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I'm building a modern "freemove" quiver (haven't sailed since the late 90's / early 00's... I'm pretty sure I want to go with Ezzy, Sailworks, or Northwave (The US Gorge company, not "North Sails")
I'm looking for superior gust stability and durability, especially in the window / main panel. Not really concerned about speed - if I have to compromise, gust stability is far more important. I suppose low-end get up and go performance would take priority over top-end.
Northwave is a very niche company, so I don't really expect anyone here to have any experience on them, but it would be really cool to talk to someone about them. They are purportedly well venerated.
I'm definitely interested in Sailworks Retros and Revos for range and gust stability, but that main panel seems pretty vulnerable. I rented some Severne sails last season to get a feel for the sport after so long. These newer sails are pretty cool, but they seem more prone to catastrophic panel tears than my old sails are. I put a hand through one of the (fairly worn) Severne Gators I rented and it was pretty surprising how complete the panel blowout was, even with that (sparse) scrim/X-ply they're laminating into the film these days.
Ezzy sails just sound amazing. Built like tanks and tunable. Mast sensitivity sounds like a caveat, however. I like their modular mast system, but can't help but feel a little down about the fact that they felt it necessary to abandon NoLimitz.
I'm an intermediate+ sailor: Waterstarts, planing, straps, working on gybes, etc. Definitely comfortable enough to start thinking about long-term quiver strategy.
~7.0, ~5.5, ~4.7
75kg / 178cm
115L X 240cm freemove.
Many thanks <3 Long time lurker.
Aerotech sails are nice, light, and reasonably priced, all x-ply, I have been using the Freespeed line for 6-7 years, great support. Think Sailworks went to all x-ply so no big monofilm window anymore (reason I never bought one), and just saw a new Ezzy Cheetah and it now has a x-ply panel where the clear vinyl window used to be (never bought one because of the vinyl window), but expensive at $800 US for a 7.5, and rigged funny on an rdm 460 Ezzy mast, leech was loose most of the way down to the boom.
Ezzy's are great sails and not mast sensitive compared to other sails ...I have used mine with pryde ,naish and no limit mast all work fine,
north make great sails also ...
with the ezzy sail s you have to downhaul them to the correct mark ..I have other sails as well Maui venoms and simmer ,but enjoy using the ezzy's the most basically because they are quick and easy to rig and give good bottom end as well as top ...I prefer the Lions for extra speed but have a couple of cheetahs which are nicer for jumping with no cams and just blasting around in lumpy conditions ...if you are thinking a full quiver I would suggest sticking with one brand ,you will save money in the end as getting a ezzy mast you will build your collection around that .
Aerotech Phantom sails are so stable in gusty conditions. They use 5 battens up to 5.3 and 6 battens from 5.7 up so very very stable. I was stuck without a small enough sail in nasty gusty 4.0 overpowered 30 knots with gusts to 45 knots conditions and a friend lent me his 4.0 Phantom. It was perfect for those conditions. Solid build too, and rigs on any mast, though constant curve is recommended (most commonly available mast type).
Personally I prefer and sail HSM but they are very wave riding oriented.
Select to expand quoteTardy said..
Ezzy's are great sails and not mast sensitive compared to other sails ...I have used mine with pryde ,naish and no limit mast all work fine,
north make great sails also ...
with the ezzy sail s you have to downhaul them to the correct mark ..I have other sails as well Maui venoms and simmer ,but enjoy using the ezzy's the most basically because they are quick and easy to rig and give good bottom end as well as top ...I prefer the Lions for extra speed but have a couple of cheetahs which are nicer for jumping with no cams and just blasting around in lumpy conditions ...if you are thinking a full quiver I would suggest sticking with one brand ,you will save money in the end as getting a ezzy mast you will build your collection around that .
100% Agree Ezzy maybe are more expensive but are famous for their durability
If you want durability but a more "normal" feel than say, Ezzys, then Goya are your best bet. So well built and very stable.
