Fins

Fins also called skegs are the engine under water, boards are the engine on the water and the sail over the water. Fins are a key element in the entire equation that were ignored in the early days of the longboard. They used to have a U.S. box connection where the placement of the fin was slightly adjustable. Those connections are also called Chinook or A-box. Now most fins go into the tuttle or power box one way and one position.


There are giant formula fins like in this image. Rarely have I seen such flex or asymmetry on land...Other fin types are free-ride, slalom/free-race, weed, wave, bump n jump and freestyle. Perhaps I missed some ? What sets types apart ? The obvious factor is length and is often cited as the measuring stick. Fins or foils as I like to call em have MUCH more character than that !! There are factors such as width {top and base}, area, thickness, rake (angle of attack)  and material (carbon, G10, etc) which affects flex and stiffness. Just recently discovered that Fanatic boards use GFK fins. What's that? Craig Gerntenbach of Fanatic informs me these are just "moulded polyester fins, with good twist characteristics". Length and shape together make up the type of fin more than anything quickly visible.


What are the fin "parts" really called ? check here: http://www.vmgblades.com/learn/fin-parts/

Oh yeah! They come in ALL shapes n sizes. 

The most bizarre is the hydrofoil.

 

See in this video, just how much fins actually "flex" while in the water:

 

Just as sails have ideal wind ranges, so do fins... In other words it is important to match board, sail and fin for the conditions and the type of sailing one is about to do. I call this aligning the engines :-)

Lately wave sailors have been using boards with two (2) and even four (4) fins. So, once again we are off to new horizons :-) Locally I have NOT seen any dual or quad fin setups and personally know just enuff about the single fin. Suggest you look elsewhere if u r lookin 4 info on dual or quad fins - sorry mate. However, here is an interesting discussion on quad setups by Keith Teboul:   http://www.vimeo.com/17300703

Last year, 2010, the water was extraordinarily low here and as such, there were many board and fin repairs in the area. My fins took a beating and I like to try n fix my stuff myself. Fin repair happens in the off-season, but this was the first year where a light sanding was NOT enough. After searching the web and writing on a few forums, I tried and like Marine-Tex. Bit of a pain to apply and one must discover the trick  of sanding it wet. This makes me wonder, will it be susceptible to damage when wet ? :-) time will tell...

Personally have a long 53 straight up race stiff fin for my 10-oh sail. The 47 weed fin does well for the 8.5 and gets used for the 10-oh as well. A 40 cm slalom fin is my ticket to fun with my 7-oh. Fin suppliers now have charts for sailors to choose fins. Nowadays board width is a factor in fin selection as well. My personal fin favorites are Select Fins - they are known to whistle at high speeds - just sand one side of the back edge of the fin. Custom Fins exist that are very specialized -- like the Black Projects Fins which has specs like 40, 45 or 50 knots !!!! Wolfgang Lessacher makes world renowned fins and will ship. Check www.designlessacher.com

In the past people changed sails to change things up. Now people are realizing the fin is just as important. Personally have one fin for each sail. Cannot be bothered having more than one weed fin, but this may become a factor when I get into the smaller sail sizes... Here's a picture from the WindSurf Magazine of July 2002 giving a fin overview. As you can see, there are lots of shapes and sizes, all with their special purpose and special function(s)...

Believe the following chart was taken from the Select Hydrofoils website showing relationship between board width, fin sizes and sail sizes:

Here's a couple of pics showing the "rake" on the fins, straight up n down 53 cm race vs 47 cm weed vs 40 cm slalom:

 

Surprisingly the 7 or 8 degree angle or rake on the race 53 and the slalom 40 do not seem that different !! The weed fin seems to have a rake of about 40 degrees. Some are advertised at 45 degrees for extreme weeds. Just found an article in the July 2006 Windsurf Magazine with Gonzalo Costa Hoevel. He calls choosing fins a 3 step system. Step one is about board analysis. Ironically he says to put planing fins on the faster boards and faster fins on the early planing boards. He says the early planers have straighter outlines and need fast fins with some rake, small tip area and less flex or more stiff. The faster boards are "rounder" and he suggests power fins or early planers. These fins have less rake/angle (more straight up n down), more area in the tip and softer flex. The video of the fin above and the formula bent fin for me seem to exhibit a lot of flex. Step two for Gonzalo is assessing your goal and step three is knowing your fins. He says the softer fin gives more "kick" or "lift". Upright means planing AND upwind control - like a keel. The profile or thickness plays a factor as well. He states "A fin with a thicker foil gives you more power, upwind angle, but sacrifices top speed. A thinner foil gives you better top speed, butt in lighter winds you lose early planing and upwind angle. A fin that has the thickest point of its foil forward creates a smoother, more controlled riding sensation. Moving the foil back gives you more speed, but it's a more technical-riding fin - especially when going upwind." He also mentions that people overlook area of a fin and compares this to only analyzing sails based on luff length !! Here is a video that covers some areas regarding windsurf fin physics. They actually are saying that at over 40 knots pressures cause water to boil at room temperature !!

Fins are usually made with hi-tech components and are precise pieces of equipment. As such, they do NOT give them away. I have about one fin per sail and they are about $200 each. Some people also have overlap since they may require weed fin(s). Used fins are closer to $100 each and can easily be repaired with Marine-Tex. Just remember to sand wet. Here's a good link with everything you wanted to know about fins, butt were afraid 2 ask: http://www.carbonsugar.com/design/everything-you-should-know-about-fw-fins/

Wrote to Roger Jackson of Starboard about undersizing fins and this is what he said:
Hi Joe,
You are underfinned if when you reach top speed and "push" laterally across the top of the fin it lets go and spins out.
My personal "rule of thumb" for fin length is the fin has to be greater than 1/2 the board width or OFO width.
The wider the board and the greater the footstrap off set, the more the 1/2 board width applies.
On a Futura or other freeride board with inboard and outboard footstrap positions, you can generally run a smaller fin (perhaps < 1/2 the OFO width) with the footstraps in the closer to centered positions.
The smaller fin (or underfinned) also depends alot on sail size and overall board speed.
I have really tiny (<25 cm) speed fins that are great if you can head off wind and get them up to > 25 knots board speed.
At 30 knots + board speed they are solid as a rock, but if you have conditions where you can't get them up to speed, you can push them loose any time you like if your speed is < what it takes for these tiny fins to "hook up" and stay hooked up.
Hope this helps,
Roger


What are F4 fins? {note to self}   

 

Sails

As you have seen in some discussion here already, the early sails were considered to be like a bag of wind (in polite terms) and some called em a sac of potatoes :-(

Just take a quick look at this one:

Neil Pryde website took their picture OFF = bad publicity ?? 

found a "new" one

Notice how there is almost NO curvature in the mast. There are creases in the sailcloth running in all directions. The "sticks" or battens are tiny and are NOT full sail ie they donut run from sail tip to mast. Full battens help the sail retain its shape. When it is very windy and one holds this type of sail at 90 degrees to the wind, it flaps back n forth so much it is hard to hold onto. Early booms were just awkwardly long. The sail material was cloth and later it was dacron, both of which do not stretch much, butt seem to last forever.
One thing to note is the earlier sailboards were definitely FUN oriented - people put their friends and pets on their boards as they went out. Not much safety equipment here - just playing about !!!

If my nonsense mistyping bothers you (or you enjoy it) please let me know :-)

When we speak of sails like this one, there is no need to distinguish the type of sailing one is about to do. No need to speak of wave (on shore, side shore), bump n jump, slalom, race, freeride, free-style, etc. This all came later...

