Hi,

I am just thinking if it is possible to modify a sail that you change the profile and flexiblity to a different area.

For example the Starboard Phantom Race and NP RS:X 9,5 are both sails known that they are best performer in strong wind conditions.
- Is it possible to modify it to get it better for low and medium wind conditions, to be a better allrounder?
- What happens if you change the battens (thickness, stiffness, flexibilty)?
- Is it possible and what is the effect if you add further cambers to the RS:X?

Does it make sense?

The background is that I am a low budget surfer and the only used sails I found for a good price were the RS:X and Starboard Race
and I can get material for battens and cambers for low money.

- Is it possible to modify it to get it better for low and medium wind conditions, to be a better allrounder?
Yes, you can change some tings to a sail, but if you don't know what your doing it might backfire.

- What happens if you change the battens (thickness, stiffness, flexibilty)?
In 1990 I tuned my speedsurfing sails (NPU Indians) by taking out the solid polyester battens and replacing them with 100 % carbon tubes. They were a lot stiffer and they had a more constant bending curve. This made the sail a lot faster and contolable. With the tuned sails I became 7'th on the canal in St. maries de la Mer that year. In those day's de standard battens were not good. The negative thing was I needed abaout 5 new batens every day that I was sailing because I broke the lite Carbon tubes every time I hade a hard crash (speedsailors crash hard!!). This was verry expensive in the long run!
The sails these days have realy good battens and you will gain almost nothing, even make it worse. After 1992 I have never needed to tune my battens in any sail. My tip: don't make your own battens.

- Is it possible and what is the effect if you add further cambers to the RS:X?
More cambers make it harder to pump in light winds, make the sail rotate less. This is not what you want. If you would like low wind performents think about reducing the number of cambers and battens, not adding.

Example NED-413: Maui Sails TR2 10.5 formula sail. Take out 2 cambers and battens and go with 8 cm less downhaul and the sail is good for raceboarding in light winds. (http://www.windsurfblog.nl/2011/02/soul ... 5-feb.html) "TR-3 and later will not work raceboading at all" quote Barry Spanier.

The Starboard95 sail should be O.K. in light winds and better than the RS-X. Try less downhaul and taking out the top camber, if possible.

Interesting. I thought more cambers and less battens is better for raceboarding in low winds.
As it gives more flexibility and better profile.

I will try.