How To Choose Your Windsurf Kit
Choosing your sail is probably one of the most important decisions you will make when looking to progress yourself in your windsurfing. The two most important aspects driving your choice will be the type of sail you choose (Freeride, Wave, Race) and the sizes of sail that you kit your quiver out with.
'Quiver' is the name for your collection of sails, "your quiver of sails".
Initially, there are three things to consider:
What level of sailor you are
Most sailors we talk to under estimate their own sailing ability. Very often a sailor will consider themselves an 'Intermediate' when in fact they are in the footstraps, in the harness, and working on their carve gybes. This is in fact an 'Advanced' sailor level, and the equipment you should purchase to match this skill-set is different to that offered by the Intermediate kit.
Check out our skill level indicator on the website:
What type of sailing you want to do
The type of sailing you do is very important. Do you sail inland? Do you like sailing fast on flat water? Are you a wave lover? All of this affects what sails you buy and the way you set them up. If you Freestyle then you would be looking for a sail which 'powers up' early, yet is light in the hand for quick manoeuvres. You would probably also be less likely to buy a carbon boom as the 'sharpness' of it is less important for Freestyle.
If you like speed then cambered sails are where it's at for you. These 'power up' quicker and are more stable at speed. A carbon boom is a must with this kind of kit and is ideal for 'pumping' in light winds.
So your preferred sailing style does matter - check out the discipline type indicator on the website for guidance.
Your budget
Just be honest with yourself and set a realistic budget. If you know you can afford £500 on a sail, then spend £500 on a sail and get the sail you need. Too many people get wrapped up in saving every penny and end up with the wrong kit - a good example of this is the purchase of harnesses. We had a customer so obsessed with spending as little money as they could they bought the wrong one for £90 against our advice. For the next three months they hated the harness as it was uncomfortable and slipped - they ended up coming back into the shop and buying the £140 harness we recommended in the first place! Spend the right amount and buy the RIGHT kit first time!
Get your sail gaps right
You need to consider the gaps between each sail you have in your quiver. Some people insist on 0.5mtr between sails, and some people can go up to 1.0mtr between sails.
When choosing sizes, consider the following:
Your weight
Comparative sizes of the sails in your quiver
Future quiver plan
The weight you are effects how bigger gap you can have between each sail in your quiver. A 75kg sailor will probably require no more than 0.5mtr between sails under 6.0mtr, yet a 105kg sailor can hold onto more so maybe going from a 5.0mtr to a 6.0mtr is OK. To give you an idea:
Suggested gap differences in your quiver
| 55-75kg = | No more than 0.5mtr gap under 6.0mtr |
| 75-95kg = | 0.5mtr to 0.7mtr gap under 7.0mtr |
| 95-110kg = | 0.7 gap up to 6.0mtr. 1.0mtr above 6.0mtr |
The comparative sizes of your sails makes a huge difference. If the biggest sail you have is a 6.2mtr then the gap will be smaller than if you have sails between 6.5mtr and 10.0mtr. Bigger size sails above 6.0mtr means bigger gaps between your sail sizes. Under 6.0mtr the gap reduces according to sailor weight.
What sails will you want in the future
So many sailors initially buy and then use various different makes of sail within their quiver. This is madness as your sailing style must adjust with every sail you rig - don't do it - stick with one brand of sail for your quiver!
If you can buy more than one sail at a time then do so. This allows you to construct your quiver around the sail sizes that best suit you. Many times we have seen sailors buy a 5.0mtr and a 6.2mtr sail, only then to find that they actually need a 5.7mtr sail because the gap is too big. The dilemma then is do they buy a 5.7 sail and have a 0.7mtr gap below it, or buy a 5.5mtr sail and have a 0.7mtr gap above it? Think about it beforehand and you would have bought a 5.3, 5.7 and a 6.2.
Common quiver sizes are:
| Sails below 6.0mtr | Sails above 6.0mtr |
| 3.7, 4.2, 4.7, 5.3, 5.7 | 6.0, 7.0, 8.5, 10.0 |
| 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.7 | 6.5, 7.5, 9.0 |
| 3.7, 4.2, 5.0, 6.0 | 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.5 |
| 6.5, 7.5, 8.5 |
How you choose your quiver is up to you, but plan well ahead to save expensive mistakes - always call for advice if you're not sure what to do: +44 (0)1362 851590
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+44 (0)1362 851590
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