Mark _australia said..
^^ I am not saying the OP should not have cam sail.
I was answering that you say everything over 6.5 should be cammed - and yes that IS probably the case for people who are ONLY freeriders (but you didn't say that - you said everything over 6.5 should be cams if you're blasting)

I wanted to clarify that just in case others read this and think every thing over 6.5 should have cams. For somebody in a windy place who has all wave or crossover no cam sails up to 6.5m, then buys a 7m race sail for light winds they will be sadly disappointed - the 6.5 crossover will get them planing earlier. I'm talking about if the 7 or 7.5 is your biggest and your others do not have cams.

I said I would buy a cammed sail for 6.5m+ for blasting around on. I didnt say everyone should buy cammed sails that size. I even said another bloke here (heavyweight) used no cam Cheetah. Cheetahs are good for light wind as they dont go flat like a lot of sails in lulls.
I've got a 7m no cam Ezzy Cheetah & Exocet Cross 106 for freeriding in swells.

So what would you buy for a Patrik 140l Freerace in 13-15 knots wind flat water if you were 95kg?

Hey All you large sail enthusiasts.
Jump on to Gumtree Australia, Tasmania. There's a pile of large size sails from 8-11mtr range : FREE!

YES FREE! You're obviously going to need to freight the gear to your destination.

Dodges Ferry, 7173.

Very recent listing.

Surely some ones going to benefit from this.

I have had a lot of really great 10-15 knot sailing with 8.6 m Overdrive and Reflex from Severne over the years. Teamed up with 38-40cm fins and 70-75cm wide boards (I ride the Windtech Silver Bullet 72) you can have a really nice powered session in 12 knots- with 15 delivering full power.These sort of conditions are actually common just about everywhere so it a handy combo to up your water time. You can get an 8.6 to deliver the power of a 9.2 if choose one that is tuneable and tunes up with less downhaul, more belly and a tight leech for pumping up onto the plane - from there you can downhaul more as it gets windy - and of course take advantage of a simple adjustable outhaul. I actually enjoy my 8.6 the most when it is rigged at minimum spec in light air - ther eis a lot of feel and lift - and also great power through and exiting gybes in the full configuration. Staying within the footprint of a 490cm mast helps a lot too - 8.6 is a pretty sweet spot in terms of diminishing returns - once you go bigger you start adding a lot more weight and expense as you go into 520 masts. But obviously that gets you into power performance in the 8-12 knot range- if you live in an area where that is common then 8.6 + will work for you.

Cams get you stability and therefore range. I sailed a neilpryde raf 9.0 and diablo (also raf) 9.2 and they were super stable for my weight 75kg. Used it in winds max 23 knots.


At the time I also had a North 7.5 with 3 cams I think. Great sail, learned straps on it, super stable powerful etc. Ran it till it shredded to pieces.

redrabbitz said..
Never understood why people buy sails over 7.5. They're heavy, bulky, take up heaps of space, you need to buy yacht masts & long booms. All awkward highly over rated gibberish, crock of .... & try deep water starting these bastards in light winds- you can't.

Pain in the rear end & your pocket.

Why bother going out unless the wind cranx up to at least 18+ knots.

Save your $'s & wait for higher winds...Simples!

Because to some of us, that's utterly one-dimensional.

Some of us love windsurfing so much, we don't want to wait. Some love the power and the feeling of being able to blast fast in flat water and light winds.

Why do so many people want to make this wonderful sport so one-dimensional?

^^^^Just putting it out to the world

Tardy said..

John340 said..
Get a foil instead. After taking the plunge, my biggest fin sail I use is 7m

a bit shallow where i sail ..but yeah foiling is light wind magic for windsurfing now a days ..
I'm stuck with a fin ,and still trash one or two every year .
Thanks for all the ideas everyone so far .

Is this you and where you sail or have I got the wrong person?
I can see why foiling would be out of the question.

yeah Phil thats me .and we have rocks and coral in this area ,smashing fins is the norm ,I do ocean sail ,but want the big sail for in this lagoon .

We're privileged to express our own opinions regarding size of sails. If you've got issues with my comments, which l feel is my own personal opinion, that's fair & your right.

No need to be criticized & scrutinized by the "Large sail user's fraternity".

If you love using large sails that's your choice & fabulous, enjoy them & that's that!


Relevant to Wind ranges in your area.

I personally don't. Have better things to spend $'s on requiring extra long masts(550+range), longer booms & what ever else is needed for larger sails.

