I'm starting this topic for all the pryde AL owners to compare notes on their experiences of owning, maintaining, learning, setting up and tuning, sail size choice, sailing technique and any other relevant information that we can share. Please feel free to share your thoughts and discoveries.

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waricle said..
I'm starting this topic for all the pryde AL owners to compare notes on their experiences of owning, maintaining, learning, setting up and tuning, sail size choice, sailing technique and any other relevant information that we can share. Please feel free to share your thoughts and discoveries.

What size bolts does the NP AL foil use. Do they require the drilling out of the holes in the standard deep tuttle finbox ?

1/4 imperial bolts, may need the hole in the board to be slightly enlarged to align.
On a 129 xfire or 128 patrik the bolts needed are 1/4x 3'
The standard bolts will fit deidcated boards ( JP's for example)

What type of board are you using? How many of you have the dedicated jp board and how does it compare?
the screws lengths I need are 115 long and I'm seriously considering changing the front screw to a 5/16" as I've run aground twice now and am worried about losing the foil.

Do you think having a larger screw would help keep it in place ? I'm not too sure on this one.

What board are you using to need such long screws ?
The good thing (and rare one) about the NP is the thread is really long in the mast, around 4 cm I seem to recall.

I'm worried that the s/s screw will fatigue and fail. The board is an old Thommen course race xxl 180l x 80 wide with the extra deep tuttle. A 5/16 screw has almost twice the load bearing capacity of a 1/4 and a deeper thread into the alloy head.
I've also had problems with screws almost seizing so now I strip the foil down after each session and add fresh anti seize on assembly.
How many are adjusting the rear wing? I tried a 1.2 thick washer but have since removed it. I found that unless the board is planing it doesn't seem to want to keep going once its up in really light winds.

General consensus (thanks Facebook!) seems to be to put a washer under the front edge of the back wing. Gives it more lift in light wind.

That's true it does give more lift. My last session the wind was fairly strong to begin with ( it died off REALLY quickly) so I decided to forego the washer for control. I rigged a 5.7 .The wind buggered that idea up when it dropped suddenly and in the later part of the afternoon the wind was so light I rigged 8.6 turbo just to see what would happen and managed to get going and didn't seem to overpower, in fact it couldn't maintain lift thru the bigger lulls and I'm too old to pump it much. I had the mastfoot forward of centre with the big sail and didn't seem to breach as often as usual. It's difficult enough trying to work out what size sail to use on the slalom and the effects of sail size seem to magnify x10 for the foil. Still trying to work out boom height and mast position and footstraps too....

Good with no washer for higher winds. Definitely need it for lighter winds for lift.

Got a NP Al foil on the way, just worried about damaging the board i was thinking of using it on, (JP Slalom 80).
Anyone had any damage to their slalom boards yet?
Like the look of the JP foil-board, anyone have one of these?
Also see Starboard slalom boards are now 'Foil-ready', wonder if their as strong as a dedicated foil board?

I imagine a board that is "foil ready" will have all necessary re-enforcements done on the box. , as that is what is advertised.
I.e Jp , Starboard, Fanatic Naish all models that are foil ready in their range.
Boards of same model from last season will not have this option- so 2018 models .

I tried my new NP ally foil yesterday on an old "newby" approved Starboard Carve 145. Too light a wind but I got the "skatey" feel of the foil starting to work. Looking forward to trying it again. Did rinse all parts in fresh water. Big thanks to Windsurfnsnow!!

I find that I need at least 10 knots to get the NP AL to foil. Yes, the washer helps to plane earlier but it also adds extra stability which is a good thing as the wind increases.

Haha yes, sail size is much trickier than I thought. I now just chuck in every sail size from 4.5 to 8.6 every time. Actually the Wally sail even works a treat in light winds.

that skatey lift before you even foil is good fun too.

If you fill any void in between the top of the mast and the inside top of the finbox there's less chance of the mast driving up and damaging the finbox. How well the finbox is mounted in the board is another issue.

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da vecta said..
I find that I need at least 10 knots to get the NP AL to foil. Yes, the washer helps to plane earlier but it also adds extra stability which is a good thing as the wind increases.

