Website is updated with new models.

Looking at new 7 battens Race specs it seems they are very low ratio and "squared" compared to "old" 8 battens similar sizes (7.9/7.7, 8.7/8.5 , ...).
Pretty much same specs with 2020 Koncept slalom.

www.tribalwindsurfing.com/en/home/64-ka-race-2020.html

Punters......The 2020 site will be fully up most likely later this week. Peter still has a few tweaks to do. He is currently with the guys in France doing final sign-off testing on the Speed range.

Cant wait to get the new range to my customers they will look awesome on the speed flats this summer

Peter got the 2020 site live today.

www.kasailwindsurfing.com/en/

and a short video of the KaSpeed on facebook

www.facebook.com/kasail/videos/2327023620870792/?t=0

Martin, it seems 2020 Race and Koncept have same specs for similar sizes. Middle ones have lost many cm in boom luff lengths compared to 8 battens. What's for?

We developed both sails together so this year the sails are very close to each other. Koncept has a narrower sleeve, 3 cams and Race a wide sleeve and 4 cams. Race has about 2 percent more luff round and the horizontal shaping is subtlety different. The sail is a bit squarer than last years Race, shorter boom but not as tapered in outline much closer to last years Koncept thus the same specs. The new clew setup though has the top eyelet further rearward so the boom spec varies between top and bottom so the boom will rig a bit longer than spec when on the top hole. There is a noticeable difference in bottom end grunt between the 2 settings which gives it a big range.
The guys have been really happy in testing, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive but yes it is a pretty big change to last years sail.

pretty sure that one is a 5.7 Speed special, but it's possible it is a 5.2m??

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sailquik said..
pretty sure that one is a 5.7 Speed special, but it's possible it is a 5.2m??

Be great if you could actually buy one, not happy.

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jimbob SA said..

sailquik said..
pretty sure that one is a 5.7 Speed special, but it's possible it is a 5.2m??

Be great if you could actually buy one, not happy.

I've got the 2019 model and love it.

Yes I got the 2019 5.2 Koncept with 4 battens from Mark Jordan. Shape is very deep at the bottom, it has got a lot of power and bottom end too, it's amazing how little wind it needs to get me going, built for speed.

Ordered the 2020 5.7 and was told they all sold out, was going to get the 2019. Just informed they made some more 2020 models...
Stoked

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powersloshin said..
Yes I got the 2019 5.2 Koncept with 4 battens from Mark Jordan. Shape is very deep at the bottom, it has got a lot of power and bottom end too, it's amazing how little wind it needs to get me going, built for speed.

"got a lot of power and bottom end too"

Have you had Koncepts 2018 or older to compare your 2019 to? I have a 2016 5.4 koncept for my speedboard and looking to add to my quiver this season. It would handy to know if the small speed sizes 4.7,5.2,5.7 of 2019 (and assuming 2020) have more bottom end than older models and also if the top end has remained the same or changed?

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"got a lot of power and bottom end too"

Have you had Koncepts 2018 or older to compare your 2019 to? I have a 2016 5.4 koncept for my speedboard and looking to add to my quiver this season. It would handy to know if the small speed sizes 4.7,5.2,5.7 of 2019 (and assuming 2020) have more bottom end than older models and also if the top end has remained the same or changed?

Yes I had another 2 5.0: 2008 and 2013. I also had a 5.4 2013 and wasted a lot of time trying to chose between 5.0 and 5.4. 2019 5.2 has solved my problems, also feels more stable and powerful. Speed was good I did 39.4 which is my second best, but that depends more on conditions. For bearaways I would say that the new 4 cams shapes are a lot more suited

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srtgumbee said..

powersloshin said..
Yes I got the 2019 5.2 Koncept with 4 battens from Mark Jordan. Shape is very deep at the bottom, it has got a lot of power and bottom end too, it's amazing how little wind it needs to get me going, built for speed.

"got a lot of power and bottom end too"

Have you had Koncepts 2018 or older to compare your 2019 to? I have a 2016 5.4 koncept for my speedboard and looking to add to my quiver this season. It would handy to know if the small speed sizes 4.7,5.2,5.7 of 2019 (and assuming 2020) have more bottom end than older models and also if the top end has remained the same or changed?

I have a 2015 5.4, which has done 40kts at Lake George (in 30kts of wind) and a 2019 5.7 , which has done 39kts at Lota Creek, Moreton Bay (in 25 to 30kts of wind). Both are great sails. The 5.4 is a pocket rocket. I'm amazed by its power and stability. I recon the 5.7 has more bottom end, being 0.3 bigger and despite being bigger, the 4th cam allows me to use it in same wind conditions, i.e. similar top end.

