Best light wind sails

We have a 6.7 Hellcat, I wouldnt say its that light, but a great light wind sail. I am 95 kgs and get it up and running on a 122 Carve in 15 knots,

Hi Paul not sure if Loft is available where you are but certainly the Loft Switchblade or O2 is worth looking at, not that light but well built.
If you want to plane in 10 knots I be looking at a 7.5 +

I would have thought the helium would be the best, given you already have 6.6 Duke.
But I think you are going to find it hard work in just 10knots, with the boards you have.

As an example I have 6.5 and 100Freestyle board (which should plane about as well as your 130 funride I would have thought) and I weight 72kg, and a steady 13knots and flat water seems to be enough to have some fun, better guys would probably need less.

My next step up from that is now a 11M and formula board, not suggesting that is the route you should go down, but before you fork out for a new mast and sail, and perhaps boom, its nice to know if it's going to cover the wind range you expect.

i'd go for the 8.5 helium really a great lightwind sail great power should be good for your 130ltr and 2cm longer than usual fin

The 7.5 recommends a 460 and the 8.5 recommends a 490, you might be able to get the 7.5 to work on your 430 with 41cm of extension, but the whole point of these 'light wind' sails like the helium is that they have a give up some of the top end, for more power at the bottom. You might find that the wrong mast comprises this.

In that case I would probably go for the 8.5, but I would still talk to other sailors in your area to make sure that a sail like that will do what you want, and your comfortable with that size rig.

In the neil pryde demo of the helium it looks a lot windier than 10knots! Its worthwhile to remember that its not a linear relationship between the force created by a sail and the wind speed. Its actually the wind speed squared.

See if you have a demo of the larger sails (does not have be helium) in the wind ranges you want to sail in. That my 2 cents :-)

You would def need the 7.5 helium, check out the website to see why. I have the 7.5 (For sale if anyone wants it :) ) and i'm heavier than you.

Also a np mast would prob have more effect that on some sails, not essential at all but would make a difference I suspect.

Don't expect huge top end but for getting out in light winds the helium is ideal.

Hi, I am looking to replace a Raf jet 7.2 with a NP H2 7.2 sail. I believe these require a 430 mast _I have an old NP 430 25% carbon mast, would the new H2 set on this mast? Most of my gear is on the old side but I am gradually trying to update.
Anyone tried the H2 ?

Tahnks Gaza

Hi Paul,

there may be some potential to re-use your North Gold 430 on a bigger sail. North have a mast extender in 40cm and 50cm lengths. It's not an extension. it's like an extra bit of mast that you insert in the bottom of your current mast and then stick your extension in. With a 50cm you'd end up with a 480 mast. This gets you into the size you'd need for a North S-Type 7.8m. This is North's grunty light wind sail - not as dedicated to light wind as the Helium, but probably has a better top end as a result.

I run the S-Type 7.8m and the Natural 6.6m you have on a Gold 460 mast. Fantastic combination from 12 - 25kts+. I haven't tried the extender on a 430 like I suggest above. But the extender was designed with the S-Type sails in mind so it might be worth talking to your local expert about that option.

If you go this option there is the potential to save a bit of money (particularly if you can get the S-Type second hand). I'd look to spend this on a dedicated lightwind fin as the stock fins that come with your boards are generally designed towards mid-range conditions. You might be surprised how much your early planning improves with a dedicated fin for lighter conditions......

yep definitely agree. Running 70kegs with the 6.6m to rig when it fills in towards 18kts it might not be too critical for him?

Just an option with the logic being a bigger sail and a new fin should get more bang for lightwind buck than a bigger sail and a new mast.....

Do sailworks masts have extenders?