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Does anybody NOT like Northwave sails?
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Barnett



Joined: 11 Jul 2000
Posts: 116

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2008 4:22 pm    Post subject: Does anybody NOT like Northwave sails? Reply with quote

I see only raves about Northwave online. Am I getting a distorted picture, or are they REALLY that great?
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2008 5:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I found something better, I'd change. Several other marques may be close or maybe even as good (?), but none of my buds has changed from NWs to anything else for long. The two who tried some other brand quickly changed back. With virtually no advertising and no magazine reviews, they still have a 2-3 month lead time to meet demand from people who don't want to buy unmatched quivers off the shelf or who want to choose custom features or colors.

\m/
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Barnett



Joined: 11 Jul 2000
Posts: 116

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2008 5:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Iso- In a previous thread (if I understood correctly) you stated you hated the 511.

Have you had more experience with this sail, esp. in larger sizes (7m range), and do you still stand by that impression? I am looking for a good sail in that range that will get planing easily and will jibe easily for a large sail.

Do you know how well the new ones rig on a SDM?
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2008 6:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My complaints with the 511 were twofold: I absolutely demand high maneuverability in all my sails, and that's not what the 511 is designed for. They felt cammed, and I do not like the stability (read: resistance to rider input) of cammed sails. I also could not get its draft to stabilize despite the correct mast and hands-on rigging lessons from the guys who designed it. That was a few years ago, and feedback now is that straight-line sailors love their 511s. Mine were 5.2 and 5.7. and I am definitely not sailing in straight lines in those conditions, with swell up to several feet at some spots on steady days.

The 511, being "diesel powered", so to speak, planes very quickly. I don't remember whether it rotates especially smoothly, but being camless, it should. I also don't recall what mast I used with them. \m/
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johnl



Joined: 05 Jun 1994
Posts: 1330
Location: Hood River OR

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2008 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also am a big Northwave fan. This is my second quiver. I have the ZX from 4.2 - 5.2, then a 511 5.7. I agree that the 5.7 isn't that great for B&J. I find it can get in the way during jibes (low foot) in B&J conditions.

That being said, it is my "low wind" sail (my real low wind is a 7.5 but that is for REAL low wind Smile I laid my older 5.9 Loft O2 next to the 5.7 and 6.2 511 sails and found the 5.7 just SLIGHTLY smaller than the O2 5.9. So I went with the 5.7 instead of the 6.2. I use this with a 95 liter board (175 lbs) when others are on 110l and 6.5 sails. It has a LOT of bottom end.

That being said, I have found when it starts getting powered, it really needs the downhaul and outhaul. Otherwise the "pocket" shifts from the front of the sail backwards. This causes my lines to be unbalanced and require more pull from the back hand. But if I rig it to even that out, then it loses some of the bottom end.

So I've found when the wind is marginal, I rig it soft. If the wind comes up,I will need to adjust it. BUT if the wind is running a nice solid 17 - 18 mph, then I rig it with good downhaul and love it.

As to rotating, no problems there, just the problem of the foot and swell/chop. I have only rigged it on Nolimitz RDM which is their recommended masts so I can't speak to other masts...

Bottom line, for a lower wind sail when you need some big pull, I would buy the 511 again. But for bettter winds and more B&J conditions, the ZX's shine...
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bobgatpdx1



Joined: 13 Oct 2002
Posts: 385

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not only are Northwave's great sails (I'm on my 2nd quiver - 2007 ZX-L's - love 'em), but they are the ONLY SAILS STILL HANDMADE in the good old USA!
bobg
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thombiz



Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 799
Location: Corpus Christi

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 6:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Northwave makes some of the best handling and most durable sails on the market. They are made from the best materials available and the materials are used intelligently. Since I'm the local sail repair guy and I've repaired somewhere in the neighborhood of 5000 sails, I see a lot of different sails and Northwave is amoung the very best with one caveat, the Autobatten system. Without any question it is the biggest pain in the ass of any batten system by any sail supplier. At times, it has taken me as long as 1/2 hour to get a single batten out or back in. Frankly, I just don't see the advantage it gives the sails. When you compare it to Prydes which takes about 8 seconds to remove or re-install a batten, the Northwave batten system just makes no sense at all! For myself, I wouldn't even consider owning one with the Autobatten system for my own use! For small sizes and big wind, give me a Windwing Interface Wave anyday!
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 7:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

While it's my understanding the Blake and Suzi Richards sold Northwave some years ago to a new party, I recollect that Blake is still designing the sails. Am I right here?
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boggsman1



Joined: 24 Jun 2002
Posts: 9118
Location: at a computer

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 8:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I dont like them. I go too fast , plane too quickly, they look too pretty, and they last too long, and they are too light. Other than these complaints, they are fine.
Boggsman

Saw a lot of them on the water today at Crissy, epic 4.0 day!!!!!!!!!!
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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey, I had 3 different NWs, 2001 & 02 all Surflites. A 5.7 & 2 different 5.2
one was lost at sea....long story, broken mast.

The 5.7 replaced a older 6.0 Rushwind, it was my keystone sail for California,

I used it a lot, I was disappointed in the power that it made down low, I feel it lost a lot in the versatility department, it was durable, well made, as I recall easy enough to rig,PX 430 RDM,recommended by NW. NW people were great with tips and help but I really felt it sailed more like a 5.5 or less. Maybe that IS the way that sail was, back then. The 5.2 s I would say felt the same, no surprise there. At the other end of the wind meter they felt really good overpowered, and I stayed out longer before rigging down

The HotSails Super Freak sails smaller than stated size , so maybe it one of those sails/things, that occur in certain lofts.

I went to ABK camp and had the crew test it, we even changed masts several times in a effort to impove performance, no change.

The 5.7 was replaced by a Gaastra Pulse 6.0, and a world of difference
I would really like to try one of the new Northwaves to see how it feels,
for now I will stay with Gaastra and HotSails.

Arrow Arrow

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