8.5m sail VS a 7.5 for earlie planing

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 2066

formula with a smaller than customary fin is quite good too. stiffer fins for choppier conditions helps with formula boards as well. the nearly formula stuff that's been available for a few years is probably very rewarding in high altitude lakes. 80 + wide boards with drawn in tails can be very easy to jibe vs a true formula as well.

feuser · Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 1287

I go from a 5.3m wave sail on a simmer quad to a 8.5m on a 75cm wide slalom board.

There have been days where kiters were struggling, but I can pump onto a plane and go 2 x wind speed. It's a different sport, but I love it!

As much as I love Dave Ezzy and wish him well, his sails do not do it for me. I am super happy with the KA Koncept. I feel it is a more sprightly, direct and early-planing sail and I have used the 8.5 from 10 to well into the 20 knot range...

U2U2U2 · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:30 pm Post subject:

the KA in 8.5 rigs on a 490, course so does the Ezzy

feuser · Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 1287

U2U2U2 · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:40 pm Post subject:

that would be desirable to do as I have the extendo

pricy compared to the main network sails

beaglebuddy · Joined: 10 Feb 2012 Posts: 302

How about a fairly lightweight no cam 10M that rigs on a 490?
524 dh / 230 oh it's the Hot Sails Semi custom Speed freak.

PeconicPuffin · Joined: 07 Jun 2004 Posts: 939

Assuming you're not going to drop dead anytime soon, going larger has little long term risk...it's an investment in finding your optimal Big Size. At some point (in the pursuit of ever bigger) you are likely to find a rig size that you don't enjoy (for me it was a 9.8. 8.8 was fine, 9.8 was not). I never had an easier time selling used equipment than I did unloading that monster rig (yeah I lost several hundred dollars...the fee for a season of use of the gear, plus the experiment).

And of course if the reaper is just around the corner, rig big!

boardsurfr · Joined: 23 Aug 2001 Posts: 314

On an 8.5, I need about 3 mph less wind to plane than on a 7.0 (15-16 mph vs. 18-19, 195 lb), right in line with James' calculations. The 8.5 has 2 cams with lots of profile, the 7.0 is flatter and more top-end oriented. In the summer here, there are many days where the 8.5 gets me going, the 7.0 would not. Sail shape is very important - my low-end oriented 6.5 gets me planing at least as early as the 7.0. It's a lot easier to pump onto a plane, too. With the wrong 8.5 sail, you'd probably barely see any difference in planing threshold.

The bigger sail takes a few days of getting used to in the spring (I sail through the winter, but only when there is plenty of wind). After 3-4 sessions, it gets easy. As Florian pointed out, you'll typically go much faster then the wind on an 8.5 and a fast board; often, you can go faster than in 5.0 conditions in chop. So it's plenty of fun, just different.

As for the step from 7.5 to 8.5, it is indeed a bit small. It would make more sense if you can get an 8.5 with a better low end than your 7.5, but your 7.5 has a lot of low end power. Still, for your situation (pump to plane inconsistently) and constraints (no 490 mast), getting an 8.5 could increase your fun factor a lot.

U2U2U2 · Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 5:59 pm Post subject:

Thanks everyone.

I have ordered a 8.5 Lion by Ezzy with 2 cams, it won't work well without

without the 490mast, so on order as well. Get to use in a week +, so will try to update the difference in 7.5--8.5 and cammed.

boardsurfr your opinion is in line exact with my decision process.

Coach you are right no Indy 8.2 to be found, would have been interesting.

NickB · Joined: 30 Jun 2009 Posts: 488 Location: Alameda, CA