I believe this post will be helpful for Moses riders, especially for those planning to buy Silente.
I'm opening it in a separate topic as it would be hard to find it in the main Moses topic in future:
viewtopic.php?f=196&t=2388923
Moses makes three front wings and a back stabilizer. All of them can be rigged on the Silente mast. Such variety gives 3 rigging options to choose. Which one would you choose ?
Hope my findings will help you to decide. I tested these wings in various conditions riding them for about a week with Silente mast, T20 or Bracuru Race boards and Cabrinha Velocity 7 or 10 m. My weight is 78kg, height 175, skills – advanced (strapless, racing, jumping). So far I tested around a dozen of various foils.
This is the family of three Silente front wings:
FR450 – learning wing; max span 453mm; center line length 256mm, aspect ratio 2,7.
FR425 – pure freeride wing; max span 424mm; center line length 244mm, aspect ratio 2,7.
HP485 – high performance wing; max span 485mm; center line length 218mm, aspect ratio 4,9.
Stabilizer MST270 (back wing) - max span 270mm, center line length 126; aspect ratio 3,3.
Before the test results please remember that:
- all Silente foils do not sink. Once detached from any reason they float on the surface. I think this fact is important, especially for the learners.
- Silente mast is made with fuselage in one piece. Disadvantage – not so easy for travelling like any detachable fuselage. Advantage – solid stiffness of the foil.
Let’s grill the big mama first - FR450
From official website:
Similar to FR425, the Front Wing FR450 is the solution for people that want more lift from their Silente Hydrofoil. It is especially designed for free ride use: the shape helps in stability and easy riding; the wing gives lift even at low speed. Perfect use for beginners and upwind conditions.
FR450 pros:
1. It requires really small speed to keep foiling (probably speed of 5kts will do).
2. Must be one of the easiest wings on the market for learning. Why?
You may be surprised - because it is slow. An experienced rider will feel it too sluggish.
On the other hand, slow means more forgiving, more time to react, easier to control – something required by beginners. Imagine that your learning wing wants to accelerate above 30kts on your first downwind legs. That’s horrifying for all learners.
It’s rather difficult to accelerate on it above 20kts.
My average speeds on a choppy and wavy Baltic waters (using 7 and 10m kites) were:
- upwind – 12-13kts
- downwind – 15-17kts
- on the reach 15-19kts.
When you compare it with other Moses wings the real speed’s differences are not so visible. However dramatic difference is in feeling of the speed among them. FR450 feels like driving a heavy duty van while HP485 like a sport car.
3. Upwind angles: max 53 degrees; average 57 degrees – not bad for such a fat lady with low AR.
4. Downwind angles: max 145 degrees; average 140 degrees – more than I was expecting.
5. Solid construction – it’s not so sensitive for impacts like most of high AR carbon foils. Note that its short span minimizes the risk of bottom impact. If damaged – easy to repair.
FR450 cons:
1. Drag – you can clearly feel it and even hear it.
2. It requires the same speed to lift as FR425. I was expecting that it will begin to foil visible earlier than other wings. I was wrong.
3. Not for racing!
4. Stability is fine but do not expect the same stability as high AR foils.
5. Learning air jibes and tacks – not so easy as high AR foils.
My summary:
This is a very specialized wing dedicated only for the first steps learners or heavy riders above 100kg who wants to foil below 10kts too. This wing will become boring and too slow once you reach the advanced level. I will recommend it as well to all beginners who can sale this wing later or to keep it as a spare one with FR425 or HP485 or want to teach somebody else on their own foil in future.
If you are heavy rider and want to ride in winds above 10kts go for FR425 directly.
Not sure how it behaves in waves. Its slow speed and drag may be handy.
The best board choice – FR450 will like any big & fat board – T40 or bigger.
However I haven’t tested it with a strapless wave board. Will share later.
The surface area of big mama is around 20% bigger than FR425.
Mercedes-Benz cars’ analogy: Vito Furgon with 65kW diesel engine.
Now about bestseller FR425.
