Neil Pryde RS-X, la nouvelle planche Olympique...

[Terminator]

ISAF Windsurfer Evaluation Trials - Report for Council
<br>
<br>INTRODUCTION
<br>
<br>The purpose of the September Selection Trials was to select the best windsurfing Equipment for the 2008 Olympic regatta, and for other associated events. Suppliers were required to present complete packages.
<br>
<br>The four day Trials took place at two GBR venues:
<br>- Hayling Island Sailing Club, which provided salt water, tidal and wave sailing in winds between 12 and 25 knots;
<br>- Queen Mary Sailing Club, which provided flat water inland sailing in winds between 6 and 14 knots.
<br>
<br>The 14 test sailors represented a good cross-section of racing windsurfer sailors. Standards ranged from Olympic medallists to Youth Squad sailors; weight from 60kg to 100kg; and sailor experience covered both Formula and long-boards.
<br>
<br>PRIMARY RECOMMENDATIONS
<br>
<br>1. There should be a change of windsurfing equipment for the 2008 Olympic regatta. This will revitalise windsurfing, from Olympic level to club racer and recreational sailor. The sailors want it – not one of the evaluation sailors ranked the current IMCO longboard as most suitable. There is now a new generation of boards available, a new board has already been chosen for U15 windsurfing, and Olympic windsurfing should lead, not lag this evolution.
<br>
<br>2. The new Olympic board should be the Neil Pryde RS-X, with the following equipment rules:
<br>- 2 sails, with maximum areas of 9.5 & 8.5m2 (men) and 8.5 & 8.0m2 (women)
<br>- 2 fins, one maximum depth 65cm and the other shorter for slalom racing.
<br>Two sail areas have been specified to allow for slalom racing, and for racing from 5 to 30 knots.
<br>
<br>SUPPORTING INFORMATION
<br>
<br>Trial Equipment and Supplier Presentations
<br>
<br>Neil Pryde confirmed it would supply equipment for the 2008 Olympic Regatta.
<br>
<br>All suppliers could start production promptly. Those that were already in production could do so immediately; those that were not yet in production would take one to two months longer.
<br>
<br>All equipment presented was of production quality, and provided good windsurfing sailing and racing. The range of the equipment highlighted different approaches for equipment designed to provide modern, exciting, all-round windsurfing racing that:
<br>- combines light wind sailability with exciting planing performance;
<br>- can be sailed from typical regatta locations;
<br>- can race in 5-30 knots (starting wind).
<br>
<br>Bic Sport Techno 293 Olympic is a refinement of an existing production board, based on the design that has recently been chosen as the Aloha replacement for U15 windsurfing.
<br>
<br>Boards & More “Prodigy-Light” is a development of the existing Mistral Prodigy design. The weight is reduced through use of carbon fibre in place of some glass fibre, and the fin and centreboard lengthened. The hull has a central (half-width) flat planing surface, and very soft chines.
<br>
<br>PD Olympias is a refinement of the PD Project presented at Torbole. The hull has a very slight V-shape and raised bow, and the stern has deep, V-shaped cut-outs.
<br>
<br>Exocet Open 310 is a refinement of the Exocet presented at Torbole. It is a radical development of the longboard with a kayak-style bow.
<br>
<br>Neil Pryde RS-X is a new, flat Formula-like hull with centreboard and carefully designed rails to assist with light weather performance.
<br>
<br>Starboard Z-class is a hybrid-style hull with centreboard. It has Formula-like aft sections and V-shaped bow.
<br>
<br>Sailors’ Evaluation and Panel Conclusions
<br>
