A-Class: Sailing the Exploder
Liked this boat since day 1, and after seeing it at Bordeaux and finally sailing here in BA, it has confirmed my good vibes. I’ve Been sailing the Exploder A14 almost every day past weeks. At Bordeaux Europeans in June I sailed & raced the Scheurer G6. This Exploder has 80cm rudder blades, at Carnac the Arg guys rode the 60cm ones. The 80cm were used by Jason, Landy, Brewin and others at the Europeans, and as reported Jason flew super stable with our current conf.
The Exploder got 2nd and 3rd with Waterhouse / Brewin.
These longer rudders feel little bit more draggy, in expense of more control to
fly. The local DNAs 2013 standard J + small winglets hold well upwind in but downwind is game over if you start foiling as seen at the Euros.
Our muddy waters have less flotation than sea water, we already noticed that in the F18s, and it shows also in the As while pursuing flights.
The Exploder 2014 platform is rock solid, a nice good looking hull shape with hollow/concave sections aft & specially in the bow, just like the Cirrus R. The added deck step is super functional, specially to set your front foot while trapezing downwind.
Mast is Saarberg, they performed really well for us at Bordeaux along the Landys. I went for a Radial, that for learning is clearly the choice as it has a more durable pentex compared with the 3DL & Maxx cloths.
Sailing the As in 7 to 15 knots is a pleasure, I raced in France with 18-20lnots and it was perfect too, although I didn´t trap or foil downwind. That will take some more hours, for now my goal is to foil steady in 8-10knots range, all in all the As are a pleasure to sail and handle. Photo above is from a 7-8knots day.
No racing yet here, as the DNA just upgraded the rudder blades/casting for Exploder 80cm sets. So we are all playing with setting and measuring winglet angles as they are key for stable flights.
The Exploder has plenty of lift, it just a matter for us sail more the As coming from the F18s to achieve constant stable flights. But after some good sessions and new settings plus trimming I think next sail outs this week are going to be the ones we are looking for.
Jakub Kpylowicz is a great guy, he is 24×7 building and testing, I got him 5 boats for Arg, previous that he offered some excellent deals for us to be able to sail the A, the guys are all quite happy with the Exploders and his customer service.
More builders , means more alternatives and the Class now is offering many top boats to choose from.
For getting your Exploder contact Jakub at www.exploder.info
In the local scenario we have now 12 boats, and we are already in contact with Brazilian fleet at Sao Paulo, and looking forward to organize a first South American next year, surely in Punta del Este. The idea is to replicate the work we’ve done with the F18 in the past with great success.
