How do you come up with the idea of building an inflatable sail? Brand Manager Raoul Joa: The NKB guys (editor: North Kiteboarding), Uli (editor: North Sails hardware engineer) and I already had the desire for an inflatable "propulsion unit", especially for SUP boards, five years ago. The NKB guys experimented with both a special kite and an inflatable windwing vehicle. Neither approach worked properly in combination with a SUP and required very good coordination skills. As I had a product in mind for everyone, Uli and I wanted to create a windsurf-like/similar product right from the start. As it turned out after feedback from the industry, Naish, Severne and Dan Kassler were also working on similar ideas. Inflating a mast is easy - but we all failed because of the boom or its connection to the mast. That's why Uli and I initially put this project on ice for about three years.
It wasn't until Uli kept bugging me during a trip to the World Cup in Alaçati until I got carried away and had a brainstorming session with him in the hotel room (because we actually had a full programme of North products that were in the development phase at the time). During this conversation, I suddenly said, exasperated: "Let's just stop thinking like windsurfers. Why does the boom have to consist of two elements (handlebars)? And why does the sail profile have to be completely continuous from top to bottom? Let's "cut" the sail in half instead - one surface below the boom and the other surface above the boom." And that was finally the breakthrough. After the trip, I had a meeting with our CEO Till Eberle, who is also responsible for NKB. After half an hour, he was convinced by the basic idea, but only said pitifully "have fun with the technical realisation". This was followed by a phone call between Till and Ralf Grösel, NKB's designer. Two weeks later we had the first prototype and things took off, especially after the first use, where Alex Hasch (Marketing Manager at North Sails) and I had our eyes popping out - because the result exceeded even our wildest expectations.
How would you describe the area of application and target group? Just like the entire product, the area of application can be described very simply: Everything in non-gliding - that is:
1.People who want to use their SUP board even in a light breeze, because the SUP fun stops quite quickly as soon as there is a wind force - and that often happens - and above all want to experience a new dimension of fun and thrill on their SUP board. As a testimonial, we had 20 people try out the iRig on a large Fanatic iSUP in typical beginner conditions, i.e. 0.5 to 1.5 wind force and zero chop, none of whom had ever tried windsurfing before. Half of them had never even stood on a SUP board. The result sounds incredible, but to this day, none of the test subjects have ever flown into the water.
2.Beginner training, because nowadays people always want "instant success/thrill" in everything they do. A classic windsurfing rig may give you that indescribable feeling of "being moved by yourself". Unfortunately, however, this is associated with extreme physical effort and frustration (due to falling in several times). The iRig solves exactly these two problems. Quite simply because of its sensationally low weight of 1.5 kilos compared to the minimum 7 to 8 kilos of a traditional rig.
3. Stand-up sailing conditions even for "real" planing windsurfers. The simple formula for success "how much effort brings how much thrill" also applies here. When is windsurfing the most strenuous? When I'm not planing, because then I have to hold and balance the entire weight of the rig with my hands. When planing, on the other hand, the rig "floats" due to the wind pressure and I only have to lean against it, possibly even in a harness. That's why there are many planing windsurfers who don't want to go out on the water in non-planing conditions - myself included. With the iRig, however, the situation is suddenly reversed, because the 70 to 80 per cent lower weight also reduces the effort factor by at least 70 per cent. And all this with the same thrill. Because is there anything more awesome than the feeling of windsurfing? I don't think any windsurfer will deny that.
Some disadvantages seem unavoidable, don't they? The fork height is not adjustable, it has no slats, no grip on the boom possible. These are typical questions for a planing or performance windsurfer. The iRig deliberately breaks away from this way of thinking.
We offer three different sizes. In contrast to a traditional rig, only the body size determines which sail size I need, because the sail sizes have different boom/bladder heights. Of course, the height is then theoretically only really perfect for one body size. But what is the perfect boom height? If you ask three people, you'll get four answers, from chest to forehead height. And that's exactly the range we used when we defined the fork/bladder heights of the individual sail sizes.
No slats? Why do you need slats when you're not gliding? It only adds unnecessary weight.
No need to reach round the boom? Why, it works wonderfully. Because the iRig has two or three holding loops on both sides of the fork bladder, as well as two holding loops on the mast bladder, one of which is attached at the height of the fork bladder. This makes it easy to change your grip during the manoeuvre.
And there are a few more interesting questions - from windsurfers:
Why is there no starting sheet, but two loops on the mast bladder? Quite simply because it's easier and more intuitive. And because the sensational weight means you don't need a starting sheet. You don't have to use your body as a lever to lift the rig out of the water - as with a traditional rig.
Why is there no handlebar but "only" straps on the fork bladder? Quite simply, simplicity and foolproofness are the secret of success. That's why it is deliberately completely detached from traditional windsurfing rigs.
How much does the rig cost and where can I get it? The price is not yet fixed. However, we are planning a price starting at 379 euros for the size S. The iRig will be sold through windsurfing and SUP shops as well as sports retailers.
Manuel Vogel
Editor surf