I have a sailworks NX 8.2 and am considering the new flyer 8.5 for very light wind. I will be able to test it soon, but I would like to get some feedback from someone who used it at least few times in very light wind.
thanks

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WillyWind said..
I have a sailworks NX 8.2 and am considering the new flyer 8.5 for very light wind. I will be able to test it soon, but I would like to get some feedback from someone who used it at least few times in very light wind.
thanks

I wish, I ordered one only to find out there's a delay, probably in 4-6 weeks I'll be able to give some feedback. I know it doesn't help you out but I decided to gamble on it as it looks great, super light and strong construction.

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Tinlyds said..

WillyWind said..
I have a sailworks NX 8.2 and am considering the new flyer 8.5 for very light wind. I will be able to test it soon, but I would like to get some feedback from someone who used it at least few times in very light wind.
thanks

I wish, I ordered one only to find out there's a delay, probably in 4-6 weeks I'll be able to give some feedback. I know it doesn't help you out but I decided to gamble on it as it looks great, super light and strong construction.

You are somewhat lucky then. I will need to wait until at least May so your feedback will be timely.

I am mainly interested about bottom end power because my summer foiling is mostly done in very light wind (the only ones foiling are generally in 8, 9, or 10 m sails)

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WillyWind said..

Tinlyds said..

WillyWind said..
I have a sailworks NX 8.2 and am considering the new flyer 8.5 for very light wind. I will be able to test it soon, but I would like to get some feedback from someone who used it at least few times in very light wind.
thanks

I wish, I ordered one only to find out there's a delay, probably in 4-6 weeks I'll be able to give some feedback. I know it doesn't help you out but I decided to gamble on it as it looks great, super light and strong construction.

You are somewhat lucky then. I will need to wait until at least May so your feedback will be timely.

I am mainly interested about bottom end power because my summer foiling is mostly done in very light wind (the only ones foiling are generally in 8, 9, or 10 m sails)

I use my Aerotech Freespeed 8.0 in 8 knots, gusts dropped to 8-9.0 today and all the kite foilers got off the water, but I was still having fun foiling with the Freespeed 8.0 and my AFS Wind 95 foil with F800 wing and one stab. shim on a Goya Bolt 135 which is a slalom board so technically made it harder to get up than a foil board.

I took delivery of the 8.5 Flyer FR last week - have had two sessions on it now. The first session was strongish wind(15-20 est) and I was over powered most of the time. I knew it would be, I was keen to try the new sail. It handled very well and was behaved in every respect. I could sheet the sail out slightly and stand more upright and keep everything under control. The next day the wind backed off a bit 1(1-15 est) and I had a perfect day of sailing. It pumps well when needed and is pretty fast and efficient. I hit 23 knots momentarily on it - for me, this is pretty good :). I found carve type gybing (not in the air yet) easy and the cambers pop without any added action in the flip. All in all, I am very impressed with this sail. I have the 10 Flyer FR and the 8.2 Flyer free ride and am a big fan.

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CaptFathom said..
I took delivery of the 8.5 Flyer FR last week - have had two sessions on it now. The first session was strongish wind(15-20 est) and I was over powered most of the time. I knew it would be, I was keen to try the new sail. It handled very well and was behaved in every respect. I could sheet the sail out slightly and stand more upright and keep everything under control. The next day the wind backed off a bit 1(1-15 est) and I had a perfect day of sailing. It pumps well when needed and is pretty fast and efficient. I hit 23 knots momentarily on it - for me, this is pretty good :). I found carve type gybing (not in the air yet) easy and the cambers pop without any added action in the flip. All in all, I am very impressed with this sail. I have the 10 Flyer FR and the 8.2 Flyer free ride and am a big fan.

Great stuff, can't wait to get mine ??

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CaptFathom said..
I took delivery of the 8.5 Flyer FR last week - have had two sessions on it now. The first session was strongish wind(15-20 est) and I was over powered most of the time. I knew it would be, I was keen to try the new sail. It handled very well and was behaved in every respect. I could sheet the sail out slightly and stand more upright and keep everything under control. The next day the wind backed off a bit 1(1-15 est) and I had a perfect day of sailing. It pumps well when needed and is pretty fast and efficient. I hit 23 knots momentarily on it - for me, this is pretty good :). I found carve type gybing (not in the air yet) easy and the cambers pop without any added action in the flip. All in all, I am very impressed with this sail. I have the 10 Flyer FR and the 8.2 Flyer free ride and am a big fan.

If you don't mind my asking, how much do you weigh?

100kgs most of the time :)

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CaptFathom said..
100kgs most of the time :)

I weigh 75 kilos so I don't see the point of getting the 10 m sail (something that Bruce Peterson, Sailworks designer/owner, confirmed). Looking forward to hear more people chiming in. CaptFathom, I know you haven't tried it enough, but can you tell the difference between 8.2 and the 8.5? If so, what is it?

