2023-05-26 07:00:00
Together with Porsche Engineering, Sebastian Steudtner, the current world record holder in big wave surfing with a wave height of 26.21 meters, has scientifically analyzed and optimized his surfboard over the past two years. With the “Caçador RS” he wants to hianus even higher.
The idea of the cooperation was to transfer experience from vehicle development to surfing. With the help of the latest simulation methods and wind tunnel validation, the behavior of the surfboard in the water (hydrodynamics) and the aerodynamics of the board and surfer were improved – each with the aim of reducing water and air resistance. So Steudtner should reach higher speeds on the Caçador RS. 70 to 80 km/h are currently possible. The higher speed is necessary to be able to ride bigger waves – because the higher a wave is, the faster the surfer has to be so that it doesn’t roll over him.
Through optimizations, the air resistance has been significantly reduced. This means that speeds of potentially around 100 km/h are now possible. “To reduce air resistance and stabilize the board, patented attachments – so-called Aero Edges – were attached to both the nose and the tail of the surfboard,” explains Marcus Schmelz, project manager at Porsche Engineering. “We know this principle from cars: here, too, so-called tear-off edges are defined, for example with the help of spoilers. This reduces air turbulence, the vehicle becomes more stable at high speeds and also more streamlined.”
Aerodynamic tests in the Porsche wind tunnel revealed – in addition to the design adjustments – further potential for optimization: A changed posture when surfing and optimized equipment also lead to significantly lower air resistance.
The name of Steudtner’s new sports machine is a combination of the Portuguese word “Caçador” (hunter) and the typical Porsche abbreviation “RS”, which is given for particularly sporty models.
The next joint project is already in the works. With the help of a measuring drone, the height of waves will be determined quickly and precisely in the future. Currently, only videos and still images are analyzed for the measurements. The current prototype from Porsche Engineering is equipped with cameras, control and storage units. In addition, sensors are used that support modern driver assistance systems in vehicle development. The device measures all areas of the wave and the surfer within a radius of around 100 meters. The first reliable data should be collected from autumn this year, when the next big wave season begins in Nazaré, Portugal. (awm)
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