I am not sure any of us has any real information about "durability". Most sails on the market are made with similar materials and weight about the same and I suspect last about the same. Only exception would be a Hot Sail Maui Freak, because it is made of dacron.
Suggestions: consider Point-7. They are wonderful modern sails, with massive range, ultra-stable and easy to sail overpowered ... and thay are (relatively) cheap because of the direct retail. At 70 Kg I have a quiver 4.2-4.7-5.4 Spy and the sails have literally transformed the performance of my RRD 90 and Starboard 81 FSW boards. For flat water I use ACX (6.5 and 7.5).
For you a 4.7 and 5.4 Spy combined with a 6.9 (or 6.4) AC-F Crossover (just because you say you are an intermediate) would be a great quiver. point-7.com/product-category/sails-2021/?v=7516fd43adaa
Select to expand quoteduzzi said..
I am not sure any of us has any real information about "durability". Most sails on the market are made with similar materials and weight about the same and I suspect last about the same. Only exception would be a Hot Sail Maui Freak, because it is made of dacron.
Suggestions: consider Point-7. They are wonderful modern sails, with massive range, ultra-stable and easy to sail overpowered ... and thay are (relatively) cheap because of the direct retail. At 70 Kg I have a quiver 4.2-4.7-5.4 Spy and the sails have literally transformed the performance of my RRD 90 and Starboard 81 FSW boards. For flat water I use ACX (6.5 and 7.5).
For you a 4.7 and 5.4 Spy combined with a 6.9 (or 6.4) AC-F Crossover (just because you say you are an intermediate) would be a great quiver. point-7.com/product-category/sails-2021/?v=7516fd43adaa
the Point-7 sails have a lot of mono-film from what I could see, I only get sails with 100% x-ply cause if you do punch your hook through them the whole panel does not blow out, so you can get back to shore easily. Do not think my hand could go through x-ply, but monofilm is a different story.
Ezzy sails have to be heavier than my Freespeeds, because down at the bottom they have heavy x-ply panels, which is a good idea because that is where my hook hits when things get out of control in high winds, just do not want the extra weight or expense so added black 2" wide Gorilla tape on the seams at the bottom of my Freespeeds, that has worked good.
Select to expand quoteSandman1221 said..duzzi said..
I am not sure any of us has any real information about "durability". Most sails on the market are made with similar materials and weight about the same and I suspect last about the same. Only exception would be a Hot Sail Maui Freak, because it is made of dacron.
Suggestions: consider Point-7. They are wonderful modern sails, with massive range, ultra-stable and easy to sail overpowered ... and thay are (relatively) cheap because of the direct retail. At 70 Kg I have a quiver 4.2-4.7-5.4 Spy and the sails have literally transformed the performance of my RRD 90 and Starboard 81 FSW boards. For flat water I use ACX (6.5 and 7.5).
For you a 4.7 and 5.4 Spy combined with a 6.9 (or 6.4) AC-F Crossover (just because you say you are an intermediate) would be a great quiver. point-7.com/product-category/sails-2021/?v=7516fd43adaa
the Point-7 sails have a lot of mono-film from what I could see, I only get sails with 100% x-ply cause if you do punch your hook through them the whole panel does not blow out, so you can get back to shore easily. Do not think my hand could go through x-ply, but monofilm is a different story.
Ezzy sails have to be heavier than my Freespeeds, because down at the bottom they have heavy x-ply panels, which is a good idea because that is where my hook hits when things get out of control in high winds, just do not want the extra weight or expense so added black 2" wide Gorilla tape on the seams at the bottom of my Freespeeds, that has worked good.
While they are absolutely beautiful, I agree that point-7 sails are most certainly NOT durable. As soon as a hole gets going, they'll tear like cold jello.All X-ply and Dacron are where I'm heading ATM...
