The P28 «Gonet & Cie» has a double-surfaced sail stiffened by its internal structure. This type of rig resembles a ribcage. Each rib consists of a camber inducer which gives the mainsail curve and hence enables the optimum flow. Like the wings on a plane, the asymmetric profile of the sail area increases lift.
The sail can be hoisted around the mast with its camber inducers. As a result, it can also be dumped (dropped) or reefed (reducing sail area through putting in reefs), in contrast to a fixed wing. Principally intended to give the sail area the perfect curve, the camber inducers extend along the entire length of the mast from top to bottom. As such they tension nineteen battens to maintain the profile’s curve at its nominal value.
Each camber inducer consists of an assembly involving several elements interwoven around the mast. This daring system is linked together by means of a system of cleverly pre-trimmed lines.
Camber inducers for a sail with the perfect curve
The thick profile sail literally envelops the mast and its camber inducers. A lot broader in size than on a classic rig, the sail extends beyond the forward section of the mast for around 1/5 of its total surface. Distributed in this way, the loads which are exerted on the surface of the sail are such that there is only limited effort required to trim the sail.
This type of thick profile sail is perfectly suited to foilers as:
- It reduces the amount of stress necessary on the mainsail sheet.
- It works very efficiently on a deck which is more open than with normal thin profile sails, hence it adapts to the transition from float to flight mode.
- It enables use of a larger surface area thanks to its ability to work at low power without the sail shivering.
- It enables the heeling moment to be adjusted via a camber control for the head of the sail.
- It enables sails to be dumped and as such requires a lot less logistics than a fixed wing.
