sail upgrade ... worth it ?

Hi all, I'm getting back into windsurfing and have an older sail I'm thinking of upgrading. Not sure how much better the sails are today, but here's what I have.

My most used sail is a 1994 NP race 6.0 which I use mostly on a 1997 Screamer. I sail on Michigan mostly inland lakes, but sometimes on the great lakes. The conditions are usually pretty gusty. I weigh 163 and also have an F2 258 and sails 4.4, 5.0, 6.0, 7.5. I avoid the 7.5, because I like the handling of the smaller sail. I can jibe 80% but have sloppy exits. Waterstart in light winds, but no wave sailing.

I'm thinking about something like a Sailworks Retro 6.5. Will it have much better range than my old sail? Any other recommendations? Is it worth the upgrade? After that I might upgrade the 5.0 with a 5.0 or 5.5.

Thanks ... Aaron

YES

Yes. With the new sails the 7.5 will feel like the 6.0 (comparing my old 94's to the newer sails) Getting a whole set of the same sails make a big difference.

Hey Aaron, Before you commit to the Retro I think you should check out the EZZY Infinity 6.6 or 7.2. Like the Retro you can sail it camless but it can be sailed as a 2 or 1 cam sail as well. Are you close to any of the demo sites on the Great :Lakes Demo tour? Go to the EZZY website for more info (www.ezzy.com ) or try this link to the demo site webpage.
http://hometown.aol.com/dbatchr/djbhome/DEMO.HTM

Read you later, Marc

Wow. Now I don't know if I should do a 6.5, 7.0, or 7.5. What's a good match for a Screamer (105L) with me at 163 lbs? (my big board with my big sail) Or put another way, I'm looking for my large sail that I use when I go sailing in my minimal wind conditions, which is about 15mph. Trouble is, on my lakes, 15mph is typically10-20mph. Or put yet another way, what sail will give me a little more bottom end over my current 6.0, and at the same time be able to handle at least as much gust.

Also, what gaps should I place between sails? Say I get a 6.5, is 5.0 too big a gap? I like a slightly wider gap because in gusty conditons, it doesn't seem to matter as much. Thanks ... Aaron

I have that board and weigh 150. I'd suggest around a 6.5. I get a lot of mileage out of mine and it's not so big that I cannot handle chop. Invest in a good swept pointer and a weed fin if you sail around any weeds. Great board when coupled with a fun sail. With a late model 6.5 you should be able to get powered in 16 or 17 knots and have fun into the low 20's easily.

I'm 170 pounds and sail a Techno 283 (152 liters) and Veloce 278 (101 liters). I go from a 7.0 V8 to a 5.5 Retro. The 7.0 works great on both boards, although it gets old fast balancing it on the small board when the wind dies for an extended period.

I used to go from a 7.5 race sail to a 5.5 race sail and that was pretty good, but the 7.5 was old. I added a 6.5 in there and I used that quite a bit.

Not having ever sailed a Screamer, I can't say just what I would buy if I were you, but it would be somewhere between 6.5 and 7.5 and would cams because I prefer them.

My lake is gust too.

wrote:

This is not the signature you are looking for. Move along.

Aaron,

Although Sailworks, and the Retro in particular get a lot of positive press from this newsgroup, there are a lot of other brands and sails out there that are just as good, if not better, depending on you intended use and budget. I suggest you investigate Gaastra, Windwing, Pryde, Izzy and others before you make a decision. Also check the classified ads in iWindsurf, and the various sail makers for unused models of last years sails. The dollar savings can be huge.

Finally, with your board, something like a 6.8 or 7.0 is about as large is you will really be able to take advantage of, and at 163 lbs, a 7.0 should get you going in about 10-12 mph. The next size down without having too big a gap should be no smaller than 6.0 to 5.8. 7.0 to 5.8 at your weight should cover the typical conditions you describe, ie 10 to 20 mph.

Frank Weston

Thanks for the advice. I'm getting a bit on the old side (50) so I will probably do a 6.5 and a 5.0. In my local conditions, a sail with a big wind range is the most important factor. Not sure about cams. Also, I have a North Carbon30 460 iMCS 25 mast that my local shop claims will work with the Retro 6.5. Kind of want to buy from them. ... Aaron

Watch it, buddy, we know where you live.

This is not the signature you are looking for. Move along.

i am trying to remember if a 1997 would be the original screamer, or the screamer2, which replaced it. if i recall correctly, the screamer2 has a somewhat wider tail and carries a bigger sail like a 7.0 more easily than the original screamer. i have sailed a screamer2 with a 7.0 and it works fine, i also sailed the original screamer many times, but i am not so certain that it was ideal with a 7.0 - i know it works well with a 6.5.

jeff feehan