The Duotone Daytona 2020 - Rider Review with Jean Guillaume Rivaud and Ariane Imbert

How would you describe the Daytona?

Jean: “I can describe the Daytona in two words: Quality and Performance. If you want a hydrofoil with performance you must have quality, it’s an uncompromisable principle. After lots of testing, I’m very happy with the Daytona’s quality and superb stability. The Duotone team worked hard to find the perfect design, the best materials and the ideal partnership for production. The perfect chain for the end result. The Daytona is our first full carbon hydrofoil and you can really see the power of Duotone in its performance.”

Ariane: “The Daytona is very easy to use, it´s the ultra foil beast. I find it has the same sensations as a high performance racing foil. I can push it and it accelerates without any instability. The upwind performance is fantastic and it gives me so much confidence.”

What do you think about the two piece design and what will people notice about it?

Jean:“This kind of construction and design are the sign of performance. It’s the signature formula for speed that’s directly inspired by the best hydrofoil in the world of America’s Cup yacht racing. We know that each junction and screw is a brake point for the hydrodynamics, that’s why our engineers choose the two piece geometrics and assembly. If everything was possible in this world, the ultimate outcome would be to manufacture a single piece but we’re not quite there yet, plus two pieces make it easier for travelling.”  

Ariane: “The Daytona is a revelation. The two piece design is slick and delivers more in performance because it’s rigid and therefore more stable. It’s easy to build and fine to travel with, just get the good bag. It looks like a work of art, it’s really beautiful.”

What are your thoughts on the materials?

Jean:“We knew that the Daytona would be a full carbon construction, so we had to put a lot of thought into the layup plan and type of carbon we would use. It’s so important to have the best results so it’s a complex process. We found that carbon fibre was the best for this design as it is incredibly light yet super stiff. The finish of the material needed to be perfect, especially the surface where any imperfections can cause ventilation and perturbations.”