Classic Moth Boat Association

Classic Moth Boats

Classic Moth Boats are a class of small fast singlehanded racing sailboats that originated in the US in 1929 by Joel Van Sant in Elizabeth City, NC. The Classic Moth is a monohull development class using a modified version of the International Moth rule in effect pre 1969. With an eleven foot over-all length, a maximum beam of 60 inches, a minimum hull weight of 75 pounds, 72 Sq Ft sail area, and very few other restrictions a Classic Moth can be a skiff, pram, scow, skinny tube, dinghy, or any combination thereof. The Classic Moth Boat is an ideal class for amateur designers builders and tinkerers, and can be easily built from inexpensive materials.

If you wake up in the middle of the night with a novel idea for hull shape, you can leap out of bed, race down to your garage, build it and then find out at the next regatta if your idea is hot or not. Freedom of design sets Moths apart from the clorox bottle (one-design) crowd. Instead of the one design controlling who sails successfully, we design and build Classic Moths that fit our size, ability, taste, skills, artistic expression, and pocketbook.

To broaden the appeal to race all types of Classic Moths, we have created three divisons within the class. At major regattas, all Classic Moths race together but are scored in three different divisions; a Gen 2 division for full on narrow waterline, low wetted surface designs, a Gen 1 division for more stable, higher wetted surface designs, and a Vintage division for restored Moths built before 1950.

Presently, Classic Mothboats race in many locations up and down the east coast of the United States. Regattas are currently held in Brigantine, NJ; Portsmouth, VA; Chestertown, MD; Cooper River, PA; Augusta, GA; Norfolk, VA; Elizabeth City, NC; Charleston, SC., and St. Petersburg, FL. Please refer to the regatta schedule on this site for dates and contact information.

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Building a Moth

Details

The skin has been turned over and the transom fitted. Note that the cross brace remains to hold the shape. Vertical struts are added at the cross braces to keep the hull skin from twisting while work is in progress. The bottom seam is reinforced with epoxy on the inside at this time.

The skins have been joined with wire along the keel and up the stem, but not perminently glued yet. The developed shape is then adjusted by tweaking the keep joint and sheer. Then, add the molding along the sheer for reinforcement, and add several transverse braces in spaces between the crosspieces to stabilize the shape before turning her over. Run Epoxy along the keel and stem before turning also.

The skin has been turned over and the transom fitted. Note that the cross brace remains to hold the shape. Vertical struts are added at the cross braces to keep the hull skin from twisting while work is in progress. The bottom seam is reinforced with epoxy on the inside at this time.

Another view at the same stage as photo #3. The butt straps are clearly visible (scarfing is not necessary if a good butt joint is glued while the skins are still flat). The stem piece has been put in including the headstay fitting. The molding along the sheer can be seen from this view.

 The bulkheads and well have been installed. Internal surfaces coated with epoxy and 2" wide ribs added fore and aft to provide proper stiffness.

Approximately the same stage of construction as photo #5. All internal surfaces receive a coat of epoxy now since the deck sections will not allow sufficient access to them later. The cockpit area has not been done yet because the ply will be doubled in the foot area next.

The remaining internal bow structure has been added. This includes bulkheads that run from the mast support post to each stay location. The mounting blocks and stay tangs are installed. 1x1 stock is added at the upper edge of each piece to provide a surface to glue the deck down and ensure the bulkheads can handle the compression loads. The platform around the well can also be seen.

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