we already have kevlar boards!

jp747 said...

heads up display (hud) on main panel of sail where bearing, wind direction(apparent,prevailing), speed, course heading and gps are standard...all materials u.v. resistant no stretch and half the weight..some sort of flap or vent electronically or manuallly done to let go of the wild gusts, titanium masts, kevlar boards.....

It's always a bit depressing to look back and see how little is acomplished in 10 years in almost every field except computers.
Back in 1969 I watched Armstrong step out onto the moon on live tv broadcast. I thought that having got that far then we would be having holidays in space within 20 years.
Here we are nearly 40 years later, and we haven't even gone back to the moon.
And holidays in space are still as far off now as they were then. Maybe even further off.

So jp747, in answer to your question i confidently predict that in 10 years time you will be sailing the same old same old, which will be sold to you as the very latest gee wizz you beaut never before technology at a correspondingly high price.

Don't think there will be any major breakthroughs in materials finding their way into WS. But:
Foiling - following advancements in dinghy foiling mechanisms and new fins designs (like curved catamaran foils but in twin fin boxes) will be designed to adjust lift whilst sailing making WS foilers faster take the world sailing speed record.
More X-Ply (>90% in most sails), including coloured X-plys (between the sheets). No dacron at all in main body of sails,
Better dacron type materials and kevlar type reinforcements (eg like Loft Blades) in luff mast sleeves to control shape and bend (including slight release in gusts). Boom front mounted GPS units (double display in rubber protected covers or that swing to each side (pushed to windward side) (can do it now if anyone's willing to be creative with a plastic bracket).
Also refinements/advancements in mast construction and manufacture maybe along the lines of the Tushingham ceramic sidewalled masts with more fore-aft bend rather than sideways - improve accelleration and twist in breeze without as much sideways pressure spill as now.
Better manufacturing processes to keep board prices continuing to fall in real terms as they are now, but also in mast, boom and sail manufacture to reduce their prices on an ongoing basis like has happened with boards over the years.

And the ultimate outcome:
A continuing resurgence in windsurfing due to continually improving kit (SUP's/Light Wind Wave, Longboards, Foilers) and the public realisation of how much easier it is to start out; PLUS the massive reduction in Kiters due to bans and result of growing realisation by public that most are tossers - hence cool aspect totally shot for kiting.

What will change in 10 years? Nothing much. By then all the 90s boards will be gone so the latest and greatest will be the dedicated slalom board. Sails will evolve from year to year but you will still be able to see that a 2117 Sailworks Revo is the same type of sail as the 2007 Revo.

The average windsurfer will be about 50 years old and will have a reasonable amount of money to spend. I don't know if winds will be lighter. Windsurfers always whinged about the wind. We always believe we are living in a special time where its the hottest year, or the wettest month, or the driest drought. Fact is its been hot, wet, dry, cold, windy or whatever before and will be in the future. The climate always changes.

Perhaps there will be some huge breakthrough, like kiting was 10 years ago but it will have issues and many people will reject it. The fact is the original windsurfer design was so good because its so simple. Everything since then has been an evolution. The basics are still there because they are the best we have seen.

The biggest changes I have seen were clamp on booms, telescopic booms and bolt through fin boxes. We may see some similar stuff in 10 years. However the gear of today doesn't look radically different to the gear of 97. Sure boards have changed but boards always change so the manufacturers can sell new ones.

Perhaps the question should be - What improvements would you like to see in windsurfing gear over the next 10 years...... Kinda of a wish list in design.

Mobydisc said...

Sure boards have changed but boards always change so the manufacturers can sell new ones.

Every year board manufactures claim a quantum leap in design from last years model - yeah right[}:)]

as far as replying to the original question..
I agree with mobydisc - "not much really" - the best inventions were the simplest, like the clamp on boom (as already mentioned) - nothing ground breaking since then, except maybe the North ratsh!t extension - but too expensive and a little troublesome from what i've seen.

Single piece molded sails - like the americas cup boats use. With no crinkle prone UV sensitive mono.

Hollow core boards perhaps. (I saw a picture of one already!)

Foiling boards have some development to be done. Perhaps using some kind of digital feedback loop to control a variable pitch foil - the technology exists (model gliders have been doing it for a while).

Webbed masts - the current hollow tube bends in every direction. If a shear web was built inside the mast, it would stiffen the sideways deflection without impacting the forward and back deflection. Probably cheaper, and easier to manufacture than a ceramic layer.

Alternatively, global warming, and coastal development coupled with the rising cost of transport, and the continued unreasonable greed of the manufacturers will further cripple the industry. We'll be riding the same stuff, just with even less wind, and it'll cost a lot more so that the manufacturers/transport people can offset their Carbon emmissions.

Well there is an upside to global warming...in 10 years the sea level will have risen a metre...apparently... Think of all the new wave breaks and speed runs

nobody said...

The only obvious changes to me over the last decade are wide/formula boards and step-tail longboards.

And carbon masts/booms, short boards, monofilm sails, clamp on booms, loose leaches, less flouro on wetsuits...

how about a Jetsons/back to the future style "hover windsurf board". Imagine, "windhoversurf "to work, to the shop,to the beach!! Big close out dumper wave coming right at you? activate hover mode and float over the top.

Foils for low wind conditions
Nano-tech something for sure

Revhead said...

I'd like to see a weather bureau which can forecast wind!

Or create localized wind

Mobydisc said...

T
carbon masts came out in the late 80s early 90s. Clamp on booms were popular 15 years ago or more. Monoflim sails were pretty common around 1990. Loose leaches were being used in early 90s race sails.

Errrr... ahem.. yeah.. For some reason I was thinking of the 80s..

I think stribo's new 'sphincter vent' might be in production in ten years.
I think he's still working on a small problem where it goes into the 'auto-vent' mode at random intervals, but when that's all sorted it will definitely blow the whole market sky high.

In 10 years global warming means MORE WIND and we'll be moaning about not having a deguster.

Colourful dacron sails will be the go. And less draggy sails. GPSs will be better. We'll be chasing 55 knots.

Mobydisc said...

Sails will evolve from year to year but you will still be able to see that a 2117 Sailworks Revo is the same type of sail as the 2007 Revo.

what like a wave sail? we'll the colours still might be the same in 10 years, but they will be cool again..

They guys who still ride JP boards will still be think that Polokow only rides factory boards.

Sailboarders and Kiters will still not like each other (just like body boarders and surfers) but the world would have gone crazy with violence, so we now shoot the kites from the sky with our pocket sized rocket launchers, when they p*** us off.

But the best thing, we will be able to buy wind by the hour and strength.