From official website:
The Front Wing FR425 is the best solution for Silente Hydrofoil. It is especially designed for free ride use: the shape helps in stability and easy riding; the wing gives lift even at low speed. Perfect use for beginners and upwind conditions.
FR425 pros:
1. An ultimate freeride wing which will work in various conditions for all riders.
2. Perfect for strapless boards – turns really tight, well balanced, foils at really slow speeds.
3. Perfect for waves – if you are an ocean rider then you will love riding the swell or even play in the breaking zone. For me it is the best wave wing I’ve tested.
4. Solid construction – more impact resistant than the most of carbon foils. The short span minimizes the risk of bottom impact. If damaged – easy to repair.
5. Speed. It creates feeling of fast speed despite of that, it is still a slow wing (same weather conditions as for FR450):
- upwind – 14-15kts
- downwind – 16-19kts
- on the reach 17-21kts.
6. Upwind angles: max 53 degrees; average 56 degrees – the same as FR450
7. Downwind angles: max 150 degrees; average 145 degrees – a bit better than FR450
FR425 cons:
1. Not for racing.
2. Not so easy for air jibes and tacks as high AR foils.
3. Otherwise hard to find anything wrong for any freeride rider.
My summary:
This is very comfortable, easy to learn, pure freeride wing. Love it with strapless board and playing in waves. I would say: the best all-in-one known to me. Freefun toy!
If you are about fun of foilboarding this is a good one which will serve you in all conditions and for long time. I would recommend it for beginners, intermediate and advanced riders.
The best board choice – any board. T20 & T40 would work well. Any adopted wave board or Twintip will do good too.
Mercedes-Benz cars’ analogy: Class C with diesel 85kW.
The last one on the test - HP485.
This wing has much higher AR – around 5.
From official website:
The High Performance Front Wing HP485 is the solution that best fit Silente Hydrofoil and speed request. This wing has littler chord for reduce drag, higher span length for the right lift force. The result is an higher Aspect Ratio that improve hydrodynamic efficiency, without any loss of stability.
HP485 pros:
1. An unique freeride wing with some aspects of freerace. It will work in various conditions for all intermediate and above riders.
2. Still good for strapless boards but the best with bigger boards with straps.
3. Construction looks solid but cannot say too much – just a week of riding.
4. Speeds:
- upwind – 14-16kts
- downwind – 17-20kts
- on the reach 20-22kts.
5. Upwind angles: max 50 degrees; average 53 degrees.
6. Downwind angles: max 150 degrees; average 145 degrees – the same as FR425.
7. Stability better than FR wings.
HP485 cons:
1. Still not for racing despite impression of high speed foil.
2. Not so easy for air jibes and tacks as high AR foils.
3. Otherwise hard to find anything wrong about this wing for a freeride/freerace rider.
My summary:
This wing gives very smooth ride and feeling of high speed despite it is not a speed monster.
I highly recommend it to all Silente riders as a second wing.
The best board choice would be T20, T40 and bigger boards with straps.
Mercedes-Benz cars’ analogy: SLK automatic.
One more thing - if you are going to buy Moses Silente I would recommend to purchase one of the FR wings plus HP485 at once. Why?
Because you will have a spare wing and you will be able to match Silente to various conditions, boards, riding styles and your mood
Moses HF prepares new toy for the racers. It will be probably called VoRace 2. Sticking to car’s analogy I hope it will be Mercedes Formula 1. Don’t know too much about it – difficult to predict if it’s going to be:
http://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/car/f1-w06-hybrid/
or any of the earlier versions
The latest news: Moses is going to release new stabilizer for the high performance front wing very soon. It will be HP stabilizer 320mm with the aspect ratio 4,7.
Official info:
High Performance wing needs the proper stabilizer that supplies the stability and control at higher speed. This is the aim of the Stabilizer 320mm: this rear wing keeps the high stability of Silente, with a reduction of drag that improves the efficiency of the whole hydrofoil.
I will do another tests once I got it.
Good winds and enjoy great fun of foilboarding!