I'm looking at a 6.5m sail for freeride use. To date I have only used sails without cams. From what I understand cams make a sail more stable due to the locked in shape. This would then mean a faster sail with a larger wind range? If this is the case I am wondering how much faster. What kind of wind range would I be looking at for a 6.5m sail. Obviously each model/brand would be different. Board size and rider weight would play an import part also. Just curious to know the differences... is it really quite noticeable (probably a silly question). Cheers!
In lighter gusty winds the cambered sails excell as they hold their shape as mentioned and will keep you on the plane longer during a lull. Faster, with larger wind range?, yes in general, but your wieght and skill come into play as well too.
Your wieght and style of sailing you want to do is a factor. If freeride is what your after and want to do a bit of light wind wavesailing as well, then go with the no cam. I'm over a 100kg and use a 6.4 Ka kult in light winds when the waves are too good to let go to waste. This may not be the case for you, so if blasting around is your game get a cambered sail remeber they are heavier of course, but provide much more grunt in lighter winds and stability allround.
Thats not to say no cam sails are not fast, I set this Unofficial No Cam Record recently, placing it 25th amongst the all time world GPS rankings, with several peaks over 45knots. So when its really blowing these type of sails can really have a crack at going fast, but the cambered style will still be faster at either end of the wind scale in general. You can check out a video of No Cam, Koyote at the Ka website doing 41knots.
Date : Saturday, December 22, 2007
Spot : Sandy Point, Victoria, Australia
Board : Carbon Art speed board 44
Sail : KA Sails Koyote 5.3
Fin : KA-Sails Lockwood<>McDougall Assy 21
GPS type :
Average speed : 43.42 knots (43.9 43.7 43.6 43.0 42.9)
Max. GPS (display) : 45.4 knots
Max. 2 sec. (software) : 45.2 knots
100 m run : 44.2 knots
250 m run : 43.8 knots
500 m run : 43.3 knots
Nautical mile : 22.5 knots
1 hour : 10.3 knots
Distance : 37.0 km
Windspeed : 30 knots
Windgusts : 40 knots
Remarks : NEW NO CAM RECORD????, for the Ka Koyote!!!!
I have been looking at a new sail myself and have decided I am going to get a Severne 6.5 NCX.
According to all the blurb, its as close as you can get to a cammed sail without having cams.
Cheers Spotty. I appreciate the info, which has answered a lot of questions I had. Basically I'm after a quick freeride sail to take out in the 15-20 knot range. I don't plan on taking it in any surf, or at least, nothing over what you would normally have to cope with in the bay in those winds. I'm still undecided on which to buy but am leaning towards a non cambered sail, although the cambered sail in all honesty is probably a better option for what I'm doing. It's interesting to read your times using the Koyote. A very nice looking sail, but more importantly, very quick by the looks of it. Well done!
I'm the same as you, i've just put a hole in my 6.5 sail which has served me well. It was a cammed sail and i loved it however i think i have decided to go no cams for a while because i am not yet gybing and apparently the learning curve for that is much easier without having to worry about cams as you can sail clew first easier. getting a 6.6 no cammed sail which i think will still work well for me. I am getting to the fast GPS sailing and that but just think that if i improve all my skills and that quicker it will be better in the future and it seems that with no cams it should be easier. I don't know about your skill level or anything but this seemed logical to me.
Bubs
