There’s Always Something New in Sailing

As sailors, we are always interested in and keeping an eye out for new ideas in sailing. Having said that, sailing in essence is simple — all you need is some sort of hull, a sail, and wind. But it’s when people apply various technologies to the basic sailboat design that things can get quite interesting. Yesterday we shared a Facebook post, published by San Francisco Sailing Science Center (SFSSC), about a new “cheap and modular” sailboat designed by Pixel & Timber — a company dedicated to bringing new designs and innovations to fruition. The question asked by our friends at SFSSC is whether the creation of this particular sailboat is “Greenwashing or Great Idea.” We shared the post on our own Facebook page, but we also thought the question merited some research. So we followed the links and found more information about the ‘new idea’, which appears to be called the Modular Multihull Sailboat — we’ll call it the MMS for short.

According to Pixel & Timber’s website, the MMS has many positive features. It has been designed for inland lakes, but “due to the versatility of its design” is also appropriate for coastal sailing. Its hulls are made from “reclaimed ocean HDPE” (high density polyethylene) — in other words, all that plastic that organizations such as Ocean Voyages Institute and The Ocean Cleanup are collecting from the oceans. It’s also meant to make sailing “more affordable.”

The boat is said to be “adaptable to the unique weather and water conditions of every user and their unique abilities.” To achieve this claim it is available in three formats — tacking outrigger, small trimaran, or catamaran. “Prior to purchase, users can configure all aspects of the boat online using a build-and-price feature similar to those used by automobile manufacturers.” Sounds ideal, right?

The boat is designed to be “user-assembled.” The buyer can select their own combinations of colors and materials for their boat’s various components. And as the boat is assembled after delivery, the cost and ecological impact of shipping are reduced.

Here are some features of the MMS that we thought were kind of neat. Integrated cooler/storage — a small compartment just “abaft the mast” that serves as a waterproof space for dry items, or as a cooler. The compartment also helps stiffen the hull. A thru-hull rudder attachment with “clamp-on fittings similar to the stem and steerer tube of a bicycle.” A small mast step that accepts a universal windsurfer mast base and allows for “nearly any combination of mast, extension and sail.” The mast base also has a quick release system that enables the entire rig to be “folded flat along the trampoline or (with a different sail) arranged as a tent.”

What we have written above is only a very brief outline of the Modular Multihull Sailboat and is in no way meant to be a review. Neither did we actually answer the original question. But if the designers’ innovations and environmentally positive features are as they claim, this writer feels the boat is worth taking a closer look at, should it find its way onto the market. And aside from all the ‘feel-good’ stuff, it looks like a whole lot of fun!

Thanks to our friends at San Francisco Sailing Science Center for sharing.