IDOL LTD
3D
SIZES
3.64.04.44.85.2

IDOL LTD

ULTRALIGHT FREESTYLE COMP

Art.-No. 14220-1206

THE LIGHTEST YET MOST COMPETITIVE FREESTYLE SAIL WE HAVE EVER BUILT!

CHARACTERISTICS

Compared to Super_Star and Super_Hero

WINDRANGE
Planing
Stability
DRAFT & FEELING
Forward / Direct
Centered / Soft
ON-OFF VS DRIVE
On-Off
Drive
RANGE OF USE
Flatwater / Jumping
Down the Line
FREESTYLE ABILITY
New School
Classic

KEY FEATURES

IDOL LTD

CONVEX DACRON LUFF-PANEL

Maximum elasticity without distortion from the battens enables maximum lift for all jumps against the sail

HOLLOW LOWER LEECH

Hollow Lower Leech (scooped leech outline) stabilises the profile right above the boom and prevents leech fluttering

RADIAL LOAD STRIPES

Additional Radial Load Stripes at the clew improve the stability and extend the wind range

LIGHTEST FREESTYLE SAIL

Our lightest Freestyle sail of all time, thanks to trend-setting high-tech yachting material (ODL laminate, 4mil ULTRA FILM)

FASTEST DUCKING

Super high clew and short boom allow fastest possible ducking to avoid loosing any speed

iROCKET 2.0

Factory calibrated individual batten tensions using a torque wrench

We do care

Duotone Climate Partner
THIS PRODUCT IS CO2 COMPENSATED
MORE INFORMATION
Making the most sustainable Windsurfing products on the market

Sustainability is the most important and pressing challenge of todays mankind to secure a livable mother earth for future generations to come!

Over the last 50 years Windsurfing has developed into a super high tech sport. But let's face it despite what others might tell you with the exception of aluminium booms and extensions Windsurfing products are a "mixture of petrol-based plastic trash". And most times up to 100% of this plastic trash are non-recycled (means "freshly produced") plastics. 
At least as of today there are no eco-friendly substitutes existing offering the minimum requirements necessary to design modern Windsurfing products. Or why do you think no one wants to sail with wooden booms, aluminium masts or stretchy sails made of woven fabrics anymore?
There is only one sustainable way out of this dilemma:

MAKING LONGER LASTING PRODUCTS (LONGEVITY = SUSTAINABILITY)
A high performance product that lasts longer and best case can even be put into additional use on the second hand market is the best and only way to conserve the resources of our earth.
Of course light components have a massive impact on the performance and handling of your rig. That's why light weight is always on our briefing list when designing and engineering new products. And DUOTONE products are among or in many cases are the lightest on the market.
But durability and longevity were and will ALWAYS be on top of our priority list. Our industry leading warranty extensions bear witness to this philosophy:
- 2 year unconditional warranty on almost every hardware product (masts, booms and extensions+bases).
- 5 year warranty on 80% of our sails.
On sails we cannot emphasize enough that especially reducing the thickness of the monofilm and the XPly laminate has a radical influence on the longevity/sustainability. Reducing the film thickness by 50% reduces the UV-stability by 70%. Just to shortterm impress magazine testers or customers some brands use up to 70% thinner laminates/films than we do. This is not our understanding of sustainability.

DOING MORE
However, since we are fully aware of the importance of sustainability, we cannot simply stop here.
>> Only we have stopped using any plastic for packaging our sails. This saves approx. 5 sqm of plastic film and foam per sail.
>> Only our aluminium products (booms and extensions+bases) are manufactured in a CO2 neutral production facility.
>> Only our aluminium products (booms and extensions+bases) are produced in Germany using 100% European raw materials in order to keep shipping distances (to our manufacture and then to our central warehouse) at a minimum.
>> Only our sail bags are made out of 100% recycled plastic.
>> Only we compensate all carbon emissions caused by our sails during manufacture and transport by supporting a hydropower carbon offset project in Sri Lanka, the country where our sails are produced.

