So, lots of brands moving towards 3 batten sails in 2015? Obviously there have been a few 3 battens around for a while now, hot sails and point 7 having them in their line ups.

Does anyone have any actual input to the advantage of a 3 batten sail. Is it the same discussion that was had when 4 batten sails came back on the market or is a completely different design?

Curious as to the supposed feel and handling of a tri-batten sail? Anyone own one yet?

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bowsa said..

Is that a tandem freestyle board? New PWA discipline?

Just like any sail with any number of battens, the characteristics of each different brands three battered sails may be very different.

As for the hot sails sail that I'm using, completely wrapped in the sail, I don't think it's purely the fact it has only three battens.
It reduces the weight a bit sure, but it's just feels great, lots of drive but still goes light on the wave. But not sure on the others?

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DunkO said..

Just like any sail with any number of battens, the characteristics of each different brands three battered sails may be very different.

As for the hot sails sail that I'm using, completely wrapped in the sail, I don't think it's purely the fact it has only three battens.
It reduces the weight a bit sure, but it's just feels great, lots of drive but still goes light on the wave. But not sure on the others?

yeah i wouldn't mind trying one dunc! what sizes are you running? are the KS3's powerful?

I could never plane when other guys were and on similar gear, that's changed with ks3. Getting going so much easier on smaller sails. But the best thing it's so stable, the forward draft just pulls. The design of the sail flattens out when sheeted out, a big crease takes up, the excess sail cloth along the mast. It would actually make a really user friendly small freereide type sail.

I used to sail the firelights(very nice sail) these sails are similar weight, built so strong, feel nimble and compact, and don't over power as easily.

Really can't fault it much. Worth a try. I have 5.2, 4.9,4.6. Need smaller.

Hot sails are looking into bigger sizes than the current 5.2. I don't think id need bigger wave sailing, but could be useful...

It does sound like im talking it up, but it deserves it.
Mind you if you break a batten you don't have much structure left

I've recently received a 5.2 KS3, used it twice, very impressed so far. Very unique bottom batten design. That seems to be the secret sauce that makes it work so well.

Hi, usually I only read here and post mainly about SUP, but having some 3 battens and sailed a lot with them, so I think my opinion might be interested for those who thinking about 3 battens.
First to be clear I,m back riding for Hot in Holland after a 2year on custom sails. but always try to be as unbiased as possible and not to act as a fanboy.
When I ordered my sails I didnt include the KS3 as i didnt believe the Hype. I associated 3 battens with lots of maneuvrability, light and lack of low end as well poor high-end (sailed a different brand 3 batten that i,m not gonna name here) and was pretty sceptical about it.

I oredered 4 and 5 battens and they gently refused my order till I at least tried the KS3.
Got a demo and man i,m glad they did :).
The magic ISNT that it has just 3 battens, its a complete different sail concept.
First if all, It got the S foot batten that put a lot of pressure in the bottom of the sail. That and the wrinkles in the luffpanel fill in a deep belly when the wind kicks in and depower when you sheet out. This gives a forward placed profile that has a lot of range trimmed over the OH from full hanging against the boom till really really flat and stable all the time, that and that you have lots of space under the boom for you legs makes it very maneuverable.
This could be made with a 4 batten sail as well, but it is stable enough with 3 so why ad a batten extra?
The benefit of a batten less is simple: battens help with shaping, but also slowing down the reaction of the sailcloth. less battens means a more reactive sail, ooh and having a batten+ the construction to fix it less saves indeed weight.
I got a KS3 now in 5.2 4.6 4.0 and a 5 batten Firelight 6.0 5.3 and 3.4. As soon as there come a 5.8KS3 its gonna be mine

The 5.3 FL is actually lighter as my 5.2 KS3...but due the less batten/easier to breath cloth on the KS3, the KS3 FEELS lighter and quicker to me.
Of course you probablly all think, teamriders bullock, but to me the sail felt a bit like the first twins after the decades of single fins, it just allows you to sail differently.
That doesn't mean better, because a 5batten that is less reactive can feel easier more sedate but i haven,t sailed one (and I really like to try other peoples gear)that felt so responsive and reactive like my KS3.
Its really hard to understand the whole thing till you actually tried it.

I've also used the 4.6KS3 and agree with all the positive comments made so far. I used it in 12 -15 knots side shore long reef and 12-20 cross off at Gerroa. I was most impressed by the wide wind range and secondly by the way I could turn the power off and on for DTL waveriding. I reckon I could use a 5.2 and a 4.6 for about 80% of my east coast sailing. If I had not invested a full matching severne rig I would be very happy on the KS3

F**k it... I am back to no battens next season...

