VELA LA × Pathway 2 Podium · On-Site Fleet proposal

PROPOSAL · NOVEMBER 2026

On-Site Foiling Fleet

VELA LA places its foiling demo fleet at the Pathway 2 Podium venue for P2P and Blue Future Foundation programs to use.

Short term · now

Our foiling fleet, on site for your programs

From first flight to one-design foil racing

  1. BirdyFish 1demoDouble-handed racer used at Foiling Week. Learn to foil with a coach aboard, or take several juniors out for a foiling experience
  2. Nikki 1demoFirst step in junior T-foiling. Kids' version of the Skeeta, just as buoyant; for Opti, Spark and ILCA 4-sized sailors
  3. IODA 1demoSolo foiler for teens and adults, easier for first-time foilers
  4. BirdyFish S 1demoSmaller version of the BirdyFish that gets up in lighter conditions
  5. Skeeta 1demoBuoyant foiler, faster than the WASZP with less swimming for beginners
  6. WASZP TBDInternational foiling class, the next step up from the Nikki on the way to the Switch or Moth
  7. Switch TBDHigh-performance, moth-style one-design foiler; likely 2032 Olympic foiling dinghy class
J-foilCurved foils under each side of the hull for easy, stable foiling. The simplest way to learn.
T-foilA vertical strut with a horizontal wing, the Moth-style setup and the path to high-performance racing.
How P2P and BFF use them

Programs and events

  • Youth clinics and foiling educationLearn to Foil clinics on the demo fleet
  • Foiling weekends and LA Foiling WeekThe demo fleet on the water, with VELA LA race tracking
In return

What VELA LA asks

  • Storage and a rigging area for the fleet at the venue
  • Dock and launch access, including for VELA LA's RIBs
  • Demo sails with VELA LA customers on the same boats
What VELA LA brings
  • Several RIBs for demo sails and safety boats
  • Vakaros RaceSense line, data tracking and rental units
  • Event support
  • Rigging shop in Torrance, CA
  • P2P instructor training
  • Boat maintenance and spares for all fleets
PROPOSAL · NOVEMBER 2026

On-Site Fleet Long Term

As Pathway 2 Podium and Blue Future Foundation programs grow, the fleet grows with them: charter as needed, then buy over time.

Long term · as programs grow

Charter as needed, then buy over time

When P2P and BFF programs outgrow the on-site demo fleet, the fleet grows with them at a pace that fits each program and its funding.

1
Grow

Charter as needed

Add VELA LA charter boats for busier seasons, bigger clinics and events.

2
Commit

Charter to purchase

Charter boats with payments counting toward buying them.

3
Own

Buy your own fleet

Buy boats from VELA LA at a program discount, fully supported by VELA LA.

Fleet growth

The pathway fleet

Foiling

  • BirdyFish Double-handed Foiling Week racer; coach or juniors aboard
  • Nikki First step in junior T-foiling; Opti, Spark and ILCA 4-sized
  • IODA Solo foiler for teens and adults, easier for first-time foilers
  • BirdyFish S Smaller BirdyFish, foils in lighter air
  • Skeeta Buoyant, less swimming for beginners
  • WASZP Next step up from the Nikki, on to the Switch or Moth
  • Switch Likely 2032 Olympic foiling dinghy

Non-foiling

  • Melges SparkLearn to sail for juniors, 40 to 140 lb, two rig sizes
  • ILCAMost popular dinghy in the world, from junior sailing to the Olympic class
  • Club FJHigh school and college double-hander
  • Melges 15Junior grads, couples and adult learn to sail; a very versatile boat
  • Melges 19Three-person racer, an epic flat-water boat for LA Harbor
Where it leads

From learn to sail to racing

  • Learn to sail, juniors to adultsMelges Spark, ILCA, Melges 15 and Melges 19 for BFF's legacy program, Scouts, LAUSD and Port of LA adult and corporate events
  • Weeknight foiling practiceOrganized weeknight sessions with the demo fleet and racing members
  • Racing leaguesLearn to sail leads straight into foiling and monohull racing, no yacht club needed!
  • Innovation HubVELA LA's RaceSense system logs speed and foiling time for marine-tech students
  • Toward LA28 and 2032Sailors move from learn-to-sail to the Olympic course on one pathway
Support at every stage
  • Commissioning and rigging of every boat
  • Scheduled maintenance and priority repairs
  • Parts delivered same week from LA stock
  • Instructor training and high-level coaching
PROPOSAL · NOVEMBER 2026

Why VELA LA

A Los Angeles performance dinghy shop 15 minutes from the Olympic sailing venue, already supplying, supporting and racing the boats in this proposal.

Why VELA LA

The team already running this pathway, one harbor away

15 minfrom the Olympic sailing venue
30+ILCA charter boats, plus 5 Melges 15s
5 → 58Melges 15s in California since we started the ABYC fleet in 2023
WorldsSupported the ILCA Youth Worlds and the San Pedro OCR at the Olympic sailing venue

West Coast dealer for the whole pathway

Element Six ILCA and Switch; Melges Spark, 15 and 19; the BirdyFish range; and the Skeeta and Nikki. Spares and rigging stocked alongside.

