probably common sense, experimentation and feel. Why not try some yourself!

I think they use sizes that reflect what typical users would use, and combinations that would work with that board.

It wouldn't make sense to use a sail that was big enough for someone that weighed 100Kgs, but the volume of the board wasn't enough to get that same person going.

I know I have used boards before with sails that are 'too big' for them. They would work, but it wouldn't be a pleasure to sail.

Sometimes the boom size alone made it difficult to sail a larger sail on a small board.

As a generalisation when you are using a sail too big the board turns upwind too much when slogging and semi planing (in my experience). With skill and experience you can use a massive sail on quite a small board, but this is in the realms of slalom boards and full race sails which are a lot more stable and drive the board with more consistency. I can just about get away with an 8.8 on a 111l board - 69cm wide, not particular fun though and I can use my 8m with that board as a perfect combo. Also my 8m is not much fun on the 90l 59cm board but doable.....the 7.3 is perfect! Many people wouldnt use a 7.3 on a board of that size, and the first time I did it felt hard work, now as soon as I can get going on the 7.3 then that board gets wet!

If the sail is too big, the board doesn't feel like it properly releases from the water and just feel's crap. The sail has to be matched by the lift from the fin, and the width of the board's tail dictates how big a fin you can use.

generally most boards only have 1 sail that hits the sweet spot, even with different fins.
I have a 71L/56cm wave board that goes sweet with a 4.7
Also a 90L/59cm slalom board that's sweet with a 6.0
I find in almost any case the best sail is about .5m2 down from the max sail size

For me water state also plays an important part. My best ( and most fun) hour was on a combo of 7..0m race sail with a 70 litre 52 wide board. The water was flat. Would have been better with a bit more wind.

Sboardcrazy. From what I can see from your posts.

You have been sailboarding off and on for a long time. You still can't match gear or tune it. You have trouble doing even basic stuff like gybing. you grovel nearly everytime you sail.

Do yourself a big favour and at least try kiting by having a couple of lessons.

You may hate it and forget it and you can keep going with what you do now.

Or, It may open up a whole new world and all the problems you have with sailing disappear.

Wont hurt to at least try it.

Nimrod said...
Sboardcrazy. From what I can see from your posts.

You have been sailboarding off and on for a long time. You still can't match gear or tune it. You have trouble doing even basic stuff like gybing. you grovel nearly everytime you sail.

Do yourself a big favour and at least try kiting by having a couple of lessons.

You may hate it and forget it and you can keep going with what you do now.

Or, It may open up a whole new world and all the problems you have with sailing disappear.

Wont hurt to at least try it.

Wow look at all the red thumbs. Wasn't expecting that.

how many does it take to make it that red. 6 or 7 maybe.

I'll bet the collective age there is at least 300

Geez......Old people these days.

FormulaNova said...

Nimrod said...

Nimrod said...
Sboardcrazy. From what I can see from your posts.

You have been sailboarding off and on for a long time. You still can't match gear or tune it. You have trouble doing even basic stuff like gybing. you grovel nearly everytime you sail.

Do yourself a big favour and at least try kiting by having a couple of lessons.

You may hate it and forget it and you can keep going with what you do now.

Or, It may open up a whole new world and all the problems you have with sailing disappear.

Wont hurt to at least try it.

Wow look at all the red thumbs. Wasn't expecting that.

how many does it take to make it that red. 6 or 7 maybe.

I'll bet the collective age there is at least 300

Geez......Old people these days.

Yeah, that's a bit of a rough response isn't it?

If someone can't match gear or tune it, doing basic stuff like gybing, and grovel nearly every time they sail, then kiting is the obvious choice. You see a lot of people kiting with those same level of skills, so it is only natural she should join them

Are you serious though? For someone that's getting back into sailing with new style gear, I think Sue is doing well in asking questions. There a lot of people out there, kiting or windsurfing, that just do things wrong and never ask, or just give up. At least she is asking in a bid to improve.

I am not sure where you got your assumptions of her level of skill though. From the posts I have read, it doesn't quite fit.

Do you kite or windsurf? Windsurfing carve gybes are not easy, and its not like a kite where you can just stall the kite and change direction. It takes most people years to learn how to carve gybe.

Oh, I am feeling old though! Do you know how hard it is to sail when they won't let you out of the nursing home for more than an hour at a time!

