Licencing

Glide Free Design has invented and patented a unique foiling system which solves many of the key issues with rigging, launching, sailing, performance and safety of foiling craft. At the heart of the system is a unique fully articulated foil with a floating pushrod. This system is applicable to both dinghies and multihulls.

The key elements of the Glide Free patent are:

* The lifting foils have no flap, which significantly reduces drag from both the joint and flap

* The entire lifting foil is automatically maintained at its optimum angle of attack, producing lowest possible drag at all times.

* The lifting foil floats freely when the boat is pitched bow down, preventing tripping and pitchpoling.

* If breaching occurs, the entire foil surface acts to lift the boat, significantly reducing a crash, with flow re-attaching quickly.  
* When disengaged, the foils pivot freely in the water, reducing drag in light air and displacement sailing

* With the foils disengaged the boat can be towed safely in displacement mode. 

* There is no need for an adjustable rudder twist grip control.   

* The control system is always in compression, so there is no play or slack in linkages which can adversely affect control 

* The centreboard can be simply raked for & aft to engage and disengage the foil

* The foils can automatically disengage while absorbing impact in case of hitting an object, acting as a safety release.

* As the pushrod is not 'connected', the lifting foil can be easily clipped on & off for easy rigging, launching and storage.

* The clip-on foils enable the vertical centreboard and rudder to be conveniently inserted from above, eliminating the need to tip the boat over to rig and launch

* Retractable foils can be easily launched from a trolley in knee deep water.

* The entire Glide Free foiling system is simple and easy to construct, consisting of just 3 moving parts, being a articulated foil, a wand with cam and pushrod, which can be easily integrated into the centreboard.

* As the weight of the hull provides the backforce to push the wand against the water, no eleastic or control is required.

* The back pressure on the wand is automatically reduced when in displacement mode, further reducing drag from the wand 

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Licences

We are pleased to announce that we have now issued our first licence agreement with Skeeta Foiling Craft to use our patented technology.      

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