I just came across an interesting post on the radically designed boats from around the world at Popular Mechanics. The one I picked is the Bladerider X8, which is derived from and is 100% compliant with the distinguished International Moth class. Designed by Andrew McDougall, it’s no ordinary sailboat and makes use of the most up-to-date design and composite material technologies to produce a true ‘extreme sailing’ experience. Owing to its lightweight construction and sophisticated engineering design (especially the T-shaped foils), the Bladerider X8 can lift in 6 knots of wind, fly through a lull as low as 4 knots, and can achieve boat speeds in excess of 20 knots in a 12-15 knot wind. The only parts of a boat, which need to be in the water, are the rudder and the centerboard, like you are using sails. It’s a boat with no trapeze or spinnaker, thereby allowing high speeds without any extra wires or sails. The boat weighs 30kg fully rigged, with foils. Last but not the least, the X8 comes with a ISAF International Moth plaque enabling you to get your boat registered for Moth racing a lot sooner. They are charging 10,950 Euros (US $16,219) for the base model, but the price mounts as you go for upgrade options.

Bladerider X8 Picture Gallery