Aqua Sports Newsflash – Hybrid wind power!
Following a hectic taster day for a school, the Aqua Sports Research and Development team were spotted on the lake, testing the new windsurf / dinghy hybrid! Big things were expected…..
Early testing to check the handling showed that the rather heavyweight dinghy needed a sail upgrade from a 4.0m, so out came the 8.0m! With a lightweight crew of Sophie and Chris F on board, we got good speeds in a South Westerly breeze, with Chris having to commit well to hang on to the rig!
Tacking was a challenge, with Sophie on the helm having to duck low to avoid the aggressive sail manoeuvring needed to swing the boat around, whereas the gybe was much easier, with good control shown by both sailors.
We’re not sure yet if the hybrid will become part of our regular hire fleet, as we need more wind to stretch the capabilities of the rig and the crew! Although, we are very excited about the implications of this new, high adrenaline sport and believe that a kit/dinghy cross is also possible. It is thought that these new hybrid sports could be bigger than the original sports themselves!!