Wanna know more?

IDOL LTD

DETAILS

IDOL LTD

Light – lighter – a radically lightweight sail. The IDOL LTD is the completely personalised pro model of freestyle hero Adrian Bosson. Boasting incredible handling characteristics, the sail was created by designer Kai Hopf, implementing all the desires of the rider himself. The result is the most highly developed and extreme freestyle sails that we have ever manufactured in series. All sizes are sensationally lightweight because the innovative and high-tech laminate ODL and the 100-micron ULTRA FILM were used instead of the usual XPLY material. These materials are 50% lighter than previous sailcloths, which makes the IDOL LTD weigh about as much as a 1.5 m² smaller SUPER HERO (e.g. 4.8 and 3.4).
The IDOL LTD can do everything a freestyler needs it to. In addition to its absolutely neutral handling, it gives no unwanted feedback and is incredibly lightweight in your hands, leaving you free to concentrate fully on your moves and manoeuvres. You’d think you were turning without your sail, since the IDOL LTD rotates incredibly fast through all tricks and is completely balanced in the wind during duck moves. The extremely high clew and the short boom length make diving manoeuvres so fast that almost no speed is lost. Not only will the IDOL LTD boost your success rate for difficult manoeuvres, it will also make it a lot more fun to meet new challenges. New, virtually unbreakable battens are used, which can easily handle even the roughest wipe outs. Simply awesome: When used for foiling the IDOL LTD features a special clew eyelet to be able to position the sail even more upright!

Important: Although this is something other manufacturers are reluctant to mention, achieving the lowest weight can only be achieved by reducing the thickness of materials. Because the thickness of the ODL yacht laminate was kept to a minimum, the material’s UV stability is limited. As a result, this sail is not subject to the DUOTONE 2+3 YEAR WARRANTY.

NOTE ON DELIVERY TIMES

The global pandemic continues to cause raw material shortages, restrictions at our manufacturers and greatly extended shipping times, which doesn’t allow a constant and planned flow of deliveries. Therefore please note that although we are doing everything we can to get you the equipment you want, availability is limited, especially at product launches. 

 

WHAT'S NEW?

  • VISUAL FACELIFT
     

  • TECHNICALLY UNCHANGED

Sail Mast Compatibility

Wanna know how other brands masts work with Duotone sails?

Sail><Mast Brand Compatibility

At DUOTONE we use a Medium Constant Curve for our masts (our bend percentages range between 61-63 bottom and 75-77 top depending on model and length). As this curve sits right in the middle within Constant Curve masts it offers the biggest compatibility of any bend curve. This makes our masts and sails the most compatible on the market.

HERE IS HOW GOOD OTHER BRAND MASTS WORK WITH OUR SAILS AND VICE VERSA:

  1. Challenger Sails, Ezzy, GA (2017 on), Goya, Gun Sails, KA Sails, Loft Sails, Naish Sails, NeilPryde (RDM masts), RRD, S2Maui, Sailloft, Sailworks, Severne (2014 on)
    >> 80-90% (depending on model and size)
     
  2. Hot Sails, NeilPryde (SDM masts), Point7, Simmer Style, Chinook
    >> 70-80% (depending on model and size)
     
  3. Avanti, Gaastra (until 2016), Maui Sails, Severne (until 2013), Vandal
    >> Not compatible

Tech Specs

Idol Ltd

SIZE
BOOM MAX (CM)
VTS TAIL TENSION
LUFF MAX (CM)
VARIO/FIX TOP
BATTENS
WEIGHT (KG)
MAST TYPE (BEST/ALT.)
MAST GEO (BEST/ALT.)
MAST LENGTH (BEST/ALT.)
3.64.04.44.85.2
144148152158162
Min +2 >< Max +4Min +2 >< Max +4Min +2 >< Max +4Min +2 >< Max +4Min +2 >< Max +4
376386400420442
VARIOFIXFIXFIXFIX
44444
2.502.652.803.003.10
PLATINUM / GOLD>SILVERPLATINUM / GOLD>SILVERPLATINUM / GOLD>SILVERPLATINUM / GOLD>SILVERPLATINUM / GOLD>SILVER
RDM/--RDM/--RDM/--RDM/--RDM/--
340/370370/--370/--400/--430/--

