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AMERICAN WINDSURFER MAGAZINE
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WINDWING SYNTHESIS 5.4, 6.0, 6.7, 7.5
Skill level: beginner to expert. So claims Windwing, and why not? That's the idea behind a sail that can be rigged with zero or three cams. But if it's "race-ready" when fully cammed, you have to wonder if the no-cam setup is appropriate for beginners.
We tried an experiment one morning on the beach, with some cammed and no-cam sails. For a number of reasons this mini-test completely failed to provide what we were looking for, but we still learned something. We mostly learned that comparing different brands of sails, cammed against camless, trying to isolate the effect of the cams, is impossible because the brands have different feels to start with. We learned that the three-cam 6.7 Windwing Synthesis feels totally different, cammed vs. uncammed. You truly do get two very good sails for the price of one. Uncammed is very soft and forgiving indeed. It would have been excellent for a beginner.
The Windwing convertibles aren't intended to be converted with the sail rigged. It can be done that way, but it's awkward. The function of the cams is such that they apply active compression to the batten betwen the mast and leech. This means the tensions (downhaul and battens) must be released and the battens partially withdrawn in order t
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SYSTHESIS 5.4
Mast: 400/21 Boom: 174
Battens: 6 Cams: 2
Weight: 8.5/3.9kg Speed: 3.70 Power: 3.90 Stability: 4.10 Range: 3.90 Wtrstart: 3.60 Overall: 3.87 Price: $569
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o remove the cams.
What this suggests is that it's really not practical to expect to tune your Windwing convertible at the beach, installing and removing cams for more or less power as conditions change, as you might adjust downhaul and outhaul. But it is entirely feasible to prepare the sail in advance, knowing the general conditions you're likely to encounter, or even how you might want to sail that day. Cape Hatteras, Padre Island and Florida come to mind, locations where sailors are blessed with a choice between flat water or open ocean. One reason Hansen believes in convertibles is that husbands and wives can share them: the man gets his edge, the woman her forgiveness. It's almost as if he means it when he says his goal is to put himself out of business.
Oh, by the way, the sail is named Synthesis because, out on the water, right there in your very hands, it synthesizes all the elements of sailing. Or something like that.
SYNTHESIS 5.4
SCORE: (10 ratings, rigged with two of two cams)
Speed 3.7 Power 3.9 Stability 4.1 Range 3.9 Waterstart 3.6 Overall 3.84
COMMENTS:
"A very powerful sail when rigged full," said Tony Cicale, who gave it 5's in Power, Stability and
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SYSTHESIS 6.0
Mast: 400/21 Boom: 184
Battens: 7 Cams: 3
Weight: 10/4.6kg Speed: N/A Power: N/A Stability: N/A Range: N/A Wtrstart: N/A
Overall: N/A Price: $589
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Range. "Cam rotation is smooth but a little abrupt when rigged full. When set with more tension, this is a very well balanced, stable sail. Lots of tuning range." Knowing Tony, we feel safe in saying you can believe this comment.
STAFF:
Nevin Sayre gave it all 3's with a 4 in Stability, saying it was, "all-around okay, but felt relatively heavy."
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SYSTHESIS 6.7
Mast: 430/25 Boom: 201
Battens: 7 Cams: 3
Weight: 10.5/4.8kg Speed: 4.00 Power: 4.33 Stability: 4.67 Range: 4.00 Wtrstart: 3.67 Overall: 4.13 Price: $609
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SYNTHESIS 6.0
(2 ratings, rigged with zero of three cams)
Two ratings simply aren't enough to warrant an official score, however they deserve to be revealed. Surprisingly, given the fact that the sail was rigged with no cams, they were mostly 5's, including five-for-six in Speed, Power and Stability. If they're accurate, this must be some sail when the cams are in. Let's go racin'.
COMMENTS:
"It felt light and on control, even in overpowered conditions!!" said Marco De Moraes.
STAFF: Mark Archer gave it 4's in Speed and Power, and the rest 5's. He said, "Sailing overpowered with this sail was a dream. Not once did it show any signs of misbehaving. It was almost laughable how well-behaved it was. The key to gaining range lies in the correct trimming on the outhaul." This impression is consistent with our experience on the 6.7 Synthesis, when it was also rigged with no cams, although not overpowered.
SYNTHESIS 6.7
SCORE (3 ratings, rigged with 3 cams)
Speed 4.0 Power 4.33 Stability 4.67 Range 4.0 Waterstart 3.67 Overall 4.13
COMMENTS: None
STAFF: Two staff testers gave it identical marks: all 4's with 3's in Waterstart. Said Mark Archer, "Light, powerful and a very clean feel. As with all Windwings it felt a little backhanded, which gave it a light wind and upwind bias, but you can tune that out."
SYNTHESIS 7.5
(2 ratings, rigged with no cams)
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SYSTHESIS 7.5
Mast: 460/25 Boom: 215
Battens: 7 Cams: 3
Weight: 11/5kg Speed: N/A Power: N/A
Stability: N/A Range: N/A Wtrstart: N/A Overall: N/A Price: $629
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Ditto the 6.0, with only two ratings. The overall average was 3.90, with only two 3's, in Power and Waterstart. Given that this is a 7.5-meter sail designed for three cams and rigged RAF, the fact that it didn't fall on its face is alone impressive. There were neither comments nor staff ratings.
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