Forums > Windsurfing   Gps and Speed talk

What speed sail

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Created by Piv > 9 months ago, 1 Oct 2016
Piv
WA, 372 posts
1 Oct 2016 5:06PM
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Ok seeing it's the season for cans of worms and on school holidays with wind blowing but no gear here I will put this one out for totally biased advice. I am in the market for new speed sails and masts to fill the range of smaller than 6.3. I am about 105kg. Ive got a 6.3?r7 (haven't used it yet) a 7.8 rrd firewing and a 9.7r7. With the current world record being held by np5.4evo that's tempting, but are aa's sails the same as the ones I can buy? The easy way for me would be to go for severne reflex or overdrive, but which one? Of course there are lots of good speeds posted by Ka and hsm too. The tricky bit is these are sails that get rarely used but when that epic day comes......Over to the brains trust.

firiebob
WA, 3172 posts
1 Oct 2016 5:55PM
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Sorry PIV, I just read that and now my brains spinning out of control, which sail would be best and hey, should you get a SDM or a RDM I think you're a much better sailor to have to ask for advice Me thinks if you're a world class number one sailor go for what ever set the world record, who knows you you might break it, or if AA's sailing same as you stick with that because your turn's coming.
Joke's aside (I've had a couple of reds), I'm getting a new KA Koncept 5.8 because they're a great sail and hey I like the colour, any speed increase will be a bonus
I'll be back in WA end of month, hope to catch up

Piv
WA, 372 posts
1 Oct 2016 7:11PM
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I am definitely no world class sailer. Twenty years ago I dreamt of having nice gear and now I can

sailquik
VIC, 6165 posts
1 Oct 2016 10:44PM
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@ 105KG what can you control the 6.3m up to in wind strength?

What is the wind strength you are expecting in WA where that sail will be too large?

The guys your size at Sandy Point very rarely use anything smaller than a 5.8m. The only time I have seen them use smaller is if the wind is over 40-45 gusting 50-60Kts and those days are very rare. When Spotty did 50 knots in 2009 he was on a 5m Koncept. I think I have only seen him use a 5m on one other occasion, when it was also gusting 50+ knots.

With the newer sails, I think in the same conditions he might even use a 5.4m, but the best speeds are probably going to be set in less extreme winds where control is better. For comparison, where I was struggling insanely just to survive a run on the course with a 4.4m Koncept down hauled inside out on Spottys 50 knots day, I would probably be a lot more comfortable on the latest 4.6m for sure. On the 35 knots days more recently, I have done almost equal to my PB speeds on the 5.4m Koncept.

In other words, I wouldn't suggest you worry about anything smaller than about 5.8m. . That should do you well up to 35-40 knots in good really speed conditions. But if you happen to be at Sandy Point on an epic Nuclear day, definitely pack a 5m! I will watch, cheer you on, and film you from the shelter of the sand dunes!

BTW, AA's sails looked to be all one off customs. I even watched him try them on different masts in 2013. He was looking for something when he played with them on the beach, but it was too subtle for me to see. That year he only seemed to be using 5.8m when it was windy, but it was not as windy as the record day in 2015.

stroppo
WA, 747 posts
1 Oct 2016 8:53PM
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doesn't matter what you get Mark just great to have you back on the water

Piv
WA, 372 posts
2 Oct 2016 7:30PM
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Thanks stroppo, hope to catch up this summer, I'm looking forward to trying out liptons and fangys, who would of thought anyone would end up sailing there!

Looking forward to some shark bay time too.

Sailquick, thanks for the detailed reply. I managed to hang onto the 7.8 in winds where I might have once thought about a 4m wave sail. I've not tried the 6.3 yet and I guess that is going to be nice for really windy days. But I do want something for nuclear days. Big question for me is whether to go for reflex on sdm or overdrive on rdm or perhaps even concept. I guess they are all ok.

sailquik
VIC, 6165 posts
2 Oct 2016 10:46PM
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You couldn't go wrong with any of them.



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Forums > Windsurfing   Gps and Speed talk


"What speed sail" started by Piv