Highlights from the first UFO one design race sponsored by Upper Keys Yacht Club.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59UyJESbhJA&t=216s

Looks like fun! Wish I had gone.

Brad in Jax
Stiletto 27 on a 2 year plan

Anyone have a gps on board for speeds and what were average/recorded wind strengths
during the race?

Can I ask an admittedly ignorant question? Why are these boats so expensive? At $3500, I'd be all over this, even without the foiling. At $7500, oof ....

--
Dana, Holly, Emma & Hannah

LJ/Stu's Dart 18 (Sold! :( )
--

They are expensive for a number of reasons. Expensive materials (carbon fiber/composites aren’t cheap), lots of hand labor (being done in the USA, at least for the hulls I assume), economy of scale (these are not being cranked out by the thousands).

In the world of composites and boats, this is very reasonable. Consider that a new Hobie 16 (which is 1960’s technology) costs nearly $12,000 and a Hobie Wave (which is similar in size to the UFO and much lower tech in every regard) costs $6,000, the UFO almost seems underpriced for what you get (even though I believe the initial claim was it would have a $5,000 price tag). I’ve been looking into getting a foil for my windsurf board and the foil alone is $1,200 (the UFO of course has two of them). Unfortunately, performance sailing comes at a price...

sm

+1 to what Dogboy said

don't forget the tools, and mold making
not to mention the R&D that went into this

+1 to what Dogboy said

don't forget the tools, and mold making
not to mention the R&D that went into this

jlooby

Anyone have a gps on board for speeds and what were average/recorded wind strengths
during the race?

I did, but was one of the laggards in the fleet. Winds were light -- 7-9 kt. It was hard to get foiling with the softer winds. Once you get foiling, you're easily 1.5x to 2x windspeed. At 12kt of wind things get more fun, but we didn't have that.

Here's an additional video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWur8sXnE28.

WRT the price, those are _new_ boats, so you have to compare them with a new Laser or Aero (costs are about the same) or with a new Wazsp (2x) or a new Moth (4x-6x for Mach 2 or Exocet). Or with a foiling cat -- Stunt/Whisper/Phantom). Cover and dolly are included in price.

What I did was -- I patiently waited for a scratched 2nd hand UFO, and got it for $4K. Had to put some TLC into it, but it's a sturdy little boat and it's now going great.

I sailed a Waszp once, and I have to say: the UFO is a cat when floating, and that makes learning how to foil massively easier. Mistakes end up in a near-capsize-that-isn't-a-capsize, so the boat ends up upright with me on it.

On the Waszp, every mistake is a full capsize. The learning curve is so much easier on the UFO.

Anyway, I'm having a ball. We'll have a demo day in Miami late Feb (25th?) and another regatta at UKSC March 1-3.