UFO Foiler

UFO Named Best Boat Under 30′

The editorial staff at Sailing Magazine named the UFO as Best Boat Under 30′ for 2018. Here is part of what they had to say about the new UFO:

“A special shout-out to the smallest of our performance-category winners. Every now and then a boat comes along that moves the world of sailing forward—think the Hobie 14 or the Laser. Could the Foiling UFO follow in these boats’ footsteps? Time will tell. In the meantime, it sure is fun to see this kind of innovation is still alive and well at the cutting edge of naval architecture.”

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FAQ:

At what points of sail does the UFO foil at?

All of them. Upwind, downwind, reaching. It’s a full course foiler. No, of course not in irons. Don’t be silly now.

What does it cost?

The full sail away package, down to the dolly, costs $7600 USD.

Who can fly the UFO?

Within reason, anyone. UFO pilots have ranged from 9 years old to 64, from 90 pounds to 235. It’s rare that anyone on the fulcrum team conceives of a boat with a narrow niche in mind. Why bother? It’s a mistake in yacht design to design a boat for a narrow range of users, when for the most part people are diverse and the objective of one-design boats is to garner large fleets. That said, the boat is likely to be most satisfactory in all wind conditions in the hands of teens, small and medium men and all women. At the extreme low end of the weight range, sailors may find themselves overpowered and at the extreme high end, the wind speed required for takeoff is about two knots higher than average. UFOs have been sailed “two up” as well, though the above limits of weight range still apply to the sum of the two sailors weights.

What wind and waves can I fly a UFO in?

The UFO will sail in practically any wind condition. While it can at times with a skilled skipper take off in very low wind speeds, the baseline for reliable flight is around eight knots. The upper wind limit is more a matter of taste and skill. UFOs have been sailed in 30 knots, but it’s no picnic, as one might suspect. In under 8 knots, the UFO reverts to being a pleasant displacement catamaran and goes from being exciting and fast to relaxing and tactical. Extremely gusty conditions (such as 8 gusting 28), as is true for practically all sailboats, are awful, and should be avoided. Most chop and wave conditions present no issue for a UFO set for the days’ conditions. After all, powered hydrofoils were first developed by various leading Navy’s as a means of smoothly flying over challenging sea-states. Choking up the ride height helps the UFO fly smoothly through the bottom of the wave pattern, undeterred. Rolling seas present even less issue, as the UFO will ride along them just like any other. Extremely tight and tall chop can be very annoying, which is not peculiar to the UFO.

Will I fly my first time out?

Most people do. But conditions, setup and technique matter and if you use it incorrectly, you are likely to get some degree of incorrect results. The UFO is designed to be very forgiving in tuning and technique, so it likely affords you a better chance of successful flight than anything out there. However, you as a skipper, still matter.

What happens when I crash my UFO into something?

You’ll probably do some damage to it.The UFO is built with durability as a core objective but it’s worth noting that the gulf between “Feather light under engineered ragged-edge high performance craft” and “literally indestructible” is extremely wide. The UFO represents neither of these extremes. Do not attempt your first flight inside a densely packed mooring field. Obstacles only make you better once you’ve mastered the basics.

How easy is it to rig a UFO?

Easy.The current cartop to launched speed record is roughly 15 minutes. Socket the mast together. Attach the boom and stays in one go. Step the rig. Flip the boat on its side, insert the foils, right the boat, hoist the sail and launch. Complexity is best avoided.

How do I launch a UFO?

Roll the boat into the water. Pull the dolly out from under the boat and leave it on the beach. Drop 8 to 10 inches of rudder and sail out to deep water. Drop your foils and fly away!

Can I easily cartop a UFO?

Yes.At this hull weight, the boat is very easy to put on top of a car, and its flat bottoms allow it to be strapped down hard with no drama. The other components of the boat collapse down to the point of easily fitting in a standard hatchback.

Where can I store my UFO?

Anywhere you can carry it to. Anywhere it fits.Behind couches, under beds, under porches, in basements, inside larger boats, chained to apartment fire escapes, hanging in garages. Anywhere it can go that’s convenient for your lifestyle is a good place for it to go.

Why does X look like Y? Surely it would be better to make it like Z.

Just trust us. If you’ve thought of it, we’ve weighed the pros and cons and its been included or excluded for good reason. Creating a boat that can be produced at an affordable price, for a wide range of sailors with a maximum quantity of accessible performance is an extremely hard target to hit. The UFO meets all of its objectives and does so by blatantly ignoring a few conventions and norms. You simply don’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.

Contact Shoreline Sailboats to find out more about the UFO or to arrange a test sail:

UFO Foiling Sailboat Line Drawing

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