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srtgumbee said..
"got a lot of power and bottom end too"

Have you had Koncepts 2018 or older to compare your 2019 to? I have a 2016 5.4 koncept for my speedboard and looking to add to my quiver this season. It would handy to know if the small speed sizes 4.7,5.2,5.7 of 2019 (and assuming 2020) have more bottom end than older models and also if the top end has remained the same or changed?

I have had pretty much every year Koncept 5.4m and then 2019 Koncept Speed 5.2m (first a Proto and then a Production example) and 5.7m. Also 2015 4.6m and then 20194.7m.

Some changes year to year were subtle in stability and balance, but noticeable. Changes from 2017 to 2018 were a bit more obvious with better bottom end and top end. We were very happy with that one to say the least.

The changes for 2019 were a bit more radical with again, a slightly deeper lower section and slightly change in the max draft position, reinforced by the 4th bottom batten and some other changes to free up the twist.. After a season+ of speed sailing all 3 small Speed sizes, I found it very hard to suggest improvements on the 4.7m. It is sensational in both bottom end to get going and it's extreme stability in violent 40+ gusts. And, it is really fast and easy handling. The 5.2m and 5.7m were also a quite noticeable improvement on the 2018. The 5.2m has better bottom end than the 2018 5.0m, but at least as good top end range and stability. The 5.7m is somewhere in between the older 5.4m and 5.8m in size. A little closer to the 5.8m, but feels and light as the old 5.4m and for me seems to have at least as good range. The 2020 5.2m and 5.7m have been more closely matched to the shape of the 2019 4.7m. by giving them more depth in the lower section and a bit free'r twist. The 5.7m needed a bit more added than the 5.2m. The changes have lowered the centre of effort for a more stable and powerful feel whilst reaming very light handling.
In the past, my PB speed sails have usually been the 5.0m. (or the 4.4m in the earlier models). Since 2015-5 I have very nearly matched my PB's with the 5.4's, but always felt the 5.8's were better suited to the bigger guys. That changed a bit with the 2019 5.7m Koncept Speed, which for me felt more like the lighter feel of the previous 5.4m, but with a bit more power and drive lower down. It still felt comfortable on my 40cm wide speed board, whereas the 5.8's always felt like they weighed the board down too much for me, although the bigger guys just loved them. I am looking forward to seeing how I go with the 2020 5.7m this year, especially at Lake George. I think it will be my go to sail on those 'not quite 30 knots of wind days' on the CA40 when I have previously loved the 5.4m. And I think the bigger guys will love it in those 30-35knots + PB days.

Short answer: Yes, better bottom end AND top end, and smoother handling. I know thats what all sailmakers say, but the difference from 2015- to 2019 is very noticeable, in range, handling and speed.

Discalimer: I have had a big hand in testing and developing these sails, and obviously they work for me, but the feedback from other KA speed sailors is extremely consistent with mine.

Hope this helps.

Thx Duffy.
Would be cool to read something about the new Race.
This model is very different than past ones. 7 battens and much "shorter" specs than usual...

Guys...I can run you through the changes on 2020 Speed if you wish so you don't have to speculate.
Most noticeable is the wider luff sleeve. This has aided in the stability improving once again..adding the 4th cam last year made a big difference. The panel layout is new with the 2 mil Mesh film running right down the leech, it does have a strip of 5mil mono on the trailing edge to prevent any stretch issues. The sail feels a bit softer but has lost no acceleration.
We increased the luff round a little in the bottom 1/3 to get more cam rotation and more shape forward and actually removed a little shape in the back half to tune the tension. Mainly on the 2 smaller sizes we refined the twist a touch as batten 4 was holding up a bit on the 2019.
The clew eyelet layout has also changed so there is a bigger tuning difference now between the bottom and top holes, the top reducing the twist and "S" in the lower leech for more bottom end grunt and the bottom hole opening it up for a lighter feel when really powered up.
The guys in the South of France have been putting the prototypes through a work out and they appear to all have big smiles.

Thanks heaps for the detailed info! I can now make a better informed decision. Would like to get a smaller sail than my 5.4, so are looking into boom (small + wide) and also used board options as I know I could benefit from a board smaller than my Isonic W49.

2020 4.7 Speed being pushed in wild conditions in France. Bring on Lake george this season....

I had an awesome session on my 2020 Killer 4.7 last night. 25 to 30 knots at times fully lit but the sail wasn't fussed. Amazingly stable yet really light in the hands and manourverable. Even though I am the designer I don't get to sail every model in every size, especially the Wave sails as I am a hack and get the feedback from the experts. I had been using a 2017 pre production prototype 4.7 until I replaced it with this one and it was a real eye opener to me how much all those small design changes we make every year have added up. The 2020 is a big jump from the 2017 proto, its a fantastic sail.

No good wind yet to test some of the new Race/koncept?