I need to be careful when I use the term race. There is a specialized raceboard that is along the lines of the longboard and they have specialized sails - as do all the sail groups. One blog has gathered a list of all the specialized sails for the longboard race boards :  http://windsurfraceboard.blogspot.com/p/sails.html

In the 80's there were all kinds of things happening in the windsurf world. Robby Naish became a household name in the windsurf realm. In 1984 windsurfing became an Olympic event. Fred Haywood goes over 30 knots - perhaps on a sail designed by Barry Spanier. Full battens including foot battens make their appearance. Monofilm apparently made its appearance around here as well. Monofilm is a clear stretchy material that wears out with UV rays and is more susceptible to breaks and creases than some of the newer materials, which in some cases still incorporate monofilm. As it loses its clarity, it is losing its strength. Here one can start to make the sails quite tight with a rigid constant shape - downhaul and outhaul hard !

Other names in the sail industry were and still are Niel Pryde, Gaastra, Maui Sails, David Ezzy, Simmer Sails and others. It seems even camber inducers made it onto the scene this early.


At the left is an example of an "exposed" cam inducer that illustrates how with the curvature, the batten can be locked to the mast...Some people suggest that any sail larger than about 7.5 square meters have cams. Some of these larger sails today have from none to six(6) cams. Typically when there are cams, there are two(2) to four(4) cams. A cam locks the shape of the sail right away and does not require wind to shape the sail. Thus it is said to be better in reduced wind also called lulls in the wind. When one is using the "wrong" mast, sail is new or just not rigged correctly, it may be difficult to flip the sail fully from one side to the other i.e. cams may stick. I have heard of people filing cambers, butt for me that should be a last resort.



It was not just about going fast, but people were catching air and starting to do tricks like forward loops. However, the chart at the left shows that speed was definitely a factor. In the last couple of years kites seem to have taken over in the top speeds on water world-wide. So the competition is now between really expensive sailboats, windsurfers and kiters :-)


I believe it was in the late 80's when Bruce Peterson of Sailworks now (Gaastra back then) discovered by accident the whole concept of the sail leech twisting off and opening up. This twisting allows sails to have much more range in that they do not become overpowered. The extra wind will “spill” out of the leech. This seems to allow a gradual powering up of the sail. Apparently, the leech  also lowers the CoE or centre of effort of the sail. I call this the point of power or PowerPoint. When the CoE is lower, it is more stable, like a person with a lower centre of gravity is more stable for gymnastics or martial arts.  It seems the CoE needs to align with the CLR/ centre of lateral resistance that runs off the fin. In order to do this with a lower CoE, the mast track had to move back on the board.

Older sails had more power, but less range and control. To cover this, "newer" sails became larger. Earlier the biggest sails were in the 8.x range with many cams. Now we are up to 12.x. I imagine that over 12.x it just becomes unmanageable in terms of human capabilities i.e. imagine uphauling such a sail? With the larger sails come the larger fins/foils. Larger foils require wider boards. Wider boards plane up earlier and do not need as much low end power. What I am trying to say here is: this twisting off of the leech thing had a major impact on the whole windsurf model.


It seems stronger materials like X-ply made it into sails in the early 90's. And now in the 2000's there are newer, lighter, stronger and more expensive materials like technora...

Apparently it was not until the late 90's when camless sails came back into popularity. Today it seems the race, slalom and formula sails have the cams whereas most other sails do not... There is a light movement back to cams where there are only two(2) cams on the sail to provide stability...

At the beginning of this discussion, masts had little bend. Now masts have bend, twist and flex. As such it is important to put the correct mast on the sails. This is still only part of the equation. When rigging a sail many factors come into play besides the mast.

Now there are videos on sail sites, youtube and vimeo showing average joes how to rig camless and even cammed sails. Setting the mast extension correctly, putting enough downhaul for leech twist-off, tightening battens and not too much outhaul all come into play.

Then of course for each person there are the additional factors of boom height, harness line position, does one use adjustable outhaul, etc etc.

Today's sails range in size from 1.x square meters for kids to 12.x square meters. Cannot emphasize enough to get the matching mast that the sail maker has recommended. High winds call for sails in the 3.x to 5.x square meter range. Mid-winds are 6.0 to 8.5 and light winds are 8.5 to 12.x. This is a generalization because I have read about formula racers using 10.0 sails in quite high winds !!!

The good news is boards have sail ranges and sails have recommended uses. They are expensive, but at least they are repairable and my 2006 Pursuit monofilm sail is still going strong. Then again so is my 20 year old Dacron 7.0 3 cam sail. Still prefer my 10 year old Gaastra Flow 3x over the 20 year old NP sail.

Some sails have more than one clew hole. In case you forgot :-), the clew is at the "back" of the sail where the outhaul "rope" is attached. Have heard there may even be sails with three(3) clew holes. Have had discussions with fellow windsurfers where we felt the bottom hole left the leech a little more open and as such, for stronger winds. Conversely, using the top hole keeps the leech a little tighter for lighter winds. Interestingly enough, a "shorter" fellow tried the top hole in lighter winds after a discourse on the subject. He did NOT like it and went back to the lower clew hole. Today I saw a video from the Viet Nam PWA with Antoine Albourne, Bjorn Dunkerbeck and Cyril Moussllman. They all seemed to iterate that the top hole was for "taller" sailors and the lower hole is for the "shorter" sailors.

Sail makers have been reducing the sail length at the boom. This is being done with a clew cutout - as it is called. It seems it has been around a number of years and yet, Maui Sails is only starting to try this configuration in 2011 on their infamous race sails TR - version 7 in 2011. From my understanding this gives a sail a much lighter feel and is much easier to swing about - like in jibes...

As I write these notes to myself and whoever else is interested, I start to realize why starting windsurfing is difficult. There is a lot of information, expense, learning and very weather dependent. This is not to mention the equipment needs to be stored when not in use and a vehicle with which to transport it all.

Guess the lesson is, people should NOT start as I did, with a really old board and NO instruction. New gear is much more user friendly and there is a wealth of info on the web. For me the local shops are my biggest sources of information and I am more than happy to "encourage"/support them. All my new stuff is purchased locally and they answer questions via e-mail.

The latest n greatest is NOT required to have a GREAT time. I did discover though that the monofilm sail helped me get planing. Have planed with the older sails since, but after changing the fin. If one likes the great outdoors then sports like windsurfing and motorcycles are natural choices. I have yet to scream inside my helmet on my first windsurf session of the year. This was an annual routine for me on my old 750. I have made it to the smile and a whoop when I did a chop hop. Yes, windsurfing is thrilling and makes me feel closer to nature and my fellow man/woman.

One term one comes across when speaking of windsurf sails is "centre of effort" or COE. In these discussions other terms like apparent wind come up as well. As an average joe windsurfer, I read about the concept, but feel it is not necessary for me to have a great time on the water. Since I have always lived near the water, many concepts and ideas just seem to come naturally without too much thought or analysis. I prefer it that way. It reminds me of the golf swing. The more effort one puts in or thinks about it, the worse it seems to get. Just relax, keep trying stuff and try to repeat what works best FOR YOU. The same applies to me for the fins. I listen to people and read the literature, but do not need to fully understand foil functionality, etc. IF you are interested, there are plenty of articles on the web discussing COE, CLR, apparent wind theory, etc. Let me see if I can find a good "simple" one ....How great is that, found one from one of our local windsurf shops :-)
Windsurf Sail Physics 101 
On this blog I have also added this page:  jim-drakes-windsurf-physics

Here is a video of a fellow making a "custom" sail - in case u r interested: Vid of Making a Custom Sail

Where I live two (2) boards and about three (3) sails should cover the majority of conditions for me. Since I really look to sail in all conditions, I will have three (3) boards and four or five sails... Just remember I had one board and three(3) sails for about 10 years to start :-)

B4 I forget, the sail calculator is good as a point of reference: sailcalculator.xls

Here is what I use for my sail reference => Sails vs Wind Speed

If I wish to speak of windspeeds perhaps I should put up a little windspeed converter. I use kph and then divide by 2 to get approximate knots.

clique to get bigger clearer image

As discussed, I am a numbers guy. So, how can I relate sail size to wind ? My sail sizes multiplied by Beaufort scale are always around 42. If I call my 10.0 a 10.5 then 10.5x4=42, 8.5x5=42, 7x6=42 and 6x7=42. Now if only I can get used to the Beaufort scale :-)

Found some of the following numbers on the redsurfbus blog.. I just added some extra numbers and some of my own data.

clique for clearer image

 One sail I would like to give honourable mention is the "kitewing". It is referenced in the Winter Windsurfing section of this blog. It has no mast and generates plenty of lift...

