May 5th, 2021
Doyle Sails are the light at the end of the tunnel for the international Moth class. An international class that is home to some of the best foiling sailors in the world – these sailors know that when yachts are the same, sails are an opportunity to gain a performance advantage. Further developments in 2021 see the latest sails seeing the inclusion of Structured Luff technology exclusive to Doyle Sails and keeping with the sailmaking companies ethos of delivering lighter, faster and more innovative sails to your foiling.
All of this has been achieved in just over two years, from design, build, and testing to offering off-the-shelf Carbon Moth sails and Panelled options. The concepts around Moth sails have been in the works for a while at Doyle, with partnerships with top Moth sailors world driving the development of these sails forward at a rapid pace.
Tom Johnson and Kyle Langford became ambassadors for the Doyle Sails Moth sails from early on. The ability to bring sailors that are at the forefront of foiling sailing not only in Moths but across other classes such as the America’s Cup, SailGP and Wing Foil boards meant that sailmaking techniques were driving the development of the sails at the highest end of the sport.
“The project started during the lead up for the 2018 Sydney to Hobart,” recalls Johnson. “Kyle and I were onboard Comanche which had just received a full new suite of Doyle Stratis sails, and we said to Moose (Doyle Sails International CEO, Mike Sanderson) that it would be cool to get a Moth sail project underway! He was keen on the idea and put us in touch with the key designers and One Design experts at Doyle, and the project grew from there.”
Doyle Sails Palma has worked closely with both Kyle and Tom from the early stages, alongside One Design designer Andrew Lechte, based out of Australia. The various designs and iterations have seen innovation develop tenfold between releases, with Doyle Sails Moth sails now some of the fastest, lightest and most innovative sails available.
“Despite the lack of regattas in the last year, we have still been pushing the sail development hard, and we have made some significant gains with the Stratis membrane sails in not only shape and structure but also 25% weight saving compared to the other sails on the market. Being the only carbon fibre sail on the market, you really notice how sensitive the sail is to trim and when you pull the controls, it really changes the shape of the sail and bends the rig as opposed to everything just stretching, which means you can achieve your desired shape a lot easier and the sail can go through a larger range. We are still working on a lower area sail for smaller sailors, and there is plenty of work going on in the background!’ says Kyle Langford, commenting on the next generation of Moth sails due to be released.
Kyle, fresh off the plane from Sail Grand Prix Bermuda, was heading home to begin sailing his new Moth. “I’ll be sailing (the Moth) for the next month or so before we head to the next SailGP event. The plan is to do the worlds as well as some events over summer in the lead-up.”
With the 2020 Moth Worlds in the UK a non-starter like many global events during the pandemic, the 2021 Moth Worlds will be held in Malcesine, Italy, on the idyllic Lake Garda. The lake is known for its favoured sailing conditions for skiff and one-design sailors globally.
Brad Marsh, SailGP Technical Team Operations Manager, is also finding time to get out on the water frequently between SailGP events with his Moth and Doyle Sails Moth sail and comments, “I genuinely have been impressed with the sail built by Doyle for my Bieker Moth. It is lightweight, durable and looks amazing. It is so responsive to adjustments such as rig setup and control line adjustments. Finished with high-quality materials and attention to detail means it pops through tacks nicely, and gybes are smooth without the need to shake the sail to pop battens. With my current setup, I can play with modes upwind as needed to stay competitive in the fleet and then turning around the top mark is like putting the afterburners on, lower and faster, every sailor’s dream.”
With sailors and sailmakers at the forefront of sail development, Doyle Sails can fuse design, technology, and performance to deliver brilliance into Moth sails.
“Best of all, when you get any sail from Doyle Sails, it’s a fun experience. The active collaboration with the sales and design teams means every time I walk away with a new sail; I also gain more awareness and knowledge of the product I have just purchased. The open information exchange results in me becoming a better sailor not just because of what I have purchased but also what I have learned.” – Brad Marsh
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