Haha yes, sail size is much trickier than I thought. I now just chuck in every sail size from 4.5 to 8.6 every time. Actually the Wally sail even works a treat in light winds.

that skatey lift before you even foil is good fun too.

How can you chuck all your sails in the car when I have them all

I emptied my car this morning and had 4.5, 5.2, 5.7, 6.6, 7.0, camless and 8.6 twin cam for the foil.
Iv'e used them all except the 4.5....

I can only dream of a van.

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ka43 said..
I tried my new NP ally foil yesterday on an old "newby" approved Starboard Carve 145. Too light a wind but I got the "skatey" feel of the foil starting to work. Looking forward to trying it again. Did rinse all parts in fresh water. Big thanks to Windsurfnsnow!!

That first flight is unforgettable.!! ........So is the landing

while on NP al , I strongly recommend ditching the provided allen keys, pure butterinium ..... get some decent hardware before damaging the titanium bolts...

I've measured the rear wing angle of attack on my foil and I have some measurements you may or may not find useful. The standard angle is just under 2 degrees,

Add a 1.1 mm thick washer and it's just under 3 degrees





Replace 1.1 mm with 1.9 mm and it's increased to 3.5 degrees



Add 1.1 +1.9 (3mm) and you get just over 4 degrees



I'm using a standard bubble as I don't have a precision spirit level so I can't guarantee the absolute accuracy however I did multiple measurements and the variation was +- .25 degrees. I might have to get me one of them flash digital magnetic protractors.
Anyway it'll give you some idea of the effect of different thickness washers. How that translates to effect on the water is something for you to discover.

Interesting. Thanks Waricle.
Sounds like it's best to start with the included washer, going by what Da vecta said, earlier planing/more stability.
My foil arrived yesterday, fitted it to my JP slalom, nice tight fit and fills the fin box all the way, no need for any spacer.

Can't wait to try it now,
Let the carnage begin!!

Give us a full report, with pics!!!

When you say 10 knots wind to get going, is that 10 measured at ground level or is it an estimate based on properly measured wind? I know that my own cheap anemometer comes up with ludicrously low readings compared to official measurements. When it reads 12 knots I'm comfortable with 6m/85 litre board, but the BOM is showing 16-23 knots

10 knots when reviewed later that night on Seabreeze graphs.

For me it has to be consistently over 10.

With my weight @95kg

For conditions where I'd be using the SLW with either a 9.5 or 11m sail I'm going 5.8- 6.6 wave sails

Only just invested in a wind measuring thingy as it's a mind f**k trying to figure out what to rig.

A couple of sessions it's looked to light for the foil and all it's required is a bit more enthusiasm in pumping

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elmo said

Only just invested in a wind measuring thingy as it's a mind f**k trying to figure out what to

I've also got a wind measuring thingy and now ( more than ever ) , look like a wind guru tool instead of using the fuzz on my testicals method that cavemen used to use.

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Imax1 said..

elmo said

Only just invested in a wind measuring thingy as it's a mind f**k trying to figure out what to

I've also got a wind measuring thingy and now ( more than ever ) , look like a wind guru tool instead of using the fuzz on my testicals method that cavemen used to use.

This your prefered method Imax?

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whitsun said..

Imax1 said..

elmo said

Only just invested in a wind measuring thingy as it's a mind f**k trying to figure out what to

I've also got a wind measuring thingy and now ( more than ever ) , look like a wind guru tool instead of using the fuzz on my testicals method that cavemen used to use.

This your prefered method Imax?

Where did u get that photo of me ?

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Imax1 said..

whitsun said..

Imax1 said..

elmo said

Only just invested in a wind measuring thingy as it's a mind f**k trying to figure out what to

I've also got a wind measuring thingy and now ( more than ever ) , look like a wind guru tool instead of using the fuzz on my testicals method that cavemen used to use.

This your prefered method Imax?

Where did u get that photo of me ?

Bloody hell we're twin brothers from different mothers

I tried .8 mm negative lift on the rear wing yesterday and found I wasn't breaching as much as usual and was able to control lift. Wind was 12-15 kts and 5.2 wave sail. Taking off needed more back foot and a little more speed.

hum.... we've had our first bent NP mast over here..... not cool !

on another note I was out today in 16 knts with the NP and 7.0 ncx (my smallest sail for the time being) scary but fast !!!