Parasail Mini

The Assignment

Small is not necessarily trivial.
“Is it possible to scale the action principle of ISTEC’s Parasail down to model proportions?” This was the question model enthusiast Thaddäus Lampe had for RGD™. Out of this simple question developed the project “Parasail Mini,” assigned by ISTEC AG. The goal was to bring the sail-wing action principle of the parasail to a miniature size, and thereby meet the demands of the model market. Both the weight of the sail and the system complexity had to be reduced to a minimum.

The Challenge

In order for the operation of the spinnaker to be maintained in the model scale, the Parasail Mini had to span the gap between function and minimal weight. For normal spinnakers with a surface area of 200 m², the average weight comes to 45 grams / m². Even the lightest sail materials with a weight of 27 grams / m² are still too heavy for a 1.5 m² miniature spinnaker. Therefore, it was necessary to rework the entire structure of the Parasail Mini. The weight could not exceed that of a comparable model spinnaker.

The Execution

“Reduction of the design complexity” was henceforth the leading principle of this model construction. The patented action principle of the Parasail had to function without complex structures. On the original Parasial, lines and reinforcements were used to accomplish the interaction between the wing and the body of the sail. Since this construction would unnecessarily increase the weight of the sail and would present an insurmountable hindrance to the realization of a miniature model, RGD™ developed a self-carrying wing membrane that functioned without additional reinforcements. RGD™ applied a wing-hole design that couldn’t be more minimalistic. The body of the sail was glued. Only a few wing panels were specially sewn, both to ensure the form of the profile through the stiffness of the seams, and also to allow for proper spanning of the miniature wing.

Project Details

The Parasail Mini is an example for how persuasive simplicity can be. Through the lightest materials and custom production techniques, the Parasail Mini doesn’t take a back seat to the original Parasail in any regard. Model sailors are ecstatic about this novelty in the sport of sailing.