Antwort, 10.08.2003 13:21 von Gast
Hi Walter!
I like those sails so much that I sold my V8s from 8.5 down to 6.5 m² and replaced them with TBirds and a Lightning.
A good test that covers my feelings about those sails is:
http://www.surfstore.co.uk/page/tests/testtush.html#bird75
To me it is not a sail suited for lightwind conditions since 7.5 m² is too small for my 75 Kg. So I bought a Lightning in 9.4 m² for light air conditions. I decided to go for this cam-sail (two mini-cams) simply because it's incredibly stable in the widest windrange.
You can find a test of that sail in 10.3 at surfstore.co.uk too but I won't back what they wrote about the Lightning - the different opinion could be caused because of the different size.
The 9.4 Lightning will take much more wind than a 1999 V8 8.5.
On a good day two weeks ago I had other sailors talking to me about the size I sailed. They guessed it had to be the upper limit but I felt absolutely confident in those conditions and I guess a heavier sailor could have taken the sail knots further.
The TBird to me is a very good blasting sail. In heavy gusts you are able to depower it almost like a wavesail. There is no tearing or pulling in it, it depowers and when the worst part of the gust has passed, just sheet in again. That way I'm able to surf those sails in pretty overpowered conditions without feeling being bounced on my board. It also seems pretty fast fast for a freeride.
If you should decide to buy one go with the recommended 75% Carbon mast. I tested it with my old Neilpryde and it simply sucked :)
Quality seems pretty good but it's just an impression.
Hope this helps,
olli