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Forums > Windsurfing General

8m - light sail to easy lift with lot of power

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Created by scuka > 9 months ago, 21 Feb 2011
scuka
10 posts
21 Feb 2011 3:37PM
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I am buying bigger sail to get planning earlier and I need some advice.

I have 65 kg, sailing with harnes but not footstraps and waterstart yet.
My current gear is Starboard go 140 liters, ARROWS craze 6,5 m

For now i am narrow my list to:
naish Rally 7,9 m 4,48 Kg
severne focus 7,5m 3,91 KG
severne GATOR 8m
severne NCX PRO 8 m 4,56 kg
severne CONVERT 8,5 m 494 220 cm 4,8 kg

I am looking for lightest sail to easy lift with lot of power to get fast planing (doing tricks is not interest for me).

Please advice me wich sail fill fit my needs.

Thanks

DrJ
ACT, 481 posts
21 Feb 2011 7:05PM
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At 65 kg I can't imagine why you want a 8m sail, there is no reason you should not be able to crack it on 6.5m and 15 knots. A bigger sail won't necessarily help you at this stage.

Save your money for when you have totally cracked it then by a 5.4m for the bigger days

scuka
10 posts
21 Feb 2011 4:24PM
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Unfortunately I have only the possibility of surfing the summer holidays (14 days).

So I want to increase the number of days to get planning not just cruising.

sideskirt
328 posts
21 Feb 2011 4:51PM
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7.5 at most imo

Waiting4wind
NSW, 1871 posts
21 Feb 2011 8:05PM
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DrJ said...

At 65 kg I can't imagine why you want a 8m sail, there is no reason you should not be able to crack it on 6.5m and 15 knots. A bigger sail won't necessarily help you at this stage.

Save your money for when you have totally cracked it then by a 5.4m for the bigger days


As he said. Invest your time and money in improving your technique. If you're not in the straps yet then your not exploiting the full capability of you existing gear and you probably won't benefit from a bigger sail. With your weight and 140L board you could be planning at 12 knots with good technique.

confused
NSW, 175 posts
21 Feb 2011 8:07PM
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Hi mate, I'm sure I shouldn't be posting this but I randomly ended up buying a Neil Pryde Excess 7.4 as part of a set of kit at the weekend. Its never been used and I'd be up for letting you have it at a very good price to get you going with bigger kit. Sure that would be big enough.

PM me if interested.

flipper4444
VIC, 1214 posts
21 Feb 2011 8:11PM
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yes sails

sideskirt
328 posts
21 Feb 2011 5:22PM
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confused said...



Hi mate, I'm sure I shouldn't be posting this but I randomly ended up buying a Neil Pryde Excess 7.4 as part of a set of kit at the weekend. Its never been used and I'd be up for letting you have it at a very good price to get you going with bigger kit. Sure that would be big enough.

PM me if interested.



I think he'd be better off buying a new sail, than paying freight service from Australia to Austria :)

Mobydisc
NSW, 9029 posts
21 Feb 2011 8:24PM
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Yeah but it sounds like he doesn't have that great technique so will benefit from a bigger sail. For what its worth I have a Loft 02 7.4m and find it to be pretty good. A big sail is handy as the wind is rarely consistent and there are many places where the wind is quite gusty so a bigger sail helps you get through the lulls. There is a fair chance the wind in Austria isn't that consistent.

Having a 140 liter board he would benefit from having a sail around the 8 meter size.

Here is a vid of me sailing on my Tabou 140 and 7.4m sail.



sideskirt
328 posts
21 Feb 2011 5:29PM
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I have a Naish stealth 7.6 and selling it to buy 7.0 freestyle sail, the 7.6 with 4 cams is not my thing and my board can't carry a 7.6...to compare I got 79kg and I use mostly 5.3m sail...

confused
NSW, 175 posts
21 Feb 2011 9:06PM
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sideskirt said...

confused said...



Hi mate, I'm sure I shouldn't be posting this but I randomly ended up buying a Neil Pryde Excess 7.4 as part of a set of kit at the weekend. Its never been used and I'd be up for letting you have it at a very good price to get you going with bigger kit. Sure that would be big enough.

PM me if interested.



I think he'd be better off buying a new sail, than paying freight service from Australia to Austria :)



I think you might be right, if only I could read Austria and not see Australia! There goes my attempt at a good deed for the day.