<br>All boards presented delivered good performance in the range of conditions encountered. Minor changes could be made to improve all equipment presented, and will be required of the chosen equipment. All suppliers have plans to productise their equipment, and it is very positive that, through the two Trials, a new generation of fleet-racing boards has evolved.
<br>
<br>The range of rigs presented highlighted the scope for further rig development. It was agreed that carbon booms, and easily adjustable rigs, were required.
<br>
<br>The sailors were asked at the end of the Trials to rank the boards. They scored two boards approximately level and clearly ahead of the rest: the Boards & More Prodigy-Light and the Neil Pryde RS-X.
<br>
<br>Sailors were separately asked to rank the current IMCO Olympic board against the six Trial boards. No sailor ranked IMCO in first place. IMCO was ranked between 2nd and 4th, averaging 3rd.
<br>
<br>The Panel agreed with the sailors’ evaluation: the Boards & More Prodigy-Light and the Neil Pryde RS-X were the best two boards, and both would be good windsurfing equipment for the next Olympic quadrennium.
<br>
<br>The Panel recommends the Neil Pryde RS-X ahead of the Boards & More Prodigy-Light as Olympic equipment for the following reasons:
<br>1. The Neil Pryde RS-X excited the sailors more and displayed the demanding and high performance characteristics required of Olympic equipment. It felt faster and lighter, and required and rewarded skill and technique. In contrast the Prodigy-Light was really easy to sail, well balanced in all conditions, but not as exciting, and not as technical.
<br>2. The Neil Pryde RS-X is more modern, displayed more potential and has more scope for future evolution, whereas the Prodigy-Light is a lighter version of an existing well-established design.
<br>
<br>Manufacturers were requested to estimate prices ex tax for one board and one rig package:
<br>Neil Pryde RS-X €2,900 – Prodigy Light € 2,660 - IMCO One design €2,070
<br>
<br>The Panel also observes that the range of equipment represented a real step forward for windsurfing. The BIC Techno is clearly an excellent choice as the U15 board; the Prodigy-Light offers fine, well-rounded performance; the Exocet showed great potential as a fast racing board especially for light wind locations; and the Starboard and PD Project both offered exciting all-round performance.
<br>
<br>Other Recommendations
<br>
<br>Board Construction: the Olympic board should be manufactured using sandwich construction. A non-Olympic ASA-construction version of the Neil Pryde RS-X could be produced by Cobra or BIC.
<br>
<br>Equipment Development: it would be normal for this chosen Olympic equipment to develop in the same way that other Olympic equipment develops. Any rule or specification changes should be submitted to ISAF for consideration in the normal way. It is anticipated that the manufacturing specification of the sail will be refined during 2005 and 2006 for approval by ISAF.
<br>
<br>Equipment Choice for Future Olympics: in future Olympic cycles, the choice of board should be made at the November conference 4 years before the Olympic regatta.
<br>
<br>Slalom ladder: two slalom ladder competitions should be scheduled as two of the “races” in the Olympic regatta. Slalom should be sailed in winds of 7-15 knots using the smaller rig and fins.
<br>
<br>Race every day: to maximise the likelihood of completing the Olympic regatta in Quindaou, racing should be scheduled for every day with lay days inserted if racing is ahead of the schedule.
<br>
<br>Colour on sails: Windsurfing is the most visually exciting form of sailing. The sails should have enough colour to make boards clearly visible and distinguishable. Reinforcement patches, tape etc should be coloured wherever appropriate.
<br>
<br>Rich Jeffries, Evaluation Panel Chairman - October 7th 2004