Each time I sail , I learn new things about boom placement, harness line placement, etc and that is part of the fun as well..

Barry Spanier of Maui Sails uses the owl wing as a flight indicator and inspiration. Do not know why, but I prefer an insect wing - perhaps because due to its transparency one can see all the cells and re-enforcements. {notice the clew cut-out :-) }


 Sails are not cheap and they wear out and/or may require repairs. People repair their own battens and cambers, but few people actually repair their sails. A typical repair around here seems to be 100 to $200. Sails themselves can go from $300 to over $1000. The worst part of all this is: you may also require a matching mast and/or boom. A 100% carbon mast can also be close to $1000 , as can a 100% carbon boom. Used sails, masts and booms are MUCH less. Once again, people want the new stuff. Just remember, monofilm does wear out - it needs to be clear and hopefully free of crinkles/creases.Thus far, my used sails have all been under $300 and my new one under $500. AND they all work just fine :-)

In my other "posts" I try to rate the products that I currently have. I rate the BIC Dufour and the AHD FF 160 from my perspective and my experience as an average joe windsurfer. As yet, I have NOT done the same thing for the sails. So, let me try to do that now ...

Originally my first modern sail was supposed to be a Sailworks Retro 8.5 with appropriate mast et al. Bruce Peterson of Sailworks discovered the leech concept and the Retro had been around for quite some time. The problem was and still is today, these sails are quite expensive. I believe in supporting the local shop and thus i did NOT do any on-line shopping - other than checking the SW website. There are other shops in town and they have Aerotech, Gaastra, MauiSails and Niel Pryde. It turns out the MauiSail was the best return for the buck and the mast was going to come out as a really great deal as well. There was also the fact that The Team with the infamous Barry Spanier had their stamp on this sail. Both Retro and MS Pursuit are non-cambered 8.5s with similiar luffs/height and widths/boom. Both require a 490 cm mast with an IMCS of 29 {see mast "post" for more discussion on masts}. Usually I try not to let just cost influence my choice, but as an amateur, I could NOT see any significant difference for an average joe in these two(2) sails and setup. So, the purchase was made of a 2006 MauiSails Pursuit 8.5 with a 490/29 90% carbon Autima mast and an aluminum boom.

Now, that was a LOT of pre-amble and yet no discussion on rating. This is still my favourite sail and not just because it is my first sail. One thing I discovered, it takes a lot less downhaul than the SW Retro. My w/s buddy has SW Retros and is a bigger fellow. When he downhauls his Retro, he looks like he is struggling. Barry Spanier confirmed on the MS forum that the Pursuit and MS sails in general do NOT require as much downhaul force to get to correct setting. Phil McGain of MS is able to rig MS sails with NO additional tools. I tried that, but then again i am not an Iron Man like Phil {he did the iron man routine in 2010 i believe it was}. The sail size is ideal for me in lighter winds 15 to 20 knots about ie 20 to 40 kph winds. The sail has a lot of range and although these "modern" sails were NOT made to keep the leech tight, when I keep the leech tight, it still works well. I use this sail with tight leech on my BIC Dufour Wing and it goes really well. This means this sail has a HUGE range. One can adjust downhaul and outhaul !! Did my first planing with this sail and it convinced me to go out and buy a MauiSails race sail TR-4 10.0 for those really light winds. Will discuss that sail next. One thing i commented to Barry about was, the logos came off quickly - no big deal. Was also surprised that after four(4) years, Barry called my sail old. I feel it still has a ton of life left !!! If I had to do it again, I would definitely purchase this sail again, but i do really like cambered sails as well. One thing i would change is - i would purchase the appropriate MS mast rather than the better deal on the more carbon mast. I will NEVER purchase Autima again. I tried to contact them for info on their mast via e-mail and phone and forums and got nothing. All i wanted to know was some numbers on their mast. MS masts are considered hard top, while SW and others are constant curve. This works with MS, butt is NOT ideal. One day i will get to try an MS 490 mast on the 8.5. I tried the 520 MS 100% mast on my 8.5, butt it was pretty tight ie might work in high wind, but less range... Oh yeah, I did ask Barry Spanier on the MS forum why there was one less batten on the MS Pursuit than say the SW Retro. Barry asked me why i would put one more ? OK ... On another spot on the same forum KP and Barry discuss how more battens keep the shape better !!! I am NOT one to argue with Barry nor with the performance of this sail. Josh Angulo when he was with MS for a short while seemed to like the MS booms and the Pursuits ...
UPDATE: just read that the Autima mast is considered hard top (no numbers) and as such that is why it seems to work so well with this MS sail that is hard top rated. So, will NOT be purchasing an MS 490 mast to replace the Autima for a numer of reasons. Masts cost too much, the current mast is doing the job and when i replace the 8.5 i may consider either cambered or Sailworks Retro, but that brand is expensive for me. If all I have to worry about is that windsurfing is cost and yet have all that stuff in the garage, maybe i should just start being thankful and stop my whining. When i was young , people said be thankful that you are healthy - what did they know? Now i have friends and family dying around the age of forty(40), which i consider quite young compared to my age and the age of my mother , who is still living. Moral: live in the now. No Fear, No Loathing and only controlled folly. PEACE of MIND - and that is where windsurfing helps me - when i am on the water - all the bad stuff is forgotten - and no nonsense of whining about costs and not enuff stuff :-)

Okay, what about my other MauiSails sail ? I also have an MauiSails TR-4 10.0 sail. I call it a 10-oh because it is just so oh oh BIG :-) The TR sails go up in number since the first year of introduction. This year in 2011 they have the TR-7's with a clew cutout for the first time. That makes the TR-4 a 2008 MS sail. I purchased it in 2009 - used obviously, but it was like never used !!! Before we get into my personal sense of the sail, let us investigate the why-fors. I purchased this sail because I wanted to get out sooner and faster. AHD suggested I not go larger than 10.0 with my current AHD FF 160. I tried an MS-2 11.0 with the board and liked the combo, but NOT the sail. Thus I limited my search to the TR 10.0. This is a race sail and as such requires the proper mast and ideally a carbon boom. I got really lucky. The sail was sold with the appropriate MS 520 mast at 100% carbon and the boom I purchased separately was an HPL which turns out to be a carbon boom!! I probably have the only TR sail in Montreal because our local MS vendor does NOT carry them and has NO experience rigging them.

Okay, let us get to the rating - assuming the setup has the appropriate mast and carbon boom. This sail is a race sail and I am only wanting it for light wind flying. It does fly !! Also, I used it on 40 % of my windsurf outings in 2010 !! Another 40 % were on the MS Pursuit 8.5. Thus light wind is the main element on the menu here in Montreal. The sail has cams and can be rigged with cams attached before boom or after putting the boom on. In any case, it is NOT difficult to rig for a race, cammed sail. For the "de-rigging" it is important to note a couple of elements - remove the boom, manually release the bottom cam AFTER slightly loosening downhaul and then SUDDENLY release all downhaul , in essence popping the cams off. Ok, that's enuff about rigging , what about the sail ? First of all, it is HEAVY. This means it is difficult to uphaul. I considered an EZ-uphaul, butt they are like sixty bucks $%^& Could make one myself or use my standard tricks which are: beach start whenever possible and if by chance i fall in or drop the sail, get it out of the water QUICK. The issue is: when the sleeve gets full of water - time to swear. Once going, the sail is just GREAT. The other issue i had that is now resolved is the popping of the cams from one side to the other. Never had this issue on my older cammed sails, but then again, they were NOT strung tight like a drum either. On the MS forum, some people seem to never have this issue and others have it when the sails are new. After about 20 riggings , loosening the batten under the boom just slightly and putting McLube on the round portion of the cam  - all is well. When there is a little bit more wind, it helps as well - again, around the boom, the sail is rigged tight. These sails have a ton of range and are made to allow touching the boom ie protective lining there. Would I buy an MS TR again - YOU BET. Probably used or off e-bay though. People are raving about the TR-7s already and they are just out.

