The Flying Mantis takes off

by Simon Chrispin on 10 Feb 2017 The Flying Mantis will debut at the RYA Dinghy Show, Alexandra Palace, London, on fourth and 5th March 2017, stand C86.

The Flying Mantis is a lightweight carbon easy foiling trimaran for the solo sailor. It is designed to deliver windsurfer flexibility and be transported and sailed almost anywhere.

The Flying Mantis is two beautifully designed performance boats in one. It can be switched between a semi-foiling displacement trimaran and a full-foiling version depending on a sailor’s skill and sailing conditions.

Key specs:

• Main hull – length 4.2m (LWL), beam 0.5m
• Outrigger – length 2.5m, beam 0.14m
• Overall beam 2.4m
• Combined hull weight c.45kg
• Lifting T foil rudder
• Semi-foiling version - central dagger board
• Foiling version – dagger board plus interchangeable lifting central T foil adjusted by wand control from a bowsprit
• Sails – Main 9 sqm, Jib 2.3 sqm
• Easy sailing

The Flying Mantis boasts a lightweight carbon epoxy foam sandwich construction. The hulls are quick and simple to assemble. The central hull weighs around 20kg plus outriggers at 12.5kg. Fully assembled, this lightweight trimaran is especially suited to taller and heavier sailors, with a weight range of up to 120kgs.

The Flying Mantis was conceived by Simon Chrispin, owner of It Should Be Fun Ltd (ISBF) which is marketing the boat. “I wanted a boat that I could keep at home, put on the top of my car and launch from any beach, unassisted. It had to be super lightweight and portable…..oh, and it had to go fast or it would not be fun”.

The most efficient boat form that met the requirements turned out to be a trimaran.

Simon met two boat builders at the 2016 RYA Dinghy Show, Jamie Stewart (naval architect) and Anthony McMahon (owner of Solent Boat Works), specialists in the build and repair of carbon performance craft.

By coincidence, they had a draft design for a performance trimaran which Jamie had worked on with Richard Pemberton, designer / technical consultant to teams in events such as the America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean race, Vendee Globe race, Olympics and the World Speed Sailing Record.

The idea of foiling capability was added to Simon’s concept and the Flying Mantis was born on Hayling Island where it is being built by Solent Boat Works.

In Simon’s view “designers who also know how to build and repair performance boats, know what good boat design is all about. This is a UK quality design and build”.

The expected “on the water” all-in price, excluding VAT, is expected to be around £19,000 for the semi-foiling version or £21,000 for the combined semi and full-foiling Flying Mantis. “You get a lot of boat(s) for your money”.

Visit us on stand C86 at the RYA Dinghy Show, fourth and 5th March to meet the team and where deposits will be taken to secure build slots.

www.FlyingMantis.UK....to be unveiled just prior to the RYA Dinghy Show.