Duotone design philosophies

Think different

Products have to be intuitive and as fast as possible to setup

With the information overkill nowadays no one has the time to read manuals anymore. Therefore we try hard to design our products as intuitive as possilbe to get you onto the water faster than with any other product. No wonder DUOTONE is called the feature world champ.
Here are some examples:

  • VTS 2.0
    The first "guess-free" visual trimming guide to clearly show the correct downhaul tension. Version 2.0 comes with a window in the protector to mark your individual trim once you have found your ideal setting. 
     
  • HTS 2.0
    By marking the draft position on the sail you immediately know where to position your harness lines. 
     
  • INDIVIDUAL BOOM LENGTH INDICATION
    The length of the boom changes with the angle to the mast. Therefore if you move your boom up or down you need to change the length of your boom. As the only brand we take that in consideration by printing 3 different boom lengths onto the clew and boom cutout so that you always know the correct length according to your body/boom height. 
     
  • SET&GO VARIO-TOP
    Instead of leaving you with the time-consuming try and error procedure to find the correct setting we have installed markings on the webbing immediately showing the correct setting. 
     
  • iROCKET 2.0
    Every batten in a sail requires a different tension. That's why as the only brand we calibrate every single batten at the factory to the correct individual tension using a torque wrench. Since the screws are locked with screw glue you never have to touch them. Just rest asured to always have prefect batten tensions. 
No super thin XPly

Our motto is clear: light is right but only if it doesn't go to costs of durability. 
Our hardware products (booms, masts and extensions) are proven to be the lightest in the industry.
With our sails though we are not the lightest on the market (with the exception of the Super Hero M.Plus). The major reason for this is that we are using (much) thicker XPly laminates than some other brands. 
The factors of puncture resistance, UV weathering resistance and stretch evidently depend ONLY on the thickness of the film used. 
Puncture resistance and stretch have a linear relation to the thickness of the film. Means twice the thickness results in twice the strength against punctures with half the stretch. 
Even more critical is UV resistance since here the relation to the thickness is overproportional. Means half the thickness reduces the UV-longevity by nearly 70%!
Some brands use XPly laminates which are 2/3rd thinner than ours in the upper sail area. Yes in the top you have less puncture issues and you can even get away with the increased strech. Unfortunately though the UV-exposure is the same all over the entire sail. 
That's one of the reasons why the majority of Windsurf centres around the globe trust in DUOTONE products.

Polyester webbing only

Eliminating stretch and loss of tension. If it’s good enough for safety belts, it’s good enough for windsurfers! We are the only manufacturer to use only polyester webbing for the (vario) top and the tack roller. This advantage of this compared to conventional polypropylene is the negligible amount of stretch. As a result even brand new sails will retain full luff tension and will not need subsequent trimming.

TECH FEATURES

IDOL LTD

Ultra Film
Ultra FilmUltra Film

Lighter and stronger than all.

The most lightweight monofilm on the market. In order to save even more weight, we use the 100-micron thick ULTRA FILM for the super-lightweight IDOL LTD and WARP. However, our experience over the last five years has shown that our exclusive ULTRA FILM is even more durable and long-lasting in practice than 20–30% thicker or heavier standard films. The secret to this is its special chemical composition, since carbon particles are only used in ULTRA FILM – an extreme monofilm which is used in the entire body panel and plays a significant part in reducing weight to a minimum owing to its low thickness.

Set & Go Vario-Top
Set & Go Vario-TopSet & Go Vario-Top

No more trial and error when trying to find the best vario top setting. Even when first rigging up, the correct length of the vario top is found straight away. Clear length indicators mark out the perfect setting with reference to the mast length used, eliminating any need for testing or re-adjustments.

