For free ride sails what's the general wind range for a 6mt sail?
looking at a 6mt gator and not sure how windy it will work in.
want something for 18-25knots
any advice would be welcome.
(85kg beginner to intermediate on a 118ltr magic ride in relatively flat water)
thanks all
I was on a 6.5 NP Ryde (6 batten) up to 25knts. MR118 board then 124SS. Same weight, intermediate level.
At the lower end a 7.0 would have made me happier
i use the sail calculators - for a "wind test"
like sticking a wet finger up in the aire 
jimbodouglass.blogspot.com/2010/11/updated-windsurf-calculator-online.html
and
www.riggeek.com/gear-calculator/for-windsurfers
which is based on the first link
these give me an "idea" of whether one is "in the ball park" or way OFF
in any case - feels like you are spot on !!!
I would use my 6.7 at 18knts but at 25knts I would be using my 5.7. I am 10-15 kg lighter than you and on a slightly smaller board. By the way, you can get more wind range from your sails if your masts have a higher percentage of carbon. Likewise, a lightweight carbon boom will mean less weight, resulting in some performance increase one would think.
I'm the same weight as you and have a 6.5 2016 Gator, I use it on a 96L supercross (60cm), can get around at 17- (16 depends on water state and consistency) to about 21. Above that I'll most likely go to a 5.5
I'm 85kg and I would be on my 5.2 Ezzy Legacy with my 400 Hookipa RDM mast on my 115L Naish Starship with either my 27 or 34cm fin. Seems like anything above a 5.5 sail would be way too much sail.
The 118L Magic Ride is super wide = early planing. I think 20 knots or more for a wide 118L board is way too much wind. It will bounce around to much in my opinion. If the board was let's say 65cm wide, it could most likely handle more wind and chop. Something to consider. Most sailors would be on a 85-100L board in that kind of wind just to give you an idea.
I had the 111L JP Magic Ride before I traded it in for the Naish Starship and I can tell you that I was out fully planing on the lake with my 5.3 sail using a 34cm fin in 18-25 knots of wind.
yeah, i think the problem is the range
18-25 knots is good wind to honkin
even me with about 105 kilos that's 8.x down to about 6.3 meter sails !!
ie 3 sizes 8.x, 7.x and 6.x for 105 kilos ...
and maybe even down to 5.5 for me !!
What other sails do you have?
Yes 6m Gator will work in 18-25 but id probably err towards 6.5 gator. Unsure of this years changes, gator is not overly grunty sail but you can hold it down for quite a long time. Guy that bought my 7m gator is about your size can just hold it in 25 knots, not ideal but can sail for a bit though it is quite choppy in 25knots here.
If wind most of time more at 18knots end or normally gusty give the 6.5 some thought, it would more suit the width of your board too.
6.5 Gator is my goto sail in 18-25 knots (80kg, 68cm or 63cm wide boards). Has been bullet-proof fun for more than 4 years of solid use. Can extend the wind range by adjusting the batten tension to increase or decrease the camber of the sail - increase for light winds, and decrease (especially the top battens) for stronger winds. Can get going in 16-17 knots if put lots of camber in, and just hold on in 30 knots (flat water) with loose upper battens and heaps of down downhaul 
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Select to expand quotemkseven said..
What other sails do you have?
Yes 6m Gator will work in 18-25 but id probably err towards 6.5 gator. Unsure of this years changes, gator is not overly grunty sail but you can hold it down for quite a long time. Guy that bought my 7m gator is about your size can just hold it in 25 knots, not ideal but can sail for a bit though it is quite choppy in 25knots here.
If wind most of time more at 18knots end or normally gusty give the 6.5 some thought, it would more suit the width of your board too.
Other sail is a 7mt ncx. Trying to cover as much range as possible with just 2 sails for now as more than 24/25 knots is too much for me at the moment anyway
thanks all
Select to expand quoteMarkSSC said..
I would use my 6.7 at 18knts but at 25knts I would be using my 5.7. I am 10-15 kg lighter than you and on a slightly smaller board. By the way, you can get more wind range from your sails if your masts have a higher percentage of carbon. Likewise, a lightweight carbon boom will mean less weight, resulting in some performance increase one would think.