I am actually considering that IF i ever replace the 8.5, i would replace it with a TR 8.4. For the 7.5 I would use a Pursuit or Switch and in the 6.x I would just get a Switch - maybe RDM ?? My issue is $$$ -- I cannot afford this stuff new and the sail ranges all require a different mast. Tried to get a 460/100 off e-bay just this week and was outbid in 10 minutes. Must be all that automatic bidding, Guess I will just have to wait until i have some more funds. Find it difficult to purchase a mast and then wait to get the sail. Same if i get a sail and need to wait for the mast :-( My sails under 8.5 are older sails that work for now and are used about 20 % of my windsurf outings. I do not go out in 30+ knot winds. My skills or experience is just not there YET. So, my next newer sail would be in the 7.x arena. Fortunately or unfortunately a SW Retro 7.5 AND 7.0 would fit on my current Autima 490. Have seen these on used market for about $400, which is cheaper than mast + sail in the MS arena... So, for now I MUST STOP THE SHOP. IF i see i need a sail in 7.x, i just hope i can get MS with the mast. Otherwise it will be a combo purchase or SW Retro...

I also have two(2) older sails that I will rate briefly.  I have a 1998 Gaastra Flow 3X 7.0. As the name implies, it has three(3) cams. They are rigged by sliding the mast through them rather than applying pressure and popping them on later. This can be tricky at times. The mast cannot have a marine lubricant like McLube or the cams keep sliding off. Also found it helped to make the bottom batten bend the opposite direction of the other battens while rigging. The batten tensioners are still straps, but these ones still work fine. The reason I bought this sail and like this sail is: it rigs on my current 490 mast. That means it is a taller sail with less boom. The newer Matrix and Pilot seem to have these characteristics as well. For what I use it for, this is a great sail and well worth the $80 I paid. I hope to replace this sail with a 7.5 like a SW Retro or even a Gaastra Pilot/Matrix which all fit on a 490. The issue with Sailworks is the cost. It has to be a used sail. The Gaastra and MauiSails are a little less expensive. The MS sails in the 7.x range do not fit on a 490 and do not have an open head. I realize this is all about performance and perfection. Eventually I will get a 460 mast, but they are so damned expensive. I cannot even seem to outbid people on e-bay $%^&*(

I also have a 1994 Simmer WorldCup Race 6.0. This sail was purchased in order to have a small sail for winter sailboarding on ice. It rigs on my old epoxy 450 cm mast and the batten tension straps slip. It does what it was meant to do and on really windy days when i am overwhelmed on my 7-oh, i put this sail on and try stuff. It serves its purpose and will eventually be replaced. This older sail also has three(3) cams and i never remember having any issues rigging or cam rotating issues when going from one side to the other.

Here's another wind chart that came out of discussions from the Starboard forum:

"http://img1.fotoalbum.virgilio.it/v/www1-1/649/64903/105409/velaperfetta-vi.jpg"

One thing I find VERY interesting is they suggest 6.5 down from 8.5. I
go down to 7-oh from there. Also , if i extrapolate, it looks like i should use a

7.5 in winds of 16 to 20 knots with my 97 kilos. I tend to start with an 8.5 in 

those winds.  

-------------------------

there is also the question of how to get your rig and board to the water.
personally donut believe in carrying it on one's head.
here Tinho , the master instructor, gives us some good hints !!
http://www.calema.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=140

Quote of a quote from Windsurfing Mag April 2010 - Frederic Suares 

"An optimist hopes for wind.

  A pessimist complains about the wind

  A realist adjusts the outhaul."

I am surprised that i did not seem to write anything here about building a sail quiver.
People suggest choosing a starting point and then percentage wise up and down from there. 
For example:You are starting and a sail you choose is 7.0. This sail is not too hard to uphaul and gives decent performance in mid to light winds. Since you like light winds, you decide to get a larger sail. Obviously , if you purchase an 7.5, it would be too close with too much overlap. How about 8.0 ? This is better, butt in today's sails one can go with larger ranges. This means one could easily go from 7.0 to 8.5 or perhaps even 9.0. For this discussion, let us say 8.5. This sail is 8.5/7.0 = 1.2 times larger. So, if we were to go to a giant sail, then we might consider 8.5 * 1.2 = 10.2 or 10-oh rounded down. Now there is already a three(3) sail quiver from 10-oh, 8.5 down to 7-oh which covers light wind to mid winds.Now, going down, 5.9*1.2 = 7.0 and thus a 7-oh sail would be the same spacing. 
If we continue this logic we go down 6.0, 5.0, 4.2 and 3.4. Now we are getting around the "atomic" zone.


This would give 3.4, 4.2, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.5, 10.0. 
A total of seven(7) sails to cover ALL conditions - requiring about 5 masts and 4 booms $%^&*()
TOO much for an average Joe like me !!!
My quiver was built around my 8.5 since I am a heavyweight, had some experience windsurfing on longboards and live in a light wind area. My good sails are still only 8.0 and up. My sails and skills still struggle with mid winds 7-oh and down.
If you are lighter and/or in a better wind area your most used sails will be further down the scale.
You may start with a 7.5 since this is a VERY popular and useful size in terms of ideal sail for some boards.
Then the full quiver might look something like this:
3.0, 3.6, 4.3, 5.2, 6.2, 7.5, 9, 11.0
The 3.0 is really small and the 11.0 is really large.
3.6, 4.3, 5.2, 6.2, 7.5, 9.0 looks better and for my area and me => 5.2, 6.2, 7.5 and 9-oh and i would be covered for the majority of the conditions locally. 
Personally I started with MauiSails and am happy with those sails. I may try Severne since they too are hard top and will work on my masts. If you do not stick to one brand, you might consider sticking to brands with similiar mast types. Some people build their quiver on the same manufacturer and sail model !!
I have been lucky to find some used sails in excellent shape for not too much money. Some of these are BETA sails from the manufacturer, butt these sails are great sails for an average Joe like me and save me $$$
My current quiver:

Maui Sails TR-4 10-oh with 4 cams - thinking of selling it
Maui Sails MS-2 8-oh with 2 cams - used on longboard too - MOST used sail
Gaastra Flow 3X 7-oh with 4 cams
Simmer WCR 6.0 with 3 cams - mainly used for ice windsurfing 

When I replace the 7-oh and down, there will be NO cams. The 7-oh works well, rigs on a 490 cm hard top mast  and so , it will be some time in the future ...

The board quiver is:

Fanatic CAT 210 liter longboard - use MS-2 8-oh - want to try 10-oh and 7-oh
AHD FF 160 liter shortboard - use 8-oh and 7-oh
Fanatic BEE LTD 124 - used 8.5 here once or twice - need more practice

Lots o luck and feel free to ask me any question - if i do not have the answer, I will find it on the many forums and/or blogs that i frequent daily !!!

Sails

As you have seen in some discussion here already, the early sails were considered to be like a bag of wind (in polite terms) and some called em a sac of potatoes :-(

Just take a quick look at this one:

Notice how there is almost NO curvature in the mast. There are creases in the sailcloth running in all directions. The "sticks" or battens are tiny and are NOT full sail ie they donut run from sail tip to mast. Full battens help the sail retain its shape. When it is very windy and one holds this type of sail at 90 degrees to the wind, it flaps back n forth so much it is hard to hold onto. Early booms were just awkwardly long. The sail material was cloth and later it was dacron, both of which do not stretch much, butt seem to last forever.

If my nonsense mistyping bothers you (or you enjoy it) please let me know :-)

When we speak of sails like this one, there is no need to distinguish the type of sailing one is about to do. No need to speak of wave (on shore, side shore), bump n jump, slalom, race, freeride, free-style, etc. This all came later...