TT Top
TT TopTT Top

Improved sail control at higher winds. Designer Kai Hopf originally designed the TT TOP for the WARP. The reduced, concave shape improves tension conditions for a more effective, three-dimensional top twist. This means the top twists not only horizontally, but also vertically under strong winds. By completely neutralising gusts of wind, the rig is kept steady in the rider’s hands, and thus works in a much larger range of winds.

iRocket 2.0
iRocket 2.0iRocket 2.0

Super-lightweight and aerodynamic.

An inconspicuous detail with a massive impact. iROCKET 2.0 batten tensioners are super-lightweight, aerodynamic and highly stable, consisting of high-quality components such as a self-lubricating, salt-water-resistant brass nut with stainless-steel screw which can withstand all batten tensions. Furthermore, the iROCKET 2.0 is an essential component for a true windsurfing revolution.

100% correct batten tension, correctly adjusted when purchased and forever after. We calibrate each individual batten at the factory according to development specifications. And we don’t just leave it up to blind intuition either – all battens are adjusted to 100% accuracy using torque wrenches. We also apply soluble screw adhesive to the locknuts so that the tension cannot be altered. This means that the batten tension remains absolutely correct and will never have to be adjusted again. The batten key included with the sail is therefore only needed for fine tuning or in the unlikely event of a batten breakage.

Mini Batten
Mini BattenMini Batten

These prevent unwanted leech flutter.

Short and highly effective mini-battens which provide support for the areas between the battens and prevent undesirable flutter.

Double Seam Technology
Double Seam TechnologyDouble Seam Technology

Double the durability with half as much stretch. DUOTONE manufactures products of unmatched quality which gives our sails a significantly longer lifetime. A key feature which helps to achieve this is the triple-stitch zig-zag seams. Unlike other products with their single-seam design, these are double-seam. They cover all exposed crash areas, which increases tear resistance and reduces bending-elongation by up to 50%, boosting profile stability and performance.

Mast Sleeve Opener
Mast Sleeve OpenerMast Sleeve Opener

Frictionless insertion of the mast into the luff sleeve. An ingenious solution does away with the tedium of inserting the mast. The DUOTONE logo above the boom cutout gently opens the sleeve so that the mast can be threaded with one hand into the luff friction-free, without having to constantly make adjustments to the luff.

X.PLY PLUS
X.PLY PLUSX.PLY PLUS

What would you prefer? Maximum puncture resistance and UV weathering resistance with minimal stretch? Or (theoretically) improved ripstop properties?

We went with option A and developed the most durable laminate on the market. Because the factors of puncture resistance, durability and stretch evidently depend only on the thickness of the film used, we use only 150 or 100 micron thick films for our exclusive XPLY PLUS. In an extensive series of tests, we have developed the ideal combination of necessary film thickness and number of threads. The X.PLY PLUS in particular, at 150 microns in thickness, boasts durability characteristics far in excess of previous laminates at minimal weight. This is also acknowledged by all the big surfing centres and rental equipment providers around the world, who place their trust in the unbeatable quality and longevity of our sails.

Polyester Webbing Only
Polyester Webbing OnlyPolyester Webbing Only

Eliminating stretch and loss of tension. If it’s good enough for safety harnesses, it’s good enough for windsurfers! We are the only manufacturer to use only polyester webbing for the (vario) top and the tack roller. This advantage of this compared to conventional polypropylene is the negligible amount of stretch. As a result even brand new sails will retain full luff tension and will not need subsequent trimming.

3D TOP CAP
3D TOP CAP3D TOP CAP

Optimised pull. On regular top caps and pin systems the webbing is connected in a “one-dimensional” way with the sail body (either side to side or front to back), which transfers the downhaul tension only in certain points. The 3D TOP CAP allows a “three-dimensional” and very widespread transition of the downhaul forces into the sail body. This eliminates top fluttering and ensures a progressive loose leech extending the wind range. The integrated abrasion ribs eliminate the need for heavy, bulky reinforcements at the end of the luff sleeve.

