My old Gun 7.5 is about to die and I would like some opinions as to what is considered the best no cam free ride sail of a similar size . I'm considering Loft O2 7.4. North X type 7.3, Hellcat 7.2.Simmer , Naish Rally
I'm of the opinion their performance characteristics for my level are fairly close to cammed sails but what to choose , something with low down grunt and good top end.

Onya kiteboy, love constructive suggestions. Maybe worth a shot a sneaky peak at the dark side.

^^ Fixed.

The NP Hellcat 7.2 in our opinion is the best no cam sail out there, great low down grunt and unmatched top end speed and control.

+1 for Loft O2. Great sail at great price. Got three of them.

Gaastra Matrix!! Can't find them anymore though :(

Sailed the 2011 X-type 7.3? back to back with the 2012 KA Kyote 7.4 and the KA had much more grunt and held its shape during the lulls. Both rigged on 460 powerex skinny.

Without bringing in my personal opinion - which is admittedly very biased- i will confer to facts and third parties:


there are a heap of reviews on this page from magazines:

http://www.severnesails.com/2012/media/test_result.php

www.severnesails.com/blog/who-wants-to-go-fast-with-no-cams

The NCX is consistently reviewed as the fastest and best handling No cam freeride in magazine tests - and uses a good chunk of the DNA that is making the Reflex race sail program the fastest and most sought after race sail on the market.

Usually at a price tag that is within $50 of most other offerings in the market. But probably more expensive than internet direct offerings. Its certainly great value for money - but not a cheap offering.

As with any sail -You will need the correct mast curves to get the best performance.

If you are looking for more durability / low end grunt - then the all X ply Gator is the option to look at.

I was on a wavesailing mission in Vietnam a few years ago - and had some good fun wavesailing - but one of the most memorable sessions i had was on a 7.5 freeride sail and a 110 litre fast freeride board. Jus tmagic - it felt like i was sailing "downhill" the whole time

There are quite a few demo NCXs 7.5s / correct masts floating around at shops - especially in Brisbane and on the Sunshine coast -so you can actually ride one before you commit to anything.

- No cam freerides are awesome sails to enjoy pure blasting on.

Do your research , find your desired price / performance point and make an informed decision. Hope that helps and good luck whichever way you go.

Disclaimer, I've only ever used or owned 1 no cam. I have a 5.9 Loft O2 and love it, I use it on a slalom board and usually only when it's windy and the water is rough, sweet sail. I do use it on Green Island when windy and have scored 37 knots on the old gps dial. I have been using an old Ezzy skinny mast with the head adjusted to suit the extra length with no drama but they also work with standard diameter masts.

Here's a short video I've posted before...

(Flame suit) What's wrong with Cams?

I love the feel of cams in a sail - holds a great shape, good power, feels really solid.....

I know this is a non cam thread, but curious why the preference? I can understand no cams on small sails, but when you are in the 7m range... I recon cams all the way....

K Dog said...

(Flame suit) What's wrong with Cams?

I love the feel of cams in a sail - holds a great shape, good power, feels really solid.....

I know this is a non cam thread, but curious why the preference? I can understand no cams on small sails, but when you are in the 7m range... I recon cams all the way....

Even though I'm probably about to buy a cammed sail ( mainly because its in my budget - can't afford a non cammed setup) as a smaller female sailor ( weaker, shorter lighter) I find cammed sails are harder to waterstart & uphaul especially if they get the luff tube full of water. Also when I muff a gybe and the sail is popped the wrong way when I go to start I find it very draining to have to push the sail up & jerk it to get the sail to rotate so its set up for easy waterstarting.
If I could guarantee never to fall in again I love them! Stable and controllable.

K Dog said...

(Flame suit) What's wrong with Cams?

I love the feel of cams in a sail - holds a great shape, good power, feels really solid.....

I know this is a non cam thread, but curious why the preference? I can understand no cams on small sails, but when you are in the 7m range... I recon cams all the way....

I've gone from cammed sails for a few reasons.