I love the 8.2 to muck around with in variable winds. It is an easy sail to use and very light. I've had it for nearly 1.5 years. The 8.5 is a race sail with 3 cams not 2 and feels more locked in and powerful. It does not distort easily and feels very fast - I hit my personal best on the second outing - was not trying too, just noted it at the end of the session. I also have the 8.6 NX and have used this with my SB foil setup. This sail is also a good alternative for fast speeds. Where the 10 comes in handy is in the lower winds where you need to make it to the next windy patch - I depend on this sail, it definitely increased my time on the water by at least 20%. I sail in tropical variable winds where 15 knots is a big day(though we do have windier days during monsoons). These sails all have narrow luffs and the cams flip like a dream - use the right mast. If I have sore arms and I want to get out and take it easy - 8.2 every time.(75 kilo would agree - no need)

So do you think the NX 8.2 and Flyer 8.5 have similar low end power? What makes them different then? More locked feeling for the Flyer, as you said?

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can you tell the difference between 8.2 and the 8.5? If so, what is it?

Maybe this answer/question should be on "shooting the breeze" but I think the answer is 0.3.

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WillyWind said..
So do you think the NX 8.2 and Flyer 8.5 have similar low end power? What makes them different then? More locked feeling for the Flyer, as you said?

The Flyer is more upright and without the same downhaul tension as the NX - to my eyes not the some amount of mast bend. I need the crank to get the NX right whereas the Flyer is very doable without the crank, though more than the Flyer Free Ride. The more upright position gives more control and comfort and is also markedly easier to gybe on a foil. Ultimately I think it is going to be quicker as it is has been designed to be balanced in a foil set up. Lastly, the NX cams pop nicely for a race sail - but all of the Flyer cams are very easy and smooth also great for turning. Hope this helps - all personal opinion. :)

Every NX sail I own requires a crank to downhaul. They were designed for high rig tension.

My two Flyers (6.0 and 7.0) can be downhauled by hand easily. The Flyer was designed with less mast bend for low rig tension.

I was finally able to order a new Flyer 8.2. Stoked to get it and try it out!

I have the 8.6NX which is fine for overpowered foiling, although it's both heavy in static weight and heavy through maneuvers. One thing which helps with the latter is to remove the bottom cam for foiling and just let that batten float, per a suggestion from Bruce P. It's been impractical for me to reduce rig tension as one might with camberless sails for foiling. If you don't get pretty close to normal downhaul the cams won't rotate and can even pop off the mast during tacks and jibes.

I don't yet have a big Flyer but the 8.6NX is substantially more powerful than the 7.0 Flyer - I get foiling in at least 2-3kt less than with the 7.0 which is well worth the extra hassle.

The FR Flyers are definitely more oriented to racing. Nobody on the Sailworks team is happy about going slow.

My 7.0 Flyer is not a racing sail. It is nice and soft and easy to use despite having two cams. The FR has a bit higher rig tension.

On the beach one day Bruce and Dale were out foiling with prototype custom 6.0 FR Flyers. Even those two sails had different foot cuts. Dale likes to duck jibe, so his foot was cut a bit higher than Bruce's. On the water they were out blazing fast with those sails and racing foils.

I don't know whether the FR 6.0 will go into production, or even something in the FR 7.0-ish range.

I saw Bruce using a smallish Flyer FR last Monday. I wouldn't be surprised if they launch them.


I got my FR 8.5 last Monday. I picked it up from the loft so I stayed in Hood River (the gorge) to sail. When I was rigging there was Only one person foiling and he was using a Flyer 6 and Moses 900 foil. I went with the 8.5 and starboard 650 slalom foil. Sail is very stable and it is incredibly easy to rotate the cams )it feels like they are not even there).


my main idea was to replace the NX 8.2 but it behaved so well in winds up to 18 knots or so that it might also replace my 6.7 two cam sail.

If it is blowing over 20 knots, I like to put a small sail and goof around. In fact, that day I swapped the 650 for the 1000 wing and a 4.7 wave sail and then I replaced the 4.7 sail for a 3.7 fringe (wind was blowing 12-18 knots all day).

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segler said..
The FR Flyers are definitely more oriented to racing. Nobody on the Sailworks team is happy about going slow.
.

Are the Flyer FRs designed for Course racing (windward/leeward) or Slalom racing (reaching)?
In Aus the Foil Free Race division is limited to max 8m sail size, unfortunately the Sailworks FRs are only available in 8.5m and 10m.
It would be good if there was a 8m Flyer FR option.

I emailed Sailworks asking questions about these sails over a month ago and never got a response.

From Sailworks a while ago -

Although the Flyer FR is real good at upwind/downwind, it is not quite as optimized as a full on foil race sail would be. The main difference you would feel is the dedicated foil race sail would be more stable under very high wind loads and it will eek out a bit better upwind angle.

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azuli said..

segler said..
The FR Flyers are definitely more oriented to racing. Nobody on the Sailworks team is happy about going slow.
.

Are the Flyer FRs designed for Course racing (windward/leeward) or Slalom racing (reaching)?
In Aus the Foil Free Race division is limited to max 8m sail size, unfortunately the Sailworks FRs are only available in 8.5m and 10m.
It would be good if there was a 8m Flyer FR option.

I emailed Sailworks asking questions about these sails over a month ago and never got a response.

Email Windsurf Systems and we'll answer your questions.