I would say yes willy.My friend is probably 15 kg's lighter than me uses a 75L board and mine is 85L and both sailing 5.3.Although for him its powered up 5.3 for me its comfy.I'm sure there is some kind of formula or sliding scale out there .

Sailor weight + board volume + sail size + windstrength = planning speed

There would be multiple combinations of these values.

Wet Willy said...

This question applies to an actual practical situation I may be facing soon, but I'll try to ask it abstractly, like so:

Sailor A is 65kg, uses 7.5 and an 8.5m sails most of the time, and a 105 litre board.

Can Sailor B, at 85kg, get away with using the SAME SAILS as the other guy, if he uses a much higher volume board? Say, 130 litres???

Is Sailor B "hypothetically not you of course" a fatbastard?

If so volume not only consideration width of board very important for early planing which 7.5 and 8.5 are usually used for. A one board only option, predominantly sailing on flat water and light winds, 130 litres and around 75cm wide + or - 5cm depending where you want to bias it!!


Edit: just read Singapore, then go 80cm wide

jp747 said...

have you met a certain meng wang(singaporean windsurfer)? no problem when you get back to oz you'd be wetter willy

Yes, I know Meng. A good guy and a confirmed big sail user.