The Stiletto R/C land sailing yacht was designed and built by Robert Weber. It was donated by Joe Stangl in memory of his son, Brandon Stangl, 1989—2007. Brandon had muscular dystrophy so he was unable to get around without his wheel chair; however, he and his dad would visit different locations known for their good winds for land sailing. Since the land yacht only needed a two axis controller for steering and trimming the sail, Brandon was able to sail his yacht, racing up and down the long flat stretches on various surfaces, whether man made or natural salt flats such as El Mirage Dry Lake.

Robert Weber, the Stiletto designer, is a three time America’s Land Sailing Cup Class winner. The 1/4 scale Stiletto is based on his full-size ALC yacht and was able to reach speeds up to 40 mph. One of his more recent projects was the Bat 2—a larger, faster model based on the Bat 1 fuselage. 

The 1/4 scale Stiletto R/C land sailing yacht. 

Exhibit added: August 1, 2017 - Last modified: May 23, 2023

Presented by The Joe Martin Foundation for Exceptional Craftsmanship