Since the 1980s, cambers have revolutionized windsurfing sails by introducing more aerodynamic designs, with unrivalled speed performance. Today, these technical parts are indispensable in slalom and freerace, where they provide stable, powerful profiles that maximize the sails' range of use. Let's take a closer look at the role of cambers and their influence on performance on the water.
Chamber action: improved stability and performance
The cambers are plastic pieces attached to the ends of the battens and positioned around the mast, rather like rings that surround and hold the sail in place. Their main role is to create a specific curvature in the first third of the sail, just after the leading edge. This curvature creates an aerodynamic profile reminiscent of an airplane wing, a stable profile that retains its shape even under strong wind pressure.
By regulating the tension of the sail and ensuring that the battens remain in line with the mast, cambers ensure a laminar flow of air over the entire sail surface, thus avoiding turbulence. This smooth flow enhances the sail's efficiency, increasing speed while optimizing control, even in very strong wind conditions. Unlike sails without cambers, whose profile can distort under wind pressure, cambers maintain a stable shape, enabling the sail to generate constant lift and adapt better to changing wind conditions.
This design not only enhances the sail's power, by allowing the surface to develop more propulsive force, but also increases directional stability. The cambers contribute to better course keeping and reduce the risk of drifting or losing control, even in gusty conditions. This increased control is essential in slalom and freerace, where every fraction of a second and every small adjustment can make a significant difference.
Accelerating and maintaining power on the water
Contrary to popular belief, cambers don't necessarily give you a better start to your planning. In fact, their role is not to promote initial speed, but rather to optimize sail stability once the windsurfer has reached cruising speed.
The stability of the cambers makes all the difference when it comes to wind variations, such as slack and gusts. They reduce the loss of lift to a minimum, enabling the sail to get through these fluctuations without losing efficiency. In slack conditions, where a sail without camber could slow down, a sail fitted with cambers retains a certain amount of propulsion, so the rider doesn't lose speed. In gusts, on the contrary, the sail reacts by maintaining a steady acceleration, without saturation or deformation of its profile. This makes it easier to handle increasing wind pressure without compromising control, a crucial aspect in high-performance sessions.
What's more, this stability allows windsurfers to use a larger sail area without sacrificing maneuverability. For example, a rider can afford to add up to 1.5 m2 of extra surface area with a sail equipped with cambers, compared to a conventional sail, while retaining excellent control.
Weight and handling: necessary compromises
Choosing sails with cambers also involves compromises. Cambers require a wider sheath around the mast, which makes the sail heavier, especially as water seeps into the sheath. As a result, the sail is heavier in the hand, which can limit handling and make maneuvers like jibing more technical. This increased rigidity imposes more effort on the windsurfer, a point to consider for those looking for lighter, more agile sailing.
Adjust cambers configuration to suit discipline
Cambers come in a variety of configurations, with each type meeting specific performance requirements.
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Narrow sheath sails with 2 cambers :
These sails are designed for freerace and are mainly aimed at riders looking for a compromise between performance and handling. They feature a lighter, easier-to-control profile. The addition of 2 cambers provides extra stability and maximizes power in light wind conditions, while maintaining good handling.
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Wide sheath sails with 4 to 5 cambers:
Sails with 4 or 5 cambers are specifically designed for slalom and speed sailors. With a more structured profile, these sails are designed to offer optimum stability at high speeds, maintaining constant power while facilitating control under hard acceleration. The main drawback is that they are often heavier, which can make maneuvers more physical and require more strength for fast maneuvers.
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Hybrid sails with 3 cambers:
The 3-cam sails are a compromise between freerace and slalom sails. They are ideal for riders who practice a variety of sailing styles and are looking for a versatile model. This configuration combines the stability and power of slalom sails with sufficient maneuverability for freeride use.
Note that with sails with cambers, pumping becomes a little more technical and maneuvers more physical due to the weight. Switching from cambers to tack can also be tricky.
Cambers make windsurfing sails more versatile across the entire wind range. A major advantage in slalom and speed, they are also suitable for freerace for beginners looking for increased performance, even if maneuverability is sacrificed somewhat. As for beginners, it's best to start with freeride models without cambers, which are easier to handle and lighter. The presence of cambers does, however, require some technical know-how. Setting up the sail, weighed down by the cambers, is more time-consuming and demanding, with adjustments to maintain perfect alignment between mast and cambers, which we'll see in part two.
