Scuttlebutt News: International Moth

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Scuttlebutt News:

International Moth - One Year Later

(March 5, 2009) Amid all the sailing news stories is a tale of a development dinghy class now called the International Moth. Its history dates back to events in the U.S. and Australia, was formalized as an international class in 1935, and is now best known for its hydrofoils that have lifted the boat, and the interest in the class, to a whole other level. While Frank Raisin (AUS) first put his Moth on foils in 1972, it wasn’t until 2005 when Rohan Veal (AUS) became the first foiler to win the Worlds that the class graduated from peculiar to precocious.

One year ago, Scuttlebutt reported on the first International Moth regatta to occur in North America, when six boats came to San Diego, CA in February. The group was a mix of youth, techies, Olympic campaigners and professional sailors. A broad mix… and in their eyes, a perfect mix. Growth has since continued, and when Americans Charlie Mckee, Bora Gulari, and Hans Henken travelled to Sydney, Australia last December for the ISAF Grade 1 OAMPS Sydney International Regatta, they dominated a fleet that included current World Champ John Harris, winning the event and taking three of the top four spots.

Now, with the class 2009 World Championship to be held on the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon, local interest continues to rise. This weekend is another stepping stone for the class, as the 2009 McLube Harken Moth Pacific Coast Championship will be held in the South Bay area of San Diego, hosted by Coronado Yacht Club. Fifteen boats are expected:

Bora Gulari
Hans Henken
Jack Driscoll
Charlie McKee
Jonathan McKee
Bates McKee
Dalton Bergan
Zack Maxam
Matt Pistay
Ian Andrewes
Matt Noble
Andy Mack
Adam Lowry
Karl Wittnebel
Paul Kilkenny

Charlie McKee comments on the current events, “Bora is our leader as far as teaching us all about the tuning of the boats and sailing techniques; he is very open with his tricks and there is a very free-flowing information and positive spirit in the class. As you can see it is a tremendous group of sailors and people. Shy on Moth experience but long on sailing experience. A great cooperative spirit in the group, many of us veterans from the 49er Class in the US. A few other sailors not able to be here this week but who will probably be at the next event (McLube Harken Pacific Rim Champs in Hawaii March 27-29) include Morgan Larson, Kevin Hall, George Peet, Sean Couvreaux, and Lindsay Bergan.“

International class website: www.moth-sailing.org/
U.S. class website: www.int-moth.us

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