Aluula? New Revolutionary Material from Ocean Rodeo

[Bille]

I think the issue with cuben has always been the lamination of different materials. Surely the solution is to just weave the materials together like normal fabric. I mean by laminating things together you are not just trying to use a new material but reinvent fabric. Reinvent a proven 1000's year old technology, like trying to reinvent the wheel.

I'm, (thinking) they went for the laminating , because the fibers can stay
aligned in a straight line better ; if so then ya get a 30% increase in
strength, over a fiber that's bin woven ??

Biggest problem with laminating stuff is if the glue
breaks down , the product will fail ; and like "foilholio" mentioned
it's not as likely to happen when stuff is woven together !
Watched that happen when Hang gliders went for the laminated
Technora sails , and they were stiffer (for a year or two) until the
expensive sail needed replacing ; but the woven Dacron just kept
its integrity for sometimes Decades, before it went By-By.

A great example is my Rigid-wing HG , which was made in 1997 ; the
thing still flies GREAT , and the Dacron woven sail looks like it
could last another 10-years !!!

Bille

[jumptheshark]

You haven't heard a single claim from me. I haven't made any with respect to Aluula. I haven't even touched the stuff.

I've made comment on other people's guess work and dismissals.

I can't wait to actually see the stuff role out and absolutely want to try it, but am simply excited to see evolution in materials in kiting and the implications it has for further design development.

Of course there will be a degree of hype and promotion, and along with that will come everything from graphene fantasies to thumbed noses.

Think you'll find my commentary, cautiously optimistic.

[Greenturtle]

Ocean Rodeo easily have some of the most understated marketing in the business. Their past and current marketing videos (if even any!) often do not include commentary at all, and if it does its always even keeled.
I think the lightweight aluula material is a totally awesome concept, and say bring it on, light as possible, yay yay yay, and then some. Also make the 21m Flite, at least two of them, one for toby and one for me.

Now on the skeptical side, there is one commenter on the nwkite forum that said something about valves... sticking or not sticking to the new bladder material (for f@ks sake OR make sure they never ever come off!) and also about potential difficulties repairing pinholes etc in said bladder material. Obviously this a comment from who knows who and for what motive who knows.

[ap888]

It says it's lighter then most single strut kites but still say it's Dacron not Aluula wtf ?

[Greenturtle]

Thats the description of the standard model, lightened up for 2020, and if they are built like my gen 4&5 flites they are indeed a tad lighter than lf solo, mono, boxer perhaps (thus “most”)

[Toby]

What I wish for is a kite that gives me the power of my 18 in 20-25 knots, but for 15-20 knots... Like a big foil kite delivers...the lift and hangtime...
Because for the tricks I need to do nowadays I need power...an 18 can't give me in the lighter wind.

Also the option to trim it faster or slower...

I am actually thinking of bringing my old Rhino 2 20 back to life if I don't find solutions...

[ap888]

Guess they are making normal construction and aluula black series ?

[iriejohn]

It says it's lighter then most single strut kites but still say it's Dacron not Aluula wtf ?

That's the current production kite, not the future Aluula kite.

For the future Aluula kite follow the "Black" link.

[foilholio]

What I wish for is a kite that gives me the power of my 18 in 20-25 knots, but for 15-20 knots... Like a big foil kite delivers...

You answered your own question. A 21m especially race type foil like Sonic will do what you want. I am sure too if you wanted more power Flysurfer would mail you free a one off of any size you wanted, 25m?. The Rhino 20m is not even as good as a 15m foil for lift and hang.

I'm, (thinking) they went for the laminating , because the fibers can stay
aligned in a straight line better ; if so then ya get a 30% increase in
strength, over a fiber that's bin woven ??

For certain woven will reduce strength but I would be surprised at that much. With fibers that are much weaker to bending ,like fiberglass and carbon, are where weave is more important.

[Pierrot]

I tested the « Roam 10m black » this afternoon on my Hydrofoil (ketos pocket board 107 and front wing « wave xl »).
I first spent 90mn with my Neo 10m and then 90mn on the Roam aluula. Wind was about 12knt average but more 7 to 15knt. On a lake.
I must say some of the marketing claims are true and I had a blast!
- not sure about power given how up-and-down the wind was. It did feel as powerful as my Neo.
- stability in gust and lulls is unbelievable. At some point wind was too low to waterstart and pretty sure I would not have been able to keep my Neo in the air. With the aluula kite it was no problem. And it absorbs gusts extremely well with zero « deformation » of the kite...
- drift is also excellent, way better than with the Neo in that wind range.
- but the most impressive part is the responsiveness and turning speed. It does move like my neo 7 To the point that when doing downloop transitions you have to slow down the loop to get enough power! I loved it!

That being said, I think Ocean Rodeo is doing the right thing not rushing to production. I was checking some of the Flite Aluula on the ground and the Aluula leading edge had « scratches » all over. Same type of « scratches » you can have on carbon board if you are not careful... it looks superficial but you wonder how the material is going to hold after months of abuse.

Anyway i’m really looking forward to see how this material is going to impact kite design in the future.