Got my new 8.5 Flyer yesterday. First thing I noticed coming from a background with sails that don't last long was the build quality. Just about the whole sail is made from Xply, even the windows. It amazes me that it is so light (around 4.5kg) but built so well. Sailworks has a great rigging video and once you watch it and setup the sail it's really easy.

No luff pocket so the mast just goes up through the cams and no requirement for a down haul tool. I rigged it on a Slake 490 constant curve (Severne spec) 38cm extension. Honestly if I had a 520 I would give it a try as I personally don't like to use that much extension. Once rigged it rotated effortlessly and feels really nice in hand. New shape with the deep square foot, high aspect, looks like a great light wind free foiling sail.

I will get it out in the next week or so and give a full report. If you're interested in one give Chris a call at Windsurf Systems he will look after you. It's my first Sailworks sail and very happy with it.

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Tinlyds said..
Got my new 8.5 Flyer yesterday. First thing I noticed coming from a background with sails that don't last long was the build quality. Just about the whole sail is made from Xply, even the windows. It amazes me that it is so light (around 4.5kg) but built so well. Sailworks has a great rigging video and once you watch it and setup the sail it's really easy.

No luff pocket so the mast just goes up through the cams and no requirement for a down haul tool. I rigged it on a Slake 490 constant curve (Severne spec) 38cm extension. Honestly if I had a 520 I would give it a try as I personally don't like to use that much extension. Once rigged it rotated effortlessly and feels really nice in hand. New shape with the deep square foot, high aspect, looks like a great light wind free foiling sail.

I will get it out in the next week or so and give a full report. If you're interested in one give Chris a call at Windsurf Systems he will look after you. It's my first Sailworks sail and very happy with it.

Looking forward to hear more about the sail. It looks pretty cool, BTW. Two questions:

1- the donwhaul tension the sail has is the normal tension? Just curious about how the sail looks with proper downhaul.

2- the cog used to set the downhaul is between the second and third batten but in other models they have them higher. Did they place the indicator (cog) lower for the flyers? I know you said this is your first sailworks but maybe the rigging instructions say something about it.

I forgot to ask: is there a lot of wrinkling when rigging and de rigging the sail? I have an old two cam sail with small luff pocket and there is a lot of wrinkling when rigging and de rigging because you have to insert the mast through the cams.

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WillyWind said..

Tinlyds said..
Got my new 8.5 Flyer yesterday. First thing I noticed coming from a background with sails that don't last long was the build quality. Just about the whole sail is made from Xply, even the windows. It amazes me that it is so light (around 4.5kg) but built so well. Sailworks has a great rigging video and once you watch it and setup the sail it's really easy.

No luff pocket so the mast just goes up through the cams and no requirement for a down haul tool. I rigged it on a Slake 490 constant curve (Severne spec) 38cm extension. Honestly if I had a 520 I would give it a try as I personally don't like to use that much extension. Once rigged it rotated effortlessly and feels really nice in hand. New shape with the deep square foot, high aspect, looks like a great light wind free foiling sail.

I will get it out in the next week or so and give a full report. If you're interested in one give Chris a call at Windsurf Systems he will look after you. It's my first Sailworks sail and very happy with it.

Looking forward to hear more about the sail. It looks pretty cool, BTW. Two questions:

1- the donwhaul tension the sail has is the normal tension? Just curious about how the sail looks with proper downhaul.

2- the cog used to set the downhaul is between the second and third batten but in other models they have them higher. Did they place the indicator (cog) lower for the flyers? I know you said this is your first sailworks but maybe the rigging instructions say something about it.

Here's the Flyer rigging instructions with movie. www.sailworks.com/flyer-rigging Its based on the Flyer 2 Cam 4 and 5 Batten model, whereas the Flyer FR 8.5 & 10m has 6 Battens and 3 Cams, the setup and trim procedure is the same. Tinlyds has already rigged the FR to the correct downhaul settings.

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WillyWind said..
I forgot to ask: is there a lot of wrinkling when rigging and de rigging the sail? I have an old two cam sail with small luff pocket and there is a lot of wrinkling when rigging and de rigging because you have to insert the mast through the cams.

No real crinkling Xply too strong, the mast goes in fairly easy, and de-rigging I just turned the mast while removing and (mine) comes apart and I just pull the top section out of the top cam zipper (I never tape my mast joiner) too lazy ??????

Good to hear. I have an old Neil pride two cam (early 2000s?) and it is kinda hard to rig and de rig without bunching up the sail (even though it does not mark the sail). Looking forward to demo the 8.5.

Does it have a tack strap?, do not see one.

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Sandman1221 said..
Does it have a tack strap?, do not see one.

It does not have one.

It's been a long wait due to a shoulder injury. Got the 8.5 out today for the first time. Feels really lightweight and rotates, OMG like butter. There's no tac strap, doesn't need one as it has great shape. Was 6-10 knots at the most and had plenty of flights, however, still can't pump too much due to shoulder.
rigged on a 490 Slake CC with 40 cm extension. Used with my Flight Evo foil combo. Would be perfect with a race foil in light conditions. If you're after a free foiling lightwind sail you couldn't go past these.

One trick I learned for rigging my Flyers is to open the cam zippers before inserting the mast. It goes in much more easily. The openings do not expand to the point where you could not close the zippers. You can downhaul, and then close the zippers. Easy peasy. Same for derigging.

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segler said..
One trick I learned for rigging my Flyers is to open the cam zippers before inserting the mast. It goes in much more easily. The openings do not expand to the point where you could not close the zippers. You can downhaul, and then close the zippers. Easy peasy. Same for derigging.

Thanks. I'll try this.

I just discovered the little loop at the head of the sail. When derigging, I jam a big screw driver down through the loop into the ground - like a tent stake. Then, pull the mast out. Way easier than trying to pull the sail off the mast. Having a friend hold the head (or step on it) works too.