Relative to the initial prototypes, we added more volume throughout. The rail radius was tightened slightly aft and the beam increased slightly to achieve our tar- get stability. The recessed cockpit aft was filled in slightly to provide additional buoy- ancy for buoy turns.
A female tool was then constructed and we adopted a hollow carbon construction to provide an exceptionally stiff, robust but weight-efficient platform with optimised surface finish straight out of the mould. The final board is 14ft long and 26.5in wide, with a fine entry and sleek profile. The rocker curve is a consequence of the target volume distribution that achieves the lowest possible wave drag and min- imises wetted surface to give an exception- ally smooth drag curve; this allows the board to accelerate easily to hull speed while delivering exceptional ‘glide’ perfor- mance. It also provides a good planing sur- face for paddling downwind in waves and allows the paddler to minimise wetted surface area by shifting their stance slightly forward. We prioritised the shape to have the desired combination of low wetted surface and wave drag while still having enough shape to the rocker curve to maximise gains when paddling in waves. Unlike many boards, our design main- tains its fullness through to the knuckle so that ‘effective’ waterline length is kept when paddling in chop but not so much that the board will trip over its own bow. We wanted to create shapes where the paddler can change how the board
responds to different conditions by slight shifts in position. The fine entry and addi- tional rocker in the forebody will provide dynamic lift when surfing in waves but will not carry the same wetted surface penalty. The wave-piercing bow is probably the most distinctive feature of the FYD board compared to many of the latest models. A full bow will be ‘excited’ by wave encounters (running into the back face of the wave in front) – this will slow the board, requiring more energy to get up onto the next wave. The wave-piercing bow penetrates the wave in front without being dramatically excited and incurring a big drag penalty. The board then relies on the buoyancy and shape of the rocker curve in the forward sections to lift the bow up before it begins to dig in. This, combined with a subtle peak along the centreline of the deck, allows the bow to quickly shed water and return to the surface. It’s a fine balancing act to get all aspects to work well together.
Hard, almost chine-like rails, are a common feature on many boards. This is one way to maximise stability for the lowest possible wetted surface area, but it does not account for the drag associated with the vortices shed from the corners. Our flow analysis showed that our board’s shape, with much more gradual rails, had a better balance between wetted area, stability and total drag; the rails do harden significantly in the aft portion to enable fast, compact turns at race marks. Fins are a particularly interesting factor
in paddleboard performance. Still more art and marketing than science, the general philosophy is to make a shape that ‘looks cool’, apply a nifty colour scheme, make some outrageous claim about stability or drag and pay for the endorsement of one of the top contenders in the sport. We took a different approach, considering carefully all the functions the fin needs to provide. The final F14 fin features a generous amount of leading-edge sweep to promote weed shedding, with extra sweep at the root for the same reason. A convex trailing edge profile at the tip increases area locally to increase roll stability; a lot of paddle- board fins feature a concave trailing edge near the tip, yet it is counterproductive to add tip area for roll stability and then take it away with a concave trailing edge. The Horizon F14 hollow carbon board is now being manufactured in the UK by carbon specialists Solent Boatworks. The company have been very involved in the development of the prototypes and production build process as a whole. The board has already shown its pace in the UK National SUP Series, winning its division in the 14ft class.
Interest in the board has been substan- tial on both sides of the Atlantic. Nevertheless, the Horizon F14 is still built to order, with a bespoke range of colour finishes to complement the panels of clear coat carbon that highlight the exceptional build quality.
Visit
HorizonSUP.com or
FarrYachtSales.com for more details q
SEAHORSE 53
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