Video of the week

NS14 / Icon bows ?

Well they are different but of a broadly similar style - and not dissimilar to MR or N12 in many respects - Can't speak about the NS in great detail now as we are now into the Icon derivative but neither in my experience are particularly prone to 'mining' unless you actively try to do it.  At 14'8" on the waterline Icon is also longer and has more volume buoyancy in front of the mast - we have only partially managed it once when dogs were being parted from chains and N12's were being dismasted - even then it was one quick mainsheet pump to get it back so not a real problem imho.

Long, gradually flaring bows, are low drag and easily driven - so if you can do it why not ?   Best to keep it long , light,  and fast of course if you do go that way.  Keep the bow light, the C o E reasonably low and it will be far far less likely to drive down. 

We've got no similar video yet but that will be addressed in due course but the acceleration and speed of Icon is very similar in breeze.   It is just anecdotal as yet but we seen to be Phantom speed in the light stuff, maybe a tad faster, and Blaze speed when it blows - well we think that is a reasonable enough start anyway.  We can outpoint both most of the time uphill and the suggested handicap (1020 to start) seems OK but then we would say that .....  the limited results numbers available do however seem to agree. 

Are there any faster production 2 sail hikers out there ?  Not that many is our view .... 

Mike L.

Menace

Thanks for the feedback -   Once you see NS's doing it like that you can maybe understand why we did base so much of the Icon derivative on these sort of forms.  The bonus is that they are also so fast in the light stuff and on flat water as well - very important for many owners.

Icon is different - centreboard  in place of dagger and carbon skinny stick rig instead of rotating wing section.  Not 'better' necessarily but different.  Both are easily driven all round performers and both are lightweight  of course.

 The NS's are great and the only thing WE could recomment to them off Icon is to experiment with 'dangle' jib sticks.  The main benefit is NOT just dead-running - the much greater advantage is just about every angle from deep running  to fetching - a sort of infinate barber hauler.  The additional drag is easily out-balanced by the extra drive almost always available  ovewr a wide range of angles - might be tough to figure out with a rotating mast but I'm sure it could be done.   

Mike L.

PS - I'm sure Peaky will keep the NS stuff coming at least until we have some decent Icon breezy filming done ....
   


Edited by blaze720 - 04 Apr 11 at 2:51pm

what camera is it Al?

Originally posted by winging it what camera is it Al?

Oregon Scientific ATC9K