Articles

"The whole operation - (unfolding and launching the boat including stepping the mast) - had taken 20 minutes of easy work."
"Extremely good maneuverability under power"
"She was close winded, well balanced. I found her an extremely easy boat to sail"
"She's spacious and has the feel of a larger craft" All from Practical Boat Owner test 1994

David Hunter writes: "I finally organized some photos, (see below) these show the boat at 45 to 55 hours build time all is going well. While I'd rather be sailing than boat building I must say its very exciting to see it coming to life before me. Thanks for all your wonderful back up email support, I hope not to ask to many tiresome questions."

After finishing his third race Ralph reported:

"By the time we got to the mark the wind had built to about 13 knots and all six monos (30' and bigger) had passed us and were setting there spinnakers for the next 5 mile downwind leg.

Turn at the mark, unroll the reacher and we are off. We keep it hot, and do a steady 10 knots seeing 12 and 13 in the puffs. Jibe over to lay the leeward mark.

Round and harden up to a very close reach to just lay the next mark about 4 miles ahead. Round that one and head to the finish line. We are first over all with the next boat 20 minutes behind! "

Donald Mckee writes: "I have just lifted out after my seventh season of sailing. It was one of my best because I retired 2 years ago and just dawdled about Skye, Scotland. I was stopped in the street in Portree by the skipper of a 32 mono who asked me how fast I was going when I passed him going across Broadford Bay. He was horrified to hear that I was doing almost ten knots, haha. Also in Skye, a man came up to me and offered to buy Cornalari on the spot!! I am delighted with the Wizard, thank you."

Bill  from Auckland New Zealand, writes: "Work is progressing well on my WIZARD. I've 75% completed one hull and the other is all ready to be glassed. I'm now waiting for better weather so that I can go outside and finish it off. At the moment I am busy manufacturing everything that I can fit in my small shed. I've just about finished the beams and the cockpit and cabin pieces. So when the sun shines again everything should come together really quickly. The plans are really good and I haven't had to scratch my head too much. The pictures of the boat you built are a great help as I can compare what I've done with what it should look like."

Tom from the USA "Richard, thanks for such a fun design!  Don't let anybody say a Wizard is slow - Saturday sailing in Southern California out of Marina del Rey, heading up the coast past Santa Monica. Wind 12-15 (whitecaps just starting to form)  upwind @ 10 kts  downwind with masthead spinnaker @ 16 kts!!"

OW from the UK "Performance upwind very slightly cracked off in force 4 about 8-9 K. Downwind with kite 10-15 K."

From S California "raced yesterday in the Marina del Rey to Point Dume and back, 32 nm course.  light winds at start, building to 20kts+  around Malibu with swells/waves to match.  Beat an F24 boat for boat.  Held off some of the PHRF A and B boats on the windward leg and of course downwind. Reefed at Malibu, so rounded the mark with jib and reefed main.  Still plenty fast.  Amazing surfing up to 15.2 knots under reefed main + jib only! Enough said. "

"... we sailed overnight to Catalina Is about a month ago. motored over, sailed back (in 4 hrs with 10 kt breeze). beat almost all of the F 24, 27, and 31's including sailing through the lee of an F31 with our reaching jib up!

They kept taking us up to windward when we were going to sail over them, so I dove off to leeward and went through. Ha Ha Ha to F boats..."