Rohan has locked away the world title with 2 heats to spare, similarly Scott Babbage has second place all wrapped up as well. So it seems that a Bladerider is the boat to have at the moment, and all the rest have a lot of work to do to catch up. Luka’s best result of the series so far has been a 5th in heat 6 and he is currently running 16th overall.

Has mothing now evolved into a semi team sport where competitors will need to actively train together with identical boats and share setup information if they want to compete at the top?

5 races in, Rohan looks unbeatable at the 2007 moth worlds in Garda. He has proven without a doubt that the title of “Mr 10 percent” was well earned. Scott Babbage is still running second from Sam Pascoe on a Mistress and surprise of the regatta Les Thorpe in fourth. Les is performing exceptionally well given his short amount of time foiling, and looks set to regularly get back on top of the scoreboard in future Australian regattas.

Team St. George aren’t performing so well, with our best James “doink” Mackenzie in 21st, Luka in 27th (with three finishes just outside the top ten), and Marty Johnson yet to finish a race in his new boat.

So with the Bladerider’s so dominant in this regatta, I think we will see a flurry of new foil developments from the other manufacturers in the next few months as they try and re-gain some of their lost pace.

In other news with sub 15 degree days my boat is still very green, and I will be evicting it from the mould this Sunday.

While the boys are off racing at the 2007 worlds, I have been spending my evenings with Ethan building my new boat. After 3 evenings of work, the shell is now curing, ready to be released from the mould tomorrow.

In a day of absolute carnage, team Bladerider have defiantly taken first blood at the Garda moth worlds. They say to finish first, first you have to finish and only 24 out of 63 starters managed to not record a DNF on day 1.

At the end of the day, Rohan Veal is leading from Scott Babbage, then Sam Pascoe, Adam May with Les Thorpe showing that there is life in the Thorpe-Stevenson package yet and is currently 5th.

Best of the St.George crew currently is James “Doink” McKenzie in 11th. Luca and Marty have both used all their drops already, with Luca’s rudder deciding that it wanted a divorce and parting company from the hull, apparently taking some of the transom with it!

Simon Payne suffered the same fate, highlighting that this is defiantly a weak point on the Prowlers. (Note to self, add more reinforcing on the transom …)

So (as far I can tell from here in Australia), the total carnage total stands as follows:

- 4 Prowler gantries (plus a transom or two …)

- 1 Prowler tiller

- 7 Bladerider main foils

- 1 Bladerider rudder

- 1 Bladerider foredeck

- 1 Prowler wand attachment

- Adam May’s wings

At this early stage, it looks like Rohan’s claims were pretty accurate (and a lot of people were hoping they weren’t), and he will probably win if his boat stays together. That said, there is a long way to go yet.

Oh well back to boatbuilding for me …

Hull

• Prepare mould 1 hour
  
• Cut and fit foam 2 hours
  
• Mould hull outer skin 2 hours
  
• Mould hull inner skin and foam 5 hours
  
• Make centerboard case 3 hours
  
• Make transom inc. Gantry bolts. 3 hours
  
• Make front bulkhead 2 hours
  
• Make centerboard case frame 2 hours
  
• Make and fit stem block with stem fitting 2 hours
  
• Make mast step 2 hours
  
• Carbon in centerboard case 2 hours
  
• Carbon in transom 2 hours
  
• Carbon in bulkheads 5 hours
  
• Make wand tube 10 mins & $20
  
• Mould in wand tube 1 hour
  
• Make cable holder for floor Not needed
  
• Make foredeck 4 hours
  
• Make deck 8 hours

Hull Finishing

• Back bar
  
• Wing blocks x4
  
• Push bars on cockpit floor
  
• Mast stump base
  
• Holes for wing tramps

Other Bits

• Make wings
  
• Fit wings
  
• Make Gantry
  
• Fit gantry
  
• Make new wand
  
• Fit wand and cable
  
• Make cradle 6 hours
  
• Make & fit out boom
  
• fit out mast
  
• Make prodder