Alan on Technical Updates
Technical updates have been coming thick and fast as we have turned our prototype into production. Many of our components are custom made and whilst our off the shelf Harken deck gear is really straightforward some of our custom parts have taken longer to manufacture. Just a sample of this can be seen in the detail of the mast base. This is now a hard anodised casting which has been designed to take all of our control lines onto one fitting base. To get the angles spot on, test it and then produce a mould and the subsequent part has been a time consuming process but I am sure you agree it was certainly worth the investment and the wait. We have been through several iterations of the fittings for our foil adjustment systems and wand components but again we needed to make sure that the end product is easy to operate and durable for the end user.
What is the F101 Tribe!
The Tribe are you the F101 sailors.
We call you the Tribe, as we think that the group of sailors will be slightly different to those that have in the past sailed conventional dinghies. We want to have an open approach to the style of events that our Tribe want and we also want to make sure that we can listen to the feedback and comments of the F101 Tribe. Good communication and a common desire to make all aspects of foiling a fun and shared experience will form the ethos of the Tribe and don’t be surprised if it is very different to any other class association that you have been part off!
In fact it is going to be fascinating to see the comments of the early sailors, the early adopters of this form of foiling and the founding members of the F101 Tribe. We hope to share the videos and blogs from the first camp in Spain in early December.
Remember if you want to join the Tribe and there are great advantages to being a F101 Tribe member, then production from Rob White and his team at White Formula is now in full flow and build slots are available for early 2018.
Spain F101 Coaching weekend #1
On December 8th -11th we will run our first F101 Coaching clinic at Pro-Vela’s Mar Menor base in Spain, where we will have 4 brand new F101’s being delivered to their owners for the first time. These owners are coming in from the UK, Netherlands and the USA. The plan for the long weekend is to take the new owners through assembly, boat and foil set-up, pre-flight checks, launching and then get out on the water to enjoy some sailing, whilst on the water there will be on the water coaching to ensure each sailor is helped to get up and foiling, and fully up to speed. On hand for the weekend as well as the Foiling World staff, will be Ron Price, the boat designer. We also plan to hold informal meetings to discuss 2018 sailing program to maximise this for all.
The plan is to hold several more of these sessions through the early months of 2018.
Global Distribution
The response to the launch of the F101 has been phenomenal with interest, enquiries and orders coming in from all corners of the world which was very encouraging. However during 2017 we have been almost exclusively concentrating our efforts on getting the F101 fully sorted and ready for full production, which we now have achieved. As you can see above the production boats are now beginning to roll out of the build shed, with the first boats reaching their owners in early December. What this means is that in 2018 we will be fully ready to get your new F101 delivered to you. We have some dealers in place, and other negotiations underway, however we welcome enquiries from interested parties around the world who can help us grow the F101 fleet.
How to buy an F101
The price list can be accessed on our website http://www.foiling101.com/how-to-buy/, along with the various options. For export we have developed 2 plywood export packing boxes, so your new F101 can be sent anywhere in the world. This has been designed in conjunction with a launching trolley that fits inside the packing case. For UK/European orders we have a standard combi trolley/trailer configuration. We are taking orders now for build slots in early 2018, so get in touch if you wish to order your F101 and reserve a build slot.