I need to be careful when I use the term race. There is a specialized raceboard that is along the lines of the longboard and they have specialized sails - as do all the sail groups. One blog has gathered a list of all the specialized sails for the longboard race boards :  http://windsurfraceboard.blogspot.com/p/sails.html

In the 80's there were all kinds of things happening in the windsurf world. Robby Naish became a household name in the windsurf realm. In 1984 windsurfing became an Olympic event. Fred Haywood goes over 30 knots - perhaps on a sail designed by Barry Spanier. Full battens including foot battens make their appearance. Monofilm apparently made its appearance around here as well. Monofilm is a clear stretchy material that wears out with UV rays and is more susceptible to breaks and creases than some of the newer materials, which in some cases still incorporate monofilm. As it loses its clarity, it is losing its strength. Here one can start to make the sails quite tight with a rigid constant shape - downhaul and outhaul hard !

Other names in the sail industry were and still are Niel Pryde, Gaastra, Maui Sails, David Ezzy, Simmer Sails and others. It seems even camber inducers made it onto the scene this early.


At the left is an example of an "exposed" cam inducer that illustrates how with the curvature, the batten can be locked to the mast...Some people suggest that any sail larger than about 7.5 square meters have cams. Some of these larger sails today have from none to six(6) cams. Typically when there are cams, there are two(2) to four(4) cams. A cam locks the shape of the sail right away and does not require wind to shape the sail. Thus it is said to be better in reduced wind also called lulls in the wind. When one is using the "wrong" mast, sail is new or just not rigged correctly, it may be difficult to flip the sail fully from one side to the other i.e. cams may stick. I have heard of people filing cambers, butt for me that should be a last resort.



It was not just about going fast, but people were catching air and starting to do tricks like forward loops. However, the chart at the left shows that speed was definitely a factor. In the last couple of years kites seem to have taken over in the top speeds on water world-wide. So the competition is now between really expensive sailboats, windsurfers and kiters :-)


I believe it was in the late 80's when Bruce Peterson of Sailworks now (Gaastra back then) discovered by accident the whole concept of the sail leech twisting off and opening up. This twisting allows sails to have much more range in that they do not become overpowered. The extra wind will “spill” out of the leech. This seems to allow a gradual powering up of the sail. Apparently, the leech  also lowers the CoE or centre of effort of the sail. I call this the point of power or PowerPoint. When the CoE is lower, it is more stable, like a person with a lower centre of gravity is more stable for gymnastics or martial arts.  It seems the CoE needs to align with the CLR/ centre of lateral resistance that runs off the fin. In order to do this with a lower CoE, the mast track had to move back on the board.

Older sails had more power, but less range and control. To cover this, "newer" sails became larger. Earlier the biggest sails were in the 8.x range with many cams. Now we are up to 12.x. I imagine that over 12.x it just becomes unmanageable in terms of human capabilities i.e. imagine uphauling such a sail? With the larger sails come the larger fins/foils. Larger foils require wider boards. Wider boards plane up earlier and do not need as much low end power. What I am trying to say here is: this twisting off of the leech thing had a major impact on the whole windsurf model.


It seems stronger materials like X-ply made it into sails in the early 90's. And now in the 2000's there are newer, lighter, stronger and more expensive materials like technora...

Apparently it was not until the late 90's when camless sails came back into popularity. Today it seems the race, slalom and formula sails have the cams whereas most other sails do not... There is a light movement back to cams where there are only two(2) cams on the sail to provide stability...

At the beginning of this discussion, masts had little bend. Now masts have bend, twist and flex. As such it is important to put the correct mast on the sails. This is still only part of the equation. When rigging a sail many factors come into play besides the mast.

Now there are videos on sail sites, youtube and vimeo showing average joes how to rig camless and even cammed sails. Setting the mast extension correctly, putting enough downhaul for leech twist-off, tightening battens and not too much outhaul all come into play.

Then of course for each person there are the additional factors of boom height, harness line position, does one use adjustable outhaul, etc etc.

Today's sails range in size from 1.x square meters for kids to 12.x square meters. Cannot emphasize enough to get the matching mast that the sail maker has recommended. High winds call for sails in the 3.x to 5.x square meter range. Mid-winds are 6.0 to 8.5 and light winds are 8.5 to 12.x. This is a generalization because I have read about formula racers using 10.0 sails in quite high winds !!!

The good news is boards have sail ranges and sails have recommended uses. They are expensive, but at least they are repairable and my 2006 Pursuit monofilm sail is still going strong. Then again so is my 20 year old Dacron 7.0 3 cam sail. Still prefer my 10 year old Gaastra Flow 3x over the 20 year old NP sail.

Some sails have more than one clew hole. In case you forgot :-), the clew is at the "back" of the sail where the outhaul "rope" is attached. Have heard there may even be sails with three(3) clew holes. Have had discussions with fellow windsurfers where we felt the bottom hole left the leech a little more open and as such, for stronger winds. Conversely, using the top hole keeps the leech a little tighter for lighter winds. Interestingly enough, a "shorter" fellow tried the top hole in lighter winds after a discourse on the subject. He did NOT like it and went back to the lower clew hole. Today I saw a video from the Viet Nam PWA with Antoine Albourne, Bjorn Dunkerbeck and Cyril Moussllman. They all seemed to iterate that the top hole was for "taller" sailors and the lower hole is for the "shorter" sailors.

Sail makers have been reducing the sail length at the boom. This is being done with a clew cutout - as it is called. It seems it has been around a number of years and yet, Maui Sails is only starting to try this configuration in 2011 on their infamous race sails TR - version 7 in 2011. From my understanding this gives a sail a much lighter feel and is much easier to swing about - like in jibes...

As I write these notes to myself and whoever else is interested, I start to realize why starting windsurfing is difficult. There is a lot of information, expense, learning and very weather dependent. This is not to mention the equipment needs to be stored when not in use and a vehicle with which to transport it all.

Guess the lesson is, people should NOT start as I did, with a really old board and NO instruction. New gear is much more user friendly and there is a wealth of info on the web. For me the local shops are my biggest sources of information and I am more than happy to "encourage"/support them. All my new stuff is purchased locally and they answer questions via e-mail.

The latest n greatest is NOT required to have a GREAT time. I did discover though that the monofilm sail helped me get planing. Have planed with the older sails since, but after changing the fin. If one likes the great outdoors then sports like windsurfing and motorcycles are natural choices. I have yet to scream inside my helmet on my first windsurf session of the year. This was an annual routine for me on my old 750. I have made it to the smile and a whoop when I did a chop hop. Yes, windsurfing is thrilling and makes me feel closer to nature and my fellow man/woman.

One term one comes across when speaking of windsurf sails is "centre of effort" or COE. In these discussions other terms like apparent wind come up as well. As an average joe windsurfer, I read about the concept, but feel it is not necessary for me to have a great time on the water. Since I have always lived near the water, many concepts and ideas just seem to come naturally without too much thought or analysis. I prefer it that way. It reminds me of the golf swing. The more effort one puts in or thinks about it, the worse it seems to get. Just relax, keep trying stuff and try to repeat what works best FOR YOU. The same applies to me for the fins. I listen to people and read the literature, but do not need to fully understand foil functionality, etc. IF you are interested, there are plenty of articles on the web discussing COE, CLR, apparent wind theory, etc. Let me see if I can find a good "simple" one ....How great is that, found one from one of our local windsurf shops :-)
Windsurf Sail Physics 101 
On this blog I have also added this page:  jim-drakes-windsurf-physics

Here is a video of a fellow making a "custom" sail - in case u r interested: Vid of Making a Custom Sail

Where I live two (2) boards and about three (3) sails should cover the majority of conditions for me. Since I really look to sail in all conditions, I will have three (3) boards and four or five sails... Just remember I had one board and three(3) sails for about 10 years to start :-)

B4 I forget, the sail calculator is good as a point of reference: sailcalculator.xls

Here is what I use for my sail reference => Sails vs Wind Speed

If I wish to speak of windspeeds perhaps I should put up a little windspeed converter. I use kph and then divide by 2 to get approximate knots.

clique to get bigger clearer image

As discussed, I am a numbers guy. So, how can I relate sail size to wind ? My sail sizes multiplied by Beaufort scale are always around 42. If I call my 10.0 a 10.5 then 10.5x4=42, 8.5x5=42, 7x6=42 and 6x7=42. Now if only I can get used to the Beaufort scale :-)

Found some of the following numbers on the redsurfbus blog.. I just added some extra numbers and some of my own data.

clique for clearer image

 One sail I would like to give honourable mention is the "kitewing". It is referenced in the Winter Windsurfing section of this blog. It has no mast and generates plenty of lift...

