It seems to be the KA Sails 2010 : www.windsurfing44.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1383
Yep , They are also on www.windsurfing.nl/ The ambassador invites went out last week, somebody must have leaked it.
Now it,s out there I may as well tell you about them.
The sketches are early versions but quite accurate, the changes since are pretty minor. My brief was more colour and more visual impact. The theme is an evolution of the theme we have had running for the last few seasons , but bolder and more colourful. A consistant appearance runs right through the range with the "twin spike" as a signiture. Colours will be Red/White, Orange /White,Yellow/Silver and Black/Silver. I am really happy with the way they have come out and they look great on the water.
The KaRace extends down to Slalom sizes now as well as Formula. The sail is still being tweaked and it is most likely that it will not be available for the first shipment into Australia this year.
You will have seen images of Chris using a modified 09 Koncept at Green Island. The aspect ratio of the Koncept is altered to give more usable power, better upwind speed and accelleration. The weapon is now more lethal!!!!
Koyote will pick up the learnings from the Koncept development.
Kult as Kaos have some shaping refinements. They look really striking.
Material upgrades across the board, lots of kevlar where required. New abrasion resistance materials added. All in all a very classy sail range.
I,ll post some final images soon.
love the new graphics martin. top stuff!
is there any chance on a heads up of the tweaks for the kults.
looking at the writing on the kult looks like an aspect change? or does it say 450?
Here,s the koyote in Yellow/SilverXply.The sketch is not 100% accurate as it was done over the 09 outline. The 2010 gets the narrower head ect as per the Koncept.
I am still using an 08 Koyote proto 5.3. It is my very favorite sail just awesome for blasting and farting around on choppy Port Phillip bay, fast but just so easy and nice to sail with. I think the Koyote is sail thats not really well known and deserves to be as it is such a great,versatile freeride/bump and jump sail.
Justin, The changes to the Kult are subtle but significant. Some shaping tweaks put the draft a bit further forward in the lower half of the sail. The battens are in an upgraded material which is stiffer, the result is better draft stability and less "backhandy" when overpowered. Also the full Aramid X ply luff paneal in added ( 08 and 09 have a thin strip under the luff pocket) which addresses any stretch issues form downhaul load and also adds durability when "scrunching" during rigging.
I got to try out a Proto KaRace 7.3 on Saturday. It still needs a couple of tweaks to be production ready but I was very impressed. Man, talk about draft stability. I was doing it easy in 25 knot gusts, no backhand pressure at all, it just kept accelerating. All the other guy's were on 5.0 to 5.8,s.
I thought it was going to be too windy to try it, but I was determined so rigged it. Not a problem, I was cruising (except I could have had a smaller board) I am hanging to get it in flatter water, Sandy Point would be nice.
Forgot my camera, Doh!. Will take some shots next outing.
Must be great trying out new sails. Where abouts were you sailing Martin?
The design graphics sure have improved over the past few years. Extremely nice to look at now IMO.
Sailed at Green Point from 11.30 through to about 2.30. It was up and down gusty but generally 20 -25knots.The water was bloody cold!!!
Yep is interesting trying prototypes and working with AMAC over the last few years, my knowledge of sail design has increased enormously, he really knows his stuff.
Thanks for the encouragement regarding the graphics. I am pretty happy with them, but graphic design is extremely subjective and you will get a multitude of opinions. It is a challenge each year to come up with something nice without throwing heaps of cost at the sails. One of KA's core values is "affordable Windsurfing", so it is a bit of a "tightrope" balancing act.
I see that they are following the NP style with the cut away design from the boom to the bottom of the sail. I wonder if it will last or if its just a fad...I personally haven't sailed on a NP sail with the new narrower boom section so can't comment on what difference it makes or feels like to sail.
mr love
Any chances to get some pictures of the proto 7.3 up? (actual sail not sketches) I'd be interested to see what KA is offering in terms of a race sail.
windaddict,
I think the cut out clew is here to stay. For a while at least. By placing sail area on both sides of the base of support; the clew, it balances out the tendency towards draft shape change and subsequent movement of the CE. I've chopped 25cm off an old RS4 and found it had a signifigantly improved top end and acceleration, with little in the way of negatives.
Hi Tim , Yep can do, forgot my camera Sat so will need to rig it again to shoot. Here,s the sketch anyway although the graphics have changed just a touch.
At this stage the Race will not be available with the first shipment into OZ in October. .
Cut away clews. Well they have been around for a while, we have had a smaller cutaway since 07. I can tell you why we are going bigger.
