Why Sail Wabbits?

Tom Wylie designed the Wabbit to be a long, lean, light and very fast boat that could also function as a simple camping cruiser. She has been kept as small as possible - the minimum width that will still allow for double berths, the lowest freeboard possible that will still allow for a self-bailing cockpit, the smallest of cabin housing that still allows for dry stowage below. The result is a boat that can provide a stiff challenge for much bigger ones in Bay and ocean waters, but can also be hauled onto a trailer and offloaded in inland lakes.

The Wabbit is built from ½ inch, 8 lb. Clark foam below the waterline, with ½ lb. foam stringers running full length along the topsides and a lower set stiffening the bow sections. Coremat is substituted for foam where the keel and mast post apply compression tot the hull. The outer skin is ¾ oz. mat and 10 oz. cloth and the inside skin is laminated ¾ oz. mat and 24 oz. roving; interior fittings are laid with 1½ oz. mat and three laminations of 24 oz. roving. The deck is also laminated with foam and roving, with ½ inch mahogany plywood replacing the Clark foam under the mast step. Deck and hull are joined with Ronco Isothalic polyester adhesive. Extra reinforcement is provided down the center line, where the trailer pads touch, at the chainplates and under the mast compression post, and further reinforcement is provided at high stress areas.

The mast is flexible, supported by upper and lower shrouds, a forestay and adjustable backstay, carrying a light and simple rig - main, 105% jib, and a spinnaker. A genoa is optional and used for Wabbits sailing under PHRF. There are no winches, no lines to rig, and one person can step the mast and rig the boat in ten minutes.

Accommodation is basic, but it means that as long as you have a boom tent, you can travel with your Wabbit and have somewhere to sleep, opening up lots of possibilities for weekend cruising. Two people can fit inside the crawling-headroom-only cabin, sleeping on a pair of fitted air mattresses that also double as the boat's floatation system. A third person can sleep in the cockpit, which doubles as living room, kitchen and dining nook.

In summary, the Wabbit means lightning speeds, versatility - and you get to sail with some pretty cwazy people too! What more could anyone want?