Each time I sail , I learn new things about boom placement, harness line placement, etc and that is part of the fun as well..

Barry Spanier of Maui Sails uses the owl wing as a flight indicator and inspiration. Do not know why, but I prefer an insect wing - perhaps because due to its transparency one can see all the cells and re-enforcements. {notice the clew cut-out :-) }


 Sails are not cheap and they wear out and/or may require repairs. People repair their own battens and cambers, but few people actually repair their sails. A typical repair around here seems to be 100 to $200. Sails themselves can go from $300 to over $1000. The worst part of all this is: you may also require a matching mast and/or boom. A 100% carbon mast can also be close to $1000 , as can a 100% carbon boom. Used sails, masts and booms are MUCH less. Once again, people want the new stuff. Just remember, monofilm does wear out - it needs to be clear and hopefully free of crinkles/creases.Thus far, my used sails have all been under $300 and my new one under $500. AND they all work just fine :-)

In my other "posts" I try to rate the products that I currently have. I rate the BIC Dufour and the AHD FF 160 from my perspective and my experience as an average joe windsurfer. As yet, I have NOT done the same thing for the sails. So, let me try to do that now ...

Originally my first modern sail was supposed to be a Sailworks Retro 8.5 with appropriate mast et al. Bruce Peterson of Sailworks discovered the leech concept and the Retro had been around for quite some time. The problem was and still is today, these sails are quite expensive. I believe in supporting the local shop and thus i did NOT do any on-line shopping - other than checking the SW website. There are other shops in town and they have Aerotech, Gaastra, MauiSails and Niel Pryde. It turns out the MauiSail was the best return for the buck and the mast was going to come out as a really great deal as well. There was also the fact that The Team with the infamous Barry Spanier had their stamp on this sail. Both Retro and MS Pursuit are non-cambered 8.5s with similiar luffs/height and widths/boom. Both require a 490 cm mast with an IMCS of 29 {see mast "post" for more discussion on masts}. Usually I try not to let just cost influence my choice, but as an amateur, I could NOT see any significant difference for an average joe in these two(2) sails and setup. So, the purchase was made of a 2006 MauiSails Pursuit 8.5 with a 490/29 90% carbon Autima mast and an aluminum boom.

Now, that was a LOT of pre-amble and yet no discussion on rating. This is still my favourite sail and not just because it is my first sail. One thing I discovered, it takes a lot less downhaul than the SW Retro. My w/s buddy has SW Retros and is a bigger fellow. When he downhauls his Retro, he looks like he is struggling. Barry Spanier confirmed on the MS forum that the Pursuit and MS sails in general do NOT require as much downhaul force to get to correct setting. Phil McGain of MS is able to rig MS sails with NO additional tools. I tried that, but then again i am not an Iron Man like Phil {he did the iron man routine in 2010 i believe it was}. The sail size is ideal for me in lighter winds 15 to 20 knots about ie 20 to 40 kph winds. The sail has a lot of range and although these "modern" sails were NOT made to keep the leech tight, when I keep the leech tight, it still works well. I use this sail with tight leech on my BIC Dufour Wing and it goes really well. This means this sail has a HUGE range. One can adjust downhaul and outhaul !! Did my first planing with this sail and it convinced me to go out and buy a MauiSails race sail TR-4 10.0 for those really light winds. Will discuss that sail next. One thing i commented to Barry about was, the logos came off quickly - no big deal. Was also surprised that after four(4) years, Barry called my sail old. I feel it still has a ton of life left !!! If I had to do it again, I would definitely purchase this sail again, but i do really like cambered sails as well. One thing i would change is - i would purchase the appropriate MS mast rather than the better deal on the more carbon mast. I will NEVER purchase Autima again. I tried to contact them for info on their mast via e-mail and phone and forums and got nothing. All i wanted to know was some numbers on their mast. MS masts are considered hard top, while SW and others are constant curve. This works with MS, butt is NOT ideal. One day i will get to try an MS 490 mast on the 8.5. I tried the 520 MS 100% mast on my 8.5, butt it was pretty tight ie might work in high wind, but less range... Oh yeah, I did ask Barry Spanier on the MS forum why there was one less batten on the MS Pursuit than say the SW Retro. Barry asked me why i would put one more ? OK ... On another spot on the same forum KP and Barry discuss how more battens keep the shape better !!! I am NOT one to argue with Barry nor with the performance of this sail. Josh Angulo when he was with MS for a short while seemed to like the MS booms and the Pursuits ...
UPDATE: just read that the Autima mast is considered hard top (no numbers) and as such that is why it seems to work so well with this MS sail that is hard top rated. So, will NOT be purchasing an MS 490 mast to replace the Autima for a numer of reasons. Masts cost too much, the current mast is doing the job and when i replace the 8.5 i may consider either cambered or Sailworks Retro, but that brand is expensive for me. If all I have to worry about is that windsurfing is cost and yet have all that stuff in the garage, maybe i should just start being thankful and stop my whining. When i was young , people said be thankful that you are healthy - what did they know? Now i have friends and family dying around the age of forty(40), which i consider quite young compared to my age and the age of my mother , who is still living. Moral: live in the now. No Fear, No Loathing and only controlled folly. PEACE of MIND - and that is where windsurfing helps me - when i am on the water - all the bad stuff is forgotten - and no nonsense of whining about costs and not enuff stuff :-)

Okay, what about my other MauiSails sail ? I also have an MauiSails TR-4 10.0 sail. I call it a 10-oh because it is just so oh oh BIG :-) The TR sails go up in number since the first year of introduction. This year in 2011 they have the TR-7's with a clew cutout for the first time. That makes the TR-4 a 2008 MS sail. I purchased it in 2009 - used obviously, but it was like never used !!! Before we get into my personal sense of the sail, let us investigate the why-fors. I purchased this sail because I wanted to get out sooner and faster. AHD suggested I not go larger than 10.0 with my current AHD FF 160. I tried an MS-2 11.0 with the board and liked the combo, but NOT the sail. Thus I limited my search to the TR 10.0. This is a race sail and as such requires the proper mast and ideally a carbon boom. I got really lucky. The sail was sold with the appropriate MS 520 mast at 100% carbon and the boom I purchased separately was an HPL which turns out to be a carbon boom!! I probably have the only TR sail in Montreal because our local MS vendor does NOT carry them and has NO experience rigging them.

