Video

@@leslieheine2618 hi Les! Yes, we've been great! Moved to the Outer Banks 8 hears ago and we've been having a blast with perfect windsurf conditions since! I hope all is well with you too.

Glad we could help!

Glad we could help!

It was a blast! We'll announce the dates for 2024 as soon as they are confirmed. Hope to see you there!

It's highly unlikely that you'll see any sharks at all while windsurfing in the shallow sound. On the Ocean side it's much more likely for there to be a shark.

Sail size is the least important reason for moving the mast track on modern boards. Changing mast track position will change the way the board acts and this is purely user preference. Some boards react to this change far more than others. For example, I use the same exact mast base position on my Psycho 102 from 4.4 to 5.8. Same position on my Fox 3 125 for both my 6.8 and 7.8 Moto. I always prefer the mast back in the box to get the boards flying at a higher top speed. The Fox 3 in particular has a large V section that plants itself in the water when the mast track is further forward which gives the board tremendous control and a more relaxed feel. More advanced riders will want that V out of the water and gain another 5 knots or so of top end speed.

@@severnewindsurfingnorthamerica and what about rider weight? Should a heavier rider use the mast far forward than a lighter rider?

@@Windsurfwannabe Regardless of rider weight, the mast track will still change the way the board rides. Same rules apply to all riders. The mast foot is what is applying pressure to the nose of the board, not the rider's weight. So bring the mast back and it releases pressure from the nose. Push the mast track forward and it applies pressure to the nose. The rider will always be fixed in the straps.

When we say moving the straps to the front front, back, inboard and outboard, we are talking specifically about the holes. Please rewatch with this newly gained knowledge.

I’d assume this is good protection from paddling or paddles and that’s mainly for sup\downwinder boards.

czcams.com/video/REHjm5ZJ9NI/video.html

Any time! Feel free to reach out with any questions at all!

Hi Rob, Typically we list the max recommended downhaul tension on the sail. For the Gator, Blades, S-1s, you can really tune the sail to the wind conditions or to get the perfect feel that you like by adjusting the downhaul. Typically, you'd downhaul the Gator until the ripples in the sail come in about 1/2 way to the mast between the top 2 battens. Personally, I find the outhaul specs pretty spot on for all my sails. Best thing to do is play with the downhaul tension a bit and tune the sail to the way you like it best. Some people prefer a springier sail with less downhaul, some people prefer a lighter feeling sail with more downhaul. Completely up to the user. Hope that helps! Mike Burns

@@severnewindsurfingnorthamerica Mike, many thanks for your reply. I think I'm getting to the stage where I'm experienced enough to be able to feel the difference in set up, however being a visual learner, it would be great if someone (preferably from Severne or a trusted partner) could turn that into a video.

@@bobbinabout1317 Try this one I did for the Freek a couple years ago. The Gator's leach will be a bit looser, but the concept is the same. czcams.com/video/kz2P0ZFdUvo/video.html

@@severnewindsurfingnorthamerica “Typically, you'd downhaul the Gator until the ripples in the sail come in about 1/2 way to the mast between the top 2 battens.” Thanks! I rigged my new 2023 7m Gator today and it had far too much loose leach following the settings on the sail. Now I know the extension setting is max, which is different from the 2019 7m Gator it replaced which was pretty good when following the printed settings on the sail.

​@@phil2186 Glad I could help! With any brand sail, it's good to tune the downhaul depending on conditions or the feel that you like from the sails. Severe sails have a really good wind range regardless of tuning. Changing the downhaul 1-3 cm will make a big difference in the way the sail feels. So it's best to figure out how you like your sail to feel and use that setting for 90% of your sailing. If the sail feels top heavy or too punchy, give it 1-2 cm more downhaul. If the sail feels gutless, then let off on the downhaul 1-2 cm. Have fun! - Mike

Hi Luke, Best windsurfing in Hatteras is usually from March to July and then Oct / Nov. April is typically the first warmer month of the year where we're get some days in board shorts. We see the most windsurfers in town throughout April and May. Then again toward the end of October. Al the best, Mike

@@simongodfrey3765 Same here! The only reason that the light wind long distance happened is because the forecast for the week on Monday wasn't looking so hot so we ran a light wind long distance (shortened course) with racers knowing that it was optional to race because it would be thrown out if the wind came up. It turned out that everyone was just dying laughing around the course, a light wind pile up at the outer mark had people coming back with some hilarious stories to share over the free beer at the finish line. Of course, the forecast popped right up for the second 1/2 of the week and we raced high wind until we couldn't hold on any longer. Absolute blast of a week!