Demo fleet ready now

Foiling demo boats in hand to place at the venue, with several RIBs for demo sails and safety boats.

Charter and event support

Supported the ILCA Youth Worlds and the San Pedro OCR at the Olympic sailing venue. Charter boats, a trailer on site, sales, parts and repairs so no boat drops out early.

Race tracking and data

VELA LA's own Vakaros RaceSense line, data tracking and rental units for training, clinics and events. Lets P2P run races with minimal volunteers and support vessels.

Rigging shop in Torrance, CA

We build our own custom sheets and control lines, and handle boat maintenance and spares for every fleet we support.

Fleets we have built

We started the ABYC Melges 15 fleet in 2023 with 5 boats. Today there are 58 Melges 15s across California.

The people

We race the boats we supply and support

Tim ClarkeOwner, VELA LA

Keeps SoCal dinghy racing on the line, wearing almost every hat. Gets races in with family as well, normally up there getting the pickle dish.

Nick KofskiFoiling Specialist, VELA LA

Many years of foiling. Helps coach Intro2Foil and Learn to Foil clinics at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club. Runs all foiling for VELA LA.

PROPOSAL · NOVEMBER 2026

The Fleet

Specs, crew and the role each boat plays in the pathway.

Foiling

Seven foilers, from a junior's first flight to the likely 2032 Olympic class

BirdyFish

1 demo on site

The Foiling Week race boat. Stable foils with room for a coach or several juniors aboard; flies from 8 to 10 knots.

Length
15 ft 5 in
Weight
297 lb
Sail
14 m², 20 m² with Code 0
Aboard
Up to 496 lb

Nikki

1 demo on site

First step in junior T-foiling: a kid-size Skeeta, just as buoyant, with pre-set foils. Opti, Spark and ILCA 4-sized sailors.

Length
9 ft 6 in
Hull
59.5 lb
Rigs
5.5 or 6.5 m²
Sailor
About 55 to 145 lb

IODA

1 demo on site

BirdyFish's solo foiler for teens and adults. Self-regulating foils hold ride height, so first-timers fly sooner.

Length
10 ft 6 in
Rigs
5.4 or 6.5 m²
Sailor
About 75 to 205 lb
Spars
2-part carbon mast

BirdyFish S

1 demo on site

Smaller, lighter BirdyFish that gets up in lighter conditions, on the same easy, stable platform.

Length
13 ft 9 in
Weight
220 lb
Sail
9.5 m²
Aboard
Up to 330 lb

Skeeta

1 demo on site

Buoyant all-rounder, faster than the WASZP with less swimming for beginners. Foils retract to sail it unfoiled.

Length
12 ft
Hull
77 lb
Rigs
8.5 or 9.5 m²
Sailor
About 130 to 220 lb

WASZP

On site TBD

International one-design foiling class with youth and world events. The step up from the Nikki toward the Switch or Moth.

Length
11 ft
Beam
7 ft 5 in with wings
Rigs
5.8, 6.9, 7.5, 8.2 m²
Sailor
140 to 200 lb (8.2 rig)

Switch

On site TBD

High-performance, moth-style one-design; likely 2032 Olympic foiling dinghy class. Swap the bottom mast to change rig.

Length
12 ft 10 in
Platform
55 lb
Rigs
6.5, 7.5 or 8.5 m²
Build
Full carbon
Non-foiling

Five boats, from a first sail to three-person racing

Melges Spark

On site TBD

Melges' new single-handed youth trainer. Juniors start on the Red rig and move up to the Blue as they grow.

Crew
1
Red rig
3.7 m², 40 to 90 lb
Blue rig
4.52 m², 90 to 140 lb
Spars
Carbon mast and boom

ILCA

30+ charter boats

Most popular dinghy in the world and the Olympic single-handed class. One hull for life; change the rig as sailors grow.

Length
13 ft 10 in
Hull
130 lb
Rigs
ILCA 4, 6 and 7
Sail
5.1 to 7.06 m²

Club FJ

The standard boat for high school and college team racing. Teaches crew work, jib trim and boat handling.

Length
13 ft 4 in
Hull
220 lb
Crew
2
Sails
Main, jib, spinnaker

Melges 15

5 charter boats

Modern, planing dinghy with an asymmetric spinnaker. Junior grads, couples and adults race it on equal terms.

Length
15 ft
Beam
5 ft 6 in
Crew
2 or 3
Sail
12.4 m², 14.5 m² asym

Melges 19

Melges' newest dinghy and Sailing World's 2025 Best Dinghy. Big downwind power for flat-water racing in LA Harbor.

Length
19 ft
Beam
6 ft 6 in
Crew
3, 485 to 535 lb
Sail
18 m², 30 m² asym

Specs from builders and class associations. Sailor weights are approximate; m² is sail area.