It's about innovation!

The original WindRider RAVE hydrofoil sailing trimaran was described as a boat ahead of its time.  (photo and video are of original RAVE)

WindRider and their design partners developed the original concept of bringing foiling to the everday sailor back in 1998, well before foiling became popular. Click the image below for a video of original RAVE.  

(Click on image above to see an original RAVE hydrofoil)

And now, WindRider RAVE will be brought back into production as RAVE V.  Leveraging WindRider’s image of “Sailing Simplified” our goal is is the same as when originally produced: bringing a foiling sailboat to the average sailor. 

There couldn’t be a better time.

It took the exceptional media coverage of America’s Cup races in 2013 for people to fully appreciate the excitement of sailing on foils.  And since then more foiling boats have come to market – but all are either expensive, complicated, require exceptional agility and skill, or all of the above. 

WindRider has built its reputation on “Sailing Simplified” so our goal is not only to make foiling available to the everyday sailor, but go a step further and provide individuals with disabilities the opportunity of “flying on water”.

Because of our many years of experience with the original RAVE including feedback from RAVE owners, we have the ability to address improvements requested, and apply updated technologies to create an innovative sailing trimaran with these key design objectives:           

• Easy to trailer, assemble and handle at launch, dock and beach
• Capable of sailing by sailors of all abilities
• Retail price lower compared to other foiling sailboats with comparable features
• Ability to foil in lighter winds and enjoyable sailing when not foiling
• Ability to point higher (into the wind) than most multihulls

Other than the sail plan and the foils, a lot like the original RAVE.  It will not be rotomolded plastic, but rather strong and lightweight composite material. 

As you can see in the rendering, the RAVE V hulls will be configured similar to the original RAVE with the comfort oriented face-forward seating in aft (pilot) and forward (passenger) cockpits.  Foot pedal steering (plus Adaptive Sailing modifications as needed including hand steering) allows for ease of handling the sails and overall “sailing simplified”. 

Beyond the main hull and amas, the RAVE V will be further advanced in design than the original RAVE due to three main design enhancements. 

• Retractable “V” foils, thus the RAVE V name, are an advanced design, further enhanced by sonic tubes at the tips, which reduce cavitation during foiling. 
• “A-frame” rigging with two main sails enhances foiling and pointing performance. 
• Light-weight durable composite materials - including carbon fiber spars

The design is specifically addressing the five design objectives above namely:

1. Telescoping amas and fixed crossbeams will allow for easier rigging at the boat ramp.  The retractable foils will allow the RAVE V easy beach and dock access as well as allow for a good sailing experience in light winds.
2. Face forward, below the boom cockpit seating for two with foot pedal steering and/or hand steering provides flexible accomodations for sailors of all abilities.  
3. With an introductory retail price of $27,500 on the first six boats, the RAVE V is priced lower than foiling sailboats with similar performance characteristics
4. The A-frame standing rigging configuration and light weight composite material construction enhances foiling in lighter winds.
5. The combination of dual mainsails and V foils permit the RAVE V to point to wind better than most multihulls.

Here are specifications in the design:

• Overall boat length including rudder is 18.3 feet
• Overall boat beam is 14.4 feet, outside the Amas, there is no underwater width outside the Amas simplifying docking
• Total sail area is 320.6 Square feet, 160.3 square feet per sail
• Total boat height is 31 feet from bottom of sonic tube to top of mast.  Mast height above the deck is 26.1 feet.
• Freeboard height is 1.95 feet
• Draft with V foils extended is 3.4 feet
• Draft with V foils pulled up is 0.6 feet

Other interesting data:

• Boat length before the rudder mechanism 17 feet  
• Boat length with rudder removed is 17.6 feet
• Main hull (Waka) max width is 2.47 feet
• Waka width in seating area is 1.87 feet
• Ama width is .75 feet
• Ama length is 14.9 feet
• Each mast is 26 feet long and a cord of 10 inches
• The semicircle mast top is 20 inches in diameter and a 10 inch cord designed to eliminate sail top spillage and drag losses.
• Total foil length each leg is 5.2 feet foil cord is 0.47 feet 13% thickness
• Sonic tube is 0.736 feet outdide diameter and 0.95 feet long
• Boat is designed so that with 400 lbs standing on the ama the waterline is at the top of the submerged ama
• Sail foot is 7.2 feet with a boom of 7.5 feet.
• Sail is loose footed to the boom and is full battened elliptical plan form
• Amas will telescope in to a trailer width of 8.4 feet
• Semicircle mast top is removed for trailering

For greater detail on the design by Larry Knauer, we have posted extensive notes on the WindRider blog (click here)

Other foiling sailboats on the market today are expensive, complicated and require exceptional agility and skill.  The RAVE V is affordable, comfortable, durable and relatively easy to handle.  The trimaran design, cockpit face-forward below the sail seating and foot pedal steering all contribute to stability, comfort and ease of use compared to other foiling sailboats on the market.

Crowdfunding is a relatively new tool for raising capital to bring innovative products to the market.  By sharing the innovation through social and traditional media, the product is exposed to more individuals who then have the opportunity to participate in the process and purchase the product – sometimes at a discounted price.    

And the RAVE V is specifically designed to appeal to a broad range of boating enthusiasts.  Experienced and intermediate sailors will have the ability to learn to foil.  New technologies in foil construction and building material allow for the innovative design enhancements which create the improvements to the original design. 

The 5 design objectives outlined above will place the RAVE V in a class by itself. With a composite hull and amas compared to the previous polyethylene model, weight will be reduced allowing for foiling in lighter winds. Aluminum spars will be replaced with carbon fiber as well to reduce weight and increase strength.

Funding from this campaign is the amount  necessary to help provide the cash flow necessary to pay the designers, and build the first six boats.  In essence, pre-sales of the first six boats at a discount will provide the working capital for material and labor (getting us into full production) and deposits for subsequent 20 boats will help continue funding production. It is our intent to build 26 boats prior to sailing season 2016.  

WindRider is contributing subtanitial funds for toolng, marketing, production space and the like.  YOUR CREDIT CARD PLEDGE IS ONLY CHARGED IF WE REACH OUR GOAL.   

We have a comprehensive plan beginning in the fall of 2014 resulting in 8 boats - two for demo purposes and six available for delivery in summer/fall of 2015.  RAVE V Director and Designer Larry Knauer, whose resume is below, will oversee the architect, material procurement and production under the following the timeline:

November 2014 through January 2015: finalize design elements and material choices

February 2015: Miami Boat Show – rollout of scale model and additional pre-sale opportunities

January - March 2015:  production established in Sandusky, Ohio

June 2015: testing of initial RAVE V demo boats

July 2015: Modifications as needed

August 2015: RAVE V available for demo sails

Fall 2015: Production and delivery of first 6 2015 RAVE V hydrofoil trimarans

October 2015: Attendance of WindRider and RAVE V at Annapolis Boat Show

November 2015 - March 2016: Delivery of 20 additional RAVE V hydrofoil trimarans

WindRider was founded in 1995 and has been under current ownership since 2010. 

We currently produce 3 models of sailing trimarans, WR17, WR16 and WRTango, and import 4 models of Astus trimarans from France.  We are currently broadening our product line to include replacement parts and accessories for a variety of sailboats. 

There couldn't be a better time to participate in hydrofoil sailing on a RAVE V trimaran.  You can do this in 3 ways:

1. Purchase one of the first six boats and receive a big discount.
2. Place a deposit on the second or third production run with the option of receiving a discount on a different model of WindRider trimaran.
3. Place a deposit on a 2016 RAVE V and receive a test sail in summer/fall of 2015.​

AND REMEMBER, YOUR CREDIT CARD PLEDGE IS NOT CHARGED UNTIL WE REACH OUR GOAL!

​If you have questions, please call us 888-609-2827 or email Dean at WindRider.  Thanks in advance for your support.