What are people's thoughts on sail sizes in their kit?
Some people like a meter between each size, some only half, some say they rather small amounts in the smaller kit like a 4, 4.2, 4.5,5 etc, while larger sails not much point in having a 6.5 and a 7 for example.
The higher the wind the greater the amount of quantifiable difference? There is a multiplier effect as the wind speed goes up??
Discuss. (Physics people encouraged)
Examples of your kit setup :D
It's not rocket science 
Windsurfing is a better experience with less kit. It's only taken me 5 years to discover this! 
Gaps of 20%, e.g. 3.7 - 4.4 - 5.3 - 6.4 - 7.6, etc. or 25% or whatever.
It's percentage gap that matters, not absolute gap.
That's my theory. In reality I ain't got the spare funds for 5 sails so my sail sizes are:
5.3m wave sail = consistent 18 knots and up with a 85L FSW board and 24" wave fin
and
6.7m freeride sail = less than (or inconsistent) 18 knots with a 110L freeride board and 36" (I think) freeride fin
Doesn't take me long to decide which gear to set up! [Although I'm tending simply not to bother at all with less than 18 knots - too boring / becoming a wind snob].
I used to find that my most used sail was a 6.5 - so when I bought my last quiver of sails I got a 6.1 & 7.2 that have broad range depending on how they are rigged. I can cover 90% of my sailing time with these 2, combined with a few older sails kept in the trusses of my shed (5.0, 5.6 & 7.5) I should be able to get out there...when I'm not busy working!
I just a bought a 4.5m for winter which i'm glad i did.
My sails are 4.5 (+30knts), 4.8 (25-30), 5.4 (+20) wave sails. I'm 90kg and sail a 92L FSW
I've also got a 7m X-15 which is good for 15-22knts.
I wouldn't mind geting something around 5.1 but thats just being spoilt for choice.
Select to expand quoteejmack said..
It's not rocket science Windsurfing is a better experience with less kit. It's only taken me 5 years to discover this!
Yeah, I have started to realize this with simplifying my current gear... less gear now....I had a sail size for any condition before....... now I have:
5m for 20+
6m for less than.....
Thinking a 4.5.... or maybe even a 4.2..... for 30+
A 4.2 is probably doable over 30 knots (fits the 20% rule - which makes sense).... and the boards have enough float should I need to chug home... 93-100 (my weight is 85-90 kg)
There is some rule though about a multiplier..... someone mentioned it once..... Ginger Pom???
Struth, nice setup!
There are some sail sizes you just love though.....
It depends on the wind range of the sails in question. Many modern sails have fairly wide range and larger step sizes are possible. I find that my most used sails are 5.3 and 6.5 . In between these I have a somewhat older 5.9, but haven't used it in years, because the other two offer plenty of overlap for most conditions, and look speedier in red
I also think the less kit the better. It has taken me longer then 5 years to discover this
I started recording the gear I used each session back in 2004 when I first started using a GPS.
Hundreds of sessions have been logged, and I've divided the data up to include: date of session, fin (length in cm), board width (cm), board type, sail size, sail type, wind average, max speed, efficiency (which is a bit dodgy as I would divide board speed in knots by wind speed in knots), and distance.
Some of this data is irrelevant, but other info can be used to possibly inform future equipment selections.
For example, I average the board width, sail size, fin length and wind strength columns which theoretically should tell me the wind strength I sail in most of the time, and the board width, sail size and fin size I use.
Therefore, I could also say that if I was to have one board, one sail and one fin, then I would choose:
7.0sqm sail / 64cm wide board / 36cm fin / in 17 knots of wind.
This would be a good combo.
However it does not explain why my shed has 6 boards, 7 sails, 7 masts, 5 booms and a trailer...
I just can't help myself.
For race sails that are fairly rigid so have huge wind ranges, i say you only need every second size. to race you need to go big! there is no way around it
If you race formula and slalom 12.0, 10.0, 8.5, 6.9 is good
or just slalom two options
three sails 9.4, 7.7, 6.1m or
two sails 8.5m and 6.9m
Its hard to leave the house without the 8.5m, not too big and not too small.
the reality is organizers wont race us when its over 30 to 35knots for safety. So the 5.5 is really only good for GPS speed sailors, it sets on a RDM.
