Hi there
I own two TAKA 3 4.5 5.3 sails and one 4.7 TAKA 5. There is some improvement in the new TAKA it feels super light in hands and just a bit more responsive. I sail 60 - 70 % in sideonshore cond . In a email response i got from pritchard who uses them a lot in such conditions he told to rig them with min 1 downhaul with min outhaul. The sails for sure rocks in side shore and side off conditions but in sideonshore it s more tricky Sometime i feel less power drive during the turn and in straight line it s grunty. When sailing in sideonshore adaptation is for sure needed . ANy thoughts ?
I am also considering the possibility of getting a 3.4 for 45+ knots but i am not sure how it will perform in 50+ gust and very high winds
Thank you
I'm not an Ezzy user and I'm not sure what you are asking here, specifically.
The Taka is well liked by the people I know who use them but it's worth noting they are effectively a three batten 'soft' sail, and that means they deposed at the luff as well as at the head. This is good for true wave riding but the downside is that you'd get more top-end stability from a sail with more battens.
The general thinking is also that you need more powerful sails for sailing in cross-on conditions whereas in cross to cross-off the increase in apparent wind when on the wave means that flatter sails that go more neutral when feathered are usually preferred.
It's always nice to hear how others rig their gear but to be honest if you aren't the same weight as them and aren't sailing from the same launch spot then other people's specific settings are pretty irrelevant. Chances are that their mast is not exactly the same as yours either.
But this is about feel. If you like the sails then stick with them.
Are you sure you're not trying to sail in the same angle of attack with side-on, as well as side-off?
They should be nowhere near the same.
Thank you for your answers. The taka esp after v 3 is an intersting case .Whereas some brands like gun discontinue the production of 3 batten sails Ezzy is making them better.I have other 5 batten sails and i was pretty fine in places like gnaraloo But these sails have some real advant huge range with only two sails i can cover almost the whole windrange An 5.3 is like a 5.7 5.8 but if you rig it can be a 4.7 Their stability in the high wind range is remarkable . So i think this sail could be much more versatile than they say but i am not yet convinced for sideon days need more testing
Select to expand quoteMastbender said..
Are you sure you're not trying to sail in the same angle of attack with side-on, as well as side-off?
They should be nowhere near the same.
In side on you need to create speed from the sail before entering the turn in cross shore you have more options but IMO in side on is more technical as the board can stall in the turn
OK it s simple
Please share your experiences with TAKA sails in side on shore days Do you like it ?
Taka is not a flat sail like typical sideshore sails 5.3 goes for 1.63 boom !!!
In side onshore there is much less apparent wind its more technical to keep speed
I have been riding Takas since they came out and now have a mix of 2s and 4s. They go very well in the onshore days because of the extra torque they provide. On gusty cross offshore days I run them much flatter to cope with the extra apparent wind on the wave face. On those days I find myself on a size smaller than my mates. Cheers Jens
I have been running Taka 2's, 3, and currently 4's for a while now - They keep improving each version. Although I don't sail a lot in cross on, when I do, I have found they still perform great. They have lots of power if you rig them with a deeper profile (less out haul and less down haul), Iv'e always found you need a bit more power in cross onshore. So for light to moderate cross onshore I would rig them like that, if it's stronger, you can flatten them out more to keep the handling light. They really are a diverse sail with lots of range. I would say they do prefer more constant wind than super gusty (like most sails). I have used them in all conditions for the last 3+ years and have found that with the combination of a deeper profile and super gusty wind they can pull you around a bit in those conditions. That being said, they still handle those conditions pretty well and are an awesome sail with huge range - it's a small price to pay considering how amazing they are in all other conditions.
I have yet to try the Elite which is suppose to be more of an all round sail for all conditions and I do have a set on order and look forward to seeing how they differ from the Taka's. I think that I will eventually use a quiver of Takas and Elites, Taka for my 5.3 - 4.7 and Elites for smaller. I don't think I would want to use a Taka in 50+knts due to my comments above with super gusty wind. I have used my Taka 4.1 in gusty 30-40knts and it still went pretty well, I just think the Elite would be better in those conditions.
Thank you for your answers I have similar feedback from the Taka sails . They are powerful even for sideonshore days soft huge range unbelievable low end remarkable high end light in hands jumping passing the waves riding The only thing is that as by nature they tend to depower in the turn I feel I might want better a more powerful onshore sail or it could be just a matter of technique or just rigging the sail correctly Need more testing .Furthermore the min 2 down min outhaul rigging make you feel weird while sailing as the sail has a lot of torque You need to adapt your sailing at least for some time before feeling comfortable with it .
Forgot to mention the great advanrage of taka in top turn in side on as the leech is not that loose ( a loose leech could act against you when riding to the top of the wave)
I agree below 4.5 or 4.1 Taka Elite must be a better option
I am also thinking about the Severne blade pro in 5.7 ( negatives price must buy a useless 430) but a friend who has 2018 s1 pro 5.6 , tried my 5.3 Taka and told that the taka is better in the low wind range.
Hi Snapfigure,
My largest sail is a 5.7 3 batten Goya Fringe. That slots into the range really well because it doesn't feel too different, but definitely provides more power & torque than the Taka 5.3. Makes pumping in super light conditions much better. Also I can use it with an Ezzy 430 mast.
Cheers, Jens
Thank you indeed Goya sails are very good and they are almost compatible with ezzy masts ( 62 78) constant curve ( i think goya uses constant curve with more flex top
Goya masts are 64.5 / 79, that's a difference of 14.5 vs a difference of 15 for Ezzy. So that sounds really similar. But the lower numbers for the Ezzy mast suggest it is a stiffer mast. What is the impact of a stiffer mast, and at 85 kg would I even notice a difference?
If anyone is interested, I'm selling my 2018 Taka 4's - 5.3, 4.7, 4.1. You can find them in buy and sell. Awesome sails!!!