3 sails so far on the new 6.6 Koncept. The stability is awesome ,allowing you just to keep pushing. Running on an rdm atm. Keen to try the 5.7 speed on a Sdm this year

First real sail on the 2020 KA Race 6.3, the boys at KA have really got this one right. I've been a bit skeptical when designers say every year the sail is better, well they have proven me wrong. Straight out the bag rigged to specs, tuned the sail with half cm less down haul as the wind was about 18-20 knots, straight away on take off you could tell something was different with the sail, draft was so locked in the board just accelerates with no effort, no twitching of the sail in the gust just locked in power. First time ever the board even on a 45 degree weedy just got up on the fin as if you where sailing a pointer. Unbelievable feeling hooked in to the harness and sailing with the lightest grip on the boom as the draft is so locked in you could easily take your hands of the boom and just keep sailing. The conditions where not smooth water choppy at around 1 to 2 foot, board Manta 54, Fin 25 Vector Speed 45 deg, Sail 6.3 KAR, well done KA team, itching to try the 7.1 now.

www.ka72.com/Track/t/412661

I was sent this revew of the 2019 Koncept. I have to say when I got to the end I had a bit of a chuckle...

product description "The KA Sails Koncept is considered to be KA Sail's signature sail and has been impressing and drawing huge smiles for years now, not to mention the records that this sail has already beaten many times over. The Koncept combines the maximum speed and acceleration of a racing sail with the ease of use of a freeride sail.With its light ergonomics, you will not feel it in your arms and you will be able to go looking for new personal speed records: with its 3-cam configuration, it offers balance and stability like a high performance racing sail without becoming a monster, to which only giants can cling. All of this is achieved through the combination of one construction, 3 cambers, 7 carbon slats and a medium-sized X-Ply ultra-light hi-tech scabbard, despite the modest graphical update. which we decided to carry out, the Koncept has undergone significant changes in 2019. We have totally redesigned the small sizes (4.7, 5.2, 5.7) which are now 4-hoop sails with a special focus on speed, provided for the use of an RDM mast. Sizes above 6.2 m? have 3 cambers, as before, which are optimized for use with an SDM mast but spacers are provided to fit on a RDM mast. Koncept is the science of speed !!! "

The sail goes everywhere of the mark, while the 2020 models are still in test it is the model 2019 of this sail 3 cambers that we could test. The traditional red and yellow of the brand and a beautiful neat construction have pleasantly surprised us. Our impressions It is a very nice surprise from the moment of unpacking. There is a real sense of quality for this all-purpose sail of the brand. While the 2020 models have not arrived yet, this is the 2019 model of this 3-cylinder sail that we were able to test for the first time, always with this traditional red and yellow. The mark left us the mast recommended for this 6.6, a 430 cm SDM 100% carbon for which the sail was already set since it had already sailed. The preparation of the sail was therefore child's play, it is rigged like other freerace sails by sliding the mast on the cambers and with a little tension to tack these are very easy to set up. It then remains to fine tune the settings according to your needs on the navigation of the day. This Koncept is very sensitive to the settings and you can modify them according to what you expect from sailing. The 2 eyelets offer a real difference between closing the chute with the top eyelet against beautiful opening to make the sail live with the one at the bottom. With little tack, it will offer low-end power with a hollow in the bottom of the sail and a responsive veil to pump up to planing or flying quickly. In the stronger wind, the opening of the fall allows to release the power, the sail stiffens and flattens immediately. We have never had a problem passing the cambers and the 100% carbon KA mast has a very good performance. Even if the sail is a little stiff in the arms in the irregular winds and that it forces to make good counterweight, in the winds more established it makes it possible to feel good accelerations. We went to heart to run along the dike Mourillon or wind east to Almanarre on this flat water paradise. It is a sail that sails rather straight under penalty of having the edge that rubs on the deck or that touches the footstraps. It can become uncomfortable. We had to revisit our usual mast foot plate settings to move them back sharply. Once this correction was made, it was just pleasure sailing with an effective and light sail in the arms. In windfoil, this retracted and straight position makes it easy to pump and create speed for the flight. With this 6.6 m?, we were able to fly in fairly light wind conditions. We could not fly in 6 knots but with the NeilPryde F4 Evo we were flying at 10 knots without problem. With this fast foil, the straight position does not really pose a problem but with a slower foil, the range of use of the sail becomes shorter. The fact of not being able to accelerate more the float causes movements of the body in the ridges. On a slalom or freerace board, if your body can transmit power to the float well, you can accelerate as long as you hold on. We have sailed a lot, sometimes in idyllic conditions, sometimes more sporting and this Koncept has always been a sail giving us the banana. As easy as other sails to 2cambers av

Possiibly something amiss with the translation? I think it is fitting that we changed the colour of the 2020 to Blue.......just wondering if we should have changed the name as well....perhaps KaV

Finally have some rdm cams for my speed 5-7. Can anyone tell me what way up they go ka logo up or down.

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mr love said..

Thanks Martin ??

So that is Logo up except for the bottom which I put the other way due to the batten angle