As a heavyweight of over 100 kilos / 220 pounds ... I have been using large gear for quite some time. Folks like Dave White aka Whitey , who is heavier than me and dances on boards, suggests this is not necessary... Lightweights don't even need to think about that... Gear is aimed at average weight windsurfers - let's say 170 pounds or about 75 kilos ...
So, when someone of 130 pounds starts asking about sailing Formula and which sails to use, I get surprised. Is that really necessary and what are the wind minimums for someone like that ?? A big 100 cm wide board and a big sail larger than 10 m² ??
For me 10 knots / ~20 kph is my wind minimum for longboarding with 8.x sails. Larger sails work, but are also MORE work... People are saying 10 knots planing is attainable with not too much trouble...
This is me - out with a Mistral Equipe II XR carbon race longboard with a MauiSails TR-4 10 m² race sail in about 10 knots. People say I can go faster railing board with mast track forward and in the railing straps ...
Lightweights on the other hand, can plane in winds even less than that !!
In this video I do not even see much pumping ...
My question is : Is it necessary to go to a Formula board and pump large sails or even try to handle them when one is SO light ?? And in that video , how is that fellow able to hold up such a large sail ? What does he do if it drops in the water ??
A wide freeride or freerace with an 8.x sail should plane early enough for such a light weight ??
Like this ...BIC Techno Formula 94 cm wide with 7.8 sail ...
Who the heck would want to do this - pump like crazy with BIG gear in LIGHT winds ??
For myself as a BIG heavyweight, I use a BIG, WIDE freeride board JP SLW of 92 cm width with the race sail MS TR-4 10 m² in over 12 knot winds in order to be planing ...That is my wind minimum for planing - NO pumping ... and YES straps can drop planing threshold too !! My bad - not in straps ...
When I asked on forums if it was worthwhile to go from 10 to 12 square meters, it was pretty much a BIG NO. So, i cannot imagine lightweights on such large sails either ... nor on Formula boards ... still feel it is overkill - unless you race or ...
Based on what we are seeing now, perhaps wind foiling will take care of the light wind dilemma ?? Regardless of sailor weight ...
Will post a video from AHD since they have been at it the longest and have designed a board around it. They are now talking of making another foil board with more volume as well - this one is around 110 liters ... and FLYS in about 7 knots of wind
So, when someone of 130 pounds starts asking about sailing Formula and which sails to use, I get surprised. Is that really necessary and what are the wind minimums for someone like that ?? A big 100 cm wide board and a big sail larger than 10 m² ??
For me 10 knots / ~20 kph is my wind minimum for longboarding with 8.x sails. Larger sails work, but are also MORE work... People are saying 10 knots planing is attainable with not too much trouble...
This is me - out with a Mistral Equipe II XR carbon race longboard with a MauiSails TR-4 10 m² race sail in about 10 knots. People say I can go faster railing board with mast track forward and in the railing straps ...
Lightweights on the other hand, can plane in winds even less than that !!
In this video I do not even see much pumping ...
My question is : Is it necessary to go to a Formula board and pump large sails or even try to handle them when one is SO light ?? And in that video , how is that fellow able to hold up such a large sail ? What does he do if it drops in the water ??
A wide freeride or freerace with an 8.x sail should plane early enough for such a light weight ??
Like this ...BIC Techno Formula 94 cm wide with 7.8 sail ...
Who the heck would want to do this - pump like crazy with BIG gear in LIGHT winds ??
For myself as a BIG heavyweight, I use a BIG, WIDE freeride board JP SLW of 92 cm width with the race sail MS TR-4 10 m² in over 12 knot winds in order to be planing ...That is my wind minimum for planing - NO pumping ... and YES straps can drop planing threshold too !! My bad - not in straps ...
When I asked on forums if it was worthwhile to go from 10 to 12 square meters, it was pretty much a BIG NO. So, i cannot imagine lightweights on such large sails either ... nor on Formula boards ... still feel it is overkill - unless you race or ...
Based on what we are seeing now, perhaps wind foiling will take care of the light wind dilemma ?? Regardless of sailor weight ...
Will post a video from AHD since they have been at it the longest and have designed a board around it. They are now talking of making another foil board with more volume as well - this one is around 110 liters ... and FLYS in about 7 knots of wind