Sport Today

by **Jasmin_Deli..** » Thu, 27 Jul 1995 04:00:00

I own a windwing Race 6.8 and sometimes it is too small. Will I
have a gain using a 7.8 sail in terms of planning? If so, what
will it be?

Board: Protech 9.5
WeightL: 165

by **Donald B. Bark** » Thu, 27 Jul 1995 04:00:00

Quote:

>I own a windwing Race 6.8 and sometimes it is too small. Will I
>have a gain using a 7.8 sail in terms of planning? If so, what
>will it be?

>Board: Protech 9.5
>WeightL: 165

I'll be interested in comments on above. Theoretically I can see where
a bigger sail is better, but there must be a pracitical limit. It
seems to me that if you cannot pump it up with about a 7.0 sail, going
bigger with the increased weight and drag, is not going to make a big
difference in being able to plane. There would also be the problem of
a very narrow wind range where it would work, and where it would be
grossly overpowered.

Don Barker

by **mbri..** » Thu, 27 Jul 1995 04:00:00

Quote:

> I own a windwing Race 6.8 and sometimes it is too small. Will I
> have a gain using a 7.8 sail in terms of planning? If so, what
> will it be?

> Board: Protech 9.5
> WeightL: 165

Reply: First one comment on using "big" sails on shortboards. Make sure the
big sail is designed for a shortboard. 7.5 meter sails seem to be the
transition point for long and short board sails. You can buy 7.5s designed
for both. Some manufacturers make fuller and lower aspect sails in the 7.5
range for use on a longboard. If used on a shortboard, these sails have lots
of power for early planing but have a hard time getting upwind. Their lower
L/D ratios also require a larger fin to offset the high drag. Some people
trick the older sails into rigging flatter by using a softer mast with
mega-downhaul.

In the last few years, "big" sails for short boards have become slightly higher
in aspect ratio and a lot shallower in draft (flatter). The current flatter
sails seem to work a lot better on short boards. I also have a WindWing race
6.8 ('95). It seems to hold off as much wind as last years race 6.2 but still
has better bottom end. My 6.8 seems to power-up in about 12 knots. If on a
plane, it will glide thru most 8-10 lulls. To answer your question directly, a
7.8 ought to power you up in about 2 to 4 knots less wind.

You probably know, but Windwing doesn't make a 7.8. They make a 7.4 that is
cut flat enough for good use on "short" (as in - boards without centerboards)
boards.

by **rjack..** » Fri, 28 Jul 1995 04:00:00

Another idea is the new North Katana 7.5 Light Air Special. It's not a race sail so it is constructed a little bit
lighter and has a small luff sleeve and two cambers. I've got one and it planes very very early on a big
shortboard ( 10 mph on a 295 Xanthos it's fully up out of the water). The sail is much fuller and has a
deeper chord up front so it's easy to pump (two light back hand pumps gets me going at 150 lbs) and it
cruises through lulls down to about 8 mph without dropping back into full displacement. You really need to
try one as this sail and some of the really large Aerotechs and Aeroforce double luffs seem to be the only
true light wind sails designed for big high volume shortboards. I've used double luff Aeroforce's extensively
and I really feel the 7.5 Katana is easier to sail in less wind.

by **MclAl** » Sat, 29 Jul 1995 04:00:00

I use a 7.5 as my lightest wind shortboard sail (Sailworks Synchro) and I
can plane when guys on 6.5's can not. Sailworks is now making the Bravo
in 7.5 (which I'll probably get next year) which is a lighter sail.

by **bill eickho** » Tue, 08 Aug 1995 04:00:00

My most used sail is a 7.4m slalom (1995 model). I use it 9 out of
10 times because we rarely get much wind around here. Sydney, Australia.
When the wind picks up I flatten it right out with some outhaul and
it will handle as much as 25knots.
If the wind keeps up I usually rig down to a 5.3.
In more than 15 knots the 7.4 is not as fast as a smaller sail, but
it makes up for it in the lulls.
Usually I am planing when the other guys with 6.9 and 6.5m sail are
just slogging around. So I'm sticking with the big sail.
On the other hand, if I was a real good sailor I would probably be
better of using a 6.9m sail on a lighter more expensive board.

My $0.02 worth

Bill

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