Talented young Argentinean designer Nicolas Goldenberg has enjoyed great success with his RG 650 Mini 6.50. He is also not afraid to take on the perhaps more challenging subject of the ‘production’ wing sail and its application

We all know the benefits of wings over conventional sails. This now proven technology is commonplace in speed record designs and C-Class catamarans and has become an unchallenged feature of the modern America’s Cup. At the same time we have also learnt how impractical and expensive these systems are for the everyday sailor. However, during the past two years Advanced Wing Systems have quietly been going about an extensive R&D process to bring the advantages of wing sails into a soft or semi-rigid format that can be used on any boat and by any sailor.

Wing sail vs standard rig
Having experienced the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco, we should now need little convincing that wing sails are more efficient than standard sails in terms of performance. This is because they are able to produce more lift with less accompanying drag, the forces being oriented in such a way that they produce more drive force and less heeling force.

The SRW – the first fully functioning semi-rigid wing
Most wing sail attempts have been based on fitting a standard wing onto an existing boat or mimicking what we conventionally think of as a wing.

These attempts have not been particularly successful; mostly they are far from user-friendly, expensive and not suited for everyday boating. The SRW has reinvented the wing concept in a more pragmatic way – light, user-friendly, affordable and applicable to almost any boat.