Wind SUP/longboards sails : sizes and wind ranges

[Sailboarder]

No, I mean a 5.8 WindSUP. I doubt that you will love it in 15 kts, but you will in 5-10 kts. In 15kts, you should use your larger regular sail to plane.

If you plan to routinely use it in 15 kts, follow coachg advice and get a 5.0.

[gregnw44]

Hmmmm......
I'm going to come at this from a different direction, LOL

WHY did you sell your Ezzy 7.5 freeride sail ??

Let me get this straight !!
You're a novice / intermediate windsurfer... weigh 85 Kg / 187 lbs... want to windsurf in 10-12 knot / 11-15 mph wind... have a Mistral Competition SST (awesome longboard, I bought one brand new in 1987).
I think you also said, you'll go sailing in less wind, like 5-10 knots.
And you sometimes get stronger wind... but haven't learned the skills for that yet.
A question (please don't take this the wrong way)... are you 85 years old... or do you have a shoulder injury... etc.
And... What's your experience with using a harness?

Depending on all your answers -
I'd say you should graduate up to bigger sails !!
Also - what I read in the opening post to this thread about small sails for longboards, compared to big sails for planning shortboards (or something like that)... I COMPLETELY disagree with !!!

I do NOT know where this idea came from... but it's wrong.

"All of this" depends on what your goals are... or what your priorities are... and or, what the wind and water conditions are where you live.
Anyway, in many parts of the world... a BIG sail on a longboard, is the very best all-round compromise!

Where I live we don't get enough wind for planing most the time. It's mostly 2-12 mph stuff... and this sounds kinda similar to you.
So, most of the time you can totally forget about planning, unless you're a 150lb professional.
So, there are two ways to go for the avid windsurfer... some choose only one, some choose to do both paths.
** Get a small, light, easy to handle sail... and learn light wind freestyle. Which is great, and challenging, and builds superb board and sail handling skills.
** Get a big sail... one that has enough power to support your weight in 7-12 knots. Like something in the 7-9M range for you. It is VERY FUN to sail around going pretty fast in all directions... "railing" the board going upwind... cruising and exploring bays and marinas, sailing around islands... doing local racing... taking little kids for rides... and so much more.

You can spend a lot of $ and get a brand new 9.5 raceboard sail.
Or you can spend less $ and get any modern all round sail made from 2000 to 2015... and rig it with less downhaul... and you'll be fine.
Or you can spend WAY LESS $ and get a mid-90's sail (choose a M smaller than the new stuff)... and it will be light (much lighter than a 2009 sail) and easy to handle... and will have great power... so you can lean back in your harness.

It's very fun... and a great feeling... to cruise around with that weightless feeling.
The ONLY time you notice the big sail, is when you first uphaul it. After that, it's just free and easy and fast sailing in light wind.
With good technique, tacking and jibing is effortless. And just going straight is like laying back in a hammock... just fun and relaxing

I'm 200 lbs and bought a brand new 11M Aerotech sail, from Steve G... in 1991. I still use it all the time... I won races with it last Thu.
I also have a 11M FW sail... and a bunch of various designed sails in smaller sizes.
I use whatever I feel like uphauling that day (unless I'm racing, then I pick the most powerful one, that I can handle in the day's wind).

If I didn't want a garage full of gear... I'd just have a Comp SST and a mid-90's 8.5 sail... and that's all I'd need to have fun and sail in 90% of the local conditions. I'd use in in 2 - 20 mph wind.
And if I wanted to buy something brand new... I'd buy a Kona One and the sail size for my weight (which is a 9M).

BTW - If I want to practice lightwind freestyle... I'll use the same longboard... and put any old 6M sail on it... and go out in 5 knots and practice away!
But I'd get bored with that, ALL the time. So, that's why you also want a big sail... for when you want some speed... and all the rest.
Greg

[Sailboarder]

[gregnw44]

Yep, that works too.
In fact I have one of those old, soft, light Dacron sails that I use for teaching sometimes... very effective... and useful, in the right conditions.
I just don't use it when I'm going by myself, but like you say... there's a time and place where it's a practical choice.

Anyway, I just wanted to give props to BIG sails on longboards.
They are in high demand where I live.
Greg

[techno900]

ittiandro,

Listen to Greg.

You over analyze/think everything. The perfect size sail for a windsup or any longboard is 7.5 for light wind cruising or planing if there is enough wind. This assumes someone weighing between 160 and 190 generally speaking. Under 160, maybe a 6.5. Over 190, an 8.5 or 9.0.

ANY type of sail will work, but some will be better than others. I think you sold your best option. Every sail I have ever owned (50+) since 1984 to today would work just fine on a longboard for cruising in light winds.

When learning, there is some concern about getting caught with too much sail, but as you progress, most will want a bigger sail. Generally, if one starts with a 5-6 m sail, as they progress they want more power/speed and go up in size. Next as they progress, they get comfortable in stronger winds and a smaller board and want a smaller sail, then a bigger sail, etc.

I weigh 166 lbs and use sails up to 11.0 (winds under 14 mph on my Formula board), and I am 70 years old. I have sails down to 4.0 for winds over 30 mph and a bunch more in between for everything else.

