Steve and Dave Clarks Unidentified Foiling Object

[Champlain Sailor]

I spy a new video by @Kelly Federal. Fantastic stuff! 

Terrific video Kelly!   Thanks so much for taking the time to put it together.  Your advice is outstanding, I'll be certain to have everyone that wants to sail my boat watch it before hand.

 

[WCB]

Terrific video Kelly!   Thanks so much for taking the time to put it together.  Your advice is outstanding, I'll be certain to have everyone that wants to sail my boat watch it before hand.

Agreed. I shared it to our group of UFO sailors here. Those that own and those that will be running our Foiling Fridays next season.

 

[fastyacht]

The sailing club (and all the others in the Toronto area I've found) I'm trying to store it at requires a minimum 2 million liability marine insurance. I'm trying to ask if I can just use my home insurance policy which also could cover my boat, but until they respond I'm still trying to find options that fit in their requirements.

I'm told other foilers have gotten their coverage through Skippers Plan but when I reached out to them they told me (quite rudely) that they do not and will not insure foilers. So I'm not sure if this is a recent change or if others just slipped under the radar.

Gowrie in U.S. no ideas about CAN

 

[Jolly Roger]

Hi, new UFO owner. Wondering how to launch this in 2-3 feet of water? When I drop the rudder it runs aground. Is there a way to limit the rudder from going all the way down?

 

[WCB]

Hi, new UFO owner. Wondering how to launch this in 2-3 feet of water? When I drop the rudder it runs aground. Is there a way to limit the rudder from going all the way down?

There should be a white nylon thumbscrew on the side of the rudder cassette. Tighten this up to keep the rudder up while you sail out a little.

 

[Kelly Federal]

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!

 

[Jolly Roger]

There should be a white nylon thumbscrew on the side of the rudder cassette. Tighten this up to keep the rudder up while you sail out a little.

Thanks!  This worked.  Then on the way back in I ran aground and bent the rudder adjustment rod. :/ Has anyone found a way to rig an 'uphaul' for the rudder?  I launch in a tidal area and getting to deeper waters is a challenge.

 

[Dave Clark]

Thanks!  This worked.  Then on the way back in I ran aground and bent the rudder adjustment rod. :/ Has anyone found a way to rig an 'uphaul' for the rudder?  I launch in a tidal area and getting to deeper waters is a challenge.

Sail with the downhaul line off and the rudder hydrofoil lifts the whole thing up. If you've already got the nylon thumbscrew tensioned on, it won't fall when you slow. So simply stop it from going further than you need it to with the downhaul line. We considered a variety of complicated crane systems but kept coming back to the big vertical lifting force presenting at the bottom of the strut itself. The good news on that adjuster rod is that it's designed to be a crumple zone and harmlessly absorb impact. Groundings are a fact of life in all boats so making a system that legitimately fails on grounding was 100% out of the question. Pull the piece out and bend it back to straight against a picnic table bench or countertop. You'll be back on the water pronto.

DRC

 

[Kelly Federal]

Merry Christmas, y’all!

 

[Ledge]

Hi

Has anyone trailered their UFO with the foils installed?  With proper support underneath, doesn't seem like it would be an issue.  

Thanks for your input

 

[martin 'hoff]

Hi

Has anyone trailered their UFO with the foils installed?  With proper support underneath, doesn't seem like it would be an issue.  

Thanks for your input

Yes Dave Clark posted about towing fast and I have towed behind a large keelboat. There's some posts back couple pages ago.

It involves a bridle with the righting like attachment points, and tying the foils so they stay up. How you tie them matters - avoid thin lines as they'll damage the trailing edge 

 

[Ledge]

Yes Dave Clark posted about towing fast and I have towed behind a large keelboat. There's some posts back couple pages ago.

It involves a bridle with the righting like attachment points, and tying the foils so they stay up. How you tie them matters - avoid thin lines as they'll damage the trailing edge 

Thanks Martin,

I was actually curious about road trailering with foils installed and secured so as not to slip down onto the road.  

 

[Dave Clark]

Thanks Martin,

I was actually curious about road trailering with foils installed and secured so as not to slip down onto the road.  

Over super local distances, it would be fine. However if you're doing more than 20 minutes, I'd recommend getting them broken down and stowed. The linkages that make the foil system work are better off with wear only coming from use.  Slipping down onto the road can be solved with a good retainer line for the trip, but that's not the major concern. When the foils are in the up position, everything is significantly more free and likely to wear from the vibration and jostling on the road. I'd say it's a higher risk time-save than others. 

DRC

 

[martin 'hoff]

Thanks Martin,

I was actually curious about road trailering with foils installed and secured so as not to slip down onto the road.  

Damn, misread your post. Dave has you covered though.

 

[Kelly Federal]

For the past year I’ve been foiling with some custom hiking straps made at a local industrial facility here in Savannah that supplies the hoisting straps to the port.  The rigger who put these together added a pad on the underside.  They are stiff enough that they mostly stand up on their own, and, as a result, I’ve removed the pull-back bungee.  It’s one less thing for me to trip over. 

In any event I’m getting ready to order a couple more sets.  If anyone else is interested, please let me know right away.  I’ll probably be over there before the end of the week. 

 

[Champlain Sailor]

In any event I’m getting ready to order a couple more sets.  If anyone else is interested, please let me know right away.  I’ll probably be over there before the end of the week. 

I just PM'd you, I'm very interested.

 

[Gilles29]

For the past year I’ve been foiling with some custom hiking straps made at a local industrial facility here in Savannah that supplies the hoisting straps to the port.  The rigger who put these together added a pad on the underside.  They are stiff enough that they mostly stand up on their own, and, as a result, I’ve removed the pull-back bungee.  It’s one less thing for me to trip over. 

In any event I’m getting ready to order a couple more sets.  If anyone else is interested, please let me know right away.  I’ll probably be over there before the end of the week.

I'm very interested too, but so far from US that delivery could not be possible... So, would you give me some informations about these straps; lenght, width. And could you send me some pics showing how they are made, and some building details

 

[GraniteGuy]

I'd be interested. Any idea of price and mailing cost to the lower 48?

 

[Kelly Federal]

I'm very interested too, but so far from US that delivery could not be possible... So, would you give me some informations about these straps; lenght, width. And could you send me some pics showing how they are made, and some building details

I'll try to get more details when this next batch is made.  Last time I just went in and described what I wanted, and a couple days later the guy called saying I could pick them up.  In actuality, they were a couple inches shorter than what I had asked for, but I mounted them without going over the bracket and ended up with a bit more room under the straps -- and I've really loved this setup.

 

[Kelly Federal]

I'd be interested. Any idea of price and mailing cost to the lower 48?

I don't think it would be much.  I could probably fit them into a plain manila envelope pretty easily.

The first pair I paid $50 for supplies and labor since it was done on the guy's free time, off-book.  I might be able to get the price lower with a larger order.  Just won't know until I speak with him and his supervisor tomorrow or Friday.