Hi guys, I have tried today my Ezzy 2011 Freeride 5.5 with the Ezzy skinny mast 430 and the streamlined extension base.
I followed their specific and rig the luff (mast + extension) to 440 but, as you can see from the pictures below, the bent curve of the mast seems to be not enough.
Am I doing something wrong??
Looks Ok at first sight. If you are worried about the luff sleeve seeming loose around the mast that's normal for a skinny mast. It comes out as soon as you get wind in it. Here's a pic of my Wave Panther:
I took this pic and a heap of others to send to David Ezzy when I had some questions about setting these sails. He helped me out within 12 hours.
The thing you have to be careful of is making sure that you put the correct amount of outhaul on. These sails are very different to all other brands in that regard. Follow the directions closely and get used to the amount of effort you have to put into outhauling. It doesn't feel natural to be pulling so hard on the outhaul line if you've been used to other sails but it is very necessary.
You've shown a picture of the leech at the trim guide. I'm not sure if your concerned whether your doing it right and it's hard to see in you pic. Here's mine set at MAX downhaul and outhaul - you can see the leech collapsing to the innermost mark (David told me I had overdone it a bit):
Once again correct outhaul is essential in combination with downhaul. It has a lot of effect on the overall set of the leech.
Hi Raffaeu,
Ezzy freerides rig with a fair bit of profile (built in) even when set for strong winds. An Ezzy will look a bit different than most no cam's in the way they rig when compared side to side. From the bottom pic it looks as though your dowhaul is correct. It looks as though you have a low out haul setting however. Are you using the strings to out haul rather than the boom measurements?
Edit - cool, ikw777 beat me too it and explained it perfectly!
Hey Raffeau
I had Ezzy Wave SEs for 4 seasons, and am happy to report that Emjack and ikw777 have nailed it with their advice. Get the downhaul set right for the wind strength markers on the leach, and then toy with the outhaul depending on how the sail feels. You will get used to what outhaul for what wind, but as a rule if you are getting overpowered increase the outhaul a little (dont over doit as they are very sensitive to the outhaul and have a lot of room for tuning in this area). These sails get a lot of wind range from the outhaul.
It looks like it is rigged well. The sails fill out well and look better with wind in them. I know it looks odd with a skinny mast, but in your shots the sail appears to be rigged as it should.
Enjoy
Yes the downhaul was very hard and I used a pulley and it bent with some space left on the luff sleeve but now that I realize the skinny mast is smaller I believe I was just anal.
About the outhaul I use the strings and I used the middle one.
Tomorrow I will try again in my garden and send some more pictures here.
Anyway, the combination Ezzy + Ezzy skinny mast is simply amazing!!
Downhaul the "looseness" to one of the coloured bars according to the wind strength and then adjust your boom to match the corresponding out haul cord. Then outhaul to end of boom. Visit the ezzy site and view the rigging videos, they explain it well. It's worthwhile viewing those as the process is different in some respects from most sails.
Just to add, I found the looseness in the sail a little harder to see in the new 2011 sails due to the white scrim especially in bright sunlight.
That's exactly what I found difficult too.
After you perfectly downhaul it is really hard to detect the looseness.
I will try to make some pics. I saw the videos on Ezzy site but I simply can't see the looseness.
Hi,
When you downhaul rest the top of the sail on the ground to check the looseness in the leech, even 'bounce it' off the ground if your really having trouble seeing it. FYI the Panther LTD rigging video is an improvement on the earlier ones so check it out for pointers.
I personally match the outhaul setting to the downhaul unless way overpowered then I'll add a bit extra, it looks like you don't have enough outhaul in one of your pics ie you've downhauled to max but outhauled to med. That will make the sail really backhanded IMO.
Three brand new Panther LTDs in the garage, blowing 25knots...oh todays going to be a cracker!!
All the best.
I'm experiencing the exact same thing with my 2011 Ezzy Freeride5 8.5m² but I'm using an old SDM and not an Ezzy. I can't get the visual looseness to go past the first stripe with a full downhaul. I also don't get the sideways U shape I only get \\\ looseness lines. I contacted Ezzy about it and David gave me good suggestions on how to tune the sail. But I definitely don't get the looseness like in the videos and ikw777 shows. They don't seem to be using the Freeride sail, not sure that would make a difference. I'd love to see a Freeride5 with the looseness like in the videos/manual and the Panther shows. I use the sail on my SUP and it works great in wind so low most of you wouldn't go out in. :) As far as I can tell the sail works great but I'm still learning so take this with a grain of salt.
There could be good reason to doubt that mast's compatibility with "constant curve" (itself a rubbery concept). Some interesting reading here:
www.peterman.dk/windsurf-mast-article-gb01.htm , particularly on "misleading use of bend curve characteristics", but I admit up-front that I am no expert on this stuff - it does my head in.
I used to resist the idea of having to get a specific mast to go with a sail. It seems an unnecessary impost on sailors and a tactic to generate more sales. These days though I play close attention when buying sails to ensuring they will work with my masts, even though it means my choice is limited. I think it's worth it, at least in eliminating nagging doubts about whether it's rigging right.
The Ezzys are reputed to work with a range of masts and as you say its working OK for you in propelling your sup. I have a suspicion however that a Pryde mast will be less than optimal in an Ezzy sail.
I came back home late today and it was already too dark to rig the sail.
I will give it a shot tomorrow or wednesday and send an update here.