In my bored moments I've been musing over sails.I assume most sailed are designed for about 80kg - 90kg people ( average sailors weight..?). I have a 6.6m KA Koncept that I use in 5 - 18kts & I like it.The few times I've had it out in about 18kts ( my upper limit) & got it off the wind it felt unbelievably fast, stable & powerful...
Unfortunately then I have to change down..Would a sail like that be designed for 18kts + so a lightweight that has to change down as it enters its designed wind range wouldn't get to feel the real benefits ? [}:)]Or it doesn't matter what your weight is?
It doesn't matter what your weight is, as long as you have the right sail size for your weight and the conditions.
If you had a 5.8m of the same type of sail you would then find you would have the same stability,assuming you rig it on the right mast...
On the other hand if you went to an older wave sail on the wrong mast, with it poorly rigged, there would be a huge difference!
Dunno, but give you an idea I have a KA 6.4 Kult and I'd use it in the wind range around 18-25knots and I'm around 30kg+ more than you.[8&x29;]
However, being a Koncept, and if the conditions were perfectly flat, it's 20+ knots and you want to set a PB I reckon you can hold it till your eyelids start flapping against your forehead.[;&x29;]
I think you have the skill to do it Sue.
Will the 6.6 get you planing in 5 knots Sue? How is it for waterstarting?
Im about your size, I dont have a 6.6 but Id like one.
I use my 5.7 Koncept in 16 - 22 knots. Its not quite big enough at 16 knots and still quite controllable and not overpowered at 22. I havent had the opportunity to test its top end yet, but I expect not much more than 22 knots for me - 24?
I think if youre lighter and shorter than the 80kg guy that sails are designed for they are not going to perform at their optimum, but you make the most of it and change down sooner. My Koncept is so stable that I am much closer to using the same size sails as the guys on any given day than I used to be with a RAF sail, and sometimes Im using a bigger sail than the guys on wavesails.
When I was about 13 my brother and I had custom sails made for us, due to our size. They were wave sails, but designed for smaller people.
In well powered conditions I have found that cammed sails (like the Koncept that I used to have and the Loft Blade that I currently use) that can rig on a skinny mast are much more forgiving at the top end. I am 78kg and am using a 7m from 15-25+.
The Loft Blade comes with both sets of cams and I have it rigged on a powerex 85% rdm. For the Koncept you will need to buy additional cams. In both cases the sail breathes when a gust hits rather than lifting you allowing you to carry a bigger sail to get you through the lulls.
depends how despereate I am.. up here you can go months where if I didnt go out & play around in those conditions I wouldn't get out at all! 
I've often been thinking of the riderweight vs saildesign-target weight.
I do slalom racing, and its an established fact that most of the fast guys are big guys. some fit some just with a slight 'weight advantage'.what is the key to their dominanse? Their advantage in weight,should turn on them in lighter winds an lulls? Us smaller(72kg) guys\girls can use smaller gear,with less drag and resistance,and there are those whom are ligthweight and fast so it's possible.. But i believe if we rig a race sail,to the specified settings, the weight'ier guys will get more range from each size, no matter how strong my legs are i do not have the force to get the lech pumping and mast flexing and bending as a 20 kg heavier guy?! I have not come to any conclusions on the matter, i feel that on bigger gear, with stiffer masts i tend to be overpowered earlier than the average big guy compared with small gear and softer mast.. For the two last seasons,i've been using point-7 sails,they rig with long extensions and short mast for each size and i think it's a good match for me..
Well there seems to be alittle bit much of that nowegian winter in the previous post-No wonder i can't figure the subject out when you se my intelligense on the computer
I can remember Nik Baker saying that height had a big influence on sail design. He was developing sails in Australia and the other tester was much taller and heavier (cant remember who it was). He said on some sails the other sailor could be really comfortable on a prototype sail, but Nik struggled to handle it.
The centre of effort of the sail (ie. where the average pull point is) will have a big influence on how the sail feels.
Sail makers tend to have a powerful range which may suit the bigger sailor better eg. the Gaastra Poison, and a lighter feeling sail eg. the Gaastra Manic. I would expect lightweights to prefer the lighter feeling sail.
depends how despereate I am.. up here you can go months where if I didnt go out & play around in those conditions I wouldn't get out at all! 
[}:)] Mind you I got 2 planing carve gybes in a row last sail!..I think I need to be pretty overpowered & have flat water & be on port tack!
If you are a lot lighter you would probably benefit from using a mast size smaller than intended and an extension. ie instead of using a 430 21, use a 400 19 and 30cm extension.
This would make the sail softer and allow it to twist off more easily in the gusts.
mmm..Maybe I'll try that for my 5m..run the 400 on it & see how it goes.I think I'm already doing that with my 6.6m ( 430 + 30cms ext)
