69
in CAD files to send to the factory. When the protos got
better and we had more protos, we gave them to more guys
and girls to test. Even if the sails are not the lightest, girls
seem to love them as well.
How was it as far as prototyping went?
WC can bosh out board concepts super
quick but what about sails?
At first we made the prototypes here on Fuerte, it takes
about one week to make a sail. I had prototypes made by
different factories in China to see which to choose. This
takes longer depending on the time of the year. Now I have
the prototypes made in China and we do the modifications
here. It saves me a lot of time, so I can work on other things
as we know the factory has the designs correct. Since
production is outsourced and we have to adapt to the
production schedule of the factory, we can’t put innovations
through as fast as with the boards, which in the end doesn’t
matter. Also we take our time with the boards and a shape
can remain unchanged for many years.
Why two different lines? What does the
Karma do differently to the Slayer?
Wind range and manoeuvrability. Construction-wise, the
Karma has one more batten and doesn’t have a PVC or
dacron luff panel to give a more stable profile. Shape-wise
the centre of effort is lower, the bottom batten a bit longer,
a bit more loose leach. That all adds to the wind range and
ease of sailing in a straight line but reduces handling and
depowering on a wave a little. The Karma is the best choice
when you need more power and stability, like onshore wave
sailing, sailing in currents, B&J, flat water sailing or foiling.
The Slayer has a more flexible construction, a higher cut clew
and a higher centre of effort to improve its handling and
wave riding, so the best choice for all types of wave riding.
The Slayer also has a PVC window for lasting vision through
the window, essential for front side wave riding.
What about adding further ranges to
WC’s sail line up?
Sail shape wise, we have reworked the luff curve a bit and
reduced the seam shape in the foot of the bigger Slayers to
reduce drag on the wave in light winds. You can always
change something to make it better but you are bound to
lose something somewhere else. Off course different people
like different things and some have said they prefer more
direct sails but most reactions we hear is that they love the
smoothness. In motocross they have also moved from the
lighter, direct and nervous two stroke engines to the
smoother four stroke engines, even if heavier. Maybe for a
skilled sailor in a contest who has just a limited time to pack
a lot of action in, a direct sail is better. However, for non-
contest sailing, something more reliable/predictable is better.
Any additional input from others during
the design process?
Yes, John had a lot of input of course. Will Ward and Yannick
Anton also had input along with Nestor and Jorge in Pozo. I
had student engineer interns who helped putting the designs
Working on a range of camberless freerace sails with the working
name Elixir and a range of three kids sails called Witchy.
If you were going to sum up WC’s sail line
in one sentence what would that be?
The most heard words in feedback is “smooth” and “power,”
so I’d say: smooth reliable power?
Any general thoughts on windsurfing sail?
Designing sails is great fun.
Thanks and praise?
There are many but special praise goes to my love Peggy for
supporting me in my pursuit of my dreams, John for his
endless knowledge, Will and Yannick for pushing the limits of
the gear on the water.
Riders: Bouke Becker, Tim Orchard, Will Ward, Yannick Anton.
uk
WIND
SURFING