Okay, let us get to the rating - assuming the setup has the appropriate mast and carbon boom. This sail is a race sail and I am only wanting it for light wind flying. It does fly !! Also, I used it on 40 % of my windsurf outings in 2010 !! Another 40 % were on the MS Pursuit 8.5. Thus light wind is the main element on the menu here in Montreal. The sail has cams and can be rigged with cams attached before boom or after putting the boom on. In any case, it is NOT difficult to rig for a race, cammed sail. For the "de-rigging" it is important to note a couple of elements - remove the boom, manually release the bottom cam AFTER slightly loosening downhaul and then SUDDENLY release all downhaul , in essence popping the cams off. Ok, that's enuff about rigging , what about the sail ? First of all, it is HEAVY. This means it is difficult to uphaul. I considered an EZ-uphaul, butt they are like sixty bucks $%^& Could make one myself or use my standard tricks which are: beach start whenever possible and if by chance i fall in or drop the sail, get it out of the water QUICK. The issue is: when the sleeve gets full of water - time to swear. Once going, the sail is just GREAT. The other issue i had that is now resolved is the popping of the cams from one side to the other. Never had this issue on my older cammed sails, but then again, they were NOT strung tight like a drum either. On the MS forum, some people seem to never have this issue and others have it when the sails are new. After about 20 riggings , loosening the batten under the boom just slightly and putting McLube on the round portion of the cam  - all is well. When there is a little bit more wind, it helps as well - again, around the boom, the sail is rigged tight. These sails have a ton of range and are made to allow touching the boom ie protective lining there. Would I buy an MS TR again - YOU BET. Probably used or off e-bay though. People are raving about the TR-7s already and they are just out.

I am actually considering that IF i ever replace the 8.5, i would replace it with a TR 8.4. For the 7.5 I would use a Pursuit or Switch and in the 6.x I would just get a Switch - maybe RDM ?? My issue is $$$ -- I cannot afford this stuff new and the sail ranges all require a different mast. Tried to get a 460/100 off e-bay just this week and was outbid in 10 minutes. Must be all that automatic bidding, Guess I will just have to wait until i have some more funds. Find it difficult to purchase a mast and then wait to get the sail. Same if i get a sail and need to wait for the mast :-( My sails under 8.5 are older sails that work for now and are used about 20 % of my windsurf outings. I do not go out in 30+ knot winds. My skills or experience is just not there YET. So, my next newer sail would be in the 7.x arena. Fortunately or unfortunately a SW Retro 7.5 AND 7.0 would fit on my current Autima 490. Have seen these on used market for about $400, which is cheaper than mast + sail in the MS arena... So, for now I MUST STOP THE SHOP. IF i see i need a sail in 7.x, i just hope i can get MS with the mast. Otherwise it will be a combo purchase or SW Retro...

I also have two(2) older sails that I will rate briefly.  I have a 1998 Gaastra Flow 3X 7.0. As the name implies, it has three(3) cams. They are rigged by sliding the mast through them rather than applying pressure and popping them on later. This can be tricky at times. The mast cannot have a marine lubricant like McLube or the cams keep sliding off. Also found it helped to make the bottom batten bend the opposite direction of the other battens while rigging. The batten tensioners are still straps, but these ones still work fine. The reason I bought this sail and like this sail is: it rigs on my current 490 mast. That means it is a taller sail with less boom. The newer Matrix and Pilot seem to have these characteristics as well. For what I use it for, this is a great sail and well worth the $80 I paid. I hope to replace this sail with a 7.5 like a SW Retro or even a Gaastra Pilot/Matrix which all fit on a 490. The issue with Sailworks is the cost. It has to be a used sail. The Gaastra and MauiSails are a little less expensive. The MS sails in the 7.x range do not fit on a 490 and do not have an open head. I realize this is all about performance and perfection. Eventually I will get a 460 mast, but they are so damned expensive. I cannot even seem to outbid people on e-bay $%^&*(

I also have a 1994 Simmer WorldCup Race 6.0. This sail was purchased in order to have a small sail for winter sailboarding on ice. It rigs on my old epoxy 450 cm mast and the batten tension straps slip. It does what it was meant to do and on really windy days when i am overwhelmed on my 7-oh, i put this sail on and try stuff. It serves its purpose and will eventually be replaced. This older sail also has three(3) cams and i never remember having any issues rigging or cam rotating issues when going from one side to the other.

Here's another wind chart that came out of discussions from the Starboard forum:

"http://img1.fotoalbum.virgilio.it/v/www1-1/649/64903/105409/velaperfetta-vi.jpg"

One thing I find VERY interesting is they suggest 6.5 down from 8.5. I
go down to 7-oh from there. Also , if i extrapolate, it looks like i should use a

7.5 in winds of 16 to 20 knots with my 97 kilos. I tend to start with an 8.5 in 

those winds.  

-------------------------

there is also the question of how to get your rig and board to the water.
personally donut believe in carrying it on one's head.
here Tinho , the master instructor, gives us some good hints !!
http://www.calema.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=140

Masts

I do NOT profess to be a windsurf equipment expert. I just wish to share my experiences and experiments with others :-)

When I started with the BIC Dufour there were long one-piece masts that stayed where they were ie hard to transport. I managed to break one by vaulting over it while hooked into the harness. Mast bases did not have the three (3) pulley systems and were hand hauled. This meant they did NOT bend much.

Two (2) piece epoxy (and later carbon) masts could at least be transported in the car when mobile. Early one-piece mast equipment probably was transported to the lake and stayed there. ( I actually read somewhere that North Sails was now offering three (3) piece masts !! )

I went from fibreglass/epoxy masts to a 490 cm SRS 90 % constant curve carbon mast with an IMCS of 29. It is from an obscure company called Autima out of Taiwan. Lesson number one: buy from the sail manufacturer or at the very least, use a mast approved by your sail maker or someone you trust. My mast works fine, but they do not answer e-mails nor phone calls. I just wanted more information on the specs $%^&*(

So, we went from one and 2 piece masts to carbon masts with many different lengths, now widths (SRS and RDM), carbon content and bend characteristics. Some people say windsurfing is too technical :-) The easy way out is: purchase the recommended mast from the sail maker :-)

Length: Masts seem to vary from about 370 cm to 550 cm in increments of 30 cm. Obviously length is all about fitting into the sail without too much sticking out the top or bottom.

Width: SRS or standard radius/diameter was the norme until recently with RDM, reduced diameter. They say reduced diameter is stronger and less likely to break, especially when doing wave sailing. Wave sailors also seem to use lower carbon content. Once again this is to reduce breakage. RDM masts are actually thicker and heavier. Some swear by them and others do not. Some say heavyweights should stick to SDM and...
In other words , there is NO rule or recommendation written in concrete. Sometimes it is what you like !!!

Carbon content: Seems to go from 30 % to 100%. Read somewhere that 100 % is actually a myth. Lower values seem to break less and do not whip back as quickly  - from what i have read. Higher carbon content is supposed to be lighter as well. Bigger sails and race sails seem to prefer higher content- and bigger riders too. Guy Cribb says put out as much money as you can on carbon content. Better recovery and efficiency.

Bend: Little bit of controversy here :-) IMCS or Indexed Mast Check System would logically be the standard, but it is not. Masts of the same length and carbon content may have the same IMCS, but behave completely different in the same sail. Here people speak about flex top (Niel Pryde), constant curve (Sailworks) and hard top (Maui Sails n Gaastra). This is why it is important to put the "correct" mast in your sail. Once again, if you buy the recommended mast from the sail maker, IT SHOULD BE  NO ISSUE...

Peterman has written a much-quoted page on the subject of IMCS and mast bend: Peterman IMCS comments and Perterman Mast Article. There was also an article in French Planchemag in 2010 I believe. I thought I had a copy, butt all it informed me was : donut put a NP mast in an MS sail and vice versa :-( Thought there would be more specifications. Then again perhaps I did not have the right edition.

Can also check here : mast tool selector - unifiber

0 -  6:        Hard top.
7 -  9:        Hard top - constant curve.
10 - 12:     Constant curve.
13 - 15:     Constant curve - flex top.
16 - 18:     Flex top.
19 - 21:     Flex top - super flex top
22 -     :     Super flex top.

here is the chart from unifiber:

clique to enlarge

Constant Curve a.k.a. stiff top
Any mast with a base - tip percent of mid-point difference in the 10% - 14% range is considered to be a 'constant curve' mast. The 'classic' definition of a constant curve mast is a mast having a 76% tip deflection percentage and a 64% base deflection percentage. These masts are often labeled as 12% constant curve masts. (as in the example above)



Flex Top
Any mast with a base - tip percent of mid-point difference in the 18% - 22% range is considered to be a 'flex top' mast. The 'classic' definition of a flex top mast is a mast having a 82% tip deflection percentage and a 62% base deflection percentage. These masts are often labeled as 20% flex-top masts.

