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Windsurfing sails

Your windsurfing sails are what allow you the flexibility to do more than a regular surfer could ever do. They harness the wind’s power to propel your board at great speeds over the waves. The wind also grants you the ability to cut through waves or use them as jumping surfaces, all as you see fit. A normal surfer is bound by the current; a windsurfer can use it to their advantage.

A windsurfing sail is normally made of Monofilm; which is a clear polyester film, along with Mylar. If there is an especially high load bearing portion of the sail, it is reinforced with Kevlar mesh.  These materials are extremely lightweight, and hold higher tension than is possible with traditional cloth sails.

                There are two points of tension adjustment for windsurfing sails. They have downward tension applied at the tack, which is on the mast at the bottom of the sail. This tension is adjusted with the help of a pulley system, and is usually set once before setting out and left alone during an outing. The other source of tension is on the end of the boom, where the clew has another tension bearing device. The clew is the attachment point of the sail on the end of the boom. A grommet is placed in the tip of the sail, and the adjustment runs along the boom for that portion of the sail.                

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