[lionel]

ce n'est pas une décision définitive ,c'est juste l'avis de la commission d'évaluation....

[Arvag]

Réponse définitive dans deux semaines: la réunion de l'Isaf a lieu au Danemark en Novembre... mais ce serait curieux qu'ils aillent contre l'avis de la commission alors que la procédure se voulait impartiale et transparente!
Si ça se confirme, ce sera dommage en tous cas pour les autres marques, qui ont joué le jeu et beaucoup investi dans ce projet (Exocet, Starboard entre autres)... mais il fallait bien un gagnant.

Au fait, vous savez qui est l'auteur du shape qui a été retenu?
Jean Bouldoires!
Un joli pied de nez à certains! :wink:

[lionel]

[quote=Arvag]Réponse définitive dans deux semaines: la réunion de l'Isaf a lieu au Danemark en Novembre... mais ce serait curieux qu'ils aillent contre l'avis de la commission alors que la procédure se voulait impartiale et transparente!
Au fait, vous savez qui est l'auteur du shape qui a été retenu?
Jean Bouldoires!
Un joli pied de nez à certains! :wink:[/quote]

[Arvag]

Pour ceux que ça intéresse, on peut télécharger toute la doc sur le projet NP sur leur site:
http://www.neilpryde.com/events/news2004/i...s_trials_uk.php

[blaireau77]

Eh :x , oui NP est en position de force sur les marchées et en plus il vous livre un pack complet :? .
Pour l'instant y'a pas photo :evil:

Avec un engin pareille, le comcept de la formula a interet a évolué :shock: ........si non attention au retour des dérives :x

Salut
jc

[Papounet]

Tout n'est pas nouveau et Mistral n'a pas tout perdu !
Le rail de pied de mat est un MISTRAL utilisé depuis plus de 15 ans :mrgreen:

Par contre le tarif annonçé par PRYDE me rend septique :!:
2900 € le package :?: :?: :?:
Mat X9 = 900 €
Wish X9 = 850 €
Voile typée RS4 = au moins 850 €

Il ne reste pas grand chose pour la BOARD, ou grande nouvelle PRYDE baisse ces prix de 30% l'année prochaine :twisted:

[Breizhman]

[img]http://www.raphaela-legouvello.com/point/img/74da6827.jpg[/img]

[Poulif]

[quote=Papounet]Tout n'est pas nouveau et Mistral n'a pas tout perdu !
Le rail de pied de mat est un MISTRAL utilisé depuis plus de 15 ans :mrgreen:

Par contre le tarif annonçé par PRYDE me rend septique :!:
2900 € le package :?: :?: :?:
Mat X9 = 900 €
Wish X9 = 850 €
Voile typée RS4 = au moins 850 €

Il ne reste pas grand chose pour la BOARD, ou grande nouvelle PRYDE baisse ces prix de 30% l'année prochaine :twisted:[/quote]

J'attendais que quelqu'un fasse la remarque :mrgreen:
Sans doute comme le pack est destiné à la "grande" série, y doivent avoir une marge spéciale la dessus (surtout quand on impose mat + wish X9 à de la monotypie, la moindre des choses c'est de faire un minimum profil bas :? )

remarque au prix ou était vendue la NO DESIGN, ca fait po cher pour un quiver pryde...

[Le vieux]

Peut importe le producteur pourvu que la planche utlisee aux JO soit plus proche et plus adaptee a notre pratique.

Le concept NP, a lire sur en PDF sur leur site, est bon et interessant. Et JB n'est pas un mance au rabot.

[La Krevette]

A mon avis c'est pas un X9 que t'auras comme wish et mat...(c'est stipulé nul part)

Et d'autre part, Pekin (organisateur des jeux de 2008) n'a t'il pas exprimé son choix de conserver la one design? D'autant plus que l'avis des coureurs n'est pas totalement negatif sur ce support, 3emme?
Risque d'y avoir "triche" dans 10 jours...

[Marcel]

le grand patrice vient de passer sur france 3 pour presenter son proto

[Poulif]

[quote=La Krevette]A mon avis c'est pas un X9 que t'auras comme wish et mat...(c'est stipulé nul part)
[/quote]

Ah ben si, carrement

[nowhereman]

QUOTE(Arvag)

Si ça se confirme, ce sera dommage en tous cas pour les autres marques, qui ont joué le jeu et beaucoup investi dans ce projet (Exocet, Starboard entre autres)... mais il fallait bien un gagnant.

Au fond tout le monde a un peu gagné sur ce coup là ... l'important c'était de dégager le plus vite possible la No Design (© Poupou). Ca devrait repositionner un peu l'image de la planche en général donc on pourrait espérer que les retombées se répercutent un peu chez tout le monde ...

On peut juste regretter un peu l'analogie Neil Pryde=Gros Bill Gates de la planche

et sinon, en allant un peu plus loin, pourquoi pas laisser les prosparticiper aux qualifs pour les Olympiades finalement ?

Alors, je sors ou bien?

[lulu29]

http://www.sail-online.fr/xhtml.cfm?Active...umArticle=13948