Sail sizes for a <70Kg
racer_X
I am just under 70Kg, and are looking at getting some two smaller
sails as I can get a good deal end of season stock.
I currently have a 5.5 and 6.5m, I am looking for a recommendations
from some one in my weight range for 20+kt Force 5 and up.
I currently have a 100L FSW, and at some point will get a 75L wave
board.
The size for me to choose from are 5.0/4.7/4.5/4.2
I was intially thinking 5 and 4.5, but maybe that is to close a
spacing for some one who is light, and would be better off with 4.7
and 4.2?
VikingSail
Small sail is for storms at Cape Hatteras NC.
I've worked very hard to learn to tune the sails to be able to use the
full range of each sail. Never had a problem with the 5.5 4.8 gap other
then just learning when or when not to rerig to a smaller sail based on
back luck with momentary wind gusts. I do alot of lake sailing so I've
learned to sail overpowered.
That said 5.0 and 4.5 would probably be fine and that's what most people
have.
Tuning tech for Roger Jackson/Sailworks.
s m
reduction from one sail to another. This usually gives a fairly
seamless transition when switching between sails. For sail sizes over
about 6.0 to 7.0 (or if you're on a budget) you can use a 20%
reduction. If you always want to be on the "exact right sail" then
you can go to a closer spacing like 10 to 12%.
So using 5.5 as your starting point and a standard 15% reduction in
size, your quiver would go:
5.5, 4.7, 4.0, 3.4.
(A 6.5 and a 7.6 to 8.0 would be excellent larger size choices as
well.)
Note that that reduction in sail size is not linear (i.e., you don't
want to just say 0.7 gap between sails). This is because the change
in power relative to windspeed is not linear. For example, if the
windspeed changed from 10 to 20 mph, someone might go from an 11.0 to
a 6.0. But if it then changed from 20 to 30 mph, that same person
would only go from a 6.0 to a 4.5.
Also, it's very important that you run the sails on the correct mast
as this will have a huge effect on performance. Also properly tuning
your sails for the given conditions will allow you to get the most out
of them.
sm
> > and 4.2?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Dan Weiss
Hi racer X-
If your choice involves sails primarily for your wave board, then I
must ask whether you plan to use this kit as a high wind alternative
or truly as a wave setup. I readily admit that the question slices
the baloney quite thinly, but your post also goes down this path.
If you plan to use your wave board mostly for flat water/chop then buy
the sails that give you maximum range. In other words, a larger gap
between sizes makes the most sense since flatter water is less
demanding on the precise sail selection.
If you wish to engage in wave sailing, however, a closer size spread
will perform better in those critical conditions. There is nothing
worse than sailing totally overpowered in serious waves if you want to
ride the wave -but you still need to get out! Therefore, a closer
spread makes more sense.
It appears that the sail brand created half-sizes in order for people
to fit a sail into an existing quiver. Given that, and considering
the thoughts above, I suggest going with 5.0, 4.5 unless you live in
consistently windy conditions where you might use a 4.2 regularly.
(PeteCresswell)
> looking for a recommendations
>from some one in my weight range for 20+kt Force 5 and up.
My experience has been that one can extrapolate sail sizes based
on body weight diffs - so if you sail with other people of
different weights you can extrapolate what works to them to what
would work for you.
I weigh 210 and for 5.0-7.5, and for me it's been 20 lbs = .6
meters. You weigh 190.... 7.5's working for me.... 6.9 will
work for you.... and so-on...
--
PeteCresswell
Bill 04009
already have the 5.6, so I'll keep its praises to a minimum. With the
Huckers I have found a sail gives me much more control in high winds.
Also, I can now sail on sizes on par with my peers, which, when
racing, has helped close the gap at higher wind speeds.
The 4.8 is a great high wind sail for me. I love it. I haven't decided
whether to get a 4.2 Hucker next or the 3.7 Hucker. The range of the
4.8 is amazing.
Oh, yeah. I weigh 65-68kg.
On Aug 28, 5:47 am, racer_X <racerx1...@googlemail.com> wrote:
gwandsh
At least as important as nominal sail sizing is the style and feel of
the sail make and model. If you can continue with a sail make down
into smaller sizes, usually the nominal size spacing is a little more
accurate.
I have done comparisons where I lay out a 4.2 in my sail make and have
a buddy overlay it with a 4.6, seeing only marginal differences after
accounting for outline. I also have owned sails with great high end
and little low end, or the inverse. If you had a 4.2 with lots of
grunt and a 4.7 with only high end, they might be close to
interchangeable.
It is difficult to get sails that have similar characteristics in
range, grunt, control, etc when you mix brands and models (and
especially years). If you are looking for wave/bump style sails and
most of your other larger sails are freeride/slalom, you stand a
better chance of the new sails complementing each other.
Good luck
sm...@seattletimes.com
easier to switch boards than sails, so I think most sailors try to get
gear that allows them to keep the sail but switch boards when the wind
changes.
A 75l wave board is going to be dramatically different than 100l FSW--
slower to plane, harder to sail upwind, more difficult to jibe, and in
general more difficult to sail. If you're on a 5.0 on the FSW, and
it's starting to get windy and choppy, you still might not have enough
wind for the wave board. Similarly, I don't think a 75l board will
take a 5.5 very well, so that can't be your crossover point either.
