My smallest sail is a 5.5 and I am looking for something smaller to get me out on those 25 kt plus days.
Board size 105ltr
My weight 80 kgs
Intermediate skill level
Sailing slalom
Should I go for 4.5 or 4mtr sail and will wave sails do the job?

Both unfortunatley.

The bigger the sails then the bigger the gaps can be and at the bottom end your gaps should be a little bit smaller.

5.5 down the 4.5 is a big drop but acceptable, and a 4.0 would be nice for the 30kn days.

4mtr sounds quite small for your 105 Old Salty. I'm certainly no expert but you would probably be wanting to change down board size also at that strength.

I think around 4.7m would be good.

On the 105 4.5 would be the smallest I would go, I agree with ej 4.7 would be a good step down, if you need a smaller sail than that you should probably be on a smaller board. And with a 4.7 on a 105 you might like to try a 30 cm fin.

What sort of sail is you 5.5 ?
I'm 70kg and use a 5.2 race sail over 25kts.
And my 5.3 wave sail up to 25kts, but I'm more comfortable with a 4.7 wave sail at that wind speed.

Hey Decrepit

5.5 is a Tushingham Storm

Seems the storm is meant as a high wind sail, so I would think it should take you to 25kts.
Maybe you just need to use more downhaul/outhaul?
If not, then a 4.7 is the next logical step.

Guys I know a 4.0 is not really designed to eb used on a 105. I was assuming he has only one board and is not wanting to buy another.

I am 100kg and use a 4.0 on 80L in 30kn.

Therefore I think if he is on a 105L and only weighs 80kg then he'd get planing with a 4.0 in solid 26-27kn.

Yes a 4.0 is not ideal for a 105L and should get a smaller board but only a few months ago i saw 30kn for 8 days in QLD so maybe a 4.0 and a 4.5 is the go?

IMHO using a smaller sail will make your control issues worse. On a 105L a 5.7-6.0m is about the smallest you can really go. A smaller sail wont be able to pin the board down and make the board very flighty. You say you are slalom sailing. It would need to be 25knts+ to be on a 5something size sail. I reckon a smaller board with the same size sail would be the way to go, something around 85l would be perfect.

For eg i use a 6.7m sail with a SX M (105L) upto 20-25knts. When it gets a bit hairy i swap boards to a Iso86 and i get the control back.

Oh and i weight 83kg's

Yes, wave sails will do the job.

For when it starts getting hectic on the bay I'm on a 84 JP FSW and an Ezzy Wave 4.2 (next sail is a 5.0). Bomb proof, and great wind range as well - the amount of downhaul on it makes a HUGE difference.

I'd say probably a 4.7 - you sail mostly at Inverloch and Sandy don't you? So very flat water. The board size will probably be ok with a 4.7 and a smaller fin.

With modern sails you could probably get away with a 4.5 given the huge wind range available.

If you were out on the bay then I'd def say you need a smaller board.

I was out on Tuesday (30 knots) on a 105 Hypersonic with a 4.5 and a 28cm fin. I was overpowered and the board was way too big but I still managed to get some runs in when the wind didnt get under the board. Had heaps of stacks though and a bit of unintentional air time.
I do have a 95 sonic but as it was a new sailing spot to me, I wanted to use a board that I was more comfortable using. If I had to do it again I would probably use the sonic and go down a fin size.
Up to 25 knots I think the 105 would have been fine with the 4.5 as long as the chop didnt get too big. Down around 20 knots I would probably use my 5.8 Kult and just apply heaps of downhaul.

Hey Guys
Thanks for input.
I have a 144 ltr and the 105 ltr(recent purchase) boards. I am still getting the hang of the 105 so a drop to an 80 ltr may be a bit premature also getting the wife's approval for a 3rd board maybe an issue despite the fact I took her away for the weekend.

Bender - thanks for describing why a smaller sail does not work on bigger boards. The 105 ltr I have is a protype SX M(2009).

By the sound of things, a 4.7 with a smaller fin maybe a temporary option and then when I get some extra foldies look out for an 80 ltr board to have the right set up.

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Old Salty said...


also getting the wife's approval for a 3rd board maybe an issue despite the fact I took her away for the weekend.

Who wears the pants in your house Dougy

I do but my wife irons them!!

Hey Bender

What fin size do you run in the 20 - 25 kt days with the 6.7/105 set up

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Old Salty said...

Hey Bender

What fin size do you run in the 20 - 25 kt days with the 6.7/105 set up

At hardies where a weedie is essential i use a custom 30cm weedy made out of a 52cm techtonic mirage. I start on its bigger twin the 34cm. When that gets too much i go the 30cm.

With pointers i use a 34 and 36Tech F1's

I would say the sail size to buy would depend on wether you only ever intend to have 2 sails or if you plan to have a decently spaced quiver eventually.

For a rough rule of thumb when choosing a quiver use 15percent difference between sail sizes.

So given you have a 5.5 already sails suitable either side would be

5.5/1.15= 4.8
5.5x1.15= 6.3

The 15% is a variable that you can change depending on the size spread you would want, some people go as high as 20% however I personally think then you have too big a gap between sails then.

5.5/1.2= 4.6
5.5x1.2= 6.6

like I said its only a rule of thumb but it works well for sails of the same type.

if i had a 144l board,105l and a 85l wave board

also if i had the $ and space was not an issue

i'd have increments of

10 & 8 for your bigboard

6.5
5.8
5.3 for 105 and smaller sizes for wave board
4.7
4.2

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WINDY MILLER said...

if i had a 144l board,105l and a 85l wave board

also if i had the $ and space was not an issue

i'd have increments of

10 & 8 for your bigboard

6.5
5.8
5.3 for 105 and smaller sizes for wave board
4.7
4.2

that's my setup almost exact.

160lt formula,
120lt freestyle,
95lt fish,
84lt wave

sails

8.5 race
6.4 wave
5.8 wave
5.3 wave
4.7 wave

this covers every possible outcome. and it is a quiver for the longterm.

i usually rotate my sails by replacing them every 3-4 years. so i get 1 new sail every year or there abouts.

some of my boards are now 8 years old.

i'll replace 1 board every 2 years.

thinking long term keeps the cost down.

Current setup is

Board - 144 ltr and 105 ltr

Sails
8.5
6.5
5.5

What I would like to do for the 105 is get a 7.8 and a 4.7.
Giving me 4.7, 5.5, 6.5, 7.8 for the 105
6.5,7.8,8.5 for the 144
Then when I get(hopeful) a 80ltr board have the 4.7 and 5.5 for that. Ideal set up ? Any Holes?
Damn to think when I first started this sport I had 1 board and 1 sail

From a 5.5 your next drop is definatly a 4.7 very common for most sailors.