I wanted to use this sail a few time before I wrote a review so I could get a good feel for the sail in different conditions I’ve now used it 4 times in winds ranging from 18 knotts up to about 26 knots Tushingham I ‘m rating this sail the ducks nuts!! It’s UNREAL!
5.5m Rock Review
I recently went to 2nd wind and bought a 5.5m tushingham rock from Jez. The 5.5 retails for only $740 I can’t believe that most other popular brands were between $800 and $900 I’m 85kgs and use a custom 85 litre wave board.
The sail looks hell strong with lots of x ply reinforced with Kevlar, unlike some strong wave sails it doesn’t have a full PVC window just a small strip that will stretch a bit if you get thrown at it, as it’s only a small strip the sail still has a great tightish feel to it. Not a soggy feel like the sails that have a full PVC window. The sail also looks awesome and really cool with the tinted X ply, it also has a built in rugged looking crash pad at the foot of the sail. I suspect the reason why this sail is so amazingly stable giving it a wide wind range is because of the clever battens, they have an extra bit of carbon tubing around the last third of the batten like the draft lock tubing in slalom sail battens, so when the wind really picks up the battens hold the sail in it’s foil shape keeping the sail feeling steady and therefore the sail doesn’t feel overpowered at all.
I took the sail out that last really windy Sunday at Scarborough rigged it on a 430 skinny mast. Rigging it was real easy just enough downhall until the leach went floppy between the 2nd and 3rd batten. It was awesome the board popped up onto the plane and powered though the notorious Scarborough shore break that has that side shore current usually slowing you down. The sail pulls you towards the front of the board (not to the side) which I wasn’t used to and I did get pulled over the front of the board a couple of times, I kept gaining so much ground as it sailed upwind really well. It did have a slight little bit of a back hand pull to it but when I came in at the end of the day and found out most other guys were on 4.7’s and sea breeze showed it was a solid 25knots I then realized why! I think any other sail would have ripped my back arm of I can’t believe how easy and stable it was it was in that wind strength. I had heaps of power for my bottom turns and didn’t get that overpowered feel when I did the cut back of the top of the wave that such a big sail would normally give in that wind strength The sail felt so light and balanced on the wave face, just fantastic, I did get taken over the falls on a logo high set and had to swim in whilst my gear got rolled around in the surf and then pounded into the shore I’d like to say not a scratch but yep a small scratch on my brand spanking new sail! From the nose of the board but it’s so small I can hardly see it.
This sail was able to give me the grunt of a big sail to get me through the impact zone where the wind was a bit lighter, yet was still comfortable to sail out the back where it was heaps windier. I reckon I could easily get away with a 4.7m and a 6.2m on either side and I’d be covered for summer and winter!
I’ve had a couple of people comment on why did I get a “pommy” sail? and not a “bla bla brand” well sure It was designed in the UK but their team riders that give them feedback sail all over the world and I’m sure it’s made in some third world country just like all the other brands. To answer the question I feel comfortable with whom I am and I’m not a shallow person that gets sucked into all the advertising hype I’m after performance not image. I could have bought a $900 sail that is supposed to be great because one of the top 10 sailors in the world uses that sail but hey those guys could sail their bed sheet tied to their mast and sail better than the average sailor, they also get paid to use those sails. I feel I’ve got value for money (thanks Jez)
To summarize it all if you can’t be bothered reading all the above.
- Strong build
- Amazing wind range
- Easy to rig
- Balanced light feel
- Value for money
- Goes upwind really well
I now know why these sails consistantly get rave reviews in the magazines and not just the UK ones, they also did well in the US mag “wind surfing”
I,m really curious to hear of any feed back from others that have bought and used this sail!!!!!
I don't have any feedback, but a question. I haven't got to the wave stage yet. Hopefully one day I will have the consistent skills to tackle it. In the meantime, I am a happy flat water windsurfer and use Tushingham Storm and TBird2 sails.
You noted that the sails you are used to using tend to pull you over the side and that the Rock pulled you over the front. I haven't used any other sails, but I have noted that whenever I am hit with a gust I get pulled to the front quite viscously. Other windsurfers have said to lean to the side and not the back, which makes sense (don't bog the tail) and I usually do now, although it is often a bit of a struggle until I can power up the board. Maybe the other guys get a different feel from their sails?
Combs I was being really, really anal and picky when I mentioned that, it was such a tiny difference, after 3 or 4 runs I didn't feel it any more, I think that the forward direction of pull demonstrates the sails ability to want to go upwind really well. I see it as a positive quality of the sail. Most slalom sails especially sails with cams have a bit of a forward pull rather than a sideways pull.
Thanks Footstrap, it makes a lot of sense that a good sail is going to tranfer the power into forward motion rather than just pull you off the other side.
Thanks for the review Footstrap.
It's great to hear customers being so positive about the sails.
You've mirrored quite precisely how all the other '06 Rock buyers have responded to their new toys.
It looks like we will have re-order much sooner than expected, as over half our first batch has sailed out the door!.
Cheers.
Jez www.2ndwind.com.au
...and Coombs, the gusty river conditions do require extra awareness & anticipation.
It's just time on the water....
Hey I'm still waiting to hear some other feedback from others that have used this sail.
Upgraded to one of these a little while ago but wanted to test it in a few diferent conditions before commenting...
Had an 04 rock before so I was interested to see the differences. On rigging, the new ones set slighty flatter (requiring less outhaul) but look a little nicer (well they are fancy for a tushie...). On the water the it felt even more stable than the previous model, with the pull seeming to be more localised (doesn't shift as much even in the big gusts) making for a more neutral/comfortable/easier ride. For me thats the main advantage of the newer sails. Like the old ones the wind range is huge, if the wind picks up you just add more downhaul, which is great for a lazy man like me 
. Only disadvantage I can see is that the flatter setting means you cant 'bag' the sail out as much, but I normally just rig a little bigger to begin with to overcome this.
On the whole I like these sails. They're really suited to me... easy, good feel on the water and bomb proof. My old sail took a beating, with lots of big wipeouts (and a couple of broken masts 
) but the sail never needed repairing and was still (surprisingly) worth a bit come upgrade time.
Well there you go footstrap... 
