My Wingsailer (1984) Project

Posted by Efficient-Weather482@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 41 comments

I will revisit this thread as progress goes, however, I bought this Wingsailer off Facebook a few days ago in NJ. I have set out to do a proper job. So I guess I wanted to gauge if anyone is interested in following along in this project. It's my first thread on Reddit, I think? But a worthy one, and one i'd have fun sharing. My goal was just to occupy some time and I'm a sucker for curios. It's a surprisingly smart little hull. Centrally balanced in the extreme with the mast practically an extension of your spine. And I don't know of any other sailing vessel with an entirely forward cockpit. It's very much a 911 meats Waterworld. I digress. It''s entirely possible at the end of all this it sails like a pig. For example, stopping. How is this accomplished with this wing? Do I need an anchor? A seat belt? A helmet? Anyways, anyone interested?

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41 Comments

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pablo_blue@reddit

I don't fully understand what I am looking at in the 2nd and 3rd pics. Have you split the two halves of the hull? If so, why?

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

I split the two halves because they were essentially already split when I bought it, evidenced by it taking on water from the entire seam when I test floated at local lake boat ramp. Atm I'm thinking of filling the hull with 4lb pour foam, 3m 5200 to sandwich. Reinforce the "transom" with a cutout of hdpe. Finer details will be figured out before moving forward such as conduit for rope, a nice harken exit block for the center board, fairleads, low friction bushings, and dyneema to replace the small amount of lines

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pablo_blue@reddit

Ok, that makes sense. What is the LOA and mast height? The sail looks very small for the size of the hull. Are you supposed to sit in the cockpit while sailing or does the grip tape indicate that you can sit out?

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

Loa and mast height LOA is 10'3 LWL is 8'6 Beam 4' Draft 3" board up, 25" down I can go measure the mast at some point but I'd say about 12ft Sail is a "Latham Wing". It said 27m² was sail area, but as a wing. Kinda hoping to come across a sail maker from this post who can input on fabricating a new one to match future hull color

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pablo_blue@reddit

> It said 27m² was sail area, 2.7m² I would guess - it is not 27m². Interesting boat, from first viewing of the pictures I am slightly skeptical it will sail well, but I do hope you can prove me wrong! Great project.

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

I think you are right on the 2.7m

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Eurosnob979@reddit

Necroing this as I found a high res image of the stats. It's 27 square feet. https://www.surfertoday.com/windsurfing/the-wingsailer-watercraft#:~:text=The%20%22Latham%20Wing%22%20replaced%20the%20familiar%20triangle,frame%20and%20a%20Dacron%20sleeve%2C%20producing%20more

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jesusismyupline@reddit

cup holder, it needs a cup holder

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

Well played. Another reason to add a railblaza

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hackshowcustoms@reddit

Where does the hydrofoil go?

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

No hydrofoil on this hull. Have considered a wing for the center board if it didn't interfere with the retracting of it, but prolly leave it as is

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Oatbagtime@reddit

It seems really underpowered but I’ll have to look for a video of one sailing.

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Nephroidofdoom@reddit

I am… whelmed

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genericdude999@reddit

> Just a week later a Small Breeze quickly became Spooky Winds and dumped me.

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Icy-Bag8556@reddit

Even the name on that video is amazing

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Cease-the-means@reddit

Jetski for the post fossil fuel era.

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

Yeah only a couple videos out there and not much to go on. I think this boat is going to be surprisingly underrated. SailGP is an example of this being done to a much fuller extent.

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Oatbagtime@reddit

Sure just reinforce it and install trapeze hardware!

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MrSnowden@reddit

When you posted this earlier I got into it. Totally cool boat. Seems a bit underpowered and I had wondered about increasing the size of the mainsail. But then got to thinking it wouldn’t be too hard to add jib up front, at least to see how it changes things. If it doesn’t work, easy to remove.

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

Try and find yourself the limited research on wingsails as a function of aerodynamics. Tremendously more efficient, and powerful. The more I learn about the physics, the more I actually think it may be overpowered, as the proportions are not that far off from sailGP, and this thing can't foil I had also thought about increasing the size, but it's a weird thing with the wings and how they generate thrust so close to the mast It may actually go like a bat out of hell, for its length, with just a fair breeze

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MrSnowden@reddit

I have been in love with the idea of wingsails for a while. But I also sent you a few videos on your last post and none seemed to be going like a bat out of hell.

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

I've seen the same videos, and while I agree, they don't seem to be during any particular wind. I know my local lake always has a nice strong breeze, and it has been known to get quite windy and sustained. Imma keep my fingers crossed it's just camera shy

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Oatbagtime@reddit

Wings tend to work because the boat is moving quickly enough to accelerate on their own apparent wind, which wings do well by being really efficient at what is effectively always sailing very close to into the wind. Did this boat come with multiple sail/wing sizes depending on weight or wind conditions?

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

This boat unfortunately did not, however I am hoping to encounter a sailmaker at some point in this journey

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genericdude999@reddit

[This maybe?](http://www.baloghsaildesigns.com/batwing.html)

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light24bulbs@reddit

Does this thing work? Does it need 30 knots of wind?

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

Theoretically should have equal to or greater than the sail power of comparable sized normal dinghy and sail. Brochure says "sails best in 4-10 knot, above 15 caution is advised, but exhilaration is enhanced". Other brochure says it planes at 15kts wind

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codeduck@reddit

> Other brochure says it planes at 15kts wind is that vertically after being thrown off a cliff? I kid, I kid. It looks very interesting; I'm going to watch with interest!

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

It is also the mast support, which has a smaller diameter tube that comes out from the bottom of the large diameter mast, and slots into that pylon

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light24bulbs@reddit

Gotcha. Spicey

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LushusWilly@reddit

I’d sail the world in that /S

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brian60093@reddit

Oh I am definitely interested in following this project for sure. Curious about the leading edge of the wing (or the mast). Is it rounded or blunt? DM me.

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

Leading edge is foil shaped, just like an airfoil wing shrouded over a thin cable. That piece of fiberglass has a line that runs to it for adjusting camber, it seems, separate from the 'boom'

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Efficient-Weather482@reddit (OP)

Car 🏎