tech
Is the Windsong the sailboat of the future?
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
TL;DR
- John Owles created the Windsong sailing dinghy to demonstrate the effectiveness of the traditional lug rig.
- Windsong features a quadrilateral sail and a lightweight cedar hull, contrasting with modern Bermudan rigs.
- The design combines old-school aesthetics with the performance capability of planing at speed.
- The prototype gained attention, securing initial buyers and positive reviews, including being called "possibly the coolest wooden boat ever built".
- Plans for building Windsong are available for download, leading to international interest and construction.
- Two new Windsong boats will be sailed by a young team along the UK's coasts.