FP vs FP Ultimate: Winglet & Main foil comparison

Photos: Phantom International , click to enlarge – The  ‘FP Ultimate’ was named after an article we posted asking if the Nacra 17 was going to be the “Ultimate” foiler. Initial feedback and videos vs Nacra 17 MKI floating version showed they could foil upwind killing the MKI for good in every aspect. Later we realized that the Nacra 17 MKII foiling version was an excellent flyer downwind but not an effcient one upwind while racing. In fact we are not seeing much use of it as the VMG is not paying at all.

Thus the ‘Ultimate’ label is still vacant for the beachcat foilers. The Nacra F20 FCS & original FP can foil upwind with a better vmg but still far from ideal or matching early lift off on their own downwind modes.

Even the GC32 which uses same system developed by Fischer and trickle down from TNZ Js 3 pt system, cannot foil efficiently upwind while racing. More on the GC32 later with  an interview done by the GC32 Class last year with Fischer.

Going back to beachcats, A-Class with 4pt Z systems are improving upwind foiling but not there yet either on the 100% flying mode.

Photos to the left show the comparison of the ‘FP Ultimate’ vs original FP  winglet and mainfoil. Click to view orig size.

The target for the “FP Ultimate” is to achieve 100% foiling time as reported by Alex Udin on a QA we did back in Dec 2017. This goal is still to be proven, but surely the size, shape and evolution of latest hydrofoil sections might offer a chance to outperform all current foiling racing beachcats.

These foils were designed by D3 Applied Technologies along the FP Ultimate new hulls, which maintain same look & feel but are new hulls wit a lower freeboard and other changes optimized for a 100% flying oriented platform. Remember the the original FP was designed along the Phantom F18 thus they shared same hulls.

One thing is for sure, the “FP Ultimate” will be a pro or seasoned foilers only. Lets see if can live up to its name. We hope it will.