Adversity created popular 40 year-old one-design land yacht class
by Russ Foster 18 Apr 2014 12:45 EST
12-19 July 2014
Manta Twins, always a large fleet, at the starting line © David Moeller
The infamous 1973/74 Oil Embargo caused a big problem for Oakland, California-based hang glider manufacturers Alan Dimen and Russ Thompson. In late 1973, the shortages and rising prices of gasoline and the resulting uncertainty caused many customers to suddenly stop buying their popular Manta hang gliders. Faced with rapidly-declining sales and a big stock of the aircraft tubing and parts used in the gliders, they needed a new product – and quickly!
Thus was born the Manta Winjammer land yacht, now commonly called the Manta Single. First produced in early 1974, it is arguably the oldest continuously-manufactured one-design land yacht in the world. Its aircraft-like quality, light weight, portability, ruggedness, ease of use and reasonable cost made it popular from the outset. In the early days, hundreds were produced, and many were shipped to international customers.
The design will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year and be featured as a one-design class at the FISLY-NALSA 14TH Landsailing World Championship (the Worlds) to be held July 12-19, 2014 at Smith Creek Playa near the town of Austin in Northern Nevada. NALSA, the North American Land Sailing Association, will host the event and is the U.S. Affiliate of FISLY, the International Federation of Sand and Land Yachts, the world governing body for competitive land sailing. One design classes must adhere to strict "as-built-by-the-factory" specifications and emphasize sailor (pilot) ability, not experimental design. They are popular because the designs are constant, offer a pure test of sailing ability and do not create an expensive innovation "arms race".
While the Manta Single has enjoyed steady but moderate sales, its popular two-seater sibling, the Twinjammer (Manta Twin) introduced in 1976 and also a one-design, has outsold the Single by a 10-to-1 ratio for many years and regularly fields the largest fleets at U.S. landsailing regattas. The Manta Twins are expected to vie with a new development (experimental) class, the International 5.6 Mini, for largest fleet at the regatta.
At the Worlds, Manta Singles and Twins will both play important roles as charter yachts for international competitors who are unable to bring their own land yachts but want to sail in the regatta. The competition is expected to be fierce in both classes, with skilled contestants from a number of countries sailing essentially identical land yachts.
www.nalsa.org/Worlds2014Splash.html