sambucabarnes said..
NeilPryde was really the brand that democratized the foil with the launch of RS: Flight AL in early 2017. With nearly 2,000 foils sold, many practitioners have discovered the joys of foil with this model. For 2019, NeilPryde updates the RS: Flight AL and offers a second aluminum foil named "Glide". The right question we ask ourselves: why a 2nd foil aluminum in the range? and what are the sensations on the water.
Flight 2019 Overview
So what's new on this 2019 version of the bestseller in our little Windfoil world? Obviously, a change of color is the order of the day, but you can imagine that I will not have started a test and a presentation for a transition from pink to blue. Looking more closely, many changes in reality.
The wing is no longer G10 but molded composite. It is much thicker and is no longer flat. There are now curved wingtips. The new profile promises lower speed flying capabilities than the 2018 model. This is clearly the main complaint that was made to the RS: Flight 2018, and we will test this on the water.
The stab has undergone the same transformation, and it too adopts a very thick profile and winglets. Suddenly, the vertical drift disappears.
As you can see in the first picture, the screws are now anodized, and in use, they seem to hang much slower than the 2018 version.
Finally, and this is also a big improvement, you can see that the deep-tuttle heel is no longer welded to the aluminum mat. From now on, it is nested and screwed on the latter. In addition to the increased strength (there have been some cases of after-sales service that could oxidize), it is now possible to equip it with the choice of a deep-tuttle heel or powerbox (optional for Flight , and in series on the Glide).
Let's finish this little presentation with an important remark: the compatibility between the Flight AL 2019 and the RS: Flight AL 2018. This means that it is possible to use the wings and stab 2019 on the 2018 model (and thus to take advantage of the new Light Wind capabilities). It is also the case of the mat with one option powerbox.
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We thus find a fairly widespread
The stab is also brand new with a very marked dihedral, and a rather thick profile also
Test conditions
The two new NeilPryde foils were tested both on our reference spot in La Ciotat (medium wind), but also on spots like Serre-Pon?on (ultra light Wind) and Pierrelatte (strong wind).
In terms of float, the Flight was tested on JP Hydrofoil 120, Horue Airtime and Starboard Foil 122. The Glide was tested on a Rocket Wide 118, and a Taboo 3S 106
On rigging, I sailed with the NeilPryde V8 6.7, the Duotone F-Type 5.8 and a Duotone Super-Session 4.5 during these test sessions
The Flight AL 2019 on the water
Let's start with the Flight test. For the latter, I will not fully describe the behavior of the foil, but the differences with the RS: Flight 2018.
Our first tests, which took place in very light wind conditions, were the take-off capabilities in the light that we initially judged. For once, the evolution is quite amazing! I admit that seeing the profile, I suspected that we win on this side, but I did not expect such a difference. The 2018 version required a fairly high speed of the float to take off. This time, the takeoff occurs with a fairly low speed, and the thickness of the profile can easily hold in the air at this critical speed reached. Once in the air, most high performance foils, which use thin profiles, require that we continue to pump to accelerate before reaching a speed where the foil will stay in the air and will not pick up. This time, we can fly quite a distance with this small take-off speed. Of course, it is not very comfortable because the foil is thus less stable and draws a lot of water (strong impact), but this will allow beginners to find faster sensations in flight.
Some remarks on this low speed takeoff, and the behavior in the weak wind:
take off at low speed does not mean take off in very litttle wind
This is a fairly common confusion, but these thick profiles have more drag, and even if it take off at low speed of board, it often takes as much wind to bring the board at this speed of takeoff certainly low, than that necessary for bring a finer foil to its take-off speed .. higher. In the case of Flight, however, we won on the 2 points: it takes off at lower speed, and there is less need for wind to put it in the air (with equal sail area)
with Flight 2019, I managed to fly in 7m2 in a small 8-9knt of wind. It still assumes a successful pumping technique! This is a clear improvement over the RS: Flight AL which required me at least 10-11 knt to fly with the same sail. I say this because I have heard and read many practitioners' reports about the RS: Flight 2018, testifying that they needed at least 15knt to fly .. see more. It is therefore obvious that by purchasing the 2019 wings and stab (available as an option) to adapt them to the 2018 model, we buy an upgrade that offers real flight potential with less wind, but not a technique. Whoever needs 15 knt to fly with the RS: Flight AL 2018 will not fly overnight in 8knt with the new wings;)
in the light wind, the Flight flies very well with a solid lift. On the other hand, its glide is not exceptional, and in fact less fine than with the 2018 version. For the young competitors of which many use the RS: Flight today, the higher power will offer better possibilities upwind and in the moles. On the other hand, there is a good chance that it is a little withdrawal speed side to look through and shot ... it will be necessary to find what is the optimum depending on conditions.
In a little more wind, the Flight AL quickly found a behavior more faithful to what we knew. So we have a foil always quite progressive, not very nervous and not very powerful so easy to manage. The upwind capacity remains good without being at the level of the best. The transversal and longitudinal stabilities are about the same level as on the 2018 version. Subjectively, it is on the longitudinal axis that the progress is the most sensitive.
In more sustained conditions, it can be seen very quickly that the Flight 2019 has less acceleration than the 2018. During changes of pace, we feel less acceleration: the speed seems much more linear and this makes the foil more reassuring. In these conditions, the upper lift of the wing makes it easier to get into safety by flying at low speed with the sail open enough to not have too much power. Once again, this gives the Flight more access.
As for the whistles that characterized the Flight 2018, they are ... still present in 2019. Same solution: it is necessary to sand the drop of anodizing on the edge of flight, and it is an old story. All those who told me that it did not work had just sanded too lightly.
When the conditions are very irregular, as I had at Pierrelatte for example, with ultra-low moles, Flight 2019 also has an advantage. In these fan zones, the Flight 2019 extends much less than the RS: Flight 2018 if we remain static (we go less in the air in the soft). By cons, if you pump with your feet, the Flight 2019 literally swallows the sales and therefore allows you to land less often.
"It is much thicker with more drag"
Like the idea that it gives a more linear flight in strong winds. And yes earlier lift, though it is like 2cm wider in wing span. The technology of these wings seems to get better every year!
Tried the foil for the first time today without the back washer in (for earlier lift and more stability) and wished I had it in. It really helps with take off and makes flights more controlled as advertised.
I still would like to attempt to make a larger wing out of wood. It would have to be fairly flat, without curved wing tips and be slightly less like cutting knives on the trailing edges because of strength.
Most race front foil wings are 80cm in length ( NP f4 and rsx). Have read of guys making 1 meter long wings. Are theses things getting wider like a trend when everyone needed 1 meter wide formula boards for light wind (as I was one of them
). Or is anything over 80cm to draggy.
And I still get crazy angles with my 7.5, deffinitly not racing and 9.9 is so heavy.