I have a good feeling about Northwave out of Oregon. They LOOK durable AF. All X-ply, and very aggressively scrimmed X-ply at that. I'm pretty sure you can custom order panel fabrics, too, so I'm tempted to try them with a denser scrim layout in the window panel. The only problem is that they are so rare; it's pretty much impossible to find anyone to talk to about their aerodynamic performance and feel. Sailworks does look fairly promising. I can't tell if the Retro windows are scrimmed/X-ply. If they are, then I'll seriously consider going that way. Their aerodynamic performance & feel sounds amazing.
Select to expand quoteAoide said..Sandman1221 said..duzzi said..
I am not sure any of us has any real information about "durability". Most sails on the market are made with similar materials and weight about the same and I suspect last about the same. Only exception would be a Hot Sail Maui Freak, because it is made of dacron.
Suggestions: consider Point-7. They are wonderful modern sails, with massive range, ultra-stable and easy to sail overpowered ... and thay are (relatively) cheap because of the direct retail. At 70 Kg I have a quiver 4.2-4.7-5.4 Spy and the sails have literally transformed the performance of my RRD 90 and Starboard 81 FSW boards. For flat water I use ACX (6.5 and 7.5).
For you a 4.7 and 5.4 Spy combined with a 6.9 (or 6.4) AC-F Crossover (just because you say you are an intermediate) would be a great quiver. point-7.com/product-category/sails-2021/?v=7516fd43adaa
the Point-7 sails have a lot of mono-film from what I could see, I only get sails with 100% x-ply cause if you do punch your hook through them the whole panel does not blow out, so you can get back to shore easily. Do not think my hand could go through x-ply, but monofilm is a different story.
Ezzy sails have to be heavier than my Freespeeds, because down at the bottom they have heavy x-ply panels, which is a good idea because that is where my hook hits when things get out of control in high winds, just do not want the extra weight or expense so added black 2" wide Gorilla tape on the seams at the bottom of my Freespeeds, that has worked good.
While they are absolutely beautiful, I agree that point-7 sails are most certainly NOT durable. As soon as a hole gets going, they'll tear like cold jello.All X-ply and Dacron are where I'm heading ATM...
I have a good feeling about Northwave out of Oregon. They LOOK durable AF. All X-ply, and very aggressively scrimmed X-ply at that. I'm pretty sure you can custom order panel fabrics, too, so I'm tempted to try them with a denser scrim layout in the window panel. The only problem is that they are so rare; it's pretty much impossible to find anyone to talk to about their aerodynamic performance and feel. Sailworks does look fairly promising. I can't tell if the Retro windows are scrimmed/X-ply. If they are, then I'll seriously consider going that way. Their aerodynamic performance & feel sounds amazing.
Sailsworks went to all x-ply last year, at least for some lines. That is why I did not buy a Sailworks sail in the past, the big monofilm window/panel.
Just FYI: Retros are the worst modern sail I've ever used. All the weight of a cammed sail with none of the advantages.
X-ply windows aren't all their cracked up to be. Modern laminated monofilm (I guess bi-film really) has proven to be just as durable in my experience. If anything it's the total material thickness that matters. My Goya and Simmer wave sails have laminated "monofilm" windows and take a beating. I've put my knee through a Retro that had seen some sun.
I heavily used Ezzy's Cheetah for 10 years until I landed on it and ripped the leech. It would probably go for another 5 years easy.
Last year I purchased two alternative sails, and within 3-4 months I started adding clear patches over damaged areas.
Going back to Ezzy for the next one.
Select to expand quoteAoide said..Sandman1221 said..duzzi said..
I am not sure any of us has any real information about "durability". Most sails on the market are made with similar materials and weight about the same and I suspect last about the same. Only exception would be a Hot Sail Maui Freak, because it is made of dacron.
Suggestions: consider Point-7. They are wonderful modern sails, with massive range, ultra-stable and easy to sail overpowered ... and thay are (relatively) cheap because of the direct retail. At 70 Kg I have a quiver 4.2-4.7-5.4 Spy and the sails have literally transformed the performance of my RRD 90 and Starboard 81 FSW boards. For flat water I use ACX (6.5 and 7.5).