We had a strong desire to alter the aspect ratio of the "fast" sails for 2010. What we have done is remove some area out of the head and place it lower in the sail, effectively creating a lower aspect sail. This aspect ratio combined with a slightly lower profile in the bottom half has given the sails better low end power, more accelleration and better upwind performance.
However with this lower aspect we did not want to increase the boom lengths as the shorter booms definitely deliver a lighter handling sail. In fact we have made the boom a touch shorter. Thus a bigger clew cutout.
With the Race now being available in Slalom sizes, what are the main differences to similar sized Koncepts?
Hi Squid lips, as I mentioned earlier, at this point in time the Race will not be available in OZ with the first shipment of sails, and its availability date is TBA.
Koncept remains in character the same sail it was last season and the best choice for most speed oriented sailors. 7 battens, 3 cams ,medium/wide sleeve . It,s design brief is unchanged, blistering straight line speed, slippery,smooth, easy handling with a nice light feel. The changes to the aspect ratio and shaping for 2010 have improved the accelleration and gust responce.
The Koncept is much loved and we certainly didn't want change it,s character, that of blistering speed in a simple, easy, user friendly package.
The KaRace in smaller sizes is designed as an "elite" Slalom racing sail and in larger sizes for Formula racing. An 8 batten sail with 4 or 5 cams, full width sleeve, it also has a longer boom than the corresponding Koncept and is finer in the entry. Higher luff curves and higher foil tension. Upwind performance and draft stability will be a step up on Koncept and it may proove faster on very tight speed coarses. Koncept will match it in true speed sailing. The trade off for that amazing draft stability is extra weight, and a more rigid feel . It is a "full blown" race sail.
I hope this explains it ?
Yes ,Chris is now a Pryde Team rider. KA owner Andrew McDougall will be posting a statement regarding Chris on the KA website soon.
Hi Mr Love,
The new collection looks fantastic, but thats only half of the great sail the other half is the peformance.
I bought at christmas a 6.6 Koyote and its unreal. However
I need to add to the 6.6 and get a 5.3 in the new Koyote.
So will the new Koyote be avaliable in Spring to buy? I am excited about buying the new sail and that I will be getting a great product Its a credit to you and the team at KA.
So let me know the avaliability of the new lot.
Thanks
Regards
Walt
Walt,
The production is starting pretty much now for all except KaRace and we will have the sails here early to mid October.
My 08 proto Koyote 5.3 is a gem, love it, probably my favorite sail, well certainly the one I have the most fun on. The 09,s were better and the 2010 will be again, so maybe I will have to replace it???, but probably no point as my 08 is so good!!!!
Hey Mr Love,
Thanks for reply.
So no shopping therapy for me until October, damit
regards
Walt
Thanks Martin for link - major disappointment for all parties reading between the lines.
BTW - There's this increadibly mediocre sailor I know in Yeppoon who would be happy to be the new face of KA. I'll send you his address for delivery of the full quiver of 2010 models.
PS - How long should I tell him to wait for delivery
Hey snags, happy 40th mate.
ps tell your yeppon mate to wait another 40years or so
Hope you are not putting too much luff curve into the Race sail. A lot of people (including Slowie) liked the straighter luff Koncepts. Easy rigging good performance.
Slowies Dutch mate Jaques broke his mast in his Pryde 7.0 at Karpathos during a heat which not only stuffed his result for that heat but bumped him down to the silver fleet giving him a 20+place handicap for the next leg. Last year the Severnes seemed to follow Pryde of the previous year in regards to luff curve and some unlucky souls were popping masts on the beach whereas in previous years had no probs. Ironically (for Severne) Pryde reduced the luff curve on their most problematic sizes that year and I think Severne have also done this this year.
Martin, just a semantic point. Aspect ratio of a wing or sail is defined to be the square of the span divided by the wing area. So your changes to the Koncept (taking area from the head and adding it down near the boom) doesn't alter the aspect ratio if the luff is the same length. But it will alter (lower) the centre of effort. Which is what you were trying to achieve.
Yes , thanks noted. Going to pick on my spelling too?
Re luff curve, higher than Koncept, which is actually quite low for a race sail, to increase the foil tension and draft stability. It is no way what you would describe as a dramatic luff curve though by any means. Certainly nowhere near the mast destroyers around a few years ago.
We ran a really similar luff curve on the KaRace last season in the Formula sizes and it was not a problem with masts at all.
They are building the final proto's next week and I am keen to get my hands on one