My sail range is 4.5- 7.1max. it's plenty for our area. We're fortunate to get winds up to 30+knts. Yes we get glass smooth water days also. Generally go out when weather forecast issued 16-25 knts & know it's going to be consistent.

I can't justify buying all that extra larger gear. Content with our current sail range.

Better things to be doing than fluffing & floundering around in fickle puffs of wind. Take it how you like.

End of the day, it's my opinion on the wind range l choose to go out in.

Imax1 said..

redrabbitz said..
Never understood why people buy sails over 7.5. They're heavy, bulky, take up heaps of space....
Why bother going out unless the wind cranx up to at least 18+ knots.

It's cos they like to skim over water in light winds .
Its all relative with big guys .
Im heavy and can cruise over 20 kts in 13 kts. Do 25 in a solid 15 kts with a 9.4 while watching you sit on the beach complaining about big gear.

One of my favorite early days learning to sail was turning up at a spot, seeing all these guys waiting on the fence for the wind to come in. Me, not knowing any better rig my Nova (almost a formula board) and go out on a 7.5m. One of the guys made some comment about 'I should buy one of those for my missus' or something like that.

I didn't know any better. I was planing easily, going back and forth, enjoying myself, while these guys were sitting there. If only I knew I should have been sitting on the fence for the 20 knots that never came in

redrabbitz said..
Never understood why people buy sails over 7.5. They're heavy, bulky, take up heaps of space, you need to buy yacht masts & long booms. All awkward highly over rated gibberish, crock of .... & try deep water starting these bastards in light winds- you can't.

redrabbitz said..
Thought l'd get hammered!
Used to it!

redrabbitz said..
We're privileged to express our own opinions regarding size of sails. If you've got issues with my comments, which l feel is my own personal opinion, that's fair & your right.

No need to be criticized & scrutinized by the "Large sail user's fraternity".

LOL, bag other peoples choices then sook hard when you get some negative feedback about bagging other peoples choices.

Didums

Didums

Wind envy comes to mind.

Ian K said..

cald said..
9m sails don't all need 550, in fact I would say not many need 550's a lot only require a 490 which the OP probably already has for his 8.5..

Foils don't necessarily need long a strut/mast either. Especially on flat water. Slingshot make a 38! You'd be touching down a lot. Or you could cut down an ally strut to suit. Norfolk Island has a 1.3 metre tidal range. How big is the tidal sailing window in that lagoon with a 490 fin?

www.kingofwatersports.com/product/slingshot-2017-foil-flight-school-mast-package/slingshot-flight-school-2016

The 550/490 conversation was in regard to masts - for the sails that this thread is about. Not foil masts.

The OP has mentioned fins often get ruined at this spot, and with fins there are plenty of designs to make them shallower so I doubt they are using 40cm deep fins there.

People must be bored the OP asked about cams on big sails. Not about foiling or waiting till its 18+ to sail.

Buy a Windsurfer LT and you can sail in 3 to 30 knots with one board, mast boom and sail. The sail is a 5.7 m2. Just another perspective. I have a 9.5 Ezzy Lion (twin cams) which I used the other day on my Mistral Equipe which is good too and much more powerful but much heavier and if you drop it in the water harder to uphaul and it is not as pumpable as the Windsurfer LT sail which is nice, light and powerful and pumps nicely square downwind. I do find the Mistral One Design 7.4 m2 twin cam much easier to use than a 9.5m2 sail like the Ezzy Lion and the Mistral 7.4m2 (tighter leech) much lighter and more pumpable as well. I note you need to be in top condition if you want to race or sail with big sails. Just my experience but others may have other views and different experiences. There is a place for big sails and I have the 9.5m2.

Ian K said..

cald said..
9m sails don't all need 550, in fact I would say not many need 550's a lot only require a 490 which the OP probably already has for his 8.5..

Foils don't necessarily need long a strut/mast either. Especially on flat water. Slingshot make a 38! You'd be touching down a lot. Or you could cut down an ally strut to suit. Norfolk Island has a 1.3 metre tidal range. How big is the tidal sailing window in that lagoon with a 490 fin?

www.kingofwatersports.com/product/slingshot-2017-foil-flight-school-mast-package/slingshot-flight-school-2016

Hi Ian ,thanks mate ,i have busted my foil 3 times ,and not going back there .i need to zig zag a bit .I use some 26 weed fins and 44 .on higher tides ..
I still like fin sailing .. it is still cool ..and safer in the lagoon .

GREAT feed back everyone ..and good to here others experiences and trials ..and the arguing is good too .