Looking to get some lighter wind gear. Currently doing most of my sailing in 15 to 20kts on JP Allride 106 with NP Firefly 5.5.

I am looking at something in the 6.5 sail range and boards something like the Starboard iSonic 122ltr, or the JP Slalom 130.

Would be very interested in thoughts on boards in particular. I want something I can get planing in the more marginal conditions. I weight 75kgs.

Cheers.

I am your weight and I would recommend thinking larger with modern sails. Think 7.5m to 8m and preferably twin-cam or more cams like a cambered free-race sail. Larger sail and light wind sailing benefits more from the shape stability of cams where they keep the deep draft in the sails during the lulls. I find a KA Koncept 7.5m is my sweet spot. Larger sails than that give quickly diminishing returns unless I go to a Formula board.

With the boards you mention and a good 7.5m you should be able to plane comfortably in about 12 knots of wind or slightly less. Once planing you should be able to easily glide through short lulls to 10 knots and using an adjustable out-haul, a modern 7.5 can be quite comfortable up to 16-18 knots or more.

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sailquik said...
I am your weight and I would recommend thinking larger with modern sails. Think 7.5m to 8m and preferably twin-cam or more cams like a cambered free-race sail. Larger sail and light wind sailing benefits more from the shape stability of cams where they keep the deep draft in the sails during the lulls. I find a KA Koncept 7.5m is my sweet spot. Larger sails than that give quickly diminishing returns unless I go to a Formula board.

With the boards you mention and a good 7.5m you should be able to plane comfortably in about 12 knots of wind or slightly less. Once planing you should be able to easily glide through short lulls to 10 knots and using an adjustable out-haul, a modern 7.5 can be quite comfortable up to 16-18 knots or more.

thanks for the advice - 7.5 sounds too big to me, so i hadn't even considered it. will have a rethink

I'd back up sailquik, a modern 7.5 is not too big, only draw back is expense, as u'll prob need bigger mast and boom. Look 2nd hand if cost an issue. I'd also recommend a wider board, apparently the laws of physics and hydrodynamics state that a wider hull will plane in less speed. So I'd recommend a freeride or slalom about 75cm to 85cm wide with a decent fin. Bec u sed u wanted to plane in 8 to 14kts. 8kts will be hard to achieve without a wide planing hull and very big sail. u mite be able to plane thru 8 kts but getting going will be difficult.

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Sputnik11 said...

sailquik said...
I am your weight and I would recommend thinking larger with modern sails. Think 7.5m to 8m and preferably twin-cam or more cams like a cambered free-race sail. Larger sail and light wind sailing benefits more from the shape stability of cams where they keep the deep draft in the sails during the lulls. I find a KA Koncept 7.5m is my sweet spot. Larger sails than that give quickly diminishing returns unless I go to a Formula board.

With the boards you mention and a good 7.5m you should be able to plane comfortably in about 12 knots of wind or slightly less. Once planing you should be able to easily glide through short lulls to 10 knots and using an adjustable out-haul, a modern 7.5 can be quite comfortable up to 16-18 knots or more.

thanks for the advice - 7.5 sounds too big to me, so i hadn't even considered it. will have a rethink

I am less than 60kg and use a 7.5 as my light wind sail. I would think 7.5 or even 8 - 8.5 if you are 75kg.

...and I'll back up both Sailquirk and Hardie.

With the board you've got, I'd head for a bigger sail first to get up and running in 15-20

JP All ride 106 sail sizes:
ideal:5.0-6.7
rec.:4.7-7.2

I reckon at a pinch, you could run a 7.5 on that board. You'll be screaming along in 15 knots for sure!

For a bit more balance (once the bank account is in balance) you could look at a wider board (JP All Ride 106 is 63cm) maybe one of the bigger JP Super Sports?

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shear tip said...
...and I'll back up both Sailquirk and Hardie.

With the board you've got, I'd head for a bigger sail first to get up and running in 15-20

JP All ride 106 sail sizes:
ideal:5.0-6.7
rec.:4.7-7.2

I reckon at a pinch, you could run a 7.5 on that board. You'll be screaming along in 15 knots for sure!

For a bit more balance (once the bank account is in balance) you could look at a wider board (JP All Ride 106 is 63cm) maybe one of the bigger JP Super Sports?

I'm actually looking at getting a Starboard iSonic 122ltr as my light wind board. I think I can have this planing with a 6.5 in say 12kts and keep it on the plane through lulls. Maybe I will look at 7.0 sails.

Hey Sputnik,

I'm 74 kilos and have a 69 cm wide, 106 litre slalom board, and my biggest sail at the moment is a 6.6 twin cam Hot Sail GP2. With this combo planning in 13-14 knots is possible. 15 knots and I'm flying. Like you I want to get going a bit earlier, and I'm now looking into a 7 meter 3 cambered free-race sail. Whilst not a huge up-size, it should have a little more grunt- if only to keep going through the lulls, but importantly for me, it means I don't have to up-size mast and I can use my current 430 and boom. Maybe llook into some of the super wide RRDs and the like?

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PhilSWR said...
Hey Sputnik,

I'm 74 kilos and have a 69 cm wide, 106 litre slalom board, and my biggest sail at the moment is a 6.6 twin cam Hot Sail GP2. With this combo planning in 13-14 knots is possible. 15 knots and I'm flying. Like you I want to get going a bit earlier, and I'm now looking into a 7 meter 3 cambered free-race sail. Whilst not a huge up-size, it should have a little more grunt- if only to keep going through the lulls, but importantly for me, it means I don't have to up-size mast and I can use my current 430 and boom. If I had the funds, I'd look into some of the super wide RRDs and the like.

Phil - my thinking is the iSonic 122ltr will give me the edge to get going in lighter winds. I still think 6.5 would be about right for me and think the buoyancy of the board will make a big difference. Thanks for the input.

actually looking at 2 boards as a comparison:

2012 JP Slalom (240cm, 130 ltrs)
2008 Starboard iSonic (232cm, 122ltrs)

any thoughts?

Yep, save your time/money if you're thinking about using a 6.5m with these boards. You wont get the best out of them in marginal conditions at your weight, particularly the JP.

Ideally demo some gear first if you can, or take a look at what others are sailing in marginal conditions.....

.... and re-read the earlier comments about sail sizes

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under finned said...
Yep, save your time/money if you're thinking about using a 6.5m with these boards. You wont get the best out of them in marginal conditions at your weight, particularly the JP.

Ideally demo some gear first if you can, or take a look at what others are sailing in marginal conditions.....

.... and re-read the earlier comments about sail sizes

ok - looks like i am going for a 7 to 7.5 - cheers

I use a 2008 ISonic 111 with my 7.5m Koncept. It is great for early planning. I think an IS 122 would be great as well.

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sailquik said...
I use a 2008 ISonic 111 with my 7.5m Koncept. It is great for early planning. I think an IS 122 would be great as well.

thanks my good man