These are AVANTI Machine M1-X sizes
I think that one meter is a tuneable gap, That said I own sails in 1/2 meter increments. Do I use them, yep for sure but I thinks I can lighten my quiver for next year. That said It'll be in 1/2 meter increment, 5.0 5.4 and 5.8...they are my most used sail sizes for wave sailing and bump and jump. That said I'll still keep a 4.7 for those ballistic days and a 7.2 for the light wind lake blasting. So what's right...Who really knows, Depends on what you do and how much you want to sail?
A 3 sail quiver is my goal.....maybe one day?
This setup works for me under the conditions I sail (5 knot to 30 knots with two boards): 4.2 wave, 4.7 wave, 6.5 fully cammed race sail.
Also depends on your boards and how you use them. I get about a 6 kt (15-low 20's) range out of a 5.4 on an 86 litre freewave. But I get nearly a 10kt range (low 20's to nearly 30kts) with a 4.7, but I use the 86l board up to mid 20's then a 74l board from there up to infinity (well, 45kts at best, with a 3.7 which I have only ever used about twice in 5 years). So two boards, two sails: 15 knot wind range.
Also, in the old days when I was mainly sailing slalom boards, instead of changing down a sail size if I was getting overpowered a lot, I'd change down a fin size, which meant I could get a bigger wind range out of the same sail. The board was more controllable after changing to a smaller fin, I'd get to stay on the water longer instead of swapping sails. And it's much easier to transport two fins rather than two sails.
Oh yeah, and something has to increase by the square of the number you first thought of, but I've forgotten all that fiziks stuff.
I had thought that sail size increments should be a function of percentage, but looking at mine, the gaps are similar between the sizes and work well. I use 4, 4.9, 5.7, 6.4 & 7.5. The 6.4 gets used the most, and 5.7 is my favourite, but they all get used!
I think you get the idea that it all depends by now. Wave sails don't have the range that race sails do, and when sailing in the waves ideally you want to be well powered up but not over powered so you might end up with sizes closer together than in racing.
I have one board and three sails. 4.7, 5.3, 5.8. This works perfect for me.
One meter gap is useable with the larger sizes but when it get windy you'll need to add a few extra sails.
Mine ,cruising 8.5/7.5 , play time 6.6/5.8 and time to get serious 5.0/4.4 all in Cammed sails. Still thinking about a 4m
I agree with the above, wave sails have a smaller range. I have a 5.0, 4.5 and 4.0m wave sail quiver and I can definitely notice a huge difference between each sail. I use a 5.0 from 10~20 knots, 4.5m 21~28 knots and my 4.0 for >28 knots. I am a relatively light person so can get away with much smaller sizes than most others.
you can use percentages between sail sizes or knots
for knots i use the sail calculator jimbodouglass.blogspot.com/2010/11/updated-windsurf-calculator-online.html
where i live winds are light or killer - over 25
i stay under the 25 knots
at 100 kilos - <20 kph winds - longboard + 8.4
20 kph 94 cm board with 10-oh
20-40 kph 80 cm board with 8.4
30-50 kph 80 cm board with 7.0 - or 63 cm / 124 liter board
40-60 kph 63 cm board with 6.3
after that - go watch
4 boards and 4 sails - the longboard was $100, the 94 cm board was $300 and the 63 cm board was $300
my father-in-law says he who dies with the most toys wins
Select to expand quoteejmack said..
It's not rocket science Windsurfing is a better experience with less kit. It's only taken me 5 years to discover this!
AGREED!
Although my thing now is to have ALL the sizes but then only ever bring 1 to the beach and try to get the size right...
I am not too advanced, so I have lots of sails and a few boards. I think this helps me to select the one that gives good performance without being too tiring . Also having several you don't wear them out so quickly. And being a weekend sailor I cannot wait for ideal conditions. I have kept records for almost one year. Most used sail: 6.6, then 7.5, then 10.0. Also have 8.5, 5.8, 5.0, 4.2.
4.0, 4.7, 5.3 ... I decided to sell 6.5 because I live 200km from sea and I only go on a good forecast anyway...combining depending on water conditions chop or wave with 81L tri-fin wave board and flattish spots with 110L freestyle board.
18+knots can get me going with my 85ish kg
Hey guys
I used to have 4.2, 4.5, 4.7, 5.0, 5.3, 5.5, 5.9, 6.6, 7.0, 7,8 which is a lot of gear but found I only used about a third of all the kit, was shop sponsored tho, now I find 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, and then a 12m kite fine
Select to expand quoteaus301 said..
I have one board and three sails. 4.7, 5.3, 5.8. This works perfect for me.
thats my aim - what board and weight are you to run that setup?