DOUBLE D BUCKLE
DOUBLE D BUCKLEDOUBLE D BUCKLE

Inspired by high-strength climbing harnesses and Formula 1 helmets. The exclusive, two-part metal double-D buckle on the vario top, which replaces traditional solutions. This design guarantees the best trimming characteristics and eliminates all webbing slippage.

VTS VISUAL TRIM SYSTEM 2.0
VTS VISUAL TRIM SYSTEM 2.0VTS VISUAL TRIM SYSTEM 2.0

Perfect trim and a huge range of use.

You won’t find a quicker or more accurate way of trimming your sail. Even beginners can trim the sail in a matter of seconds to 100% accuracy. All you need to do is pull the luff until the top of the loose leech reaches the “lower wind limit” or “upper wind limit”. The VTS acts as a power boost, ensuring maximum performance and broader range of use.

HTS 2.0 HARNESSLINE TRIM SYSTEM
HTS 2.0 HARNESSLINE TRIM SYSTEMHTS 2.0 HARNESSLINE TRIM SYSTEM

Never position your harness lines incorrectly again. Do away with the tedium of adjusting to the optimum rope position, as well as the numb forearms and the endless fiddling around. The patented print on the sail shows exactly where the centre of the harness line has to be. All you need to do is position the two ends symmetrically at the left and right of the print.

DURATECH FOOT
DURATECH FOOT

Long-term guarantee for the sail foot. When starting off on the water or catching up, the foot of the sail is constantly dragged over the nonslip coating, particularly for wide boards. With the exclusive DURATECH FOOT, the seams are completely protected within a large plastic channel so that the surface cannot chafe against seams and material.

Epoxy Batten
Epoxy BattenEpoxy Batten

Extremely stable, extremely break-resistant. Depending on the range of use, positioning in the sail and the necessary tension, the batten stress is enormous. In order to prevent breakages, we only fit into all solid battens extremely durable epoxy laminates which really can withstand anything and can live up to DUOTONE’s promises in terms of longevity.

Polyester Webbing Only
Polyester Webbing OnlyPolyester Webbing Only

Eliminating stretch and loss of tension. If it’s good enough for safety harnesses, it’s good enough for windsurfers! We are the only manufacturer to use only polyester webbing for the (vario) top and the tack roller. This advantage of this compared to conventional polypropylene is the negligible amount of stretch. As a result even brand new sails will retain full luff tension and will not need subsequent trimming.

INDIVIDUAL BOOM LENGTH INDICATION
INDIVIDUAL BOOM LENGTH INDICATIONINDIVIDUAL BOOM LENGTH INDICATION

The correct boom length without the need for trial and error. Because the boom is attached to the mast at different heights depending on body size, and because this creates a different angle to the mast, the boom length will vary. Specific recommendations for the correct length are printed directly on the luff sleeve at the boom level.

TWIN STRAP
TWIN STRAPTWIN STRAP

This keeps the sail rolled up and holds the protector to the mast. A brilliantly simple fastening system which keeps the sail compact and closed after being rolled up and, when on the water, holds the mast protector closely to the mast.

SUPER-LIGHT BUMPER
SUPER-LIGHT BUMPERSUPER-LIGHT BUMPER

The lightest protector on the market, with integrated trim indicator.

TACK ROLLER 2.0
TACK ROLLER 2.0TACK ROLLER 2.0

During the development of the TACK ROLLER 2.0 we've measured the downhaul forces on all kind of sails. We've found out these interesting facts:

1. When downhauling a cambered slalom sail the forces necessary are nearly 3 times as high as when downhauling a no-cam (wave) sail (160 kg vs. 60kg)
2. With a 6:1 power-ratio you need to pull twice as much rope-length as with a 4:1 ratio. Therefore, with a 4:1 ratio you can downhaul the sail in one go, whereas with a 6:1 ratio you always need to retighten the rope.
3. Threading the rope through all rollers (without the rope getting crossed) takes at least 4 times as long as just looping the rope.
4. In theory with a 6:1 power-ratio the downhaul forces should only be half as high compared to a 4:1 ratio. In real life though the friction loss at each roller reduces the downhaul tension by only 15% at most (wave sail: 57 kg vs. 60 kg / slalom camber sail: 135 kg vs. 160 kg).