Firstly I disliked the complex rigging process of cammed sails.

Secondly I did not like their weight and what have become huge luff pockets on modern cammed sails.

Thirdly I found them difficult to waterstart and uphaul.

Fourthly they are more reasonably priced.

Finally I've found modern non cammed sails such as the Loft 02 and the Hot Sails Maui Speed Demon to be excellent sails. As Reflex Films describes, sailing one that is correctly rigged on the right mast is a real joy to sail with a light, smooth and slippery feeling through the wind. I fully understand that downhill sailing feeling when going for it off the wind.

There was no performance advantage for me with a cammed sail so I've sold them all.

Besides this thread being full of opinions it also shows we live in a great age of competition between the brands that results in us being able to purchase great sails at very reasonable prices.

Mike105 said...

. Mast compatibility is a mine field and if you've already forked out $$$ on a good mast don't compromise performance with a sail that doesn't match. See the mast bend curves thread, and watch out for some of the major brands who seem to have changed bend curves over the last few years making the second hand market even more complicated.

I can vouch for this having recently tried a new sail brand on a different manufacturers mast which was supposed to be compatible. I even demoed a small size on my existing mast. However the new sail in the larger size, while it worked on the old mast it didn't feel 100%.

I then bit the bullet and bought a new mast, the difference in feel and performance was chalk and cheese.

I've had a range of N Pryde sails and the Hellcat wasn't my favourite in the earlier series ( I prefered the Saber model before it). If you tuned the sail for top end it felt a bit gutless and when bagged out for light wind it quickly became back handed - hence I refrered to it as the Hellpussy.

However I did have an opportunity to play with a 2012 model Hellcat, but no real wind to test properly. What i did notice is that even when DH to max reccommended it still had heaps of curve / belly under the boom, while the top was twisting nicely. So if you're looking at Hellcat I'd go for the 2012, very nice!.

But definitely try your mast on the prospect sail before buying or use the reccommended mast.

Most of the current brands are very good sails but can feel very different on the water, so it also comes down a little to what sort of feel you're used to.

Waiting4wind said...

Mike105 said...

. Mast compatibility is a mine field and if you've already forked out $$$ on a good mast don't compromise performance with a sail that doesn't match. See the mast bend curves thread, and watch out for some of the major brands who seem to have changed bend curves over the last few years making the second hand market even more complicated.

I can vouch for this having recently tried a new sail brand on a different manufacturers mast which was supposed to be compatible. I even demoed a small size on my existing mast. However the new sail in the larger size, while it worked on the old mast it didn't feel 100%.

I then bit the bullet and bought a new mast, the difference in feel and performance was chalk and cheese.

I've had a range of N Pryde sails and the Hellcat wasn't my favourite in the earlier series ( I prefered the Saber model before it). If you tuned the sail for top end it felt a bit gutless and when bagged out for light wind it quickly became back handed - hence I refrered to it as the Hellpussy.

However I did have an opportunity to play with a 2012 model Hellcat, but no real wind to test properly. What i did notice is that even when DH to max reccommended it still had heaps of curve / belly under the boom, while the top was twisting nicely. So if you're looking at Hellcat I'd go for the 2012, very nice!.

But definitely try your mast on the prospect sail before buying or use the reccommended mast.

Most of the current brands are very good sails but can feel very different on the water, so it also comes down a little to what sort of feel you're used to.

Hey Des,

The 2013 Hellcat goes one step further on than the 2012 version. Had a great sail on the new 6.7 up in QLD a couple of week back and was amazed at the top end range it had. No draft movement at all in up to 25 knots along with the rotation you expect out of a no cam rig make it a sweet set up for blasting and GPS.

It'll out perform many race sail setups for sure.

But then again had some nice sessions on the 2012 NCX early last Summer and that was a super nice setup also.

Seems you have some good choices these days so demo if you can.

Sam.

WINDSURFnSNOW said...


so demo if you can.

Sam.

Best advice so far

Hellcat