HALO (and 'Fire') ....

Hi Dougal

To answer your query form the other thread .... the one in the photos from the 'Battle of the Classes' with Matt sailing it was one of the earlier 'tall' mast sails.  The revised version can utilise standard Blaze spars with just a rake alteration - it was needed to greatly reduce the 'entry' cost to trhe Halo option that previously needed a second mast ... and now it don't !

There have been trials of both against each other and they are very very close in performance and we have not been able to see which has the edge really.   You are right... Halo has definatlely got that 'extra gear' when you get it in the groove... Quite smply when you switch to planing mode up as well as down wind and it does it early of course.  But it is a big rig, as large as the D1's, (but without the 2nd sail of that craft of course) and while you can sail it very adaquately 'underweight'  you will almost certainly suffer in terms of PN competitiveness.  I love it as a light wind occasional alternative but over about 9-12mph I'm frankly faster with a regular Blaze sail - for me it is like sailing in an extra force of wind ... F2 feels like F3 etc etc. 

Come and have another go sometime - either at Burghfield or on the coast.  PM me if you are interested.

Mike L.