Therefore, we've designed 2 versions of the TACK ROLLER 2.0:

>> NOCAM Version used on all no-cam sails
The massive comfort and speed advantages of the 4:1 ratio (Loop-Loop-Go) outweigh the very slightly reduced downhaul forces of the 6:1 ratio. 
This version features 2 nickel plated brass rollers at the outside plus a center spacer featuring a bigger diameter. This ensures that the rope loop automatically slips into the 2 outside rollers.

>> CAM Version used on all cambered sails 
The downhaul forces are so massive that even a small reduction helps.
The 3rd slightly bigger roller allows to either use the 4:1 (Loop-Loop) or the 6:1 (Thread-Through) option.

TRUE QUOTES

IDOL LTD

ADRIEN BOSSON
“THE IDOL LTD HAS A HUGE WIND RANGE AND INCREDIBLE LIFT FOR ALL MY AIR MANEUVERS. IT IS INCREDIBLY LIGHTWEIGHT IN YOUR HANDS, LEAVING ME FREE TO CONCENTRATE FULLY ON MY MOVES.”
ADRIEN BOSSON
“Idol LTD impresses me with its incredible freestyle performance and ultra light weight. But as with any Duotone sail, I'm always thrilled with how easy and fast the sails are be rigged. Because faster off the beach means more time on the water.”
NICLAS NEBELUNG
NICLAS NEBELUNG

Sail Basics

Design physics of modern Windsurf sails

Materials

Especially in the top and towards the clew weight is key cause due to the leverage-effect you feel every gram a multiple times in your hands. Because of the quite limited amount of materials available though the only way to reduce the sail weight is by reducing the thickness of the materials. The secret is finding the sweet spot of lowest possible weight but without sacrificing durability and longevity/sustainability.

Modern Windsurf sails consist of the following raw materials:

(1) MAST SLEEVE MATERIAL
Rough woven Polyester fabric. The rough structure gives it a maximum abrasion resistance against impact from the outside (e.g. board contact or contact during rigging) as well as from the inside (through the mast).

(2) MONOFILM
Plastic film made out of Polyester available in clear- or colored versions. This hard plastic film has a very low stretch (for maximum performance) and doesn‘t absorb any water (dry weight = wet weight). Attention: monofilm isn't very UV-resistant. Therefore keep your sail out of direct sun light when not sailing. Also monofilm isn't very abrasion resistant.

(3) XPLY LAMINATE
2 thin layers of monofilm and a pattern of threads (out of Polyester or Dyneema) are glued together creating a sandwich laminate. The additional threads are supposed to function as a rip stop in case the film gets punctured (e.g. falling into the sail with your harness hook first). When using the same total thickness as monofilm (= same low stretch, same UV- and puncture-resistance) XPly is 30% heavier due to the additional adhesive (and threads).

(4) DACRON
Before discovering monofilm original Windsurf sails were made entirely out of Dacron. This woven fabric offers a very good abrasion resistance but is very stretchy plus elongates (means it grows with each use). Therefore nowadays mainly used for reinforcement patches to protect the monofilm and XPly panels in the high abrasion areas of your sail (foot, clew, top and outside of batten pockets).

(5) INSIGNIA
Dacron material with a self-adhesive side. Therefore it doesn‘t require seams when put on top of the film plus prevents water from getting in-between the film and the abrasion patches (= lower wet weight).

