2008 North Sails = HEAVY!
 

What is the go with these North Sails ... why are they so heavy ?

2007 Gaastra Poison 5.4m = 3.6kg
2007 Maui Sails Legend 5.3m = 3.8kg
2008 North Ice 5.3m = 4.0kg

So they are significantly heavier? Why spent lots on a responsive & light mast when you are holding up something comparable to a wet blanket?

RE: 2008 North Sails = HEAVY!
 

A very good italian rider (Andrea Cucchi, the Point7, starboard Point7) explains in a very interesting article how useless are the mere data about the weight of a sail.
I'll try to translate some of his key topics..

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RE: 2008 North Sails = HEAVY!
 

Yea, i guess they got feed up with Maui Sails holding the honour of being the heaviest sails.

Still the North is an 08 model, so time for Maui sails to overtake them again.

RE: 2008 North Sails = HEAVY!
 

AlexWind, is there a link to the article you mention?

RE: 2008 North Sails = HEAVY!
 

Yes, here bellow! Andrea Cucchi Tech Tips!!

RE: 2008 North Sails = HEAVY!
 

I agree with what Andrea Cucchi says: once sailing, the weight feel depends on different things than phisical weight. Nevertheless, having a lighter sail is always good, during jibes in light wind for example, or if not else when carrying it.
Anyhow, miracles are difficult to make. Sails are made out of more or less the same materials, so lighter easily means less durable; exceptions being design peculiarities (think of the Maui Sails TR-3: heavier than usual, but the batten count is 1 or 2 more than competitors, in order to warrant extra stability) or excessive reinforcements or materials optimized for else than pure performances (think of North's white film: if really it is two layers of film kept together with white glue, then you pay that fancy white colour with mere added weight).

RE: 2008 North Sails = HEAVY!
 

I agree with him either!
Concerning NS sails that's what I've heard: in 2006, in their white part they had two monofilm layers kept together with glue, which made the sail strong but heavy; in 2007 they use(d) a single layer white monofilm so it should be the same for the 2008 models..

RE: 2008 North Sails = HEAVY!
 

Excuse me, I still don't see any link, where is it?
Thanks

RE: 2008 North Sails = HEAVY!
 

It's in the Free Forum section..
Leave a comment there if you like..

http://www.star-board.com/forum/view...hread_id=23339

RE: 2008 North Sails = HEAVY!
 

kind of off topic- but for an ultra light high performance wave sail check out the Northwave ZXL or older surflites...they're bullet proof and fricken rock!