ACS - Adjustable Cutout System
For the people not knowing
how the flaps work:
On the Warp Formula, it is all about performance, independent if you are racing
in light/ strong winds or if you are heavy or light, small or tall.
With the ACS, you have an extra possibility to tune the board in a similar way
as a lot of people are doing with powerboats and motor yachts: adjustable flaps
that change the trimming angle and behaviour of the boat.
This is how it works:
In general, you want the board to fly nicely OVER the water, but in a controlled
way. On the Warp Formula, the area behind the fin was reduced to the MAX, so
that you have as little leverage effect from this area. The leverage effect of
this arera behind the fin is acting normally already like one big flap and is
pushing the nose down. This is bad if you are hitting a small chop.Then you want
the board to fly over it. With the cut-outs and the cutted tail, this effect is
eliminated.
Offcourse when wind is picking up (and speeds), you can get too much lift under
the nose and you don't want any board to tailwalk to much. In this case, a
little leverage effect from the rear to get the nose down again would be nice.
With the Adjustable Cutout System, you can control this leverage effect to suit
the wind/water conditions and your preferred sailingstyle.
A nice example from real life:"moving masttrack forward to gain again control"
If you were getting too overpowered in the past and still wanted to continue
using the same fin and sail, you were forced to move the mast forward.
But moving the mast forward changes the whole geometric set-up (stance,
boomheight, harneslines,...) ! Moving your mast away from your ideal position
will increase control, but also affect your performance in a negative way (more
sticky board, less speed,...)
With the ACS, you can basicly keep the same geometric position and the behaviour
of the board will remain identical and as performant in low or heavy conditions.
The same is valid for heavy vs light weight people. Smaller lighter people need
a different way to control the power, but keep performance. The ACS is helping
them.
I know that the system is not adjustable "without a tool", on the otherhand, you
can store a small screwdriver and the spacers easily in a small backpack or in a
pocket of your rescuevest (you can't do that with another fin or sail).
Adjusting takes only a few seconds. It goes faster then changing a downhaul
setting or changing a fin. On top of this, the exocet ACS is robust and solid (zero
play in the plates) and will have no problem handling sand or salt, also a very
important factor.
As you can see and read, I like the new exocet ACS system a lot and am convident
that the other exocet customers will like it to.
best regards,
Koen Sonck
Exocet Team