Hello All
I will be buying my next sail. I am not sure what model or size to buy. I am looking for opinions from fellow Severne owners.
I mostly freeride in the ocean. I like a sail with draft, and have problems using flat sails, since I find them too twitchy and are impossible to use in gusty conditions. I also would rather be under powered than over powered.
I've currently got a two Severne sails. Both of them are excellent: An 09 Gator 6m and an 09 Gator 5.3m. These sails are rigged as per the booklet. I have also varied the rigging based on a mentors advice to either depower or power the sail. They both use a 430cm blue line skinny.
The Gator 6m is very easy to rig and seems to have a very large wind range. The 5.3m sail seems to rig a bit differently to the 6m: The 5.3m seems to go flatter the more you downhaul it, where as the 6m goes more drafty. The 5.3m sails pretty much the same as the 6m, but has a much smaller wind range.
The problem is that when the wind picks up, and go to change down from the 6m to the 5.3m, it isn't very long before I am completely over powered on the 5.3m. Even though the 5.3m is a great sail, I feel that it was a mistake buying it and should have brought the Gator 4.7m. So now, I am deciding what sail to buy next.
I am considering the 4.2m Gator sail, as I am thinking that this will maximise my wind range, and perhaps overlap with the wind range of the 5.3m sail. My major concern is that this 4.2m sail might be a different design than the 6m sail (ie: flatter). I want to find out if this is or isn't the case. I would also like to know if going from a 5.3m to 4.2m is a too larger jump ?
I am 68kg and 170cm. Intermediate sailor of 2 years.
J
I am a lightweight like yourself... I have 5.5 & 6.5 Gators and 4.2 & 4.7 Blades.
I understand if you like the sail with a fuller draft, stick with either the gator or blade.
As for the sizing, I reckon it is about finding the sweetspot considering the conditions you get and your weight. For example I realised that once I am on 6.5 its usually very marginal, I got it because it was the biggest that would set on the 430, but for my weight I could have got a 6m with better handling and get planning just as much, if am realling intent of planning in marginal conditions (12knots) I really need a different setup. I have 100FSW board.
I would get the 4.7 gator or blade, as at our weight its not actually all that windy, so you will get a lot more use out of it, 4.2 weather at our weight is starting to get pretty windy and if you havn't already got a smaller board you will probably need one to enjoy those conditions.
4.2 would give you the most range, but leave a big gap in a range for our weight that is too big.
My two cents :-)
Yes, pretty much what he said.
I have 5.3, 5.7 Gators, 5.0 s1, 4.5 and 4.0 Blades.
The S1 is definitely the flattest of the group, there is plenty of power in the Blades but in the windier conditions I am wavesailing so I am on a different board. The most important thing is to have the right mast for the smaller sails to get the most out of them. I know this seems obvious but I don't know how many times I have seen people struggle in 4.5, 4.0 weather because they are using the wrong mast.
Thanks guys
. You have talked me into getting a 4.7m.
AP: I'll be getting a blue line mast for my new sail.
I noticed that you guys have Blade sails in the smaller sail ranges. What is the difference between a Gator and a Blade in the 4.7m sail range ?
J
never tried the gator in 4.7, but they both have a fuller draft. In that size I think they are pretty similar, i.e the gator is wave sail in that size. I got the blade in that size becuase I liked the look of them... something to compare with the gator and of course they were the type of sail I wanted!
the 4.7m Gator it is.
Thanks guys for your invaluable input. It's always got to get a 2nd/3rd opinion ![]()
J
Hey Ja, do a severne search in buy and sell as there is a set of 2010 hd gators that are 4 months old there, for the price you could get a 4.2 and a 4.7 as i think for those big days you will need 4.2 and a lot smaller fin. good to sail with you at robe hope to be up there soon and i will bring my gear for a sail.
Thank JB
I will definitely enquire. What does "HD" mean ?
Definitely excellent sailing with you. That blast across Robe bay was a treat ![]()
Jay