Combi Curve
Any mast with a base - tip percent of mid-point difference in the 14% - 18% range is considered to be a 'combi curve' mast. The 'classic' definition of a combi curve mast is a mast having a 79% tip deflection percentage and a 63% base deflection percentage. These masts are often labeled as 16% combi curve masts

The above numbers were taken from Peterman and the discussion from somewhere else {i believe}

personally separate hard top from constant curve => some call them stiff top
super hard top - Maui Sails
hard top -  Gaastra, older NP masts from the Barry Spanier era, Severne, Naish RDM
constant curve - the majority - Sailworks, Aerotech, Naish,
flex top - newer Niel Pryde, North, Ezzy ?, Hot Sails Maui ?

NOTE:  I just added the word newer to Niel Pryde in the flex top section. The reason or this is the following: on the MauiSails forum, there was some discussion about the NP CK66 mast and MS sails. This mast is from the Barry era with NP ie over 10 years ago and DOES work with the MS sails. Life is full of surprises :-)

The following is from the NorthSails website:
Thanks to our new mast measuring and our refined IMCS system, we were able to analyze the masts of all other brands. This allows us to say exactly how good NorthSails masts work with other brand sails or which masts from other manufacturers are compatible with NorthSails:

• NorthSails compatible masts / sails: Aerotech / Ezzy / Goya / Hot Sails / KA Sails Loft Sails / SailWorks / Simmer / XO Sails
• NorthSails partly compatible masts / sails (at about 30-40% performance loss): Gun Sails / Point 7
• NorthSails incompatible masts / sails: 
Hard Top: Gaastra / Maui Sails / Naish Sails / Severne 
Flextop: Insert Tushingham / Neil Pryde

The importance of the mast is almost always extremely underestimated. In fact the mast is the engine of each rig. Or in other words, a Ferrari chassis with a beetle engine will never become really fast!


what about masts like Powerex, Fiberspar and NoLimitz ?? (and dynafiber, UP, etc) Will do a follow-up on this, but so far my understanding is - these are all constant curve.  So far it seems the Fiberspars could be used with the earlier MS TR sails, but NO more. This means they are CC tending towards hard top. So far it seems Powerex are softer top and harder bottom than MauiSails masts - which are at the extreme left. This makes it seem like Powerex are closer to NP/Niel Pryde. The mast bend curve for NL is posted on their site: its about 65 77% or 12  http://www.nolimitz.com/popup_mast_specs.html This puts them in the SW/Sailworks arena - for me. The NOlimitZ weblink disappeared - as usual - will start to copy and paste this type of data :-(

The weird thing is David Ezzy used to say any mast works with Ezzy sails - it's just a matter of performance. I do not understand - This is a very respected fellow. Some riggings look like crap and should not work at all :-(

Sailworks publishes their specs on their masts: http://www.sailworks.com/pdfs/Sailworks_Mast_Spex.pdf Barry Spanier of MauiSails says it is too difficult to put such precise numbers on mast specs. People are accusing Barry and MS of denying that their masts and sails are more hard top than ANY other windsurf sail.

do not take my word for it - investigate before mixing n matching. MauiSails says ok to their masts, Gaastra and Naish. For me right now masts, sails and boards are pricing themselves out of my range. i am having a hard time outbidding people for masts on e-bay !! Guess I will stick with what i got and try to fit the next sail 7.5 on my current 490 - SW Retro and 2010 Gaastra Matrix are ok.

Here is an extract from andersbq.com about masts: (anders is a swedish speed windsurfer)

For most sailors the recommended masts will do the work. Especially if you are into slalom and not are committed to find the extra knot on the top. 

The general rule is light riders - soft masts, and heavy – stiffer. But remember it could be the opposite. When it comes to tuning the sail, it is good the have some ideas and basic knowledge in sail design. You also have to know what you are looking for. Low-end acceleration, middle-end acceleration, top-speed, control etc. I.e. the right mast can give you the turbo-kick you want when the gust comes!

Mast bases after the epoxy/fibreglass era have at least a standard nut to fit into a standard mast slot. They also have a pulley system in order to properly downhaul the sail - to sail maker specification. People use one-handed or two-handed downhaul tools, harnesses and winches for downhauling the sails. VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT use a screwdriver of any sort !!! Many people have injured themselves and/or punched holes in their sails !!! Downhaul tension varies GREATLY between sail makers. North Sails makes a mast base with downhaul cinch.

Also, there are two (2) different pin mechanisms that must match the mast extension. There is the standard U.S. two(2) side pins and the Euro single pin in the middle. Some say we are going towards the Euro pin - it is just easier to put and take apart. I still use the U.S. two (2) pin system and have never had an issue except getting it apart when my hands are frozen. Some people have had the Euro pin come apart while sailing = woah.

When I started this blog, there was NO intention of making it a "complete" type of website. It was supposed to be a windsuring journal and nothing more. Guess I just got carried away.. In any case, if there is all this info, then I feel I must also list how to properly thread a pulley. I actually had to show my buddy who windsurfed shortboards longer than I :-( It makes it easier to downhaul and is just more efficient. So, here is my version of the threading:

How to thread “Streamline” Pulley

Start with thread down => for my old “homegrown” extension this means pulley on the right

1. Thread up to sail pulley closest to mast – up the bottom and out the top
2. Obviously thread up on that pulley
3. Thread down middle extension pulley – at the mast side - from inside out
4. Thread up outside that extension pulley – obviously
5. Thread to outside sail pulley @ the top side - top down
6. From top of sail pulley to outside of bottom extension pulley. - outside in
7. Now up to middle sail pulley from bottom up
8. And lastly up through the cleat .
9. There may be some slight crossover on this extension since the start of the cord should actually be up higher….

For the mast extension where those pulleys line up with the sail pulleys, it is even easier to rig properly. Just keep putting the thread through the logical pulley on the logical side and make sure no lines cross or touch.  At the left I have shown a simulation of where the pulleys at the base line up directly with the pulleys of the sail. When one does this with either of these setups, it makes the downhaul easier. Just the same I use a one-handed downhaul tool.

An Italian has a new invention called the iDo to help people with masts and sails.  It is a mast base that keeps the sail out of the water. It cannot handle big sails and one better attach the board to something cuz it could take off on its own :-)

The mast extension is not the same as original or older mast extensions  and has better clamps to hold the mast up. Some surprisingly enough do NOT put markings on the holes !! Some have closer holes , like every 2 cm, to allow more flexibility. One fellow told me he will always stick to NP extensions because the cuff for the mast is just a little smaller and slides in and out of the sail so much easier. Each person seems to have their favourite based on experience or misfortune.


The ferrule is the part of the mast that goes from one part into the other tightly. This was a new word for me, butt apparently is a common part of the English language meaning ring or bushing :-)

Masts are expensive and critical. Choose wisely and handle with care.Word to the wise: keep sand out of the mast joint. Some people put electrical tape on the joint. Masts that are stuck together are NOT easy to take apart :-( I too started using electrical tape to join my mast pieces together when rigging. In my case it not helps keep the sand out, butt makes it MUCH easier to get the mast out of my cambered sails like my MS-2...

One thing I forgot to mention: it is important to measure your equipment. My 490 mast is actually 491 cm. This may not seem like much, but it is an indicator in terms of downhaul. One cm more or less of downhaul is definitely  a difference one will feel out on the water... For downhaul I tend to stick close to manufacture specs, but for outhaul, I may go way under or way over - to see what I can get out of a sail :-)

Masts are expensive and MUST match your sail(s). They can get stuck together, crack and break - especially @ the ferrule IF you do not ensure the two(2) parts are completely together. My carbon masts cost me over $400. A 100% carbon mast can be close to $1000. There are used masts, but one needs to be careful and inspect the mast.  The mast is the backbone and we all know how important that is and how much it can hurt !