun.

After my poor result at easter due to some breakages, it was great to finish off the season with nothing to repair.

So on with the new build. I have added this new boat to my boat history spreadsheet, and it is boat number 40 which I have owned, number 25 which I have built, and my 14th moth!

Progress so far has been on foils and wings.

The foil verticals are based on Ilett shells with a slight taper, while the horizontals are from a new mold by Andrew Stevo, which is a little sleaker than has become common. He tested my foil on his boat on Anzac day and was the first airborne in the light stuff, but had some problems with our makeshift AoA and flap settings. Even so it stayed together and looked like it will go very well when sorted. He'll be making one for himself now.

The wings are started using some nice light sailboard mast bits and some CST compression struts.

I have the design for the cedar play hull finalised. Its based on the Hungry Tiger like 2004 version (from IMCA Builder's site: http://www.moth.asn.au/moth/?page_id=5), but will be lower, wider and a bit different along the keel line. Might as well optimise the low riding and take off abilities. This week should see me cutting ply. I love the smell of cedar, and sawdust is less iritating than carbon soot.

Since I am using up a lot of left over bits and pieces on this one there will be not much left over except Sawdust and Soot, and that just seems an appropriate name for the boat.

More soon.