Wideboard Conspiracy

dmosher · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 13

I just wanted to relay my experiences trying to use a large sail (8.5 m^2) and a big fin (19 inches) on a conventional (non-widestyle) board. The board that I have used is a Mistral Echo 298 (138 liters). When I asked a few local stores whether I should purchase a big sail and fin for my Echo, at least 3 sales people advised against it and suggested that I needed to buy a widestyle board to use that large a sail/fin. One even suggested that the force from the fin would rip my finbox out.

Well, I went ahead anyway and bought a Neil Pryde StreetRacer V8 (8.5 m^2) and swept 18.9 inch fin. The sales guys could not have been more wrong. The board/rig/fin combo could not work better. Ive used it from 10-25 knots and it feels great. Ill admit that a widestyle could maybe get me planing in slightly less wind, but that is not worth selling my Echo for.

laudermouth · Joined: 25 Oct 2000 Posts: 55

If your using an 8.5 in 10 to 25 knots.......oh well I wont go there but we go light air wave sailing in 10 to 25 with 5.5m on 86 wave boards. well you have yourself a good time with 8.5m tent I mean sail hee heee heee. p. s. wimpy me at 200lbs. cant hold on to a 6.5m in 20knots but I hope to as strong as you some day.

dmosher · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 13

The problem with sailing on lakes is that you dont often get a consistent 15 knots of wind. It tends to be very gusty. My point was that we often get days where it is 10-15 knots with the odd gust of 20-25 knots. The solution to sailing happily is to take a larger sail and put on the max downhaul. This allows you to handle the lulls and the odd strong gust.

Just trying to give some helpful advice in case you someday get doomed to live in a place without consistent wind and no waves.

jada · Joined: 07 Jan 2001 Posts: 32

I did the same thing. I sail an 8.0 V8 on a Bic 298 with a 50 cm blade. If its 5 to 15 (typical in the midwest) Im pumping onto a plane at 10 and holding the plane. If it gets to be 15 or better, I go down to my Mistral Score and 6.0.

Bottom line is, the fins make a HUGE difference in pumping to plane and holding it. Once the board is flying the lift gets a little touchy - but well worth the extra planing time.

quattro · Joined: 04 May 2000 Posts: 9

I put a 9.0 V8 on my Bic Veloce 310 with at 51cm True Ames sweeper. Works like a charm, and makes lighter wind sailing great fun.

russob · Joined: 05 Mar 2001 Posts: 3

I sold my Mistral Echo (138L) after 4 years of loyal service to purchase a widestyle Mistral Vision 130. The shorter Vision 130 is much more fun and fast. I am limited to a 8.0M sail on the shorter board but that is adequate for Alameda, CA. I can plane in winds of 10 knots using the Vision 130 and the short board handles much better in medium to high winds with chop than the Echo.

us85 · Joined: 29 Aug 1999 Posts: 47

I have often been out on my 8.5 on days where it slowly builds from 8-10 up to 20+ and I am either too lazy to re-rig or too scared that the wind wont hold up. An adjustable outhaul helps and if that doesnt take care of it, I just hop off and downhaul a little more. (This is in flat water conditions.)