The development of foiling sailboats does not seem to be halted. The Swiss Alinghi sailors Nils Frei and Yves Detrey have now presented a new type of "aircraft" which is intended to revolutionize conventional wing systems again. At the center of the avant-garde technology is a swiveling T-shaped wing, a so-called canting T-foil. That sounds just as exciting as it is.
The first tests on Lake Geneva were very promising. The Swiss Nils Frei, co-initiator of the Syra-18 project, reports: "Everything works as planned. With the first hit, we brought the boat into foiling very easily and already managed well over 25 knots of speed. But that’s just about to happen the beginning." After the proof of function, the innovative duo Frei / Detrey are now concerned with fine-tuning as well as improvements and adjustments in detail.
Syr18 Foiler
The Syra-18-Foiler "flies" on a central T-Foil, just like the flyweights of the booming Moth class. Only with the Syr, the wing can be swiveled to the side by up to 45 degrees, like with a modern tilting keel. With this, the Swiss want to direct a lift component from the foil to windward and thus counteract the lateral drift on the wind. The Moth sailors basically pursue the same goal by pulling their boats strongly to windward at the cross. Because the center of lift shifts when the wing is swiveled out, the foil generates an additional righting moment in leeward direction. Triple advantage for the Syra system: more pressure, more speed and less course offset.
Photo gallery: Syr18, the photos from the first test flights
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holmi! Syr18 Foiler -
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holmi! Syr18 Foiler -
holmi! Syr18 Foiler
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In addition, the Syra-18-Foiler has a completely new hull shape. In the front area, the device is built like an ultra-flat monohull; to the rear, on the other hand, the underside of the fuselage is extremely strongly concave. This leaves two part hulls aft, like a catamaran. This allows two rudders to be attached at the rear, which, also equipped with movable wings, act as so-called elevators. These can be set so that they work in opposite directions. That means: the elevator on the windward side pulls down, the one on the leeward side pushes up. This increases flight stability and further increases the righting moment.
The shape of the hull offers even more advantages. In contrast to a moth, the Syra-Foiler can be brought into the water like a normal dinghy and still swims upright without moving. The central T-Foil and the rudders can be pulled up for in and out.
Photo gallery: Syr18, the technology
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holmi! Syr18 Foiler -
holmi! Syr18 Foiler -
holmi! Syr18 Foiler -
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holmi! Syr18 Foiler -
holmi! Syr18 Foiler -
holmi! Syr18 Foiler -
holmi! Syr18 Foiler
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The Syra-18-Foiler is sailed by two people with a trapeze. The outriggers for this can easily be removed, which saves space in the dinghy park and also enables easy transport on a trailer. The components of the prototype, which weighs only 135 kilograms, were built entirely from carbon fiber by various suppliers. Now Nils Frei and Yves Detrey are looking for a manufacturer who can produce the Syra-18-Foiler completely in series. The first negotiations are apparently already underway. Once the test phase has been completed, production should start soon. However, there has not yet been an initial asking price.
Click here for the project website
| constructor | VMG Design / N. Frei / Y. Detrey |
| constructor | VMG Design / N. Frei / Y. Detrey |
| Lü (fuselage length) | 5.48 m |
| Width (with boom) | 3.70 m |
| Width (without boom) | 2.20 m |
| Mast height | 9.60 m |
| Weight (ready to sail) | 135 kg |
| Sail area | 28.60 sqm |