Windxtasy
WA, 4015 posts
21 Feb 2011 6:53PM
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Waiting4wind said...

DrJ said...

At 65 kg I can't imagine why you want a 8m sail, there is no reason you should not be able to crack it on 6.5m and 15 knots. A bigger sail won't necessarily help you at this stage.

Save your money for when you have totally cracked it then by a 5.4m for the bigger days


As he said. Invest your time and money in improving your technique. If you're not in the straps yet then your not exploiting the full capability of you existing gear and you probably won't benefit from a bigger sail. With your weight and 140L board you could be planning at 12 knots with good technique.

I'm about your size and I agree with them. get in the footstraps and learn to waterstart your 6.5 before contemplating an 8m sail.
I doubt you'd ever need more than 7.5 anyway...

scuka
10 posts
21 Feb 2011 6:59PM
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Nice vid Mobydisc

I live in Slovenia (not Austria) (Slovenia is not on profile country list to chose)

Where I usually sail there is not so much strong wind.

My old rig (6,5 m) is about 10 KG.

New rig with lighter mast will have cca. 9 KG. So I think I can manage to lift it by hands.

Now i have 50 cm fin. Should I also buy 40 cm fin for faster conditions?



Walt
264 posts
21 Feb 2011 7:43PM
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Hi scuka zdravo,

Where in Slovenia do you sail or do you go to the Croatian coast for the summer holidays.
I have family in Maribor and they are telling me it is quite cold and not a lot of snow left.

I would go for a 8.0 as a start with your 140 litre board.

Enjoy your holidays won't be long now.

Kind Regards
Walt

scuka
10 posts
21 Feb 2011 8:14PM
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Hi Walt,

I sail almost on Croatia coast. Today is snowing here in Slovenia. But not much. A little snow for skiing left...

Thanks for advice.

Best regards,

sideskirt
328 posts
21 Feb 2011 8:48PM
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8 is too big for you with only 65kg.

Try Exocet Fusion 7.0, very light with only 3 battens ... or even 6.5 to replace your old arrows sail... A guy in Portoroz is selling them for 250? (new sails)....they are quite strong sails...If you want additional information, call Mr. Alan 040633999...he seems very arogant on the phone, but don't be freightened, he is an ok guy, he can transport any stuff to Ljubljana, if you find it closer...he also sells a lot of equipement at low price, older models...

www.exocet-original.com/

I think technique is the most important issue here, you said your boom was set very low, this needs to go up to your shoulders at least. It also depends how you rig your sail...you don't have time to surf on weekends? 1 day trips and you can get to stronger winds to expand your knowledge and see the progression ;)

nosinkanow
NSW, 441 posts
22 Feb 2011 12:23AM
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At 65kg maybe an 8.0 would come in handy. I'm 100kg, there are times when I wish I had a 9.0 just to get on the water. If you are limited with time and you do have the money for a big sail go for it, but be prepared to also get a longer mast and boom as well. It could prove costly. However, a jump to 7.5 might mean you'd just need a mast tip extension and maybe a longer boom.

But I'm like the others, learn to use your straps ASAP! You will be surprised how much more speed you will gain for the same wind you are curently sailing in. If you are using your harness you are only 2 feet away.

redsurfbus
304 posts
21 Feb 2011 10:17PM
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Out of the sails you quote I can recommend the Gator. I use these up to 6.5 and would like a 7.5 to match. I dont think you should go bigger than this with your weight unless it is cammed, and then you need a lot more experience to use cammed sails.
A 7.5 gator would be light, get going easily and have a huge wind range. They go floppy well at the top to dump excess power, and have a deep profile for easy early planing and fast runs.
A 50cm fin is also a little on the large side, get yourself a 40/42 to use a 7.5 with at your level.

racerX
462 posts
21 Feb 2011 10:49PM
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When I started windsurfing, it was on a inland reservoir. In those kind a light winds that I am guessing your referring too. I used to use a 7.5 metre sail on 144 go most days. I found an 8.5 was to big to handle when I was learning, and did not get planning any earlier because of lack of control. I am 72kg BTW.



paddymac
WA, 937 posts
22 Feb 2011 12:29AM
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Hi skuka. You might consider a Tushingham Lightning 7.8 - it rigs on a 460 mast (a lot of 8m sails rig on 490), it is quite powerful, easy to use and fairly light.

scuka
10 posts
3 Mar 2011 2:12AM
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I think i will buy:

sail: severne convert 7,5m (4,4 kg)
mast: VISION Prepreg SDM 460 C100 (1,8 kg)
boom: severne alu race (? kg)

If someone have any experience with this equipment, plese comment.

sharkbiscuit
820 posts
3 Mar 2011 10:42AM
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I am your weight. I wouldn't recommend anything over 7.5m based on my experiences. I sail in the ocean. When don't fall in with a big sail, it's all good. When I fall in, they are a pig to water start.

