How much have sails improved over the past 10 years?

GURGLETROUSERS · Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 2643

I sympathise with you Mr. Fxop. ( Wink

)

But the advantage of having closely spaced sizing is that you can pick the best suited, middle of the wind range that you see size , perhaps with a nod to what you may expect to happen (i.e. wind increase rig next size down - wind decrease next size up) and to hell with having to come back in to re-rig.

As you say, it's then just hang on time, and make do, especially if the tide is out, with a half mile trudge as we have, down our flat sandy surf beach!

But I agree, it never seemed to be like that in them thar good old days, did it? ( Laughing

) When all we had was a couple of sails. (And a heavy epoxy Rotho wave mast, with half a yard sticking out the top of the smaller storm sail!!! )

cgoudie1 · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 4:26 pm Post subject:

I hate to bring this up, but if the below is really your current status,
windsurfing and your current marriage might be incompatible.
You can probably dabble in it, but it will cause too much strife for
you to ever get to a really proficient level.

However, 2 boards and 3 of the right sails can get you through a lot of
conditions. If you have, say, a 125 Ltr board, and an 85 Ltr
board, a 4.5 , 5.5 and 7.5 Retro for example, you can probably plane
from 14-30 MPH winds in relative comfort.

-Craig

LeeD · Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 1175

My girlfriend has 7 sails, 2 booms, 2 boards, and 6 masts.... Very Happy

Arrgh · Joined: 05 May 1998 Posts: 864 Location: Rio

keycocker · Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 3598

There is a tenous connection to the weight of a sail and the feeling of weight while sailing it. We used to sell prototypes a lot. The various cuts, all marked as the same sail in pencil, felt a lot heavier when there was a bigbulgebelow the boom. They made more low end power and had more backhand.

Down hauling many sails will make them feel lighter as well.

konajoe · Joined: 28 Feb 2010 Posts: 517

More often than not, folks seem to be rigging their sails with only one downhaul setting, regardless of conditions. And it always seems to be at or beyond the maximum recommended. (Seems crazy.) So, in this thread, when folks are talking about the range of a sail, are they talking about its ability to handle a range of wind at a constant setting? Or, are they talking about its range when tuning the sail according to the manufacturer?

LeeD · Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 1175

My 1996 North Spectro 5.5 can plane from winds 17-32mph, depending on board and rig tuning specs.
Can a 2014 sail have MORE range than that?