waterstart/sail size?

What's the biggest size sail you can waterstart?

My biggest sail is an 8.5 , I waterstart it, but not without any wind. Cindy

i've waterstarted my 9.4 many times. i only attempt it if i fall into the waterstart position though.

I have waterstarted a 10.5, and actually find that easier than uphauling the darn thing. As long as there is some breeze. Ellen

There's no limit, but if you fall in the wrong position, or really sink the sail, then it is usually easier to uphaul. Kind of by definition, if you are on a huge sail, you will be on a board big enough to uphaul. I just do the one that is easier for the immediate circumstance. (largest personal sail 9.5 5 cambers, largest waterstarted personally 10.5).

Jack (Sarasota)

My biggest sail is a 7.5 - I can waterstart it much less wind than I need to plane on my Hifly 295px board- about 10 knots if I work really hard. I need at least 15-16 to plane upwind at all.

Similar to what Jack and others say and imply, waterstarting really has little to do with sail size but rather board size and stability. Because advanced waterstart technique allows waterstarts in very light wind by using the weight of the rig to haul you high enough to step up onto the board, in one sense a heavier rig will waterstart better in lighter winds, just when you need it most! The question of limits comes about when discussing rig weight rather than sail area, but only to the extent that weight prevents a sail to lift sufficiently in light air. I've waterstarted a 10.9 in a great deal of wind and in some cases the big sail was easier than a smaller sail to lift out the water even when over powered on the big sail. Things will never change: waterstarting is all about technique and not about wind

No problem with a 9.8 (4-cam race). Sometimes it helps to swim to the tip to clear it out of the water and then 'walk' to the boom hand over hand.

Steve how do you manage to pop the cams up, in case wind/water weight force them down in the water ?

Ellen I can barely fly my 6.5 at the boom level in that manner. Are you flying this 10.5 from near the tip this way? I think I need some serious technique tips and/or weight room training. Cindy

Cindy, We'll work on the technique as I have done little to no weight room training. If I'm not in a good 'automatic' starting position, I go to the tip of the mast and begin to 'fly' the sail as mentioned above. I work my way down the sail, letting whatever wind there is do the work for me. If no wind, I wait. Or uphaul. Very rarely do I use the boom on the back of the board anymore. Besides, on most of my gear, the boom is too high on the mast to rest on the back of the board. It took me a while to find techniques that worked for a non-strong person, but they seem to work for me most of the time. If it requires strength, I save it for loading and unloading the van. Or toting boards for Fearless Leader.