Non-cambered 7.5 Vs Cambered 6.4

carl · Joined: 25 Feb 1997 Posts: 2674 Location: SF bay area

I agree with the above posts about power, cam vs no-cam.
For Freeride sails, I find the sails with lots of batons (7) are just as stable as
cam sails for overpowered reaching. For my biggest sail, I replaced an older 3 cam Naish Stealth 9.0 for a no cam/7 baton Ezzy Cheeta 9.5 and find it just as stable as the Stealth for gusts while reaching (when tuned right of course). The Ezzy is a surprisingly stable sail even when somewhat overpowered!
Where cambered race sails are best for stability is when going upwind and massively overpowered IMHO.

NOVAAN · Joined: 28 Sep 1994 Posts: 1549

keep the 7.5 and get the 6.4 Skill will play a part but in general, you will lose power going smaller no matter how well you sail.

schweitzer · Joined: 18 Jul 2000 Posts: 45

I used ezzy sails in the 6.5 range that were two cam sails.
I found that two cams gave me all the advantage availlabe
for cams, 'stable, holds the shape, But they work best when
"flattened out" for higher wind. The cams did not have as
far to rotate. and turned easily, BUT when I 'Bagged out'
the sail so the extra low end power was there,
I could not get the cams to rotate until it wqs way too late#
after missing "every" jibe in light conditions, I retired my 6#5,
' got a ezzy 6#6 infinity and took the cams out# I am much happier
with this set up ' sheet out and the power is gone = better in waves.
I am a bit Greedy, 6.6 in up to 30mph in The Gorge #Roosevelt#.
If it gets less windy I go to my 7.5 or my 8.5 infinity
#also with the cams out# If I did not have bigger sails I would
surely put the cams back in. 'get planning and be glad to be
entitled to be "launched"

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

that lack of smooth rotation in any cam sail is a warning that the batten tips are likely to break. any advantages of such low tension settings are taken away by breakages, AND the top of the sail releases poorly enough to inhibit acceleration in any gusts that might come along.

one might even feel a downward pressure on the whole kit with too little down haul. like the hand of the wind god is pushing one down deeper in the water. similar to having the base too forward when forced to use a weed fin. yuck!