Swift Moth
- 2023 NSW and Australian Champion design
This Swift is a joint venture between Damic Design and our building partners to create what we believe is the fastest and best built International Moth on the market.
We have neatly 20 years of experience in the class which has helped immensely with the design and development of the platform. The end result is a boat that is easy to sail, looks great and most importantly wins races straight out of the box.
Please click on the link below for more information and pricing or to lock in your build slot.
The Concept
The Swift Moth has been designed with one main objective in mind, which is to be the fastest production Moth on the market!
This required a no compromise approach, so we have used the best available materials and manufacturing processed to achieve what we believe is the most thorough though Moth design to date. We settled on the final concept from over 55 different sub-variants to make sure the finished product is as close to perfection as we can get. The boat is also made in small batches that guarantee outstanding quality and finish that is simply not possible on a mass-produced build.
We focused on three key areas of improvement.
1. Minimise aero drag
2. Reduce overall weight
3. Improve usability and ease of manoeuvres such as foil tacking.
We also wanted to make sailing more enjoyable though systems that work and excellent ergonomics. We made the platform fully dismantlable so that the whole boat can be packed in a box for low cost of transport to and from regattas. And lastly, we made the boat easy to live with so things like wing assembly, control lines take-ups and general maintenance are super easy and accessible.
When you buy the Swift Moth, you are not only buying speed and quality but access to advice and ongoing support from the Moth sailor and designer with nearly 20 years of class experience.
Hull
The hull shape has been primarily optimised for aero gains as we spend so little time in displacement mode. Though CFD and on water testing, our final shape ensures that the overall drag is very low. This is achieved by maximising attached flow not only top sides but also underside of the hull. Something that is particularly important in upwind sailing mode. We also tried to ensure that the airflow is accelerated over the forward section of the foredeck feeding clean air straight into the sail decksweeper. Hull volume has also been kept to an absolute minimum, but we raised the mid-section to help keep the front bars clear of the water for take-off in large waves but also to increase the effective aspect ratio of the sail and the hull. The Hull is made from carbon/foam sandwich construction with increased number of frames to ensure high stiffness at very low weight. The shell is available in any colour with striking clear carbon top sides.
Wings
The wing entire frame is a carefully engineered structure that is very light, stiff and aero. It also dismantles with just 4 bolts! The tubes are made from pressure moulded pre-pre carbon fibre with High Modulus used in the structure of the transverse bars. Solid trampolines then attach to the frame to make a super smooth transition to ensure attached flow over the entire structure. The trampolines also feature concealed rope take up channels and most importantly the overall concave shape helps reduce the mid-wing height making the trampolines feel less steep. This makes for easier boat handling, but while maintaining the advantage of a powerful platform though a high wing frame.
Control System and bowsprit
The Swift control system is based on one theory. The less linkages, the less slop! So, for this reason, our foil control tubes have the bare minimum of moving parts and linkages. And the ones that are there, have all been designed to eliminate slop. This all means you get more control and speed while sailing. The main carbon control tube sits on the deck floor and features what is now class standard gearing and bias adjusters. The bowsprit itself is a lightweight carbon tube with moulded end fitting that houses a titanium wand head for precision and weight reduction. The wand top tube itself is a custom carbon aerofoil section with adjustable wand inside.
Removable Foredeck
We paid a lot of attention to making the boat look clean so all the messy stuff like control system and rope take-ups are all hidden under the removable clear carbon deck fairing. When removed this fairing allowed easy access to everything that would might want to change. An access hatch above the mainfoil allows for connection of the pushrods, so the deck fairing only needs to be removed for maintenance purposes. We also extended this fairing a long way aft so that sail endplates on it removing the need for any additional fairings. The deck fairing is available to suit either 1050, 1150 or 1250DS sails.
Aero Wing Fairings
These components are optional extras, however we consider them as essential upgrades to the aero package. The wing fairings in particular are easily removable carbon mouldings that Velcro down and cover most of the trampoline control lines. They help guide the airflow over this usually messy area and reduce the overall drag quite significantly.
Toe-Strap Mouldings
This is another upgrade item that is designed to reduce the drag associated with traditional toe-strap mounts. Our carbon moulded alternatives are not only very aero but also allow for easy removal of the toe-strap though a single titanium bolt.
Gantry
The gantry has been a big focus area as we consider it quite critical to improving take off performance. Our design not only offers low drag characteristics, but also water drainage at foiling speeds ensuring that boat is as light as possible in take-off mode. The gantry is constructed from carbon foam sandwich with internal framing that makes it super stiff yet very light.
Hydrofoils
The hydrofoil package comprises of our proven and race winning Swift range. The verticals we use are ultra-thin and short in cord while the horizontal range now consists of 5 foils. Three main horizontals and two rudder horizontals. All foils are a result of ongoing development since 2012 with a clear aim to push limits of design and materials in order to maximise performance well into the future.
