NCUSAGUY said..
Most of us mortals change sails because the power/speed of the sail in increasing winds = too much board speed for the conditions. Yes, at some point in increasing winds, the COE may change and the sail becomes uncontrollable. That's most common with the larger sails (8, 9,10 meter). When I am on a 6.0 or smaller and change down to a smaller sail because of increasing wind, it's not because the sail is uncontrollable, it's because the board speed (at my skill level) is too much for the chop/conditions. On my race sails, I have adjustable outhauls that allow for a broader wind range, but changing down because the COE is moving back only happens on my bigger sails (8.4 - 11.0). I mostly rig down to regain board control at speed.
I have brought this point up before and you haven't addressed the issue. No matter how stable the sail, too much speed for the conditions is a limiting factor. So if you are on a 110 L board on your 5.8 and planing in 15 knots of wind in small chop, and then the wind builds to 35 knots and the chop increases 2, 3 or 4 times, most of us will be beat to death on your rig assuming we haven't crashed a dozen times. THAT'S why we rig down to a smaller sail and board. And by the way, I started windsurfing in 1984 so I have a few hours on the water.
NCUSAGUY. Change in wind speed 30 kt is not that much of energy change in modern aerodynamics. Light plane taking off in 40 kt and cruising speed @ 100 kt not a flinch in stability and performance including unpowered aircraft, it is just normal operating range. So what is such a big deal with holding relatively small airfoil in windsurfing ? Sail change during secession is very common practice. You are right, most noticeable decline in performance is on big sails, it is because big sails has more camber. Camber makes these sails more efficient, but when ground speed increases angle of attack decreases accordingly. At small angle of attack , curved plate profile (cambered sail ) develop leading edge stall, this is why you experience back hand pressure before the whole thing collapses . You right, once you outhaul, camber becomes smaller and leading edge stall will be postponed as well as decline in efficiency. Even if you outhaul hard to the point when sail becomes flat, than another problem will surface, turbulence on outer surface from leading edge. So, your large sail at this point becomes sorry to say, useless. ( Not my words, taking from JR Smith , Zenith aircraft designer. ) So ,what you do, you change for smaller sail. Smaller sail is extracting less power from wind and by its nature, it has less camber and less RE( reynolds) number and less of everything... . Smaller sail has less surface less efficiency but , more wind range. Than, if wind becomes much stronger again , same story. If first sail was 7 , your next sail will be 5.5 , now we talking 4.5 ,sometimes 3 and much smaller board. Each of these sails have comparatively low wind range and very pure performance on transition, wind gusts and lulls . It doesn't matter how you slice it , results are same. At some point your sail stops working , that's it. Wing sail on other hands has no above
mentioned problems, Zero! I don't advertise my sail as a high chop or wave sail, however been on high chop I was more successful than others , do I like it? No. I don't like high chop with any sail . But my heavy 200 more pounds customers love it.
Now , high speed sailing that we see on flat water , lets say Luderitz. Despite high downwind angle around 38 degrees ( I was in contact with luderitz organizers) no large sail makes speed record , why? First of all, all sailors there are using very high cambered sails. They need efficiency and speed. Look at the pictures and videos, there is no lose leaches of flat sails , everything is heavily cambered and tight, boards 45 cm and less. With curved plate profile , to go high speed, sail needs to be at high angle of attack all the time due to its nature. If angle of attack decreases, leading edge stall occurs and sail will loose its power and stability. Large sail will propel board to the speed when angle of attack becomes small and leading edge stall will take effect . So, on luderitz , PROPER PROPORTIONAL combination of board wetted surface ,sailors weight and sail efficiency is winning recipe. All of this because curved or flat plate profiles have very limited capabilities. It will be ether leading edge turbulence on outer surface for flat, or stall for curves. Wing is completely free of these defects. Wing sail does what it designed to do, generate lift, and mega-range has been developed not by me , but by the leading airfoil designers. I just invent method how to successfully reverse and enforce shape under load. When you arguing with me about wingsail vs traditional, you only guessing. But I know what I'm talking about. I've been riding, making , testing , fixing and testing again for 5 years. I've built a large database of knowledge during this time. And now, nothing related to you. I think your posts are wise. But it was very surprising for me the level of skepticism and aggression in here, that goes beyond of level of common decency. Why don't they just ask , and I just answer.. wouldn't that be nice.