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Tim Williams said..

I've also used the 4.6KS3 I used it in 12 -15 knots side shore long reef and 12-20 cross off at Gerroa. I was most impressed by the wide wind range and secondly by the way I could turn the power off and on for DTL waveriding. I reckon I could use a 5.2 and a 4.6 for about 80% of my east coast sailing.

4.6m in 12 - 15 knots??? how much do you weigh and what volume board ?

5.2 and 4.6 for 80% of east coast sailing???

For me it's 100%.

I used to use bigger sail but since realised there really isn't any benefit, sure if your heavier with a bigger volume board maybe.

I'd second that for the east coast. I'm 90 kegs and run a 5.3/4.7 combo with 100 and 87 litre quads.

No need for any bigger sail. The benefit of extra size is outweighed by its extra weight (excuse the pun)

5.3 / 100 litre gets me out in 12 knot float and ride days.

And I even use those old school FOUR batten sails. Imagine if I used 3 batten sails. My quiver would be 4.2/3.7

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I used to use bigger sail but since realised there really isn't any benefit, sure if your heavier with a bigger volume board maybe.

I guess it depends on the rider but from my experience the upper limit is around 5.8 on a wave board. Even then I find I'd rather go a little bit smaller than have the extra power.

I guess it's a personal preference regarding upper size sail limit. Mine is 5.3 but I sail with friends who weigh a lot less than me who will use 6.2s in the same conditions.

Sure they may plane out the back marginally earlier but on the wave I'd much rather have the smaller lighter rig. I prefer using the board more to waveride anyway rather than hanging off the rig.

My big board has a super wide tail and is a light wind machine.

But I think also that different people have their own personal definition of wavesailing especially 'light wind wavesailing'. I go wavesailing to catch waves, not just plane out the back and ride rolling swells. Especially light wind wavesailing; its much more important the direction of the wind that the strength or what size sail I have.

And this light wind is where I wouldn't mind trying a KS3 on Dunc and Tim's recommendation

If you are riding a spot where it is easy to get out and back upwind to the peak and have nice sucky down the line waves then I agree the benefit of a bigger sail is lost. But for anything but ideal conditions having a good well rigged light wind specific wave sail is so much better. Easier to get over white water, easier to make headway in a strong rip, easier to get back up wind and best of all, much more speed down the line.

I agree Brien. I always rig a size bigger (5.3)for cross - on long reef. And sometimes wish I owned a 5.7 and a 95 litre tri. But for cross off Gerroa I always rig a size smaller, 5.0 or 4.7 because its so easy to get out and it's not really a jumping spot. I found the KS3 felt like there was a very comfortable amount of power between the hands and a bit of spring to pump onto the plane. I liked the easy waveriding the KS 3 offered and it perhaps felt as easy to throw about as my S1. I rigged the 4.6 KS instead of my 5.0 S1 for the 13-18 knots there was and found I could get around the park just as easy.
I don't know if a 5.7 in a 3 battern would work ....

So does a break like Gerroa lend it self to a highly rocked quad with a small 3 battern sail and for Wanda a fairly powerful 4-5 battern sail and a slightly flatter rocker to deal with the more difficult obstacles of current, holes in the wind, gusty conditions and whitewater?

While Steve Allan won the Ledge to Lancelin marathon this year on a 9.5, I reckon Tim would have been competitive on his wave gear!

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Tim Williams said..
I don't know if a 5.7 in a 3 battern would work ....

Exocet's XO fusion is a 3 batten sail and they make models up to 7.0....I had 6.5 for a couple of years and it worked perfectly, really light feel in the hands and lots of power.

Polakow on a 3 batten at Lanes today.





There were a couple of guys out on the Pryde 3 batten, both in this design with the bottom batten across the boom rather than below... maybe they have decided this is the way to for them??

the high clew looks sick

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JBFletch said..

the high clew looks sick

The high clew is very retro.

I've never been to Hi Clew where is it?

Hey, Jason's quad only has 3 fins?

Yeah didn't u know three is the new 4???

Perhaps it looks better in real live but in the photo below they look rather cheap.

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stehsegler said..

Perhaps it looks better in real live but in the photo below they look rather cheap.

My guess is that they are development versions of the sails, you might assume that the production sails will look a little more refined?? But then who knows.

They're not to far off the finished product as the have the logo on them. Earlier protos tend to be more "disguised".

Where's that vid of Jeff Henderson explaining the KS3?

Do you mean Kauli video explaining KS3?

seems that JP is diggin the 3 battern.
so much he's been rocking it at lanes early this year

www.facebook.com/JasonPolakowKA1111/videos/752169634808347/