Was out Botany today in 25kts (gusting up to 35kts). Was on my JP 93ltr FSW, 27cm wave fin and a 5.9 KA twin cam. I weigh 85 kegs and have taken up sailing again after 20 years. I can water start no probs and even managed a carve jybe today. But when i got out in the middle of the bay i was feeling overpowered... got flung over the bars once :) If i was as good as i was 20 years ago it might not have been such a stretch on my 5.9, but I think i need to add a smaller sheet to my swag.

I posted recently about a new sail in the size i was using today, but after rigging it and sailing it Ive decided its actually a pretty decent sail for its vintage.

Ive also previously mentioned im not going out in less than 18kts +, so I want a new smaller sail for 25kts. I found this one on seabreeze and wondered if it would be better than the old NP 5.0 wave/slalom that i havent even bothered rolling out, given i had one of these new 20 years ago. They were great back then, but ive quickly come to realise gear has changed a lot

www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing-Sails/~axe2o/2010-Severne-S1-47-metre.aspx?search=P6K$tsb2rZrARE!Q6m0Zxw==

Advice on a smaller blasting sail please. Keep in mind my next size up is 5.9.

Cheers

I'm confused. The title of this thread says 5.3, but the add you have posted says the S1 is a 4.7.

The size gear you are riding relevant to the wind you are seeing seems a bit large. However if you are basing your wind speed off some weather station that may be at the airport of another very exposed spot you will possibly find you are actually sailing in less wind than is reported (we have that situation on the Goldy, the seaway station reads about 5knots high due to location).

To drop from a 5.9 i'd personally head toward a 5.3. 5.9 to 4.7 is a big gap in smaller size sails of this type. If you are keen on Severne I'd probably recommend a Blade for you over the S1. It is a more powerful, fuller draft sail with a wider wind range that would probably fit with bay blasting a little better. www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing-Sails/~anw93/2012-Severne-Blade-57-metre.aspx?search=P6K$tsb2rZrARE!Q6m0Zxw==

Otherwise I would look at 5 batten, power style sails for what you are using them for.

...the more I think about Sunday's wind, my ability and the sail I rigged, the more I wonder how the fck I made it back to the beach. Pretty sure it was gusting to a solid 30kts. And that's comibg from a guy who calls a double overhead wave 5ft. I shouldve been on a 5.3 or even a punchy 5.0. Although I've only been out a few times since gettung back into it, I did manage a carving gybe and water starting is a breeze. Just wish I could get my harness lines worked out.