This is a bit of an opinion post and also me looking to those who have the different options.

Recently I have been looking at getting a 3.3 blade for the really windy days to add to a 4.00, 4.5, 5.3 quiver. They will all be used on a 81lt Quad. But looking around everyone only ever seems to talk about going down to 4.0 never about owning a 3.3 or even 3.7.

My question really is am I kidding myself getting any more control out of a 3.3 on a big board like a 81lt Quad? Do I need to bite the bullet and shop around for a 70lt waveboard instead? Or is it just a sail size never mentioned in quiver choices because it's hardly ever windy enough. (I've never owned a 3.3, 3.7 or a board below 75lt)

> never about owning a 3.3 or even 3.7.
I've a got 3.7, use it a few times a year, well worth it . Next size up is 4.2 and that gap works well, 4.0 down to 3.2 is a stretch I think. 3.5?

Depending what you weigh, when it's that windy, if your board is floaty for you it is not going to want to slow down much though, you definitely want something with litres < your weight for it all to work together.

unfortunately if you wanna sail the conditions you talk about your going to need a 74L quad and a 3.7.
3.3 is crazy talk unless your a 65kg chic or live in Pozo.

^^ agree. As you get smaller sails the gaps between sizes should also decease.
A 3.7 would be ideal, but really need to think about a smaller board and a different shape - a FSW will be considerably less skittish and handle chop better. An old 70L FSW and a 3.7 would feel so unbelieveably comfy compared to waveboard and 4.0

3.3 will just be twitchy as blazes and when you do get up to speed the board will still misbehave badly.

I think both are definitely a luxury, I mean how many times a year would you use a 3.7? My smallest sail is a 4.2 and at 70kg I only really feel the need for something smaller about 2 days a year and that is almost solely confined to massive westerlies on the lake and FS, not wave sailing. That said, it entirely depends where you live.

Having used a 3.7 and a 4.0 back to back in nuking conditions on Maui I reckon the difference in control between the two is minimal, if you already have a 4.0 I wouldn't bother, if it's an old 4.0 upgrade it, don't get a 3.7. If you've got cash burning a hole in your pocket I reckon there are better places to spend it than on a sail you might use a few times a year, IMO of course

not sure if a 3.3 is too small for an 81lt board? If it's that windy it is usually pretty wild in the waves and would typically confine you
to a lake, although I'm sure NZ gets v windy.

Unless you're under 65kg or in 40 knots...

maybe you're not buying it anyway - parents!!

Mate... You live in qld.

Sorry to hijack your thread.. while your talking 3.2m sails - are they all twitchy?
I have a 3.2M ( 90'S MODEL) and find it really twitchy unless solid 30kts +. I was wondering if a modern 3.2m that twisted off with a 370 mast would fix the twitchy problem? ( and yes I am a 64kgs woman ). I don't use it a lot due to it's twitchiness but need it for winter gales..

Thanks for the replies guys.

I'm in NZ and we don't get nuking winds beyond 4.0 and 81lt very often but the one, two, three times a year that it does get that windy are also the one, two, three times a year we get real waves and jumping especially where I live in Auckland. So I know on a grand sheme money could be better spent on a new 5.3, a trip to Maui or a bigger TV to get me through the windless days but it drives me nuts when the conditions are great except for the fact that it's so windy I can barely sail in a straight line and guys 20kg's heavier than me are flying around on 3.7's while I'm on a 4.0.

Looking at the above searching for a 2nd hand 70lt waveboard might be the go.

I never understood the reasoning behind not owning a small sail that you use twice a year.. Those are the best days!

Man up and hang on I say! heh heh at your own safety of courseNever sailed less than 4.5 myself at 90kg (due to lack of power on 75l board in these conditions) but have had to swim 100m to get my gear cartwheeling across the top at 50knots before too

Here is a post from August last year at Windang, 45+ knots!

That's 3.3 weather, the local maniacs rigged 4.0 - 4.5

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Wave-sailing/Windang-blown-out-40-50kts/

Hey Lanky
Rewa can always sell you the board she just won in a spot prize here in Maui. Its a 2012 Naish wave board all of 55l so you wont need a smaller sail. We could give it to Jim to take back to Auckland...Haha

try rigging your small sails with a bit of shape in them - just a few cms of belly can make all the difference. The differnece between planing in 23 knots as opposed to waiting for a 30 knot gust to get you going.

Dont flatten them on the outhaul - which can be tempting - as small sails really do become unusable when you do this.

You will get no drive through bottom turns and get left stranded in the break as soon as the slightest lull in the wind occurs - and it will!

Select to expand quote

sboardcrazy said..

Sorry to hijack your thread.. while your talking 3.2m sails - are they all twitchy?
I have a 3.2M ( 90'S MODEL) and find it really twitchy unless solid 30kts +. I was wondering if a modern 3.2m that twisted off with a 370 mast would fix the twitchy problem? ( and yes I am a 64kgs woman ). I don't use it a lot due to it's twitchiness but need it for winter gales..

outhaul makes a sail twitchy, slighty longer harness lines helps with strong wind sailing too

90 kg zac?!
Where was the rest of U?
Or was that in 1956?

Down here in Tassie the local wave/bump my hump crew of normal weight pretty much all own a 3.5-3-7.
Used a few times a year in in nuking westerlies ( 100km hr)
It makes the difference between sailing and getting splattered