Hi All,
Back into the fold after a 11 year hiatus and need some advice on sails.Geez the sails have changed! guys stringing up 7.5m sails when I was putting up a 5.7m.
My current sails are Gaastra 1993 course slalom pro 6.0m and a Gaastra slalom foil pro 5.7m same vintage both worn out.

My board is a F2 sputnick 275 95L,Fibrespar mast 460 imcs 28 and a Gaastra Dynamic 430 imcs unknown.

Now I have been told and read you can go up at least 0.5m with new sails than the older sails as they are much more stable. My old sails had good pumping and acceleration but in overpowered conditions suffered badly from going from excessive backhand pressure to front hand pressure just right for catapulting you.. I have been looking at the North warps, severne cod reds and the tushinghams x15. Will these sails be suitable on my board as I have noticed boards have gotten shorter,wider and the mast track has moved backwards??.
Are my masts still usable with the current designs and thinking.

Cheers!

replace the lot.

got to your local shop and buy a package deal or pick up some more modern second hand gear. the difference between your old kit and new kit is very noticable.

i'm not saying take out another mortgage as 2nd hand gear can be cost effective.

oh, you might be able to sell your old tight leach sails to a longboard sailor..... [}:)]

greenleader said...

are you the same weight and physical condition as you were.

helps a lot

also gives us a laugh..... shhhhh

.....also if you put on your profile where you live roughly and who you are! roughly then you will get more responses.

76kg's still in reasonable condition for age.Have only been out three times so far can sail for hours but I pay for it the next day. Shoulders,forearms and calfs funnily.

An 11 year hiatus??? Sounds painful!

Hey Col55555555, welcome back to the fun side of life!
I'd agree with gestalt here and axe as much of the 1993 stuff as you can, starting with the sails, if you don't want to spend too much straight up keep the sputnick and maybe mast but beware the old gaastra masts might not be suitable for some of the sails you've mentioned. The sport has moved along way and the more you replace the more you'll wonder why you didn't earlier. I take it you're set on race-type sails? If so the mast compatibility will be even more important.

I was in your position.Back into the sport after roughly that length of time.My bees knees 96 board was suddenly well & truly left behind.After being used to being the one out planing around & sucking others in to come out & wallow (90's ) .I was the one wallowing as all the new boards flew past in 0 kts of wind..[}:)] so it seemed.
My 90 model sails gradually died delaminating so I had to update cheaply with 2003 + models.Ive now got a modern boom + sails & mast & the rig is much lighter ( heaps better for water starting) , stiffer ( better mast connection) & more controllable.I weigh 65kgs so have many memories of uncontrollable sails & being flattened by 90's sails. Im gradually getting more confident in the modern sails user friendly power.
The other thing I have noticed comparing my modern board to my 96 waveboard is that a gust hits the waveboard & it thinks , thinks thinks & then accelerates so that all that force in the sail is on you until it does.The new board gets a gust ..thinks & is off , so the force is turned into acceleration & there isnt that pressure for you to handle until it does.Also the CEO moves around less so you dont get slammed.
My modern board also slaps less on chop so ther are less control issues.Ive noticed with the old sails if i got overpowered Id luff the sails to handle it but with the new kit it seems better to try & keep weight on the boom/in the harness..??or it tailwalks..?
The newer board also planes earlier & is b fast! I can now keep up with other sailors!
People kept telling me .. get modern gear & it will be so much easier! I know it costs but update as much as you can because its so much more fun!
Sorry strayed off topic a bit but have fun!