Antwort, 24.04.2006 21:15 von The Bartman
Hallo Jou,
I weigh 72 kg and sail since 2002 with Search (4.0, 4.7, 5.4 und 6.2). I chose powerful wave sails, as I mostly surf in with side/onshore wave conditions (NL coast). Last year I bough a brand new 6.2 because the old one was ripped in pieces. Personally I like that sail. Compared to the older versions it's got a softer, more wave-like feeling.
It's true that it's a really powerful sail. For the bigger wave sails I don't think there's a problem: If you weigh 70 and the conditions are so light that you need a 6.2 sail, the extra power probably comes in handy. So eventhough it's a wave sail, it works a bit as a freeride sail if you're a low-weight surfer.
For the smaller sails I think the power is more problematic. Last year I bought a skinny mast to give especially the 4.7 and 4.0 a softer feel, but I haven't been able to test the result yet. When I need to replace the smallest sails, I would probably go for a Combat instead.
I agree with the previous writer about the full power after a gibe: The profile won't go flat and therefore the sail does not really have an "off" position. I don't agree however with the remark about being overpowered fast. Because the sail has such a hard profile, it is also very stable. In my opinion it does not give you the "out-of-control" feeling very quickly. But of couse you do get plenty of power to handle.
Tip: maybe visit a test day or borrow a Search from someone else before you make your final decision.
Bart