70 kg, 25 knots, 4.5.
Select to expand quoteGnotukker said..mkseven said..
What other sails do you have?
Yes 6m Gator will work in 18-25 but id probably err towards 6.5 gator. Unsure of this years changes, gator is not overly grunty sail but you can hold it down for quite a long time. Guy that bought my 7m gator is about your size can just hold it in 25 knots, not ideal but can sail for a bit though it is quite choppy in 25knots here.
If wind most of time more at 18knots end or normally gusty give the 6.5 some thought, it would more suit the width of your board too.
Other sail is a 7mt ncx. Trying to cover as much range as possible with just 2 sails for now as more than 24/25 knots is too much for me at the moment anyway
thanks all
If you have 7.0 NCX than 6.0 Gator is a good size for you. I'd even consider a 5.7 Gator to extend your upper wind range. Then your board would be the limiting factor especially if it gets choppy.
I'm a 100kg intermediate level and use a 154 Magic Ride in closed estuary to open bay conditions and for around 20kn use a 6.1 and getting towards 25kn will use a 5.5. As BHC says, the width of my board is the limiting factor for speed if the wind is strong and it gets rough. A 7m would be a real handful for me at 25kn, but I find my "go to" sail for fun wind to be the 6.1.
I'm 90kgs
I use a 5.8m Ka Kult on a 110L board for Slalom, Speed and Bump and Jump
I've had it out in 30knt for slalom, 25knt (31knt board speed) for speed and it's perfect for just blasting around the bay in 20kts
It's a bit old and raggedy now so almost time for a new one.
Though i also sail a 4.7 or 5.3 in 18-25 conditions in waves
I'm surprised at so many big sails in relatively strong winds. I tend to go for the smallest sail that will get me on the plane. I like the maneuverability with small sails and once you get going there's less drag. I'm 88kg on a 1991 95L JP Xcite Ride for blasting around and small waves. I would use a 6.5 NCX in 15-20, a 5.4 Search in 18-20 and a 5.0 Search in 20-25. I hope to upgrade to a Magic Ride 104 and get on the plane in 14-16.
I agree Agrid, from my experience with my Magic Ride 154 and also reading other people's experiences with them, these boards seem to work well with smaller sails than what your mates might be using in the same session. In a constant 25kn wind with stronger gusts, I'm using a 5.5 (because that's the smallest I've got) and getting towards the limits of both my ability and the board in a 25kn wind chop. I actually used my 154 with a 10m speed freak sail the other day and it scooted along well in 10-12kn of wind and very small chop with the stocko 52cm freeride fin.
Doesn't it depend on the gusts?
18 gusting 25 a 6m sail would be good.
25 gusting higher it would only be good for a heavyweight on flat water
Select to expand quoteMr Milk said..
Doesn't it depend on the gusts?
18 gusting 25 a 6m sail would be good.
25 gusting higher it would only be good for a heavyweight on flat water
"Rig for the lulls, hold on in the gusts". Freerace sails do have a much bigger wind range, provided the water is flat enough - there is little point in using one if you can't go fast anyway because the water is too rough. So I will use an NCX 7.5 in up to 18 knots, but then a 4.5 wave sail in 25 knots.
Select to expand quoteMrCranky said..Mr Milk said..
Doesn't it depend on the gusts?
18 gusting 25 a 6m sail would be good.
25 gusting higher it would only be good for a heavyweight on flat water
"Rig for the lulls, hold on in the gusts". Freerace sails do have a much bigger wind range, provided the water is flat enough - there is little point in using one if you can't go fast anyway because the water is too rough. So I will use an NCX 7.5 in up to 18 knots, but then a 4.5 wave sail in 25 knots.
Bit hard to rig just for the lulls up here because the wind can drop out to next to nothing. Perhaps this is why it is better to rig slightly overpowered in gusty areas. It would allow you to have more margins, staying on the plane even when slicing through a large lull.
