HI All,
Any tips on sail rigging for lightwind foiling.
I currently am using a Naish foil with a 90cm mast and a Ezzy Cheetah 8.0.
Been out a few times in 8-9 knots ad no luck in 'getting it up'. I've had luck with 10+knots of wind but I am honestly not feeling the ultra low wind capability of the foil.
I'm 80kgs and currently rig the sail to the Ezzy min settings.
I've tried a 6.3 in similar wind and honestly it didn't feel even close to lift off - no real sail pressure to pump against.

How loose do you set the sails?
Any other tips etc...

Cheers from a summery Canada!
Joe

Less downhaul will tighten the leech and give the sail more camber. Both will add power to the sail.

Have negative outhaul,whereby the sail is touching the middle of your boom. These two steps will help in the lighter wind but will lead to less control and more drag in the stronger wind.

Pulling the tack strap very tight should add further camber as well.

Experiment with different downhaul and outhaul settings.

what board are you using ?

I was using a rrd firemove 120 and now have a fanatic blast 130 (both used with a powerplate).

Joe

I am relativity new to windfoiling and am also in Canada. I have a Slingshot H4 that I had little success using in light winds with a 7 meter sail and have since purchased a the H10 infinity wing (83 cm.) and that has made all the difference in light winds. As soon as I can pump the sail and feel any response from the sail I can get it up on the foil. Not sure what the wind speed is but on the fresh water lake that I am on, I am just seeing the odd white cap when I can get going, so guessing around to just above 10 knots. For me not a lot of fun until 1 or 2 more knots. I did not like my sail rigged really powerful because once up I had trouble controlling the flight. Instead I now rig a little flatter but keep the outhaul looser than I would normally and that has seemed to work for me.

Hey Joe 87879. I have sailed in about 10 knots as the least wind with my naish 70cm mast and foil. Mainly use a 6m. I've used a 6.5 once - on the min wind settings for the sail. However, I think it's most important to get the rig and board set up to be able to pump the sail as easily as possible. That makes the most difference to me. So sail back in the mast track, foil mid to forwards in the track and footstraps set forwards. That way, I find I can get my front foot in, back foot out and pump the rig off the wind to get up and flying. Have tried messing with sail settings, but have found going less than min wind on the sail settings tends to get a less stable sail. If it's less than 10 knots, I usually don't bother. I don't have the skill yet.... Have also found that you can dog around in close to 10 knots, and if the wind comes up 1-2 knots, you can fly the thing and have a hoot. So it's a VERY fine line.

I just drop a bit of downhaul off my race sails and outhaul so it's just off the boom. I also make sure my mast track is right at the back of the track if it's very light. I use NP AL Foils and can get going in around 10 knots but I only weigh 70kgs.
I find there's a bit of technique involved in the pumping to get going in the light wind. I usually crank the back hand in smallish movements first and then as I get some forward momentum I start to use the full body pumping technique and also bounce the board off the water in time with the pumping to get the foil working under the water.
I hope that helps. :)

"I find there's a bit of technique involved in the pumping to get going in the light wind. I usually crank the back hand in smallish movements first and then as I get some forward momentum I start to use the full body pumping technique and also bounce the board off the water in time with the pumping to get the foil working under the water.
I hope that helps."

Same here..

Yep as everyone has said there is a huge amount of technique to get going right at the low end. You need to get that good initial scoop/pump to gain enough board speed and hence apparent wind to make the subsequent pumps worthwhile. There there right near the flight envelope pumping the foil plays a part.

I'm going to be honest though if it legit nothing more than 8kts it's going to be hard work even on super efficient foils and race sails. You are right at the absolute bottom end of the range, you can't point and just flying is tough. 10kts+ and things come alive Gusty conditions it's a different story because it's much easier to fly through a lull that actually get flying in one.

fwiw, I found it easier to pump with a 2 cam 6.5 than a Cheetah 7.0. The 7.0 is a marvelous freeride sail but, for me, it didn't have enough shape at the low end. A Sailworks video said it pretty well: without the cam, the sail loses shape when the wind pressure lessens - not a good thing. This from the guy that really helped define the no-cam movement with the Retro.

I have my Goya Mark 7.2 trimmed with about 3-4cm less downhaul than with normal setting with loose leech to dh dot.
Also no outhaul tension, even slightly negative.
That's a very tight leech with minimal loose, the monofilm just a notch from wrinkling at the mast sleeve in the boom area.
Much more powerful and nice flex to pump and nice deep profile, but no problem with batten rotation.
Stable up until about 15 knots.
Plus the above mentioned pumping technique, very early flying with my Aeromod foil + LW wing.
Keep pumping through lulls like on a Supfoil, amazing.
Alex

Hi.I am using af JP 135 with at Naish foil 90 cm.+90 kg, means you need som sailsize. I use a NP V8 8,2 (2 cambers)And when lucky, I am going in 9-10 knots.By the way, using my old slalomsettings, meaning high boom, masttrack ind the middle. Only difference,..I have moved my rear footstraps inward all the way./Bensen

I used to get going in 8-10 kts with 7.0 / Loke Envol and JP135, now I have the new LK1 with the 1200sqcm wing and it's a marvel. I do still think pumping is the most important. Ofcourse you need the gear to supplement your technique, but with the right gear and without the technique you will barely (2-3kts) plane earlier than with a regular fin. With the 1200 sqcm wing I ca n pump my 4.8 into the air with 10-11 kts of wind and keep it flying when my hair isn't even moving in the wind. Most people make the mistake of starting too far back with their foot in the front strap too early. You have to get in way earlier than you are used to, but not before you have some power from the foil. Speed of pumping depends on the stadium you are in and the size sail. I have found agressive small pumps with the weight situated like you would with a normal slalom helps building power with the foil. As soon as a slight power is felt from the foil I move my front foot into the strap and gradualy increase the length and depth of the pumps. For smaller sails in light winds pumps remain very small and agressive. Also with smaller sails I put my back foot in earlier than with bigger ones, where I wait with my back foot until speed is felt. Once up in the air my pumps get get longer and deeper with small sails aswell. At my spot I can fly with 4.8 when (the average surfer) people with 9.2/slalom don't plane (the very good active planer planes about the same as me). And fly earlier than my friends who'd use about 2m2-3m2 bigger than me on the foil in the same wind as minimum sailsize needed. When I have to keep pumping in the air to keep my speed i switch to 8.6, which doesn't neseccarily fly much earlier (maybe 8kt gusts needed), but keeps preassure better when entering a lull. With really low (less than 5 kts) lulls i find 4.8 easier to keep in the air than 8.6, due to me completely pumping the foil to keep going and that being easier with a smaller sail.

As for rigging I remain within spec, tried rigging below spec, but when the sail doesn't have the shape it is designed to have it stops working properly. Maybe more pumping power is felt, but acceleration is less, resulting in falling out of the air after getting yourself pumped up. You need the acceleration to keep flying.

192cm/86kg (last time on the scale it said 92, but I'm going to just say the scale had to be broken or I won't believe myself..) athletic-muscular build.