SurfingSports Standup Paddle Surf & Standup Paddling BLOG

I try to be as open-minded as possible when it comes to windsurfing equipment...because, if something new & mo' bettah comes along, we're all over it...most sailors have been on a certain brand sail/board...etc...for a number of years...same old same old...some brands deserve the loyalty...others don't...

There is a lot of talk about durability these days...most of it is in general terms...and is rarely put in qualified perspective, what kind of use/abuse the sail is put through...

Wave sails are used by people at most venues...even flat water venues on windy days...people use terms like "bomb proof" and "bullet proof" on lakes, rivers, and bays...

To judge durability of a wave sail...it must be used in *real* waves...

If a sail is used in real breaking waves...then the mast sleeve construction/material is very important...

I will further state that Hot Sails Maui stands alone in this regard...

They incorporate a kind of silky firehose material in the sleeve...nobody else has anything close...Jeff Henderson calls it an "exclusive high tenacity weave luff material"...

http://surfingsports.com/images/hot_mast_sleeve1.jpg

I point this out because it is very unique...
I have seen a skinny mast break in 3 pieces and not a single carbon shard penetrated this stuff...

Furthermore, I believe that Hot Sails Maui is the only company utilizing Dupont Kevlar rip stop, 1000# test, rope into the framework of their sails...

http://surfingsports.com/images/hot_dupont_kevlar1.jpg
http://surfingsports.com/images/hot_dupont_kevlar2.jpg
http://surfingsports.com/images/hot_dupont_kevlar3.jpg

http://www.surfingsports.com/cali_wavesailing/slides/cali_kevin8.jpg

http://www.surfingsports.com/cali_wavesailing/slides/cali_kevin5.jpg

http://www.surfingsports.com/cali_spring_fun/slides/aero_cuben_phantom_wd9.jpg

http://www.surfingsports.com/cali_spring_fun/slides/aero_cuben_phantom_wd8.jpg

http://www.surfingsports.com/cali_spring_fun/slides/aero_cuben_phantom_wd2.html

http://www.surfingsports.com/cali_spring_fun/slides/aero_cuben_phantom_wd1.jpg

http://www.surfingsports.com/cali_spring_fun/slides/aero_cuben_phantom3.jpg

http://www.surfingsports.com/cali_spring_fun/slides/aero_cuben_phantom_wd10.jpg

http://www.surfingsports.com/cali_spring_fun/slides/aero_cuben_phantom_wd3.jpg


“What's special about Cuben Fiber?
It is 50 % to 70% lighter than Kevlar, four times more durable than Kevlar, and lasts as long as Spectra. It substantially improves the strength to weight ratio over conventional sail fabric."

http://www.cubenfiber.com/cfstyles.html

Cuben fiber is arguably the highest strength to weight material used in windsurfing sail construction...and the expansion of it's use this year into it's smaller "Charge" wave sail lineup...

We will be receiving the 5.0m2 and 5.5m2 Charge soon and putting them to the test at higher wind/wave venues this coming year...

Labels: Aerotech Sails, Hot Sails, Light air wave sails, Severne Sails, windsurfing

posted by SurfingSports  # Sunday, February 04, 2007

SurfingSports: Picture Gallery I SurfingSports: Picture Gallery II

Labels: Baja windsurfing, California windsurfing, Maui windsurfing, windsurfing

posted by SurfingSports  # Friday, February 02, 2007

  

Maui Helmetcam: Peaceout              Maui Helmetcam: Stoke

Maui Helmetcam: Summertime Thing

Labels: helmetcam, maui, windsurfing

posted by SurfingSports  # Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Here's my "marketing hype" based on personal experience, and feedback from my clients...the Kona sells itself...it exceeds expectations...every one that I've put on the water has sold another...like I said previously, comparisons to wide-style high performance boards isn't really apples to apples...just like it wouldn't be that valid to comment on a FW board's wave riding capabilities, or standup paddling capability compared to the Kona's...or pricing differential of a $2K FW board to the $1199 Kona with full soft EVA top...the Kona is only 60% of the cost of a high end Formula hull...it doesn't require double digit sail sizes (10.Xm2) to match up with it...nor 70cm fins...it works great in sub-planing conditions...it goes over 30kts...you can wavesail it...and standup paddle it...

Furthermore, Exocet has stated that it's design won't change for 5-7 years...
Fleets and regattas will develop...races will be help and wave riding comps as well...a windsurfing "standard" is destined to be re-established, if I'm reading the tea leaves correctly...

The first container in the US has long been sold out...and we have a waiting list for the next shipment of Konas due in mid-July...

Further observations...

The Kona has a fair bit of rocker that you can see in the pics...quite a bit of nose (and tail) out of water once planing...

Pure physics says that F= M x A...the Kona has a lot of mass...therefore, it requires a bit of wind force to get it planing...but, while it is in sub-planing mode, it is a joy to cruise around on...once planing, it is deceptively "fast"...
It has been clocked on GPS over 30 kts...and didn't get embarassed coming in 16th out of a fleet of 600 in the Gruissan in 25kt winds...and it "slow planes" better than any board I've been on...I mean, in the footstraps and harnessed in cruisin'...

Remember, the Kona weighs over 30lbs...a bit more with the daggerboard in...but, when you pick it up, it doesn't "feel" heavy for it's size...

Even more Kona pics:
http://www.surfingsports.com/kona_standup/index.html

Labels: Exocet Kona, Kona Style, Longboard sailboard, windsurfing

posted by SurfingSports  # Friday, June 30, 2006