Tell Me About It: Harlem Launch
There’s a new twintip that’s just, ahem, launched at Harlem Kitesurfing… the Launch. Designed by Aaron Hadlow and Ralf Groesel, we got the lowdown from Aaron.
Photos Andy Troy
THEKITEMAG ISSUE #60
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There’s a new twintip that’s just, ahem, launched at Harlem Kitesurfing… the Launch. Designed by Aaron Hadlow and Ralf Groesel, we got the lowdown from Aaron.
Photos Andy Troy
What sort of riding style have you designed the Launch for?
The Launch is an all-round freeride board designed for all levels, from staying upwind all the way to first kiteloops and more advanced tricks. With such a new product lineup, we needed to compliment the kites with the perfect boards. We believe the complete package is key to maximizing your sessions, so this is what we are creating.
Talk us through the Launch’s shape and how this affects its performance.
The board features a shallow single concave for some extra grip but most of the performance comes from the outline combined with the flex and rocker-line. We wanted the board to be affordable so we have kept it relatively simple in terms of channels and 3D elements, but it is amazing what you can achieve by changing other parameters.
Our aim was to create a board that was comfortable to ride, which means smooth through chop, without water splashing up and into your vision. It had to be easy to ride and jump, with fast planing and good grip during take-off. It also had to be able to take solid landings for more advanced riding. We achieved this by making the board stiff between the straps but with flexible tips, as well as working on the outline and rocker combination for best upwind ability and riding speed. All this combined makes the Launch easy to control, take off and land, especially in combination with the Thrive kite.
What construction have you gone for?
The construction of the board is a CNC’ed wood core with glass fiber. First we worked on the correct thickness and taper on the core and then worked on the layup of glass fiber to get what we were looking for. The boards are produced in Europe.
What sizes is the Launch available in and do the different sizes differ at all?
We have three sizes – 135×41, 138×41.5 and 141×42 – with three stance options on each. Something a bit unique about the Launch is that we worked on each size independently. We did the majority of the work on the most common size and my favorite size, the 138. From there we realized that usually the 135 would be ridden by smaller, lighter riders. So, we made this board with a bit more flex and a relatively smaller stance across the three stance options. For the 141, usually it would be ridden by a heavier rider but not always necessarily a taller one, so we made the board more stiff but kept the stance the same as on the 138.
And what pads and straps can riders use with the Launch?
We have a completely new pad and strap set launching with the board. We think the ‘Sneaker’ pads and straps will rival some of the best, most comfortable options on the market. I am really happy with them. Straps and pads make a huge difference to your riding experience so it was essential to get them right before launching a new board range.
Who has been involved in the design and testing of the Launch?
Myself and Ralf Groesel have been working on it. We think the board is a key tool to get the most performance out of the kites, so having the same kite designer and test team working on the kites and boards allows us to match the style and really create a complete package that compliments each other..
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