Wanna know more details or looking for DUOTONE sail spare parts - here you go

Materials
Design Features

BATTENS
Made out of glass- or carbon fiber either as solid version with smaller diameter (= stronger) or tube version with larger diameter (= stiffer). For a better understanding the mast is like the backbone of your sail whereas the battens act like the ribs of your sail keeping the profile in place. Same as the mast also the battens have individual profiles (thinner tip, thicker tail) matching the profile of the sail.
Simple rule: the more battens the more stable (= faster + bigger wind range) the sail becomes. But also the heavier the sail becomes as battens account for approx. 40% of the sails total weight. Therefore handling/wave-oriented sails usually come with 4-5 battens whereas performance oriented sails usually come with 6-7 battens.
As a second guideline smaller sail sizes require fewer battens than larger sizes.

CAMBERS
Usually there is a certain gap between the batten tip and the mast. This is necessary so that the batten can shift from one side of the mast to the other when sailing back and forth. A camber can be seen as a kind of connection between the batten tip and the mast filling out this gap.
This leads to much better aerodynamics as the cam enables a smooth transition between the thick mast into the thin sail body. In addition since the cam is braced against the mast the batten stabilises the sails profile much more effectively (sail becomes more stable = faster).
The downside is that the rotation from one side to the other becomes much harder. Plus the cambers need a certain space which requires a wider mast sleeve. This makes (water)starting much harder as the wider mast sleeve absorbs more water. Therefore cambers are mainly used on performance Freeride or high-performance Slalom sails.

FOOT ROACH
A sail with a lot of foot roach reduces the gap between the sail and the board (close the gap) which makes it more efficient/performance-oriented.
On the other hand a high cut foot with less foot roach improves the handling especially for all kind of ducking moves. 

PROFILE DEPTH
A deeper sail profile gives you more power and performance in general.
A flatter profile on the other hand improves the handling as the distance of the flat profile is much shorter when shifting from one side to the other.

BOOM- AND LUFF LENGTH
Together with the sail size all dimensions increase. Means in general the larger the sail the longer the boom- and luff lengths become.

Design Features
Sail size vs. body weight

Simple rule: a heavier sailor needs to take a larger sail size to get planning in the same wind compared to a lightweight.

Rough indication for the biggest sail size: to get going in the same wind a 10 kg heavier guy requires a 1 sqm larger sail.

Max. sail size vs. body weight:
The larger the sail, the heavier and the more “sluggish” the rig becomes. In addition, larger sails require stiffer masts to keep the surface "in shape". A heavy rider provides more "counter-pressure" to the sail area and mast stiffness than a lightweight. That's why the sail tends to pull you out of balance, gets difficult to control during maneuvers and becomes inefficient to pump when it is too large for your body weight.
In relation to your body weight, there is a maximum sail size that should not be exceeded.
Here are some guidelines:
>> 9.0+: min. body weight 95kg
>> 8.0-8.3: min. body weight 80kg
>> 7.0-7.3: min. body weight 70kg

As a general rule rather use a slightly too small than a too big sail.

Guidelines for building up your personal sail quiver

First you should define the biggest and smallest sail size you will need to cover all wind speeds you wanna sail in. This mainly depends on your body weight (see above).
Let’s take an “average” 75 kg sailor and let’s assume this guy wants to sail in “any kind” of wind.
- The biggest sail size this guy would need is something like a 7.3. With a capable 100-120 litre Freeride board this size would get him planning in approx. 8-10 knots.
- His smallest size would then be a 3.7. On a 70-80 litre (Free)Wave board our guy should be fine up to approx. 40-45 knots.

Second thing is to define the sizes in-between. Important to know: the wind pressure (which you feel in your hands) raises in square in relation to the wind speed. Therefore the smaller the sail size the smaller the size increments need to become. For large sails, the gap can be up to 1.5 sqm, while for very small sails it can go down to 0.3 sqm.

Taking all of this into account a typical quiver for our 75 kg guy could look as following:
7.3 - 6.0 - 5.3 - 4.7 - 4.2 - 3.7

Taking the “10 kg = 1 sqm” rule (see previous point) in consideration a typical quiver for an 85 kg guy could then be:
8.3 - 7.0 - 6.0 - 5-0 - 4.5 - 4.0

Why not blindly rig according to the specs printed on the sail?

