I am 171cm + 73kg and am a huge fan of the Huckers, heaps of power, good wind range and very very durable. My smallest is the 4.7 but I'm contemplating the 4.2.
Depending on conditions and type of sailing (bump and jump versus foiling) I do the following;
Foil - I can use the 4.7 in 10-20knots comfortably on the Naish foil. I tighten up the leech even more by using a 430 mast (have used a Goya RDM and now Ezzy Hookipa RDM). Minimum downhaul if light conditions, medium+ downhaul for stronger conditions. Just a little tension on outhaul.
B&J - Ezzy Hookipa 400 mast. Lots of downhaul if its cranking, minimal downhaul if underpowered (18knots-ish). I find a small amount of -ve outhaul really gives the sail even more power but most of the time neutral- very slight +ve outhaul works best.

RDM all the way for me. Key is don't use a soft top mast.
Happy sailing

Why not email Sailworks? Dale Cook there is probably the number one Hucker rider in the world. They designed it originally for him so he could jump (or "huck") with it. Those guys are crazy-supportive any time I, or anybody I know, I have asked them for help.

The Hucker is not for everyone for sure. The instant power can be overwhelming. I found emailing Bruce Peterson for advise to be good but yes he can try to up-sell you on his gear, fair enough though.

The Hucker sails are unique in three ways: they have a lot of luff curve; they have a lot of seam shaping; and the span-wise shaping profile is positive and progressive all the way to the top of the sail. This design creates a thicker foil profile, held higher in the sail, and with more rig tension. As such, the Hucker sails have a tighter leech, and while the leech still has progressive twist, the rate of twist is less than you would see, for example, in a Retro. The entire premise of the Hucker is to create more hang time, and the first rule of jumping is that to go big, you must first go fast, with control. When you make a jump and pull the sail horizontally over you, there is more of a Hucker sail lifting and you can fly higher and further. The 4.2 Hucker is the signature model of the Hucker range.
All of these attributes make the Hucker less sensitive to variations in mast bend. You will of course alter the shape and tension (and intended character) of the sail by using a flextop mast, but it is far less detrimental to the performance and range of the Hucker, than making a similar mast compatibility deviation than with a Retro sail. Mast specifications have two essential parameters: the stiffness and the curve profile. Think the the stiffness as the quantity of the rig tension, and the curve profile as the quality of the rig tension. I've seen just about every type of mast shoved in a Hucker, and they all seem to >work< well. However, if you want/expect the intended Hucker character and performance (as described above), then a constant curve RDM mast should be used. Stiffer masts are better for heavier riders and softer masts are better for lighter riders.

gorgesailor said..
Not sure what mast the OP was using as he didn't say, but my guess is a Flextop leaning constant curve mast like Ezzy, Goya or Chinook as mentioned would give him what he wants...

That is correct GS. It's a 100% carbon CC/Flex 370 RDM from a popular sail brand that is permanently bent as **** at the ferrule. I use a 30cm extender to make the 400 that this sail needs. So the challenge for me is sourcing a mast with the same specifications and defect. I'm not going to name drop. I've already alienated local dealer during a phone call over this strange query LOL. I think I have the rigging right. When you point up wind like a race sail, you blast past a dude your size and he is on a 5.0 in gusty marginal conditions for a 5.0, and you can do that with 1 hand, then you know you have nailed the rigging. This sail is the most stable 4.x sail I have ever used. It's like a race sail in a wave sail package. It was the 4.2 size I used to struggle with until I discovered the awesome power of mast tuning . I put 8 masts through this Hucker. 400s, 370s, CCs, CC/Flex etc. The above mentioned mast performed the best for me.

PS/ The above mentioned local dealer was not Wind Surfing Systems. Nb/ Chris is the nicest windsurfing dealer I have dealt with. He went out of his way to help me with my 4.2 purchase, and took a day out of his schedule to give me a guided tour of his product range when I visited Melbourne 4 years ago (plus he copped a parking ticket that day). I must say, some other Australian dealers need to take a page from Chris's book and learn some customer service skills. I'll be throwing Chris as much business as I can in future.

can i suggest possibly you have bought the wrong sail. you have a sail with a tight leech and full draft. 2 traits maybe not best suited for a lightweight..

by rigging the sail with an overly soft mast and a broken ferrule it sounds like you are encouraging the head to twist before it was designed to and i'd guess removed the full profile from the sail which speaks to your upwind comments.

the sailworks website says the sail suits taller heavier riders. who suggested you buy the Hucker? sounds like bad advice.

maybe the 3.7m might have served you better but truth here is you need to cut your losses and buy a different sail. im not sure how a shop could sell you a mast inline with the one you had. it was broken.

what mast brands do you have currently. surely there is a sail designed to suit smaller riders that would suit?

gorgesailor said..

Well looks like you are back to test rigging... hard to say what effect the defect has on the bend curve but I guess you could bend it & compare? ... Good Luck!

Nobody said Windsurfing was easy

Gestalt, I've PM'ed you my mobile. If you want to discuss further, then I'm happy to share my knowledge. I can't do loops and backies, nor crack 40 kts (I'm working on it !), but I think I sail well, and enjoy my sailing in most conditions with no or minimum equipment changes.

As for this topic, it has gone off course. Any takers to my question in my top post ????

^^^ You know his 6'2 don't you ?. That's not a small dude

It is NOT Sailworks specific.
Every sailmaker offers multiple sails for wave application.
You pick the one that suits your style....not always directly tied to weight.
NP offers lightfeel, low COE, all around, and power, high pull sails since 1997.
Hucker is a high aspect, high COE, short boom jump sail.
If you want lighter feel and more twist, you chose the wrong sail.

Huckers are fine for lightweights if they respect the windrange limits and like higher coe.
For instance, Robbie uses hugh draft, powerful wave sails.

Absolutely fat chance of a demo here in South Australia.