Hi

Been a long-time user of NP masts and sails but am having a "not so great" experience with 2021 NP Sails at the moment and was looking around for alternatives that didn't require me to swap all my masts out (RDM 340/370/400/430). My wife and son both windsurf (and my daughter when she is in the right mood...) so we have a couple of each.

The unifiber folks www.unifiber.net/unifiber-masts-selector-2019-v1 suggest for RDM 430 or less it'll work; was looking for any real world feedback on whether anyone had tried this combo? Was looking at Banzai or Fringe.

cheers
k.

They will work, maybe a touch on the soft side for the Fringe (already soft) and better for the Banza? (stiffer). What's your weight?

Check with Goya themselves, there's a tendency to go constant curve these days.

HSM would be a closer fit.

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Manuel7 said..
They will work, maybe a touch on the soft side for the Fringe (already soft) and better for the Banza? (stiffer). What's your weight?

Check with Goya themselves, there's a tendency to go constant curve these days.

I'm around 77kg. Hmm.. OkeyDokey.

Cheers
k.

Paging CPTSLOW:

www.seabreeze.com.au/Members/Profile/Details.aspx?member=CPTSLOW

I've had to go down the same route as you.
NP sails and dedicated masts for the last 15 years.. now just too expensive and difficult to get hold of new or decent used ones.
So had to try rigging Goya sails on a np mast.
Ive only had to do this for one sail though.. a 5m fringe.

the bend is very similar, but as you say, a bit soft. It definitely works though
Compared to the 4m on a Goya mast it's very similar.

maybe the banzai would be better for more power control

I'll post some pictures comparing them later today when I get time

5m fringe on NP spx 90 rdm
4m fringe on Goya 70% rdm




5m twist



4m twist

there's not much difference.

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RuddeBos said..
I've had to go down the same route as you.
NP sails and dedicated masts for the last 15 years.. now just too expensive and difficult to get hold of new or decent used ones.
So had to try rigging Goya sails on a np mast.
Ive only had to do this for one sail though.. a 5m fringe.

the bend is very similar, but as you say, a bit soft. It definitely works though
Compared to the 4m on a Goya mast it's very similar.

maybe the banzai would be better for more power control

I'll post some pictures comparing them later today when I get time

Wow, really appreciate you taking the time to do that, and your feedback.
A bit to think about but at least I can wean myself off NP, onto Goya in bits.

cheers

k

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Manuel7 said..
They will work, maybe a touch on the soft side for the Fringe (already soft) and better for the Banza? (stiffer). What's your weight?

Check with Goya themselves, there's a tendency to go constant curve these days.

OK, so I checked with Goya as suggested, this was the feedback, not unexpected (and reasonable) :-).

"About your technical questions. Yes, your last NP masts should work and be compatible with our sails. On this mid size (400-430) they seem to have a quite similar curve. Though I don't know the exact bending percentages of NP masts but as per what they mention on their site they are following a similar curve progression through the sizes as we do. About the old ones, I could not say, but if the bend curve is different it may not be the suitable one. May you consider that the Fringe is a really good sail and it's main assets are the lightness, flexible power delivery and handling. As you mention it's also really good and fun for foiling. But being 3 battens only it's important to rig on the correct mast (with the right curve). I would say that sail with 3 battens only is more "sensitive" and needs to be rigged on the right mast. The good shape achieved by the mast is essential in this case to keep the sail stability and deliver it's full potential and performance."

k.

JK
this info from Goya makes a lot of sense.
I jump from a 5.7m NP freeflight, to the Goya 5m fringe on the 400 np spx rdm.

The Goya fringe has a great bottom end with the np mast, and there's quite a lot of overlap in wind speed I could foil in, with either of these 2 sails

The characteristics of the 2 sails are so different though.
The np has the usual np wind range, but is point and go.
the fringe has a narrow wind range, but playful and manoeuvre oriented in comparison.

However I've recently experienced the downside of the 'flexible power delivery' by getting caught out to sea when the wind increased to 20mph on my 5m.

The sail wasn't uncontrollable, just uncomfortable. Adjusting either the outhaul or downhaul didn't really help either. I found it particularly hard to stay upwind as the leech was twisting off so much... I guess it was a bit like using a foil wing.

I should have gone in and rigged the 4m.

in retrospect, I was asking too much from the sail.. using it, well out of its wind range, and a softer flex top mast.

Select to expand quote

RuddeBos said..
JK
this info from Goya makes a lot of sense.
I jump from a 5.7m NP freeflight, to the Goya 5m fringe on the 400 np spx rdm.

The Goya fringe has a great bottom end with the np mast, and there's quite a lot of overlap in wind speed I could foil in, with either of these 2 sails

The characteristics of the 2 sails are so different though.
The np has the usual np wind range, but is point and go.
the fringe has a narrow wind range, but playful and manoeuvre oriented in comparison.

However I've recently experienced the downside of the 'flexible power delivery' by getting caught out to sea when the wind increased to 20mph on my 5m.

The sail wasn't uncontrollable, just uncomfortable. Adjusting either the outhaul or downhaul didn't really help either. I found it particularly hard to stay upwind as the leech was twisting off so much... I guess it was a bit like using a foil wing.

I should have gone in and rigged the 4m.

in retrospect, I was asking too much from the sail.. using it, well out of its wind range, and a softer flex top mast.

Hmmm ... I was really hot on the Fringe for a while there, almost pressed the button on it, but a couple of things made me change my mind. My ultimate decision suits me for my current quiver and sails and planned usage.

(a) I also need a windsurf sail for Bump and Jump, as well as a foil sail, so I need the wider range. I'd love both sails TBH, but I can't justify a 3-batten wave sail as unfortunately I don't have those conditions where I live (when folks used to fly, we used to go to Mauritius for a couple weeks, they use Duotone Hero Rigs which were really quite nice wave sails. <> - my son in 2016, bit shaky video from a proud Dad :-)). It's was our yearly wave sailing fix, unfortunately unlike Oz or Hawaii, not on the doorstep, so no loops sorry ...

(b) Cost - I actually got a quote for the sails and unfortunately, unlike Severne or even NP where there are group purchases organised here, the cost of the Goya sails is way above what I can justify.

So I settled on what I think is a compromise for lightish sails that fit my current NP masts, both 4 batten wave sails, a 6.0 Goya Banzai which was on sale (for super light days) and a 5.3 NP Combat. We already have some older (~2009) 4.9m2 and 4.5m2 NP Firefly sails that work OK and a newer (~2016) 4.0 NP Combat which is great. Between my wife and I (and occasionally my heavier son and middle-weight daughter (am I allowed to say that)), we are probably covered Ok...

Thanks again for all the great feedback (really wanted to try that Fringe though...!).

Cheers

k.