Body weight and windsurfing

[dbliss]

Assuming two riders are using the same board and are of equal proficiency,
is there a rule of thumb for the sail size required to get the same perfomance when comparing two riders, for example, of 150 lbs and 200 lbs.?

[Anonymous]

Assuming two riders are using the same board and are of equal proficiency,
is there a rule of thumb for the sail size required to get the same perfomance when comparing two riders, for example, of 150 lbs and 200 lbs.?

Although a body weight certainly plays a role in windsurfing, I'm hard pressed to say that there's a rule of thumb. One reason is that there are just so many variables - ones that go beyond board and rider.

Assuming same water and wind conditions, there's still factors like the cut of the sail, stiffness of the mast, length and stiffness of the fin, etc...


Part of the challenge is knowing what sail to rig.

This post reminds of a story from Eddy P, the Editor at WindSurfing. He often recalls one gorge summer where he had only one sail - so that was the only sail he ever rigged. He remarked that he learned how to make it be efficient in light winds - and how to hold it down when it was blowing.
If you've ever seen him sail, it's an incredible testament to how much a person can make one sail work.

[Mystery Bob]

At Kanaha's lower break (near the lifeguard tower), when Fran who weighs about 100 lbs is on a 3.3 wave sail on a 80 liter wave board, Bear who weighs 220 lbs rigs a 5.5 race sail on an 85 liter and I (175 lbs) usually use a 4.7 wave sail on my 90 liter wave board. Smaller board, more sail. Bigger board with smaller sail is easier for new or older folks.

[Jrobb]

Assuming two riders are using the same board and are of equal proficiency,
is there a rule of thumb for the sail size required to get the same perfomance when comparing two riders, for example, of 150 lbs and 200 lbs.?

My personal experiences when the 150lb'ers are on 5.5 I can (at 190lbs) go to 5.8 or 6.3 . But actually I like doing the opposite. I try to ride what the lighter guys and gals ride and blow their doors off with my weight being an advantage. Strictly B&J sailing or flatwater blasting. I can power through stronger gusts and hold a more stable foil profile than someone lighter having to work the sail more to keep in control.

This is my approach at the upper end of the wind scale. If conditons are marginal...I tend to carry 1m larger than the 150lber's.

J

[Spennie]

Lots of good answers above, and you could talk about this until the end of time, but you asked for a rule of thumb. So, assuming you're a pretty decent sailor, or at least have a lot of nerve, 200 lbs. should rig 1 meter bigger than 150 lbs.. I weigh 205, and that's what I do, works great most of the time, be sure to apply some judgement as well.