I have two inflation valves on my wing and able to have different pressures on the strut vs. LE.
During yesterday's light wind session I inflated the strut a bit harder (about 0.5-1 psi) than the LE. First time I ran different pressures on the wing.
I thought I felt that I could get going easier. Can anyone confirm that stiffer strut makes pump and going easier? Or maybe I just had a better flow ![]()
In general what are the tuning options for strut and LE and when to apply these?
Armie says less pressure in strut bags out to more camber and helps low end in light winds. Same tried on similar profile F-One Strike V3 works too.
Mattis Ghio says he always keep full pressure in the strut.
""> Do you change PSI on the airframe for more flex or less flex depending on conditions?
Yes, it's a major performance factor for me. I play with the pressure from my leading edge a lot, but never from my strut. It helps me to have the correct response from my wing for pumping in different conditions. For example, when the wind is light, I deflate my wing a little to have a longer pumping movement with a bigger amplitude, and this helps me to get quicker on the foil. I'm also deflating my wing when the wind is gusty and requires a little twist to avoid being catapulted. On the other hand, I increase the pressure when the wind is strong and consistent, to have a lot of stiffness for racing.""""
PS: He rides OceanRodeo Aluula wings (very stiff!) so maybe this will not work on other models.
Hmm different approaches here.
By the way you don't need dual valves to run different pressures, any wing with a pinch clamp in the connecting hose will do. Only then there you can run the LE a bit softer (unless you have a (adjustable) dump valve on the strut)