Part of the pit falls for beginners is not understanding how to rig their sails. The adjustments are very subtle, and during these times you have to compensate bad technique with a bigger sail. As you get more experienced, you will be able to do more with less. .. but if you are only sailing 14 days a year, then a big sail is the way to go.

scuka
10 posts
4 Mar 2011 1:25AM
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I am optimistic, becouse my new 7,5m rig will weight almost 1 kg less than my old 6,5 m rig.

sharkbiscuit
820 posts
4 Mar 2011 6:03AM
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scuka said...

I am optimistic, becouse my new 7,5m rig will weight almost 1 kg less than my old 6,5 m rig.


I generally find the bigger sails control me, not me controlling them (particularly doing gybes). Give it a go anyway. I think at your level, the advantages of a big sail will outway the negatives you would incounter with more experience. Definitely make things as light as you can get them (1kg makes a big difference) and get a nice floaty life jacket so you don't have your energy zapped when water starting. I think somebody mentioned attaching a pool noodle to the mast tip to make the sail float in another discussion. Damn good idea - might try that myself.

russh
SA, 3025 posts
4 Mar 2011 9:09AM
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What about a severne MOJO 6.7 or 7.5 - aren't they supposed to get ya flying in less wind for a smaller lighter sail with more power than the relative size Gators?

wespyyl
WA, 118 posts
4 Mar 2011 9:25AM
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how light wind are you planning to go out in?

I can go out in about 14-15 knots with a 7.5 on a 100L jp freeride thats only 55cm wide and I'm 90kg.

at 65 you should be able to get out in about 11-12 knots with a 7.5 and 140L starboard go.

But once the wind gets to around 18-20 its not going to be very nice to sail on such a big board.

sideskirt
328 posts
4 Mar 2011 5:21PM
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in 15knots I am planing with a 6.9 and 110L board easily... that was the issue, since scuka doesn't surf much so his technique is probably not progressing as fast as it could.

sharkbiscuit
820 posts
4 Mar 2011 5:44PM
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russh said...
What about a severne MOJO 6.7 or 7.5

Hi Russ. I would be err'ing on the side of caution with the Mojo, since these are a specialised sail for big guys. I was considering getting one, but I read an article about the Mojo and Hucker, and it turned me off buying this style of sail. I can't remember exact description, but I seem to remember something about the centre of effort being much higher than normal. The Gator's are bloody awesome. They so configurable. I own three of them: 4.7, 5.3, and a 6.

mkseven
QLD, 2315 posts
4 Mar 2011 9:44PM
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the problem with bigger sails is not the static weight, it's the fact that there is more sail area to trap wind and water which can make sail many times heavier. That said it is all about technique, get back to basics to position the sail right. 7.5 isn't too bad anyway and is good cause sails above that size start approaching the limits of alloy booms.

scuka
10 posts
5 Mar 2011 1:13AM
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russh said...

What about a severne MOJO 6.7 or 7.5 - aren't they supposed to get ya flying in less wind for a smaller lighter sail with more power than the relative size Gators?


Hi Russh. Severne Mojo 6m is the same weight as Severne Convert 7,5m. Because of that I think Severne Convert is better for my needs.

scuka
10 posts
5 Mar 2011 1:21AM
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wespyyl said...

how light wind are you planning to go out in?

I can go out in about 14-15 knots with a 7.5 on a 100L jp freeride thats only 55cm wide and I'm 90kg.

at 65 you should be able to get out in about 11-12 knots with a 7.5 and 140L starboard go.

But once the wind gets to around 18-20 its not going to be very nice to sail on such a big board.


Hi wespyyl. I don't know the wind speed, because I don't have device to mesure it.

For stronger winds I have my old 6,5m sail. Maybe I will change that sail next year for some 5,5m sail (I also have 4m sail).

I also have 80L board, but it's over my knowlage to use it. I must wait to learn water start to use it.





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"8m - light sail to easy lift with lot of power" started by scuka