You have bought all parts from the same brand but if you rig according to the specs printed on the sail it still feels somehow ackward.
Unfortunately every product has tolerances in production. And the bigger a product becomes the bigger the tolerances become. Therefore tolerances on a smartphone are hardly visible whereas tolerances on Windsurf equipment are non-deniable.
- The tolerances on the mast length are approx. +-5 mm.
- The tolerances on mast extensions and booms are approx. +-3 mm.
Furthermore, there is unfortunately still no standard among brands on how to measure the length of booms and extensions.
- On a sail with all its panels the tolerances over the whole luff length can add up to another +-5-10 mm.
In addition, even with monofilm sails the luff stretches in the first 3 times you use the sail due to the massive downhaul tension.
Adding up all these tolerances you start realising why the absolute numbers printed on your sail (especially the luff length) can only be an indication to adjust your mast extension- and boom lengths.

To achieve the correct downhaul tension please make sure to only rely on the VTS (Visual Trim System) markers in the top of every DUOTONE sail.
Always keep in mind there are exactly 2 things either of them potentially killing at least 30% of your sails performance:
1. The wrong mast (see first point under MAST BASICS on every mast page)
2. Wrong/insufficient downhaul tension

Rig it right

There are 2 things which will destroy up to 60% of your sails' performance:

1. A wrong mast with a bend-curve which doesn't match with the luff curve of your sail

2. A wrong timmed sail
For how to rig and fine-tune your sail please see our YouTube channel.

Sail Care
  1. Always rig according to the rigging instructions - see here.
     
  2. After use in salt water, rinse or spray down with fresh water. At the very least at the end of a vacation or trip.
     
  3. When possible only roll up the sail once it has dried. Never store a rolled up sail for any extended periods of time unless it is dry.
     
  4. To dry, release the tension from the sail; if possible do not set out to dry in direct sunlight, and do not dry it by letting it flutter in the wind.
     
  5. Always roll the sail from top or bottom, keeping all battens under full tension in their sleeves!
     
  6. Use only recommended mast components for your sail in order to attain optimum performance.
     
  7. Do not wash your sail with harsh detergents or chemicals. Water and a mild soap are fine.
     
  8. Repair tears and holes in monofilm sails immediately to prevent further tearing. If proper repair is impossible (and this includes using the DUOTONE monofilm repair kit), at least seal the tear with normal tape or a sticker.
     
  9. The sails durability is directly related to
    a. the frequency of use
    b. sail care and
    c. UV-radiation (especially in monofilm sails)
    In places with high UV-radiation, store the sail in the shade, otherwise de-rig it.

360° VIEW

IDOL LTD

GALLERY

IDOL LTD

We do listen

Be part of the Duotone development

Wanna improve future products?

DO YOU HAVE ANY INPUT OR IDEAS ON HOW TO IMPROVE OUR PRODUCTS?
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH US!

We strive to create products that are superior in performance and function to anything else on the market. Therefore, we are not just interested in the opinion and experience of professional riders, but listen to ALL windsurfers out there. Because we know we can learn from everyone, we want to collect the opinions of windsurfers worldwide.

This project runs throughout the whole year. Every year on January 15th, the best ideas will be rewarded and might actually be implemented into future products.

So, you have got an idea? Contact us >HERE<  and take your chance to make a difference. (Please use "R&D input for DTW" as a subject line)

REWARDS

1st - One sail (free of choice)

2nd - One Silver Boom (free of choice)

3rd -  One Power.XT 2.0 (free of choice)

Wanna improve future products?

discuss the new Idol LTD

Comments or questions? Here you get first hand R&D and rider feedback.

The more info you provide, the more specific the advice/help will be. Please let us know:

  • YOUR SKILL LEVEL
  • YOUR BODY WEIGHT AND SIZE
  • MAST(S) YOU PLAN USING WITH THE SAIL
  • BOARD(S) YOU ARE USING
  • CONDITIONS/SPOTS YOU ARE SAILING AT

Please note: to help as many people as possible to follow the thread the forum language is English only