I need to pick 3 sails from the following to take to a week long flat water speed event. Winds probably 15-25 but hoping for 1 or 2 days well above. 2 freerace boards, 120L (78) and 100L (63). Weight 78kg, good intermediary, but never done speed slingshot stuff.
Which 3 would cover me for the week and be the most fun ? All sails are less than 3 yr old models:
a) Turbo 8.1
b) Moto 7.8
c) Overdrive 7.0
d) Turbo 7.0
e) NCX 7.0
f) Gator 6.5
g) NCX 6.0
h) Turbo 5.5
i) Gator 4.7
My thoughts are a + c + g thus covering :
Low wind 120 board : Turbo 8.1 + Overdrive 7.0
more wind 100L board : Overdrive 7.0 and Turbo 5.5.
hesitation is whether I will last longer during the week on 7 + 6m NCXs instead of the camber sails, not being super fit.
much appreciate any advice.
Is it a proper downwind speed course? If so you want cams, not the ncx. If it's drag racing people across the wind then the ncx is quick.
Either way, I think your fastest setup most of the time will be small board and overdrive 7.0. I would plan to use that as much as you can.
Then yea, if its blowing 30 and you're surviving you would want to be on the turbo 5.5. Shame you don't have an overdrive or moto around 5.5
On the big side (I dont know much about This) the 8.1 turbos look like they plane early but are Kind of slow. Since it's a speed event is it worth trading a knot or two early planing and go with the moto 7.8 for more pace in the light stuff?
Thank you.
Yes its proper off the wind course - Weymouth Speed Week (am a bit early but have complicated logistics).
so point taken, cams it is :
Moto 7,8
Overdrive 7.0
Turbo 5,5
If the wind delivers I'm sorry to say your boards are too big and so are most of your sails. Is there opportunity to find a board around 55 wide and a cammed sail around 5.5? A choice of fins will probably be important too.
Make sure you have appropriate RDM / SDM cams for the mast you end up using.
If that's what your limited to,... a, h, i and leave the big board behind.
Done speedweek quite a few times and you can't really guarantee what the conditions are going to be so you've got to have as many options as you can to cover from 10-40knots. Don't be fixated on having just cammed sails, there's a lot of guys in the amateur fleet that use non cammed sails. But if you're limited to taking just 3 of the sails you have I'd take:-
Moto 7.8m (You'll not be sacrificing much early planing by taking this over your 8.1)
Overdrive 7.0m
NCX 6.0/Turbo 5.5m (make a choice on this size closer to the event based on the forecast)
Take both boards, you'll need them during the week and the 100 litre is a perfect size for the harbour when its really windy as it can get quite choppy and its sometimes really gusty and lower volume boards don't really go any quicker, you'll see most of the pro's on slalom boards of a similar volume/width. In fact the harbour windsurfing speed record was broken by Scotty Stallman at the event in 2022 using a Starboard iSonic 63
Select to expand quoteK-100 said..
Moto 7.8m (You'll not be sacrificing much early planing by taking this over your 8.1)
Out of curiosity as a prospective buyer... Why the Moto and not the turbo?