For you a 4.7 and 5.4 Spy combined with a 6.9 (or 6.4) AC-F Crossover (just because you say you are an intermediate) would be a great quiver. point-7.com/product-category/sails-2021/?v=7516fd43adaa
the Point-7 sails have a lot of mono-film from what I could see, I only get sails with 100% x-ply cause if you do punch your hook through them the whole panel does not blow out, so you can get back to shore easily. Do not think my hand could go through x-ply, but monofilm is a different story.
Ezzy sails have to be heavier than my Freespeeds, because down at the bottom they have heavy x-ply panels, which is a good idea because that is where my hook hits when things get out of control in high winds, just do not want the extra weight or expense so added black 2" wide Gorilla tape on the seams at the bottom of my Freespeeds, that has worked good.
While they are absolutely beautiful, I agree that point-7 sails are most certainly NOT durable. As soon as a hole gets going, they'll tear like cold jello.All X-ply and Dacron are where I'm heading ATM...
I have a good feeling about Northwave out of Oregon. They LOOK durable AF. All X-ply, and very aggressively scrimmed X-ply at that. I'm pretty sure you can custom order panel fabrics, too, so I'm tempted to try them with a denser scrim layout in the window panel. The only problem is that they are so rare; it's pretty much impossible to find anyone to talk to about their aerodynamic performance and feel. Sailworks does look fairly promising. I can't tell if the Retro windows are scrimmed/X-ply. If they are, then I'll seriously consider going that way. Their aerodynamic performance & feel sounds amazing.
I think you are both been a bit unclear about sail construction and sail types. You are probably thinking mono-film, and that is used by Point-7, and pretty much anybody else, for freestyle or flat water sails. Sure, any sort of monofilm will be less resistant to abuse, it will brake sooner ... but it will also be lighter and handle better and be faster.
But for any other type of sail everybody on the market has full on X-ply sails in their line up. Including Point-7. Their free-style wave (SPY) and wave sails (SALT PRO) are bomb-proof 100% X-ply laminates.
But hey, if you like how the sailworks' aeodynamic performance sounds (whatever that means), go for that tune!
In the past 30 days, I have used Ezzy, Sailworks, and Northwave sails. In fact, my 5.2 NW is a 2001 model....Stilleto.
All work great, all fast, jump high, and seem durable enough.
Select to expand quoteAoide said..Sandman1221 said..duzzi said..
I am not sure any of us has any real information about "durability". Most sails on the market are made with similar materials and weight about the same and I suspect last about the same. Only exception would be a Hot Sail Maui Freak, because it is made of dacron.
Suggestions: consider Point-7. They are wonderful modern sails, with massive range, ultra-stable and easy to sail overpowered ... and thay are (relatively) cheap because of the direct retail. At 70 Kg I have a quiver 4.2-4.7-5.4 Spy and the sails have literally transformed the performance of my RRD 90 and Starboard 81 FSW boards. For flat water I use ACX (6.5 and 7.5).
For you a 4.7 and 5.4 Spy combined with a 6.9 (or 6.4) AC-F Crossover (just because you say you are an intermediate) would be a great quiver. point-7.com/product-category/sails-2021/?v=7516fd43adaa
the Point-7 sails have a lot of mono-film from what I could see, I only get sails with 100% x-ply cause if you do punch your hook through them the whole panel does not blow out, so you can get back to shore easily. Do not think my hand could go through x-ply, but monofilm is a different story.
Ezzy sails have to be heavier than my Freespeeds, because down at the bottom they have heavy x-ply panels, which is a good idea because that is where my hook hits when things get out of control in high winds, just do not want the extra weight or expense so added black 2" wide Gorilla tape on the seams at the bottom of my Freespeeds, that has worked good.
While they are absolutely beautiful, I agree that point-7 sails are most certainly NOT durable. As soon as a hole gets going, they'll tear like cold jello.All X-ply and Dacron are where I'm heading ATM...