Does weight make any difference.. say 2 sailors freeride with similar abilities..One 90kgs one 64kgs..would they need similar sail gaps? I find I get overpowered VERY quickly once it gets 23kts + ( 64kgs..)
As a wavesailor on the east coast I've pretty much minimalised my kit down to two sails one board. I'm 90kg and have a 5.3/4.7 and use my 100l keel quad about 90% of the time. I have an 87 fanatic quad for when it's nuking or onshore jumping but I'm becoming a bit of a wind snob too and don't tend to go out in cross on puss. Side to side off or bust I recon! I had one of the best sails of the year last weekend in 10-12kmots cross off on my 5.3 / 100l Stoney keel quad and I was getting as many waves as Timmy who was out on a 6.2/115l and he's only about 70kg. I'm 90.... Maybe it was just down to technique?
sboardcrazy:
23 knots of wind is still A LOT of wind = about 42 kph
using the sail calculator with 64 kilos - that would suggest a 3.6 sail
with a small , light board obviously
that alone would imply technique and skills to me
in a previous discussion people said the same thing - technique impacts size of sail
AND type of sail used
since i use race sails - they tend to be larger than what others are using
regardless of the fact that i am a heavyweight
for sail spacing the sail calculator can take care of that
for me 100 kilos - 10.0/13 knots, 8.4/16 7.0/19 6.3/21 knots and then i too gt ovrwhelmed
inversely for 64 kg 13 knots/6.5 16 knots/5.3 19 knots/4.6 and 21 knots/4.0
6.5/5.3/4.6/4.0 - looks like small sails to me
sounds like your biggest sail ever would be a 7.0
is this about right and make sense ??
Going through this dilemma now. I'm 80-kegs. I don't do a lot of wave sailing so some older wave sail 4.2, 4.7, 5.3...sorted. I mostly sail on the Swan River, most used sail is 7.8 cammed over the last 4 years. I've been missing the fun factor so want a 5.6/5.8 + 6.4 no cam cross sail for bump and jump on a med FSW. That's 5. But the bulk of my sailing is burn and turn in med-light. So I'm thinking that some twin cams in ~15% gaps is the go. So that would be 5.6, 6.6, 7.8, 9.0
Smaller gap, pick the sail that's (hopefully) closer to the middle of the conditions. More time on water.
Bigger gap, less sails to tune, less gear to carry, less depreciation. May have to rerig more often.
Hmm. No idea.
How bout 3 wave, 2 B&J, 4 B&T? That's only 9 right? 
Select to expand quotesboardcrazy said..
Does weight make any difference.. say 2 sailors freeride with similar abilities..One 90kgs one 64kgs..would they need similar sail gaps? I find I get overpowered VERY quickly once it gets 23kts + ( 64kgs..)
well at 64 Kgs you would, for me it starts to become fun from 23 knots, i prefer 25-27ish or a nice 10-15 cross off 
, but im a fit 120Kg so i need more wind so i can have the same fun that you might have in 20 knots
20-25% difference is what usually sailors like. However, in rare occasion, where the waves are constant, wind side-off, better to have a smaller ratio, 5.0, 4.7,4.5,4.2 would be my choice of 4 sails instead of having 5.8, 5.0, 4.2 and 3.7...but I would have easily 2 wave boards, 74 and around 92 for example, rather than having 100Freestyle and 82 Quads that I have right now. So a lot to do where you sail!
Select to expand quotenorthy1 said..
aus301 said..
I have one board and three sails. 4.7, 5.3, 5.8. This works perfect for me.
thats my aim - what board and weight are you to run that setup?
I am 85kg and use a 92lt Quad.
That gets me going in everything from 15knts to 30+. Would a smaller board be nice for the big days, sure, but I can't justify complicating things for just 2-3 days a year.
I am a bit like Bowsa, a wind snob. With family and other fun stuff to do I don't normally go out unless it's getting close to 15 and cross to cross off.
For Tassie sailing & me being 65kgs. 3.5 for the survival sailing (the 40 - 60 kts days we get here).
A 4.0 for the 30 - 40kt days. Anything under 35 kts, for wavesailing or bump & jump 4.7, 5.3 & 5.8, I find that really covers every wind range for me. For speed sailing/slalom 5.1, 5.4, 6.2, 7.0, 7.5 and no bigger for me. If I had to go bigger than that I wouldn't bother sailing, too big and exhausting, takes the enjoyment out of it for little old me. I take just about everything with me cause you just never know what the wind will do and I hate being under or overpowered.
