went down to the gspot in gero and got a cool orange set of simmer icons 4.2 to 5.3 new simmer mast ,carbon base and rrd twin fin christmas early thanks tim service was mint.

Hope you like ‘em.

Got my 2010 4.2 to 5.3 Icons and a 6.0 Black tip last week. Only tried the Black tip so far and in fairly light conditions but loved it, super light and neutral in the transitions just as I was hoping for.

Thanks to Andy and John at SOS Fremantle for sorting me out.

Hi - a few questions on the 2010 Simmers if you dont mind:

How do they compare feel wise and strengh wise to Ezzy for example?

How would you compare feel / performance of the Icon with MissionX?

What would you run as the largest size (6m ish) on a mistral twinny 92, you know for super marginal float-n-ride days - Blacktip 6.0, Icon 5.9 or missionx 6.1?

Cheers - look forward to hearing more!
Northy1

I've just swapped from the Ezzy's to Simmer after 12 years on Ezzy. It's taken me two years to make the decision. I've really gone off the large ezzy's, for me there's too much locked in power. I've been finding it hard to progress my freestyle with this constant pull. For me the ezzy's work best when there well powered up. The Black tip is super smooth, accelerates real easy, stable at speed, goes super neutral when you transition and always feels light in the hands.

I was worried the 6.0 Black tip was going to be too big, 5.8 Ezzy was my largest sail but it feels much lighter and smaller than the ezzy (in feel not power). Currently I've only sailed it in mid to low power so I can't comment when it's real powered up but I like the way it works in the marginal conditions. My wife did comment it was harder to water start, probably because of the lack of pre-built shape although she was sailing in very little wind.

Construction wise the Black tip looks great, nicely finished without going over the top. To me it looks like simmer cover all the important point of construction whereas ezzy add all the tinsel. My Ezzy's look good and they get a fair amount of use so I'm interested to see what the simmers will look like next year.

Choosing a sail for your board is hard, depends how and where you sail but I'd go for a black tip as an all round sail.
Haven't had the Icon's out of there plastic wrappers yet so can't comment on those. I choose the Icons as an all round wave sail on the advice of others, check out the website.

www.simmerstyle.com/error.aspx?aspxerrorpath=/2010sail/sailOverview.aspx

Did you change masts too - or stick with Ezzy Mast?

I did want to get the simmer masts but ended up getting Powerex masts.

to answer about misson x last year had a 5m didnt think it had a lot of power down low but had plenty of punch mid to top, but im 90 kg lot mass to move. i bought a simmer mast to go with the icons seems to work ok ,as far strenghth to ezzy roll one over the top ,their just as well built as the ezzy ,without the racesail feel of the ezzy.anyone keen to try my icons at corros feel free to give a spin

I love my 5.9 icon. Just went and ordered a 5.3 and 4.5 as well. I'm going to be using them all on powerex 85% rdm masts.

My other sails just didn't feel anywhere near as nice as my new icon, to the extent that i would wish it wasn't so windy so I could use my big icon instead of my other small sails. So i decided to make the switch. But I do have the feeling that my old north duke wasn't designed for the RDM mast (seemed to just go too floppy up top and not hold shape down low), and the naish force probably could use a stiffer mast as well.

Its a combination of being a fairly shapely sail which gives it heaps of stability and range, but its still flips and goes neutral nicely. It has some well thought out features too, like a little pocket inside the foot of the sail to hold the end of your downhaul rope.

thanks for all the feedback

Will the simmers work ok on my Ezzy masts if i move over....??

Cheers,
northy1

I imagine the simmer would work on the Ezzy masts from what I've been told.

Got my 2010 5.3 Simmer Icon out of the bag yesterday. It's a fantastic looking sail with great build quality. I've been so worried about construction quality it's a relief to see the Simmer quality.

On the water I was surprised how much power it had but it was real easy to tune in with the outhaul. I've got to get used to downhauling less than the Ezzy. Once again the sail feels light and balanced in the hand, brilliant. It doesn't go as neutral as the black tip but I like the way it responds to power and transitions.

After a few runs to get it tuned I was going for moves I know I can't make but the sail was so comfortable I had the confidence to try.

well i guess you could say us simmer boys have simmer style ,

I am sure the simmers will work on ezzy masts.

From the simmer website, either of the following are recommended
length mcs imcs kgs
400 26 19 1,8

or
400 26 19 1,5

From ezzy:
400 24.3 18.4 1.70

Pretty similiar in stiffness. I don't think it will be noticeable to anyone using them, I doubt I could tell. I think both have constant bend, which is probably one of the main criteria.

The difference between the Icon and Mission X is a fair bit. The Icon has noticably more power than the Mission X. What one to choose depends on your weight, board, where you sail, what you like the feel of etc.

I am 80kgs, for Perth, lano, and general use, I definately prefer the Icon. If I only sailed margs or gnaraloo I would go Mission X. I love the mission x when its perfect cross off at those places. For corros, maybe somone local up there could comment. Lighter sailors tend to like the mission X more regardless, but this is no definitive rule, and depends on style.

The Icon is more of a smooth power delivery. The mission X is more on/off. Saying that, either can do the job and its just personal preference or what you are used to. With Simmer, they have 4 wave sails. The Mission, is the same as Mission X but monofilm contruction. This is a really nice sail, and if my budget was endless, I would love to have these. But Mission X last longer. Iron is their full power model and I would guess would be more similiar to the ezzys. The Icon sits in the middle, taking some characteristics from both.

