Sport Today

I am considering getting a bigger sail. My board is Starboard FT 148
and I have 490/55%/IMCS_29 mast which I would like to use with the new
sail. My current sail is 7.5 Gaastra Matrix. I would also like the new
sail to rig quickly (and with one person), too.

Now, the sail I was thinking about is Sailworks Retro 9.5 (no cam).
I've read many great opinions about this sail, but on the other hand
(and beacuse this brand is not popular where I live) my local buddies
tell me that a no-cam sail will never outperform a cam sail of the
same size. Is that true for Retro?

I've never really dealt with cambers, but my concern is they'll make
rigging longer and that they make the sail heavier and harder to lift
from the water. Is it really the case? Can you recommend a good and
popular cam sail which would meet my criteria?

Any advice appreciated.
Thanks,

-marek

The only thing I can think of which might be a factor is very very
light winds like 2-5 mph. In those winds, I would think the advantage
could go to a cammed sail. Lucky for us in Corpus Christi, those days
are infrequent.

For info purposes, I weigh about 235 lbs and sail an "old school" 300
Protech.

Since you are in CC, there must be at least one Retro you can bum a
ride on.

Cams will definitely make a sail heavier. My Pryde V8s are the
lightest cammed sails I've ever sailed, but they are also the least
durable and I won't buy another one.

I think you would probably love a Retro, but you might also want to
consider Ezzy as you can sail them with 2 cams, 1 cam or no cam.

Who appreciates it when you lighten your load, Brucie?  In fact, who
really cares about you or your load?

No doubt cams add weight, rigging hassle, and possibly poor rotation,
but thousands of us always buy large sails with cams and all (?) race
sails have them.  In the performance-speed arena they must add
something?

I am not overly strong, but I can uphaul, or if there is enough wind,
waterstart my 10.6 2-cam fine.  The trick I use with uphauling is to
use the board to help clear the sail and raise it the first foot or
two (when it's the hardest).  I stand way leeward, opposite the uphaul
sail side, and tilt the board so much that it raises the sail.  Some
day I suspect it will damage to board, but I will smile because my
back is fine.

This is Craig Bergh from Worthington Minnesota. Where are you
located.  Are you in the USA.

Is there a way you can demo some various cammed and non cammed sails.
That is a great way to select a sail.\

Craig

I own an 8.5 Sailworks XT (cammed race sail), and a 9.5
Retro.  The Retro "outperforms" the XT in all my qualifications,
but it is a meter bigger.  I was a cam guy (in larger sail sizes)
for a long time, and the Retro has changed my opinion. Sweet
rig and plenty fast and upwindy, also pulls like a freight train.
To get the most top and bottom end from it, you'll need an adjustable
outhaul.  Get adjusted to that and I think you'll be smoke'n your
cammed buddies.

I ride mine with an Angulo Sumo 155 which is not a formula board,
so your mileage may vary.

-Craig

All that said, many people prefer no-cam sails (like the Retro) for
reasons of handling and perceived lightness.  I think the latter view
is more about poor tuning of cammed sails than a few grams of weight
added by the cams.

As for uphauling, rig weight is rig weight, no getting around that.
Many people find that the EZ uphaul makes quick work of even the
largest sails.  I don't use one, but have tried several many times.  I
can confirm that they work as advertised.

Don't be afraid of warnings about sails larger than 7.5.  Like any
sail, proper tuning is the key to a light feel and a fun time -
especially in light winds on a wide board!

-Dan

I'm 54, 170 lbs., and waterstart or uphaul a 10.5, 9.5, 7.5 and
smaller. The two biggest ones have 3 cams while the 7.5 and my 5.5
have 2. All my booms are 100% carbon for 7.5 and larger and all masts
range from 55% (10.5) to 75% (9.5 and 7.5).

When you talk about a cammed sail being heavy to uphaul, I think most
people would agree that your average sailor is not considering a race
sail. What big sail that is not a race sail has 4 cams? Not V8. Not
Infinity.

I just got a deal on this sail. It rigs on a 490/28-32 (with a NS
carbon extender) which means that, like with Retro, I won't need a new
mast and has cams, true, but NS's new HYPER.CAMS system promises easy
rigging(?). Plus I like the brand and I wouldn't have to buy it in
another country (support).
On the other hand it does not quite look like a beginner sail...

So what do you think? Should I go for NS Daytona or get Retro? How
does these two compare?

-marek

Aren't you in Corpus? If you can't find a Retro to bum a ride on, you
might want to at least talk to some local big-sail cam owners.

As good as that sail looks, I would probably lean toward something I
know to be a proven winner. Maybe this sail is, have you Googled for
reviews? I spent about 30 seconds doing this and didn't learn much.

One more thing: I think I've heard people say their 9.5 Retro was
about as good as their larger Retro. I have Pryde V8s in 10.5 and 9.5
and have not rigged the 10.5 this year. The 9.5 is so much less hassle
to rig and carry from the parking lot to the beach, not to mention
carry out of the water after sailing, and the 10.5 doesn't give me
that much advantage. If it's not gusting at least to 11-12 mph, I'm
sitting in my chair anyway, so***the extra weight.