Ullman Osprey Wing

It’s been a pretty exciting month at Ullman Windsports, as they share with us the news on the Osprey Wing: 

The key focus of the Osprey is to have a Wing that is easy to handle. With its stiff frame providing a stable platform, the power delivery is excellent when pumping with the Wing. By finely tuning the leading edge diameter specifically for each size Wing allows for rapid lift and acceleration which raises you up onto the foil sooner.

The key focus with the Osprey is to have a Wing that is easy to handle to excel in downwinds and waves riding.

The Osprey has a stiff frame providing a stable platform. As a result the power delivery is excellent when pumping with the Wing. The rapid lift and acceleration lifts you up onto the foil sooner. This has been achieved by finely tuning the leading edge diameter specifically for each size.

The medium aspect ratio and rounded wingtips keep the wing out of the water and in the air, while giving a light flying sensation.

The multiple handles offer intuitive hand placement on any tack. The positioning of the handles was carefully studied to pinpoint the perfect position. The handles themselves are built out of a UHMWPE cover with soft internal cushioning. The Handles are carefully placed and sized for easy transitions.

Harness loops have been incorporated on the handles for those wishing to use a harness. A handle on the leading edge offers easy handling if the wing becomes inverted, or for holding the wing in a wind neutral position.

The Dihedral angle has been further refined to give a better airflow and canopy tension. This results in a much tighter canopy profile.

Geometry:

The development team has spent a large amount of time on the geometry of the leading edge and the canopy. The result is a combination of tension and variable angles across the leading edge allowing  to construct a stable profile in all wind conditions.

The V-shape is relatively reduced in the first two segments to give better tension which then gets smoothed out to the sides, making the wing agile and stable. This stability comes to the forefront when flagging the wing and is a crucial control factor.

The leading edge diameter is adjusted per segment and per size to a specific diameter. The Osprey enjoys a new split strut construction. The seam is placed on the apex of the leading edge fairing out towards the tips. The inside of the seam is reinforced a UHMWPE  yarn. This increases the durability and supports the geometry of the wing.

The Osprey also enjoys a specific leading-edge construction which takes the specific textile expansion and stresses of a wing into consideration. This reduces the chance of a leading-edge blow out as the seams are supported with enough material not to damage the textile. We recommend that you inflate all our wings to 8 PSI.  This pressure reduces the negative flex of the wing which reduces the panel to collapse. The direct result is a crisp and fast power delivery when pumping and maintaining control when overpowered.

Windows:

Large Windows provide an optimal view of your surroundings. The Windows are cut into the profile and improve the safety while on the water.

Struts and Handles: 

The handle is really the cockpit from where your input directly affects the wing flight.

The brief was to make this as comfortable and user friendly as possible. To keep you in flight-mode as long and as comfortable as possible by reducing hand and arm fatigue over time. There is a lot of energy transfer happening here so the aim was to cushion your hands and wrists.

The development team worked through countless samples to come up with the right-hand placements, the right grip texture, the right density and the ideal width and stiffness while keeping weight to an absolute minimum. The obtained cushion effect achieves this, making the Osprey the most comfortable wing currently on the market whilst offering a smoother ride.

The intuitive hand placements make those transitions easier while the cushion effect keeps you on the water for longer due to less hand and arm fatigue. The mini Y handle controls the yaw when picking the wing up form the water. The Y is also key for beginners riding in downwind because when holding the Y handle you get a little more active input into the wing. This is particularly helpful in tough conditions or for newbies.

Find out more about the Ullman Osprey wing here.