Sport Today

hi everyone, i guess i should start out by saying i'm sorry for allways
being the one asking questions and not giving anything back in return (wish
i could somehow) but thanks to everyone who helps me,  anyways...
 My problem is that i have baisicly one sail ( 4.5 gaastra 1x)  and  i want
to get a few more sails/ rig stuff for the coming season but i dont know
what size to get. i'd like to get it used because being 15 it is not easy
to get a bunch of money for all new gear (even from my parents) here is the
info: 15 years old (as of nov. 29), 5'9", 130 lbs and i sail on cape cod. i
have a 95' gaastra 4.5 w/ a new fiberspar  mast (not sure what size but its
something like 14') and when i put it in the luff sleeve it has very little
sticking out of the top. and a chinook competition boom (something like 5-7
feet.)  i htink i should go w/ something like a wave quiver.? so my
question again is: what size sails should i get,would i have to get a new
mast or just a base extention? and does anyone have anything like this that
they are selling?
thanks alot- brian

Since you are light you should also look out for lightweight sails,
i.e. do not necessarily take the "heavy duty" wave series of
a vendor (e.g. the Zeta from North) but a lighter model
(woul be the rave in case of north). For really light sails i
can recommend Hot Sails Maui.

Boom should also work but try out before you buy to make sure
( i can fit the 5.0 and 5.3 in the smallest Chinook Gorge boom
i have but not the 5.7). Same goes for the mast, make sure
the IMCS bend curve is the one required for the sail.

Wolfgang

--
Wolfgang Soergel                  
Lehrstuhl fuer Nachrichtentechnik   phone: ++49-9131-857781
Universitaet Erlangen-Nuernberg     fax:   ++49-9131-858849 <=== new !
Cauerstrasse 7                      email:

D-91058 Erlangen, GERMANY
http://www.nt.e-technik.uni-erlangen.de/~wsoergel

I've got a bunch of older windwings that I could sell here on cape cod.
There is a quiver of of 1990 wave sails 4.0,4.6,5.1 that should fit on
your mast- sounds like it a a 430. These are older sails, but in good
shape. Since they are old I'll sell them real cheap. $20 per sail or 50
for the three.

I also have some more modern 1994,5  wave sails (5.5 and 4.4), but they
go on a skinny mast so you would have to find one of these. There is a
6.2 race from 1991 too. I have a mast for that and could sell the combo
for about $80.

-Let me know if your interested and we could make a plan to meet next
time you are coming down to the cape. I'm in falmouth, MA.

-Peter

Brian ---
There's no strong reason to sacrifice your food, love life, and trust fund to
 buy a whole quiver. Your most efficient choice might be to add a 5.2 and a 4.0
 to broaden your range at much less expense.

***BUT*** numbers lie. A sail that has "5.2" printed on it may range from about
 4.8 to 5.5 sq meters. So before you buy lay the prospective new sail right on
 top of your 4.5 and try to estimate the true size difference. A 10-15% gap is
 fine.

**IF**, that is, they are similar styles. Mixing race and B&J and wave sails
 confuses the numbers game because of their wind ranges. A 5.2 race sail might
 have little, if any, more low end power than your 4.5, and you've bought
 nothing but more top end (high wind) range, as opposed to the lighter wind
 sail you wanted. You'll need to ask a knowledgeable friend and/or a
 knowledgeable, reliable shop about such details, plus reading magazine
 reviews.

AND take my numbers with a grain of salt. They're approximations, not rules.

Buy used. Any decent brand made in the past couple of years should be fine if
 it's not thrashed or too sun-baked. Or buy an inexpensive brand new; there is
 no reason to pay $500 for a sail you're not going to race for money unless you
 just can't think of ANYTHING else to do with that money. Don't miss the spring
 swap meets.

Your mast MIGHT work on a 5.2. It's close; depends on the sail and the mast
 stiffness and bend.  Don't jack the mast up more than a foot, if that much,
 depending on how low on the mast the boom reinforcement goes (ask if it's not
 obvious).

And pass on your advice when it's time.

Mike \m/
Never Leave Wind To Find Wind