Extensive wind tunnel trials have lead to an incomparable level of performance by PROFURL's airfoil extrusions.

Closely spaced luff grooves (patented) orient the foil in line with the luff.Extrusions of the competition with luff grooves space apart mean that performance will be different with each tack.

- Notice the drag is actually grater than the foil's width as it is orientated by the sail.

- Because the grooves are offset the drag would be greater on one tack than on the other.

PROFURL extrusions with offset grooves

- The drag is equal to the actual foil's width E'1, E'2.

- Because the grooves are located together on the foil's centerline, performance is more equal on both tacks thereby maximizing performance.

The turbulence stimulators (patented) minimize the drag for the same section of extrusion, and re-attach the air flow closer to the luff.

The aerodynamic drag of extrusions without turbulence stimulators is significant allowing reattachment of laminar flow only after D minimizing lift.





PROFURL's extrusion with turbulence stimulator: attachment of laminar flow is closer to the foil-maximizing lift and performance.

Weight reduction is vital for the performance of a sailboat. This is especially critical aloft where extrusion weight and swivel weight are most important. PROFURL extrusions are made lighter and at the same time stronger by the use of a special alloy (6106) and by design incorporating longitudinal ribs. Weight reduction in the swivel is primarily the result of using carbon steel bearings encased in machined housings like those used in aeronautics. Weight for weight PROFURL swivels withstand many times the loads that can be handled by other swivels. To optimize strength and weight reduction TITANIUM is used on most models for the halyard tangs and fittings.

FOIL COLUMN RIGIDITY

Optimum torque resistance along the entire foil length and the total absence of play at the junctions avoid any possibility of twist while reefing. This is most important because the shape of even the best made sail would be ruined by a foil column which twists under load.

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