The first time I saw a Hucker Sail was on a YouTube clip of Dale Cook getting huge airs in the Colombia Gorge. It was an instant inspiration. I set my sights on acquiring a quiver and through Chris Potocnik at Windsurf Systems, I was able to get hold of a full set of Huckers. I'm coming up to the 4th season on these Sails now and I've been very happy with their performance and durability.
The Hucker stands out from other Sails with its unique raked back look and distinct colour/ pattern combinations. The sail is built using stepped x-ply construction. Their 6 tubular batons allow it to hold its shape and gives it extra stability during air time. In the strongest of winds the Huckers remain very stable with no distortion of the sail, making it easier maintain the trim and ride through squalls and gusts. With their extra stability, jumping is a whole new experience. Hang time is extended with a magic carpet ride hovering feeling. Another amazing experience I have felt whilst jumping is the power band in the sail which kicks in at the apex of the jump and boosts you higher. This is something I haven't experienced with any other sail shapes.
Some key points that give the Hucker it's power are that it sets much fuller, the leech twist is far less than other sails, it has a stiffer tubular batten set and a higher centre of effort. It also has a greater luff curve which gives it a much firmer feel.
Tuning the sail for the wind conditions is made easy by the half cog logo at the top of the sail which is a reference point for the amount of downhaul required. Using this system is a fast, easy and efficient way which gets you on the water faster. There are three wind ranges as detailed below.
High wind setting (leech loosens about 10cm past the cog reference)
Medium wind setting (leech in line with the cog reference)
Low wind setting (leech set about 10cm before the cog reference)
As with all Sails, it is important to use the correct mast. The ideal mast I use for Huckers is a constant curve NoLimitz Sumo 91% RDM. The NoLimtz Twill 95% RDM is also a recommended match. It has an adjustable head cap system and easy to downhaul built in pully system. There is also an allen key at the foot of the sail for tweaking the batten tension.
Below is a graph for ideal mast for Hucker sail sizes
The quiver consists of 3.7, 4.2, 4.8, 5.6 and 6.6
I've found these Sails to be a really great alternative to using a race sail as they are a lot more forgiving in gybes and recovery when dropping the sail. I weigh 75kg and at 6.2 ft, I find the slightly higher centre of effort perfect for my frame.
I used a Hucker sail in the Ledge to Lancelin this year and placed 23rd overall (1st junior). The start line of the competition was in glassy conditions below 5 knots and everyone was struggling to get off the beach. However, once we got around the first mark, it picked up to around 20 knots. My 6.6 Hucker and 117 litre board proved to be the perfect combination as I was flying ahead of many sailors on much larger sails.
Starting line carnage in less than 5 knots
Finishing line in 20 knots
The sails have had a lot of use over the past 3 seasons and they have remained in great shape. Considering the harsh conditions of the Western Australian coast, the colours have not faded and the stitching has remained intact. I am super stoked with these Sails and looking forward to matching Cooks heights.
4.8 Hucker at Coronation Beach WA
4.8 Hucker at Cottesloe WA
4.2 Hucker at Cottesloe in 35+ knots
Good review... I have been using Sailworks for about 15 years, after my first visit to the Gorge, great sails
Great Review! I'm also a huge fan of the Hucker. My husband bought a 5.6 years ago - and although I was a bit intimidated at first due to reports that Huckers have a lot of low-end power; I quickly found that this remarkable sail is extremely fast, stable, and has far more range (wind-wise) than any other. We had our quiver ordered before the end of our vacation!
Well, we have 4.2, 4.8, 5.6 & 6.6, do the math! One of the best sails ever made, bulletproof construction, incredible low-end power that smooths out once planing into a no-hands experience. Ignore any comments you may have heard about them being hard to handle, that person doesn't know how to rig, Huckers need lots of downhaul. Powers up like a slalom sail, handles like a wave sail, my favourite in 28 years of windsurfing!
