College of Charleston Dockmaster and Assistant Sailing Coack Ned Goss wasn’t trying to become the world’s fastest dinghy sailor on May 10, 2014. But once his Mach 2 Moth dinghy took off with a gust of wind, Goss hit 36.6 knots – or 42.11 miles per hour – and maintained his top speed for more than 10 seconds.
RELATED: Read the Sailing Anarchy article about Goss
“I didn’t even realize how fast I was going,” Goss said. “A wave hit my hip and I was thrown into the water on my back. When I got back to the boat I looked at the GPS, which records speed, and that’s when I found out I’d broken the record.”
Ned Goss, world’s fastest dinghy sailor and College of Charleston asst. sailing coach. Photo via Sailing Anarchy.
Goss’ Moth is a world-class dinghy, one sailed by world champions and Olympic medalists, but he was only out on the water that Saturday to teach a few friends how to sail it. His record-breaking run occurred as he was demonstrating how to sail on the Moth.
“It’s an International Foiling Moth, so when it picks up enough speed the boat actually comes out of the water and it rests on these, basically, airplane wings that are under the water. That’s how it can pick up speed so quickly,” he said. “I’ve been sailing since I was three but you can’t really prepare for going that fast.”
Missing from the group of fellow sailors and the Velocitek ProStart GPS that witnessed Goss breaking the world record was Zephyr, Goss’ English springer spaniel who regularly accompanies him to work via powerboat.
Zephyr, perhaps a good luck charm, came into Goss’ life only a few months before his Mach 2 Moth. “I’ve been sailing the Moth ever since I bought it two years ago but I’ve never gone that fast,” Goss said. “It was the most fun I’ve ever had on the water.”
Though the College’s offshore sailing team Goss coaches won’t be practicing on his Moth, the experience undoubtedly strengthened his coaching abilities.
RELATED: Learn more about the College’s sailing program
“Sailing is sailing, so even though the boat I personally use is different than the boats I coach with, any time I sail will improve my coaching skills,” he said.
Goss’ record has been verified by his Moth’s GPS and the International Moss Class Association. This summer he will teach summer sailing classes at the College’s Sailing Complex and train for the 2015 Moth World Championships.
