Foiling News! Issue Five -  Its NP Time!

Let me paint you a picture of Today (Thurs 15/3/18).

Its sunny, the forecast was 15 gusting 20 knots but as I turn up on the harbourside with my demo kit provider Bubble aka Andy Chambers from JP/Pryde we both look slightly disappointed at the 6knts gusting 10knts we have on the harbour.  We can see paddle boarders having fun so normally this would mean windsurfing is out of the question but I had put off this test due to having no wind on Monday and it is sunny, warm and we both have a pass-out...

The kit

I have a shiny new 7.7 V8 with the Pryde  NP RS F4 carbon foil (in light wind mode) and JP 135 carbon foil board.

Bubble has the JP alloy foil on the with a 7.0 convert sail on a JP Super sport Pro 137 board

So we give it a go.

We Float out to the channel where the 10 knot gusts are and give it a go – by this I mean bear away slightly and pump and I mean max pumping BIG DEEP Pumps, as I do this the foil starts to work so feet in straps reduce to smaller faster pumps and keep giving it beans. As I do this the speed picks up and I can lean back to get the board up and start foiling. Once up it all gets a lot more efficient and I can start to relax and enjoy.

This was a surprise I really thought we’d be going out for a float around. I've not been out when there has been so little wind but once you can up you are up and easy to stay up as your not getting over powered by the guests. I’m surprised at how early you can get up although it takes energy to get there with all that pumping its worth it to get the feeling of foiling in no wind. Bubble being a pro of course gets up on the alloy foil with the 7.0 and looks really stable but he does seem to need it bit more wind to get going and keep going on his set up.

Whats next

What I need to work on next is understand how to work the board to keep it going through lulls – I mean look at SUP foiling, surely once up you should be able to work a windsurfer to keep it up in the same way…I think I need to renew my gym membership!

Summary

So that’s the lightest wind so far I have foiled in I’m sure with an even bigger sail you could go in even less.

As for the foils the JP carbon foil - it felt stiff and responsive, in low winds it got me foiling really well. I am looking forward to giving it another go with more wind to find out what upwind and high wind performance is like. The feel so far is that it compares well to the starboard carbon GT though the mast and fuselage are one part. The carbon is of course going to be stronger and lighter than the alloy.

The alloy NP foil looks more stable due to its extra depth of the front wing and makes a bit more noise as it it goes along.

For the record the Alloy NP flight foil is £699 and NP RS Carbon f4 foil £2049