went out today in 15-17 kn ( Seabreeze showed 20-25 but that was way off) at Narrowneck surf beach, this sail is awesome! very easy to flip around, felt very easy to use for a big wave sail, love it!

Just got a 6.2 Alpha. Sailed twice. Rigged on a 430 X6. Downhauling to recommended (mid) setting. The leach is way loose and the batten below the boom S'es which causes the batten above the boom to do the same. Sign of too much downhaul to me. Maybe it's a trick design feature to help the sail rotate as they already have the foil shape for the other tack.

As for sailing. Never noticed the battens S'ing or collapsing in use. Leech loose and dumping wind too much. Not much backhand to help power up and go upwind. Definitely NOT a Search. Sets more like a flat water sail. An Excess for example.

Very smooth with the sail & mast flexing away absorbing impact smacking thru chop.

Need more time sailing it to suss it out. Going to try rigging on 460 X6. Sail not as i was hoping it would be but will likely acclimatise with more use.

cheers

quote:

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Originally posted by windy_sa
The leach is way loose and the batten below the boom S'es which causes the batten above the boom to do the same. Sign of too much downhaul to me.

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Have you tried loosening the batten tension on the battens that are S'ing?

I checked all the batten tensions prior to sailing first time. They are not overtensioned. Possibly the front section of the bottom batten needs to be a bit stiffer (thicker) to stop it collapsing.

I have not used the sail since my post so i have not had a chance to experiment more.

For what its worth, my brother just got a 5.2 Combat and it does the same but to a lesser degree. Maybe its in the design of the sail.

cheers

Comrade Wind-Sa
These sails like to be having a lot of downhaul for certain.
I not think it is possible for putting too much downhaul on this sail !
It may pay to be checking of your outhaul setting.
I use this sail in both 6.2 and 5.4 size and have new combat in 4.7 for windy stuff... they are awesome
I very much like the search and have been using of him for many years.
Thee new Alpha is a little different but after a few more sails I expect you will find it to be a much better sail than the search.
In my opinion the Alpha is a far better wave sail then the Search (not be getting me wrong for I used to be loving of the Search)
The Alpha has a little less bottom end but is definately a much more 'power management friendly' sail
The power is a little lower in the sail (the search he pull you forward towards nose of board while alpha drive more)
Maybe you can be trying slight adjustment of your boom height for Alpha ?
Good luck with him

Kremlin

Hey Kremlin... you could always finally get one of those Zones be done with it...

Hey Kremlin, an SA sailor are we? I wonder who you are! Where do you sail?

I hear & agree with what you are saying. The Alpha is a very different sail to the Search in its power and how it delivers it. I'm sure i'll like it more as i use it more (i like it now).

Just a bit disappointed with the power. Its likely by the time the Alpha is fully powered i could be on my 5.4 Search, so much is the difference with the sails. If i had the cash, i would change my 5.4 & 5.0 Searches for Alpha's.

Anyone want to buy some good s/h Searches??

cheers

Comrade Windy
The more you use the alpha the more you will be wanting to selling of your search's for certain yar !
The power is different but not a question of more or less power I am thinking... the alpha he more controlable, the transition from neutral to power mode is much more refined... the serach he is very raw... power snap on and off instantly, so much so that they often backwind.
I am thinkjing the alpha is more of a wave sail than the search was/is
- also when in SA I sailing Victor, Goolwa Beach and sometimes Pt Elliot. I also very much liking of Waipinga !

As for you comrade Stehselger, you know I be of trying the zone in last year shape (2006).
The Zone he is very neutral when on wave, in fact he feel like surfing with just boom and no sail at all... problem I have is he not produce enough grunt for pulling my bulk through break zone. I getting smashed going out (not enough power for moving through breaking wave_) and getting smashed on way in (when I kook bottom turn or off the top and get big wash cycle)

Kremlin

Sailed the 6.2 Alpha Saturday on JP FSW 84. Sail was very nice, smooth & controllable. My guess was wind was averaging 15 knots gusting to 20. Later confirmed off a private weather station near where i sail. Interestingly, most others were using 5.4's with some on 4.2's. Guy on the 4.2 reconds it was blowing to 25 knots. Don't think so. Received a number of comments as to why a 6.2 and wasn't i overpowered.

I think your combo of 6.2 & 5.4 Alpha and 4.7 Combat would be good for me.

Since you have used both 6.2 & 5.4 Alpha, can you advise whether they set the same. That is, the 6.2 seems to dump a lot of wind with the leech being so loose. Wondering if the 5.4 sets with a tighter leech (relative to the 6.2) and is a more grunty sail for its size than the 6.2 is.

Look forward to your comments

cheers

Anybody

has anyone used NP Alpha sails in a range of sizes that can comment on whether the larger sizes (eg 6.2) set differently than the smaller sizes (eg 5.4).

surely there are others in Australia that have used or use Alpha's that could provide some feedback

thanks

Don't know about the alpha's, but I recently bought a NP RS, and NP V6, and am finding that the recommended settings are out by about 4 cm's. On my 6M V6 I use 4 cm less on the extension than recommended, and still have heaps of downhaul. Boom setting is out the other way, I need to set it out further than recommended.
HTH.
arnie

Got a 5.4 Alpha. Rigged on a 430 X6 to the recommended settings. Sail sets much differently than the 6.2 Alpha. Leech on the 5.4 is progressively loose (looks nice) whereas the 6.2 leech is way loose (even when rigged on a 460), almost collapsed (too loose for my liking).

The 5.4 Alpha produces plenty of power. Size for size, the 5.4 produces more power than the 6.2. Feels like a 5.4 Search only nicer. Power comes on much less aggressively and smoother. Much more relaxing and less tiring.

Alpha very very light in the hands, jibes effortlessly. 5.4 looks smaller than it is. Received similar comments that the 6.2 looks smaller too.

arnie_K

what mast(s) are you using?

Have used NP sails for years and rigged on NP masts I find the recommended settings pretty much spot on. Maybe a bit out when new but as the sails bed in (stretch) the recommended settings work. 4cm less than recommended downhaul is heaps. Your RS and V6 should set with loose leeches as they are flat water sails intended to be used in strong winds and offer little drag. When you outhaul, how much positive out are you putting on? With my V8's I go from 0 to 2cm +'ve outhaul depending on the wind. Medium to max downhaul is the way to go, even in light winds.

cheers

Yep, using the recommended masts, The leech is loose with my 4 cm extra, although it could be looser. In the stronger winds i use 2 cm more than recommended, and the sail is positively flat. I spoke to another guy here in Perth, and he has the same sail, and had chucked the recommended settings out of the window.
I haven't used positive outhaul though, will give it a try next time the wind comes in. (which could be a while now)
arnie