length 5m
beam 2.52m
mast ht. 8.5m
battened main 15.5 sq m
battened jib 4.5sq.m
as. sp. 18 sq.m
on the water weight 139 kg
The tide was just coming in, the weather cool, the wind north off shore 12-17 knots, skies clear we are in Brightlingsea to test sail a Spitfire. Two people are ahead of me - two Dart 15 sailors wanting to go from single hand sailing to pairing up.
They seem nervous, not use to kite sailing, they want to take the pole off and sail. Although they understand that the boat was designed to sail with kite they want to build up to it. They also admitted to not having been on the water since September - I know you are saying "so what! "to all this but I mention it because they bought a Spitfire the following day.
Finally its my turn to go out with Yves Loday. Only after I stand and hold the boat up to my waist in water while he has a fag. How he lasted on only two packets on his round the world sail only he knows. I've seen him smoke that rigging a boat.
We start off down wind, once clear of the shore we get the kite up and she goes well but nothing startling. Obviously faster than without but none of the white knuckle stuff of the an F-18’s in a real blow. Yes - you could do this single handed in this kind of wind.
On this leg, I would dearly love to be on my own, on the soon to come single hander I had seen being built back at the factory
We sit forward and keep the transom clear of the water and the speed up. She is weight sensitive like all sailing boats but there is no nose diving.
We gibed and soon put the kite away into the zippered bag. We headed up river towards Bradwell & Marconi. It looked a long way from the shore but now the entrance to the river between Bradwell and Mersea Island seems quite narrow. I must remember this in case we sail the Piers Race.
Like all boats designed by Lodey it rides high in the water and going up wind you need to keep the nose down. The 18 inch waves spray across the lea hull - we are both on the wire and it just seems right. The nose cuts through the water with little spray getting to us. We tack, faster than a Laser, both on the wire again, we travel a fantastic distance in minutes. Tack again, still beating we are now back between Mersea Island and Brightlingsea so far the boat has seemed capable, easy to sail, well laid out and technically perfect but no fire.
Maybe the lack of drama comes from the pilot, maybe its the basic competence of the boat, or maybe it just isn’t blowing enough to be fun.
Yves suddenly says lets reach up the river and back. We go for it! the speed rises as he pumps the main and we move to the very back of the boat and thrash across the waves spray in our faces, wind in our eyes and suddenly I notice how cold it is. Yves wants to prove what I already know from sailing one of his boats - put the nose down and the boat slows - sometimes violently - but then the nose comes back up and off you go again. Not the way to win races but proof that the boat is safe and easy to sail that won't pitchpole.
I am in love this boat - it is the answer to my and most weekend sailors prayers - a boat you can sail one or two handed that will hold a F-18 boat, leave a Dart 18 for dead, has a kite and goes like stink on a reach. Not only is it light enough to get in and out of the water single handed but you could take the family out on it for a picnic on Sundays after the race.
We have had our fun and we head in. I get the boards up, let go of the jib, Yves gets the rudders up and we head to wind over the slipway. You guessed it! - neither of us knew how deep the water is and I drag my feet in the water to slow us and get off up to my neck. I then explain to a small group of bystanders that I have not sailed here before but they still laugh at us - Yves had done pretty much the same thing.
So a conclusion now I'm back on land.
This is the boat for everyone, faster than a Shearwater and Dart 18, three sails, single or double handed, easy to sail but with all the adjustments you could want. Turns on a sixpence like a good monohull and is very dry compared to Dart 15, 18 and Sting.
Competition - maybe the new NACRA 16 Blast but the dagger boards should help you there. (the NACRA uses keels)
So:
just buy it - choose your own colour and lets go racing.