Retro 9m on Hyper!!!

[<Allan>]

Hi Sukhdev,

So what do you think as a combination then?? good low end with a very fast top end?? what do u reckon if anybosy knows the retro then it should be you.

What are its strengths and weakness,s . The Arrows burner aslo gets a pretty awesome write up too!!!

Cheers Allan

[sukhdev]

Allan, thats one sweet sail. Its just got better and better in the last 3 years I've known it. There is a lot to be said for sails that have kept on incrementally improving. The current model is the best built by far. I'd still rate it as the fastest camless sail out there.

9.0 would work great with the hyper, I've sailed the 2002 model a fair bit with the 105. Rig it for reaching, you need to go way over specs on downhaul or else it will pull your arms off...look up the sail tuning article in our technique section. Outhaul should be such that the foil looks almost dead flat; once powered up the mid section will belly out to give a beautiful subtle smooth foil. Use an adjustable outhaul, its a must to get the most out of the Retro for speed. I'd suggest a really good mast, either the Powerex Zspeed/Sailworks Speedstick (they are the same) or any of the good 100% masts (r6k, YES etc).

Strengths are fast reaching speed, superb handling and light weight. Low end can be awesome if you go easy on the downhaul. Its very rangy, the same sail can be rigged for low barely planing grunty pull or smooth no limit top end feel. Only real weakness is that on very very deep downwind runs a cambered sail would be able to go slighthly deeper in angle, not really a consideration if you are mainly sailing reaches.

9.0 and 7.5 Retro would be a killer combo for the hyper, lightweight, easy handling and fast. If the Nitro is Barry's soul sail then the Retro is the same for Bruce Petersen.

[<Allan>]

Hi Sukhdev,

Have you had the chance to sail the 2003 Retro 9m on the Hyper, still deciding on what sail to get for my alrgest on the hs 105.

I havent sailed a Retro ever, so Im a little unsure about them on the hyper, always used cammed sails in the larger sizes, but I do want a sail which will get the hyper ripiing in 12 to 15knots

Cheers Allan

[<Allan>]

Hi Sukhdev,

Would a 38cm fin suit the hyper with me at 85kgs for a 9m sail?

Cheers Allan

[sukhdev]

Allan, I'm about to test that out, will try the hs125 with a 38 & 7.5, 9.3. I've been using the hs105 with a 42/9.3 no problems and I think for beam to broad the 38 should work ok, though of course its not ideal for upwind. Hopefully will know how it behaves by the end of today.

My feeling though is that the quality of the fin matters a huge deal. There are 38s and there are 38s..a well foiled fin should hold the 9.0 no problem but testing should tell more.