I am now, seasons 95/96 and 96/97 working on a totally new configuration which eliminates the serious drawbacks of the wing skate sail. (These drawbacks are explained in Plenty of scope for much faster skate sails.  which is preceding this section in the skate sail index.) This new configuration is a "no heel rig".
 

Here Dick Tillberg is trying out the outfit - brave man!

The sails height is five meters (18 feet) and it is one meter (3 feet) wide. It glides on runners five meters (18 feet) to leeward of the sailor. A five meters (18 ft) long tube is attached at the sails half height at one end. The other end will be attached to my skate. The picture shows this sail. In order to decrease the air drag of the sailor he is enclosed in a personal streamlining.

The result is a sail with an AR of five, instead of one for typical stand inside wing sails, and a maximum sail force equal to about the sailors weight, that is when the skates start slide sideways. And the sail can be made much smaller or larger than existing stand inside wing sails to suit all wind speed from light to strong wind. For sailing in really weak winds it looks like I will be able to carry a very large sail area, some 15 sq. m (150 sq. ft).

I expect this sail to be up to twice as fast as the stand inside wing sails. I am not planning to show this first by sailing 200 km/h (120 mph) in strong winds. I will first challenge the wings in very light winds when I can carry three times larger sail area.

If there is interest I may be able to put together some information on: How to make a sail of this type and how to make a streamlining.

The best tactical compass for sail boats? You see the wind shifts directly on the compass! No figures to read, write or compare. Can it get simpler?

The position of the white pointer directly shows where the direction of the wind is between best lift and worst header, in oscillating wind shifts. Picture on to the right is an animation.

Next in Skate sailing index.

Back to Skate sailing index.

Email, Postal address & Telephone number.  

Modified July 2009. Counter: 5069.