You might consider getting a bigger second board, maybe an 80-85l. I
know it's tempting to go immediately for that fancy high-wind
shortboard, but you can get frustrated very easily sailing a board
that's too small. I've seen sailors lose an entire season of sailing
schlogging around on a board that's too small, eventually going back
to that big intermediate tanker that they learned on and thinking
they'll never get good enough for their shortboard. And you wouldn't
want to go into waves on a board that's too small.
When I sailed the Gorge, I had an 80l board and a 105l board. I could
sail a 5.0 on both of them easily and would switch from one to the
other according to the wind. I weighed 80 kilos. That would be about
the same spread you're looking at. But I spent almost 2 seasons on a
90l board before getting the 80l, getting accustomed to the gusty,
windy conditions.
racer_X
Changing boards, isn't really easier where I sail, (on the coast of
south east england) especially at low tide:-)
I am more than happy with my 100L it will be fine for many years, its
probably a bit too small for me at the moment. Though I also have
access to 'big kit' on a inland lake at a windsurf club. I have
decided to go for a 4.2 and 4.7 to go with my existing 5.5/6.5. I only
anticipate using the smaller sails, underpowered (not in waves) until
I improve quite a bit! Rather than sitting on the beach/or being out
of control on the water. At that point I will get the appropriate
board perhaps a ~75L.
I am pretty good a maths, and having studing aeronautics I understand
the non-linear affect of wind speed on sail force. [and fin and board
lift from the water etc]
What I find frustrating in windsurfing is the lack of information with
regard to peoples weight and height, watching some of the young kids
planning on < 5m sails in <15knots, reminded me that weight certainly
makes a big difference. I have decided on 4.2/4.7 after getting some
advice from several experienced sailors of the same weight.
Thanks everyone for their advice.
(PeteCresswell)
>What I find frustrating in windsurfing is the lack of information with
>regard to peoples weight and height,
Dunno from height, but my experience has been that 20 lbs (call
it 10kg...) is good for .6m sail size diff.
--
PeteCresswell
sm...@seattletimes.com
> @seattletimes.com wrote:
> > It's usually a lot
> > easier to switch boards than sails,
>
> Changing boards, isn't really easier where I sail, (on the coast of
> south east england) especially at low tide:-)
>
> I am more than happy with my 100L it will be fine for many years, its
> probably a bit too small for me at the moment. Though I also have
> access to 'big kit' on a inland lake at a windsurf club. I have
> decided to go for a 4.2 and 4.7 to go with my existing 5.5/6.5. I only
> anticipate using the smaller sails, underpowered (not in waves) until
> I improve quite a bit! Rather than sitting on the beach/or being out
> of control on the water. At that point I will get the appropriate
> board perhaps a ~75L.
>
> I am pretty good a maths, and having studing aeronautics I understand
> the non-linear affect of wind speed on sail force. [and fin and board
> lift from the water etc]
>
> What I find frustrating in windsurfing is the lack of information with
> regard to peoples weight and height, watching some of the young kids
> planning on < 5m sails in <15knots, reminded me that weight certainly
> makes a big difference. I have decided on 4.2/4.7 after getting some
> advice from several experienced sailors of the same weight.
>
> Thanks everyone for their advice.
OK, sounds like you have a plan. And it's good to know that there are
still places somewhere on this Earth where windsurfing is attracting
some younger sailors! Seems like we've been losing them all to kiting.
Wolfgang Soergel
I'm in your weight category and used to have a quiver like
6.4-5.7ish-5.0-4.4-4.0-3.7, with a big board around 90-100l, a 75 l
waveboard and a really small one, using the bigger stuff also at inland
lakes. Certainly works well but it's a 6 sail quiver. This year, the
5.0, 4.4 and 4.0 were due for replacement and i decided to try to do it
with 2 sails instead of 3, aquiring a 4.7 and 4.2 (both North Ice),
rigged on 100% Carbon Skinnies. So far it works really well. I was a bit
concerned about the gap around 5.0 first (and sitll lug the old 5.0
around but never actually rigged it) but for me it works. The next
bigger sail (a 5.6 NP Zone) however has an exceptionally big range, i
somewhat doubt that a 5.7 Ice would do as well here (but would bne
lighter in the manouvers, i suspect).
Probably also depends a lot on the conditions you sail in. If the winds
are rather constant, bigger gaps can be tolerated, if it's gusty, just
the right size (which still gets you going in the lulls or close to
shore while retaining control in gusts/on the waveface/offshore) is more
critical in my experience. Changing boards may give you some additional
freedom here but my experience is also that with smaller sails the
bottom end isn't much different between sizes - assuming you are
comfortable with the board - you are sailing the board and not vice versa.
One question would also be, how frequent high wind conditions are for
you and if you relly want to sail them. For me, 3.7 or 4.2 days are not
really frequent (except for holidays in southern France)but these are
the days to remember and i feel that i need the right gear to make it
real fun instead of pure survival mode sailing (i can't do a lot of
tricks but the ones i can do, like planning 360s or monkey jibes i enjoy
on any sail size). But if you have enough more moderate days around 4.5
or 5.0 you may feel different.
Servus
Wolfgang
Steevem
But...BUT..ideally it is sails from the same brand and same
model..sails can vary a lot from company to company and from model to
model. I Zone and a Alpha are quite different for example..a 4.7
Alpha could easily be replace by a 5.0 Zone.
Good luck.
nord_roi