Racing / Slalom Sails
Sails designed to win PWA slalom races the emphasis of the performance criteria is quite different in the different sizes. For the WARP F2014 we went for a completely methodical 3 step process:
A. Define the criteria which are important for the different sizes
B. Analysis of each single size of the current WARP F2013 how it fits to the different requirements
C. Work on the weak points to design the ultimate WARP F2014
A. PERFORMANCE CRITERIA EMPHASIS
Everyone thinks on a World-Cup Slalom sail it’s all about top-speed no matter what size you use.
But if you closely follow PWA Slalom races you will realize that when using large sizes in low/gusty winds it is ALL about a perfect start and acceleration after the jibes. The distance between the buoys is simply too short to win back what you’ve lost at the start or after the jibe by having a higher top-speed.
In 30/40 knots though that’s a different story: in these wind-speeds you need a much shorter distance to get into top-speed. Therefore top-speed and control are the major criteria for small sizes.
A.1. PERFORMANCE CRITERIA EMPHASIS FOR SMALL SIZES (UP TO 6.3):
1. Top-speed: 25%
2. Wind-range: 25%
3. Non-physical to sail: 20%
4. Low-end power + acceleration after start and jibes: 20%
5. Handling + rotation: 10%
A.2. PERFORMANCE CRITERIA EMPHASIS FOR LARGE SIZES (7.0 AND BIGGER):
1. Low-end power + acceleration after start and jibes: 40%
2. Wind-range: 20%
3. Non-physical to sail: 20%
4. Handling + rotation: 10%
5. Top-speed: 10%
As you can see there is quite a huge difference of what is most/least important for small or large World-Cup Slalom sails.
B. ANALYSIS HOW THE “OLD” WARP F2013 SIZES WERE FITTING TO THESE REQUIREMENTS
1. Following the results of our analysis and comparison tests with competitor sails on the small sizes :
• Top-speed, wind-range and acceleration: our sails could easily compete with the best competitor sails.
• Non-physical to sail: due to the light-weight 7-batten-design the small WARP sails were also quite non-physical to sail.
• Handling + rotation: here our WARP is simply unmatched since years.
2. Following the results of our analysis and comparison tests with competitor sails on the large sizes:
• Top-speed: the current WARP F2013 was hard to beat – maybe even too much speed for how less important it is.
• Handling + rotation: here also the large WARP sizes were a class of its own
• Non-physical to sail: the 7-batten-design makes our WARP the lightest film Slalom sails on the circuit. On the other hand the large sizes were still a bit stiffer than the best competitor sails. NEED TO WORK ON
• Wind-range: once planing the large WARP F2013 sails were untouchable
• Low-end power + acceleration after start and jibes: this is where our current WARP F2013 was still behind compered to the best competitor sails out there. For the WARP F2014 we have solved this issue.
North Sails Warp F2014 from 4Windsurf on Vimeo.
C. WORK ON THE WEAK POINTS TO DESIGN THE ULTIMATE WARP F2014
1. Small sizes (up to 6.3):
Our analysis and comparison tests with competitor sails showed that the small sizes of the WARP F2013 had already met the requirements nearly to 100%.
Therefore Kai and his team kept the same design parameters and characteristics for the small WARP F2014 sizes and “just” tweaked the loose leech patterns to make these sizes even more performing.
2. Large sizes (7.0 and bigger):
After our analysis of the WARP F2013 the major performance criteria to work on was the low-end power and acceleration after start and jibes.
Fortunately Kai and his team could take advantage of a design feature they had created when designing the E.TYPE, the most powerful No.Cam sail we have every made!
By increasing the profile in the upper luff area the low-end power and acceleration dramatically improve as this extra profile increases the lift – cause lift is what ultimately gets you going/planing. We call this LUFF.LIFT.DESIGN The disadvantage of increased top-lift though is a negative impact on the high-end control. This Kai could avoid through
DESIGN FEATURES:
1. Our PROGRESSIVE.LOOSE.LEECH design (in contrary to some competitor sails on our sails the looseness increases towards the top) helps to “release” power-peaks off the top (through a quite open/loose top)
2. The larger WARP F2014 sizes use shorter (= softer) masts than last year (see below). This increases the flexibility of the larger sizes making the extra lift/power easier to handle.
Another thing to improve was how physical the large sizes are to sail. The 7-batten-design makes our WARP the lightest film Slalom sails on the circuit. On the other hand the large sizes are still a bit stiffer than the best competitor sails.
To make the sails become more flexible Kai and his team decided to go for shorter (= softer) masts for the larger sizes. Now 7.0 and 7.8 are designed on the 460 mast whereas all bigger sizes (8.6 up to 9.6) go onto the 490.
Key features
> 01 NEW: SIZESPECIFIC.DESIGN: each size is individually designed as small PWA Slalom sails have totally different requirements than the larger sizes.
> 02 NEW: LUFF.LIFT.DESIGN (7.0 and up): increased profile in the upper luff area increases the lift making for radically improved low-end power and acceleration.
> 03 NEW: PROGRESSIVE.LOOSE.LEECH: power-peaks can twist off the top as the looseness progressively increases towards the top.
> 04 NEW: Shorter/softer masts (7.8 and up): increases the flexibility of the larger sizes making the extra lift/power easier to handle. Plus makes these sizes less physical to sail.
(ATTENTION: to ensure maximum performance we have reworked the curve of the PLATINUM 490 mast. Means sizes 8.6, 9.2 and 9.6 NEED to be combined with the new PLATINUM 490 mast! All other mast lengths remain unchanged).
> 05 The 7.BATTEN.DESIGN makes it the lightest racing film sail on the market
> 06 MODERATE.CUTAWAY.CLEW Reduced “blow-out” effect for increased power and direct acceleration.
> 07 INSTANT.ROTATION: much faster acceleration after shifting through HYPER.CAMS and modified batten profiles
> 08 Continued weight reduction due to minimalized MINI.PROTECTOR and super light iROCKET batten tensioners
> 09 INDEPENDENT.SHAPING.CONCEPT improves rotation, control and acceleration
> 10 NEW: 4.7 Speed: dedicated speed sail design design for dead downwind courses, tested by Erik Beale.
For all further tech features click here
Source North sails windsurf
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