I look at the over 55 aged care facilities and think they're going to have to lift there game and offer things other than bowls and bingo if I am ever going to go there..

Macroscien said...
I am really happy to see many people 70 and over still windsurfing,
since I have often difficulty to convince middle age for a ride on the bike in the park - too difficult , too tiring , don't know how to... all sorts of excuses.
I think that only sport left for them is waking a dog...

I am 50 in 2 months and just took up windsurfing...In my dads generation most people hung up their "sporting kit" around 30...nowadays with the emphasis on staying fit to prolong both life/physical and mental wellness then this has seen people well into what was considered old age doing what mainstream people would consider extreme sports.

I agree with Macroscien..the more the merrier...its a good thing and many of the "oldies" could probably teach the young dogs a few tricks...not me tho. just a newb who is interested in learning as much as possible as quickly as possible....the old saying "there is never a dumb question but rather dumb answers" can never be more true on forums like this in some cases.

On ya Sue!
Enjoying reading your posts and the replies as this is where we all learn.
I've been sailing small dingies and sailboards for quite a few years (since the 80's for dingies), and we never stop learning or trying.
I've never given a red thumb but was tempted here for Nimrod!!!
I'm 62 in a week or so and I reckon still give the young guys a run for their money (my opinion only...).
As for kiting, don't think I show off enough to qualify to try that!

gregwed said...
On ya Sue!
Enjoying reading your posts and the replies as this is where we all learn.
I've been sailing small dingies and sailboards for quite a few years (since the 80's for dingies), and we never stop learning or trying.
I've never given a red thumb but was tempted here for Nimrod!!!
I'm 62 in a week or so and I reckon still give the young guys a run for their money (my opinion only...).
As for kiting, don't think I show off enough to qualify to try that!

One of the 78 years olds decided to take up kiting a year or so again but I think he had a few bad stacks + he doesn't like having to find someone else to help launch etc so I think he's given up on it.
Thanks deejay

sboardcrazy said...
I am but if manufacturers specify max sail sizes for a certain board there must be a reason?

Its a guide!! Sue as they carn,t account for sailors ability,weight and water conditions.
ie The Carbon Art 52 (87lt v me 88kg) recomends max sail as 6 but I love it with a 6.6 and its still great with a 7.5 and a larger fin. Just try stuff

I agrree with the others, just experiment. With my 81L slalom board recomended max sail size is 6.2. I have quite comfortably ran a 7.8 but mostly on a 7.0m. If you get the correct fin size, it will let carry more or less. But there is allways an optimum sail and fin size. Which i have found to be a 6.4 and a 34cm fin, for my 81L.

I just purchased a 2013 tabou rocket 145, and I asked about manufacturers sail size recommendations.
The answer was something along these lines.

Specific wind speed as a rule, requires a certain size sail.
Not taking into account all of the variables, weight, skill level etc.

The same rule applies to board size, more wind = less board.
When you use a large board in high winds you may experience the board lifting off the water, causing control problems.
Again variables apply.

Manufacturers give a minimum and maximum sail size to give an idea of board performance limitations in relation to wind speed. For the "standard" sailor.

This made sense to me at the time, although now i've typed it, not so sure.

I think volume is fairly irrelevant when your planing as the water resists the sinking of the board more than its flotation volume, as it is at a 'lift' angle and not flat to the water, and this increases as you go faster.
That's why you can sail (or a surfer surfs) a sinker, or a kiteboard doesn't sink, or you can skim a stone on the water.
I guess volume could matter in as much as it pushes up against your weight /downforce, etc but i think thats going to be minimal.

But you do need it to get planing.

Surface area is more important, as much of the front of the board will lift out until forces (sink vs float/plane) are balanced then its the width, specifically at the tail, that is critical.(If you "rail the board" then some of this effect is coming off the fin too.)

Racier sails plaster a board flat to the water in the way a wavier sail wouldn't for the same size which if the board is made to work that way holds the front of the board lower in the water, more planing surface area further up front, and so the board and so tail can be narrower.

Moving the mast foot forward should plaster more of the front of the board down and so give you more surface area to get planing on (and so more rail in the water to track along and not slip?) as long as the board is still flat far forward (your on a Rocket? I'm going to guess that is true for Rocket), if its not then moving mast foot forward might push more of the boards rocker into the water and so then your pushing more water.

I think