[isobars]

[joethewindsufa]

i live in MTL/YUL with Sailboarder and Ittiandro
it's NOT all that bad
yes it was NOT a great year
i don't go out in less 20 kph winds - that's about 10 knots
just the same, I have had about 35 sessions this summer
most with a longboard (Mistral Equipe or Fanatic Ultra CAT) and 8.x sail
at over 200 pounds that's my favourite sail size for here + on longboard
had about 10 sessions with shortboards in better than 12 knot winds
that's more than some people have all summer ...
because of where we are and current trends, kites are taking over
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lvfNV93h-c
wind got better later - Labour Day @ OKA

this was a better day @ Pte-Claire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5bC1d34XAA
intermediates had trouble getting out of the bay
so, I took my Mistral Equipe with a 7-oh and had NO issue !!

[gregnw44]

Joe - Can I make some comments
With all due respect... cause I love your stoke and passion for windsurfing... and the time you spend sharing info with people... and helping those who are "newer than you are", at enjoying our cool sport.
(We're very similar, except I've been windsurfing regularly since 1980. Bought my first longboard in '81. Added shortboard windsurfing, in '84. I'm now in my mid-50's and weigh approx. 200 lbs.)

I know you've been windsurfing quite a bit, for at least 3-6 years (cause I recall reading your posts, for a while) is that right?

Next - And are you comfortable using a harness (cause that can take quite a while, depending on how many "good harness sessions" we can get per year)?

By comfortable, I mean, you're comfy using a harness while sailing up and down wind, in the typical conditions where you live... you can hook-in and un-hook automatically, without thinking about it... you don't get "pulled over" or "launched" very much any more... you don't get accidentally "hooked-in" while tacking or jibing very much anymore ???

If you're "over 200 lbs." and sailing a longboard in 10 knots, and comfy using a harness... why are you using an 8.x sail???
(BTW - I don't know what a 8.x is. But let's say it's an 8.5M sail. It doesn't matter that much. But if you were using an 8.0 or an 8.9 I would think you'd say that. Anyway it's not that critical, there's not a ton of difference between an 8.3 and 8.7 for most people. And there isn't great consistency between brands for how they measure their sails. Sometimes, there is no difference between Brand A's 8.3 and Brand B's 8.7 and I think we all know that. Still - Most people do say exactly the sail size they're using, I mean, whatever's printed on the sail.)

So anyway, lets' say you're using an 8.5 and are approx. 210-225 lbs. (being more specific at your approx. weight would help... as windsurfing is VERY weight dependent)... and you're in 10 knot wind... here's my question.
"Can you lean back in the harness, in those conditions?"
And I mean... "really lean back, out over the water, well off the side of the board?"


* Forget about... talking about planning *
I live, where I want to live. And here in Seattle, WA in the PNW... we don't get much planing wind. And that's fine with me. I still like windsurfing... I like being out on the water... I like cruising around... I like sailing. But I also like "the weightless feeling" that I get hanging from the boom supported by my harness. It's like laying back in a hammock, while flying (at low speed) over the water.
Like you, I often sail in 10 knot wind... but the reality is it ranges from 2 - 12 knots, with lots of 5-10 stuff. So, for my 200 lbs. to be "leaning back" in the harness... I use a modern 9.2M sail... or an old 8.2M sail (because they have about the same power range for me). NOTE - I am not leaning back in 5 knot wind, cause the sail's too small and I weigh too much. But I am leaning back (barely) in 8-12 knot stuff.

The most common sail size around here, for avid local windsurfer's... whether they are lightweight (150lbs) or heavyweight (250lbs) are modern (2000 and newer) sails from 9 - 12 M size. Yes, lightweight experienced guys use them just fine. They all, usually only uphaul them approx. once a session.
I also have old, BIG sails... but only myself and a few other's that have "been around" know what the good ones are. And of course, they're getting hard to find. But they are very light, and work the best in our typical wind !!!
If I'm racing, I ALWAYS use the most powerful sail that I can uphaul in the current wind. I have two 11M sails... and 4 more between 9 and 11M size.
Yes, I KNOW that's "overkill" and quite ridiculous, LOL
I didn't used to have a quiver like that. From the early 90's to 2010... I only had two big sails, and that's all I need. My 1991 Aerotech 11M race sail... and my 1993 UP (Ultra Profile, was Bic's hi-end sail brand) 8.2 race sail. I'd use the 11M if I thought it was going to be 0-12 and not more. And I'd use the 8.2 if I thought is was going to 5-15, mostly 10-15 stuff.
But in the last 10 years, modern used sails are so cheap, so I've bought more choices... and have fun sailing and racing with them all

Have fun... and "keep the stoke going" !!!
Greg -

[UncleRandy]

Hi i sail my windsup all the time in lite wind <12k i use
A 4 batten wave/freestyle sail there lite and handle great
Good for freestyle and lite wind cursing. When the wind pick's
Up to > 12 i switch to a larger sail that will plane a 6.9 for waves
9.0 for flat water. Or change to a short board! But i think the long
Board's are the way to go in sub-planing winds.

[joethewindsufa]

thanks for your comments gregnw44
this post started about long board and size of sail people are using
Ittiandro uses what i consider a bit small
i always suggested he try 7.x

if you want more info about me look up "joe windsurfer"
when i say 8.x is because i have Retro 8.0, TR-6 8.4 and HSM SPF 8.5
If i am going to use a BIG sail I prefer it on a FreeFormula like my JP SLW
do not race and enjoy longboarding in lighter winds
just having FUN - who cares about technique then ??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOPP5pa4TAc

here is a test run on local river with Ittiandro's COMP SST using the SW Retro 8-oh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdpwA67nWeU