A windsurfing sail is generally made of monofilm, (a polyester resin created in a solid and transparent form), Dacron (woven polyester) and Mylar, and is reinforced with Kevlar Spectra or polyester mesh. The rigidity of a windsurfing sail depends on how many battens there are. Beginners' sails are made with fewer battens, making them lighter and easier to use in soft winds. As your windsurfing improves, you will want to use sails with more battens, which will provide greater stability in strong winds.
The leading edge of a windsurfing sail is called the luff. The mast is in located in the luff tube. The rear edge of the sail is called the leech, the front bottom corner of sail where mast protrudes is the tack, and the rear corner where the boom attaches is called the clew. The bottom area between the clew and tack called the foot. A windsurfing sail has tension at the tack and clew, and comes with a set of pulleys for down-hauling at the tack and a grommet at the clew. The sail is tuned by adjusting the down-haul or out-haul, depending on the strength of the wind.
Windsurfing sails come in two designs: rotational and camber. Rotational sails are made with battens that protrude beyond the back of the mast, flipping to the other side of mast when you are tacking. These sails take on an aerofoil shape on the leeward side when filled with wind. Rotational sails are fairly easy to handle when maneuvering, and are easier to rig. Camber sails include plastic devices at the forward ends of battens that cup against the mast in order to maintain the necessary rigid shape of the sail. Camber sails are used for speed and stability, but are not as easy to maneuver.
What to Look for
There are different windsurfing sails for the various kinds of windsurfing that you may do. These sail styles are wave, freestyle, free-ride and race. Wave sails are reinforced to manage different types of surf and become flat when de-powered so you can ride the waves like a surfer. Freestyle sails are also flat, but are designed for making fast accelerations. Free-ride sails are easy to use and good for recreational windsurfing. Racing sails are excellent for building and maintaining speed, but are harder to manage than the other sails.
When purchasing your windsurfing sail, look for a 3 square m to 6.5 square m size for wave sails, 6 square m to 12.5 square m for racing sails, and for freestyle and free-ride windsurfing sails, anything between these sizes. Children's windsurfing sails should measure approximately 1.7 square m.
Common Pitfalls
Before buying your windsurfing sail, make sure you rent your gear to determine that this is really the sport for you. Then determine what type of windsurfing you will be doing. If you are a beginner, make sure you discuss your needs thoroughly with the salesperson so that you get a sail that will be easier to manage.
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