I have a good feeling about Northwave out of Oregon. They LOOK durable AF. All X-ply, and very aggressively scrimmed X-ply at that. I'm pretty sure you can custom order panel fabrics, too, so I'm tempted to try them with a denser scrim layout in the window panel. The only problem is that they are so rare; it's pretty much impossible to find anyone to talk to about their aerodynamic performance and feel. Sailworks does look fairly promising. I can't tell if the Retro windows are scrimmed/X-ply. If they are, then I'll seriously consider going that way. Their aerodynamic performance & feel sounds amazing.
Aoide ,true ...i have a point 7 7,9 ACX ,really nice balanced sail and really fast sail ,i really like it ..but i keep it away from reef as it is built light
so Ezzy SAILS do have the durability ,and nice balance ...if you are just starting out again maybe you should look for the stronger sail option as mistakes will happen ,and you will trash your sails ...i sure have trashed a few ,but the ezzy's have stood up to the punishment ...
Good luck with your selection .
Aoide, if you're worried about breaking sails so easily, then you're probably at a progression level where you don't know what brand/style suits you. You don't want to be in a situation where you own a quiver of niche brand sails and 6 months later you decide they aren't for you when you try out a mate's X Brand sail. I would stick with 2nd hand sails for the 1-2 year to get your vocab up. If you hole a $50, then who cares ?. Throw it in the bin and try something else. Try as many sails as you can. Get an experienced local to help you buy and rig your sails.
If you can find them... Avanti sails. They are to conventional sails what carbon booms are to aluminium.
Ezzy sails are really like nothing else in terms of feel. You either love them or hate them.
Select to expand quoteFaff said..
Ezzy sails are really like nothing else in terms of feel. You either love them or hate them.
Thats whats some people do say, but without saying why. I think usually, its because they are wave sailors and dont like the fact that Ezzys have a lot of inbuilt fulness, they dont rely on the wind for them to take some shape. So for wave sailing, the sail is always producing power, they dont go neutral and flat in moves.
But for freeriding, inbuilt fullness and a stable shape is a bonus.
Select to expand quotePhilUK said..Faff said..
Ezzy sails are really like nothing else in terms of feel. You either love them or hate them.
Thats whats some people do say, but without saying why. I think usually, its because they are wave sailors and dont like the fact that Ezzys have a lot of inbuilt fulness, they dont rely on the wind for them to take some shape. So for wave sailing, the sail is always producing power, they dont go neutral and flat in moves.
But for freeriding, inbuilt fullness and a stable shape is a bonus.
Try the Taka... they go neutral & flat.
Select to expand quotePhilUK said..Faff said..
Ezzy sails are really like nothing else in terms of feel. You either love them or hate them.
Thats whats some people do say, but without saying why. I think usually, its because they are wave sailors and dont like the fact that Ezzys have a lot of inbuilt fulness, they dont rely on the wind for them to take some shape. So for wave sailing, the sail is always producing power, they dont go neutral and flat in moves.
But for freeriding, inbuilt fullness and a stable shape is a bonus.
About 7-8 years ago I bought two Ezzys and I found myself in the hater group very quickly. They felt like cambered sail and were exhausting for B&J (note that I regularly slalom). I sold them after a month of use. No idea how more recent models work, I vaguely remember some comments about how they were softer. But HSM Firelight back then were both powerful and playful. Fast forward to these days and my HSM KS3 could be depowered at will, thanks to the S-shaped bottom batten. Point-7, by the way, introduced a S-shaped bottom batten ages ago and the Spy seem to achieve B&J-swell-riding nirvana. You have all the power you want, but you can open the sail and smoothly control it.
NB I actually did not know about the S-shaped batten, but after a few times out I noticed the behavior and the sail reminded me of the KS3 (but on steroids!). I could see the S-shape when the sail was at rest, but to be sure I asked Andrea (Checchi, the designer) about it, and he confirmed that it had been a signature of the sails for a while.
