160 km/h, 100 mph, speed wing skate sail

The sail area of this sail is only 2.5 sqm, or half of an ordinary course racing wing. The top speed of a course racing wing is estimated to some 120 km/h, 75 mph. The top speed is restricted by the sailor beginning feeling quite unsafe being thrown violently left or right by the gusts because the sail area is far too large.  With half the sail area this speed sail should not reach the same conditions until the speed is some 1.44 larger (square root of 2, because wind forces increase as the square of the speed of the wind) or at some 170 km/h, 106 mph.  To reach this speed you probably need some 14 m/s (28 knots) of wind. This much wind and the required smooth and large ice surface occurs only about once per year in my region of Sweden.

When sailed at lower speed, e.g. 100 km/h, 60 mph, the ride is expected to be relatively smooth even in the gusty winds we have here.  The sail is made of thick polyester sail cloth with horizontal aluminum ribs. It is held taught by vertical aluminum struts. Its width is tailor made for a quite thin person like me 70 kg, 155 lb., 185 cm, (6 ft 6 inch ?). The width can be altered relatively easy by removing and reshaping ribs.  The height of the sail is 2.6 m, sail area 2.95 sqm, reef able to height 2.1 m, sail area 2.5 sqm.  It has a window of poly carbonate, 30 cm high, in the leading edge, starting 144 cm from the bottom. If you are to short for this with skates on the window can be lowered by cutting off a bit at the bottom of the wing.

The sail has a vertical stabilizer on a boom. The stabilizer is steered with a handle in front of the sailor.  For transport and storage it folds into a some 2 x .4 x .5 m package. weight around 10 kg, 22 lb..  At the time of writing, January 1998, the sail has not yet been sailed. But I expect to soon gather enough information on its handling and performance qualities to be prepared to part with it and possibly build a successor.  Builder is me, Anders Ansar. Price some 2900 US$

 

Course racing wing skate sail for display or sailing

At the moment disassembled for modification to a reef able sail

This wing sail is an extraordinary design as its transparent front section is so large that the whole sailor is visible. The brightly colored forward ribs also adds to the impression.    It is a light air sail as its sail area is large, some 5.5 sqm, and it is lightly built.

Recently I started to convert it into a strong air sail by folding in part of the trailing edge cloth and reshaping, fattening, the streamline shape of the battens. For proper functioning maybe a vertical stabilizer must be added. The sail can easily be converted to its original shape and size.

With its extra ordinary design the sail is most suitable for display purposes.    The wing is good ly as new condition. Cloth is light polyester sail cloth.  Builder, me, Anders Ansar. Price some 3900 US$.

 

The World's first successful stand inside wing skate sail, as far as I know. Collector or museum piece.

This is the first wing sail which competed in a Swedish National Championships. It is probably also the world's first successful wing skate sail.

It is made of polyester sail cloth with horizontal ribs of aluminum tubes (missing, quite easy to replace). It has a stabilizer. In the picture it is fully reefed down. It has two reefs. It has been sailed a lot an is in quite  good condition.

Dimensions when not reefed: Bottom cord 2.3 m. Top cord 1.3 m. Height 3.15. Areas: 5.5/4.2/3.6 sqm. Weight complete some 12 kg.  Builder Anders Ansar. Price some 5900 US$


 

Stand inside wing skate sail with ultra compact dimensions when unrigged

When unrigged this sail transforms into a roll some 1.7 m long and with a diameter of  .4 m.  The sail has been used. But since then the aluminum ribs that gave it its shape has been removed.  The sail have approximate these  dimensions: Projected area 5.3 sqm, 4.7 sqm reefed. Height 2.55 m, reef able to 2.25 m. Bottom cord 2.55 m. Top cord 1.95 m. Leading edge vertical. Trailing edge straight.

Window of thin poly carbonate .55 m high and starting 1.35 m from bottom.    The material is mylar on polyester sail cloth. It is in good condition but not like new. It has its number, 167, marked on both sides with big figures.  Price for the finished sail cloth some 600 US$.

What needs to be added to again make it a complete sail is:  Four horizontal ribs of streamline shape (to put in pockets in sail). They can be made of aluminum tubing. Some four vertical struts to stretch the sail up - down.

Builder, me, Anders Ansar.   I can, time permitting, make the sail complete for some 1400 US$. Bringing the price for the complete sail to some 2000 US$.

10 cm high custom made skates

Height 10 cm. Length 53 cm. Runner of stainless 1.5 mm steel. Each stiffened at lower edge with two 2 x 2 cm L-shaped aluminum extrusions.  Foot plate of black anodized extruded aluminum.  Used, but almost in condition as new.

In the lower part of the picture is a side view of one of the skates.  No bindings. Mount skate or ski bindings or fasten with bolts and nuts through sole of alpine ski boot.  Builder Anders Ansar. Price 290 US$.

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.

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