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Ezzy Hydra 6.0 foiling sail review
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brynkaufman2



Joined: 10 Sep 2002
Posts: 383
Location: Kailua Oahu

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2018 6:38 am    Post subject: Ezzy Hydra 6.0 foiling sail review Reply with quote

I have had 3 sessions now on the Hydra 6.0 and I am very impressed.

The first thing I noticed was the range this sail gets. The first day I had it out we had some rain squalls come through and they boosted the wind well into 4.0 sail size. The Hydra 6.0 was still stable and was really able to get rid of the extra wind.

I believe that is the advantage of the 3/4 batten. It luffs easily and cleanly and that luffing is great for controlling the wind.

It also excels at low wind, and on my 3rd session we had some really light winds and I had it dialed in to go in winds that previously I could not go in.

I assume it is that extra foot at the bottom of the sail that gives it some extra pumping power which is critical in the lightest winds.

The sail is also very stable. Once I had my harness lines dialed in I needed only fingertip control.

With no cams it rotates and rigs really easy, which my back appreciates.

It is a light sail too, which I think helps when up on the foil and also to get onto the foil in light winds.

The extended foot at the bottom is not an issue. I do not even notice it. Some thought I might have issues riding swells or when I come down off the foil and I have not once had an issue.

One time I was riding a swell and I was pushing the sail out and down and I check the sail bottom and it was still not near the water.

So that extended foot gives a number of benefits and is not an issue at all.

With the range of the 6.0 I do not think I will need a 5.0 sail. I would use the 6.0 and then move to the 4.0 in higher winds, although I have not tested this theory yet as we have not had 4.0 winds in a while.

https://www.ezzy.com/sails/2018-sails/ezzy-hydra-2/

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Bryn Kaufman
Wind Foiling Kailua Bay since June 2017
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brand_adam



Joined: 01 Dec 2015
Posts: 25

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2018 11:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the info Bryn. What sized conventional sail would you compare the 6.0 Hydra to? I'm just trying to get a sense of how much addtional low end the Hydra gets.
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2018 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for review, put's more light on a new idea. Will be looking forwards to tuning the 5.5 when it arrives this week.
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brynkaufman2



Joined: 10 Sep 2002
Posts: 383
Location: Kailua Oahu

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2018 12:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

brand_adam, good question. Unfortunately it has been a long time since I used a conventional sail for foiling, so I am really not sure from personal experience.

You probably read or heard in his video David Ezzy feels he can use 1 or 2 sail sizes from what people are using for conventional sailing.

He mentioned if someone is choosing a 6.5 conventional sail for regular windsurfing he will ride the Hydra 4.0.

For me a 6.0 is the largest sail I will use. I tried a 7.0 and the extra size and weight did not get me much performance gain if any on my Naish board and foil. I realize for other setups a larger sail works.

So I think it really depends on what wind you are buying it for and your weight. My weight is 160 lbs. and now on my equipment my Hydra 6.0 will get me going in the lightest winds all the way to I am ready for my Hydra 4.0.

With just a little more wind I could probably use the Hydra 5 or 5.5, but for my needs the 6.0 goes in the lightest and has such a great range on the upper end it possibly has eliminated the need for a 5.0 sail for me.

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Bryn Kaufman
Wind Foiling Kailua Bay since June 2017
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brynkaufman2



Joined: 10 Sep 2002
Posts: 383
Location: Kailua Oahu

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2018 12:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dllee, tuning is critical. A couple times I went out with it tuned too soft. Not enough down haul and out haul. And that felt too loose and I could not pump it.

So you might go through some tuning stages like I did before you get it dialed in.

Please let us know how the 5.5 works.

That is going to be pretty close to my 6.0 so I assume you will get going in very light winds and have a lot of room for the wind to go up and stay in control.

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Bryn Kaufman
Wind Foiling Kailua Bay since June 2017
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grantmac017



Joined: 04 Aug 2016
Posts: 946

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2018 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can you compare it to the Flyer 7.0? That's a sail I've experienced.
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NOVAAN



Joined: 28 Sep 1994
Posts: 1541

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2018 1:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have no issue getting my 5.2 Zeta going in lite winds at my local spot. So they don't show a 4.5 Hydra. I'm wondering 4.0 or 5.0 to replace my Zeta. I emailed Dave about a 4.5. Any input as always will be help full...
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brynkaufman2



Joined: 10 Sep 2002
Posts: 383
Location: Kailua Oahu

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2018 1:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grant, I think a lot depends on weight of rider and the equipment being used.

My weight is 160 lbs. and my equipment is a Naish Hover 142 foil board and the Naish Thrust WS foil.

On this setup I found the Flyer 7.0 was too large and I did not get a benefit compared to using the Flyer 6.0, so I stopped using the 7.0 and changed to the Flyer 6.0 and Flyer 5.2.

To clarify I found I could get started in the light wind with the 6.0 and the 7.0 did not get me going in lighter winds than my 6.0. Then when I was up on the foil the 6.0 was much easier to throw around in turns and overall more comfortable and not as easily overpowered as the 7.0 when the wind came up.

The Flyer 6.0 is a great sail, but here is my honest opinion why I like the Hydra better.

I think because the Flyer 6.0 luff is locked in with cams, it is very stable in the right wind. However, when the wind goes way up, I noticed the Hydra with the 3/4 batten can shed wind easier.

My guess is the cams lock in the power, but that power stays locked in because the shape is always the same from the cams. They Hydra having no cams and the 3/4 batten can flatten easier, so it sheds power easier.

That is my best guess as to why the Hydra felt good in winds that would have really over powered the Flyer 6.0.

The weight and stability are similar to the Flyer in normal wind speeds. So they are both very light and very stable foil sails.

At the low end I think that extended foot on the Hydra gives more energy when pumping with my back hand. If you think about it that would make sense because they have a lot of sail back there compared to all other sails. So if you are pumping with more sail, it makes sense that you would feel more power.

The only other difference I can think of off hand is rigging. At least for me, shoving the mast up the mast sleeve with the cams was not easy as you get near the top. I had to use considerable back muscle to get it into a position where I could then use the mast extension to get it the rest of the way up. The Hydra with no cams does not have that issue, so it is easier on my back, which at my age is appreciated.

The rotation on the Flyer is pretty easy, but I still had to give it a tug many times to get the cams to rotate. The Hydra with no cams rotates easier.

The Flyer is a fantastic foil sail, and in a certain wind range you probably can't tell the difference. I just think the Hydra has a wider range by handling higher wind easily and lower wind by pumping that extended foot.

I am also going to run it next time with an adjustable out haul. As it has no cams and a 3/4 batten it can be pulled to be a very tight flat sail. This again might be an advantage in higher winds, as any sail with cams will never go perfectly flat.

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Bryn Kaufman
Wind Foiling Kailua Bay since June 2017
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brynkaufman2



Joined: 10 Sep 2002
Posts: 383
Location: Kailua Oahu

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2018 1:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NOVAAN, I am not familiar with the Zeta so David Ezzy could answer this better than me.

I also have not experienced my Hydra 4 yet. Unfortunately since I got it we have had nothing but light wind. Once we get some good high wind days I hope to be able to post about the Hydra 4. I am really curious what the range for that sail will be.

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Bryn Kaufman
Wind Foiling Kailua Bay since June 2017
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NOVAAN



Joined: 28 Sep 1994
Posts: 1541

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2018 3:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

After talking with David I'm going with the 5.0. My 10 to 20 window at my spot fits nicely with that size. With the massive tuning of the Hydra I'll get better lite wind lift and better foil control in the gusts than my 5.2 5 batten Zeta. I'll post when I give it a go...
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