I bought 3 Icons last season; 4.2, 4.7 and a 5.3. I rig them all on a 400 Powerex RDM which is not ideal for the 4.2. Do all my sailing @ Gero, Lano and Dutchies.

I love the 4.2 & 4.7. Pretty much one downhaul setting with all the tuning done with the outhaul. The wind range is the best I've ever experienced and the build quality appears to be very good.

I've used the 5.3 about 4 times and still struggling to set it right. To get it to even resemble the feel of the two smaller sizes I have to downhaul and outhaul the **** out of it, way beyond the manufacturers specs. I shall give it a few more try's this season but if it doesent feel right I shall replace the 5.3 with an S1 and keep the two smaller sizes.

Anyone experienced anything similar?

Well I really like my 4.2, 5.3 (Icons) and the 6.0 (Blacktip) haven't sailed my 4.7 yet. I've gone the other way and added less downhaul from my initial trial settings. I'm amazed at the wind range in the 4.2 and 5.3 and how stable they are through the range. I used the 5.3 well powered up into over powered and it felt real comfortable.

I'm setting my extension 2 to 3 cm less than the printed luff, the mast doesn't seem to go right to the top of the sail, and I wonder if they measure from the top of the sail or top of the mast, anyway it works for me. When I set the sail I keep thinking I should add downhaul but when on the water it feels good. I'm also finding I prefer less outhaul than I expect.

Seemly the 2010 simmers need less downhawl than 2009, I can't compare.

I have noticed the same thing when i first rigged my 5.3m icon (its a 2009). I usually downhaul till the upper panel is floppy around 60-70% of the way in to the luff, this occures about 1-2cm short of manufacturers settings on my gear. Then apply outhaul, but when I do this with the 5.3m the main panel is "floppy", like it doesn't have proper tension in the part of the sail.

However I had a look at the simmer site and their rigging videos and their intepretation of the leech loose 70% of the way in is a lot looser then mine, so i added about 1 cm more down haul, this loosened up the top of the sail and brought the shape back into the main panels.

I'm using a 85% powerex 400 rdm.

Compared to my 5.9 and 4.5, the 5.3 seems to be a lot more downhaul sensitive, and i tend to set it with a bit of a looser leech compared to my 5.9 which i set a little tighter cause i'm usually using it in light winds.

Needed a change.... got a set of SIMMER ICONS HAD the 5.O 5.6 4.7 out last weekend 2 solid sessions coronation beach / sunset and on front lawn prior to.

Ezzy mast 4.0 worked well 4.30 top for bigger sail cut 1inch of top'

Have used ezzy sails as main set of years..... but have tryed heaps of riggs and brands to mix it up. SOME fell apart other require ajustments to get G SPOT.

Didnt ajust harness lines on the Icon,,, rigged it once fullish,,,,, that was that.

faster to jybe.... bit less grunty down low , but ezzyer to throw and flick around .

Solid look / and IT rigged well / felt Neutral balanced with drive from the first run.

fun to be able to over throw your rig IN MANOUVOURS and recover it especially on the backhand SLAPS one handed ,..A...little less spongey/ grunty down the line..........................

Very Sweet ..............tar............... Tim / Mat G Spot Geraldton

The new Simmers look very similar to the Goya's. The guy that was designing the Simmers went to Goya, to me it looks like Simmer have stayed with his design, but he is now improving and building on his designs with Goya sails. Who is now designing the simmers? has he changed or re designed them much since the other guy left simmer?

My mate who uses simmers was over in hawaii not long ago, he had a go of the goya's in hawaii, reckons they are AWESOME. thou not quite as powerful of a sail, very much a 'maui' sail i suppose, but amazing on the wave. Apparently the wave3d isn't that great, but the guru is fantastic, and looking at pics of people sailing in maui almost every second sail is a goya guru lol.

If you see pics of jason diffin wavesailing (the ex-simmer now goya sail designer), you can't help but think the he really knows what he's doing when it comes to designing wavesails, cause he sure knows how to use em. Do any of the designers for other brands rip as hard as him? I can't think of anyone.

I'd defo give the goyas a go before i buy my next quiver, thou thats probably too far into the future to think about. However, an awesome sail for maui, is probably not the best sail for SEQ anyway, we kinda have a lack of wind lol.

Select to expand quote

swoosh said...

If you see pics of jason diffin wavesailing (the ex-simmer now goya sail designer), you can't help but think the he really knows what he's doing when it comes to designing wavesails, cause he sure knows how to use em. Do any of the designers for other brands rip as hard as him? I can't think of anyone.

You've obviously never seen Ben Severne sail.

Sails designed in Australia, tested in the World.

Hi again

Feedback on the Simmers sounds realy good.

Ive been demoing a Simmer icon (well - used it once, cross off, gusty as hell, DTL chest - head high) and very impressed so far....key observations align very well with the Boardseeker test:

+ve
- great range - didnt feel overpowered once in the gusts
- direct feeling
- good pull (which for a 83kg duffer is useful imo)
- feels neutral in top turn
- looks well made

-ve
- You cant see thru the window so well with the xply
- Also not sure if the flat foil (compared to Ezzy 08 / 07) means less drive in light conditions?

Anyone tested the simmers against the recent Ezzy Panthers...think they are less "full" than the previous ezzy SE's that ive got?

Cheers,
Northy1