These freemove sails are included in the test:
Click to go to the individual rating
While virtually every windsurfer has to rely on wave sails in sizes under 4.5 square metres due to a lack of alternatives, you are still spoilt for choice in the 4.7 metre size. In addition to wave sails, there are also the small freemove models. These are marketed by the brands as all-rounders - in addition to good flat water suitability and easy manoeuvring, they should also be able to handle trips into the waves with ease. But what are the design differences between wave and freemove sails? How big are the differences in planing power, control and handling? And are freemove sails ultimately the better (and often cheaper) products for occasional wave riders? To answer these questions, we put eight freemove sails between 4.5 and 4.7 square metres to the test - and made an exemplary cross-comparison with the wave models.
Surfer type
Best board groups
Freemove sails - outline, profile, masts and details
What is actually different about freemove sails compared to wave models? Here is an overview of the most important differences:
Profile, outline & dimensions
Freemove sails have a somewhat deeper profile on average. While wave sails usually only have a recognisable profile in the lowest batten, this extends further upwards in freemove models. In combination with slightly longer boom dimensions, these sails should offer more planing power. To stabilise the profile, all freemove sails in the 4.5 to 4.7 m² test size, except the GA Hybrid, have a fifth batten. Important to know: In general, freemove sails change depending on the sizes. Many brands tune the small sizes up to 5.3 m² more towards handling and manoeuvring in terms of profile and outline, while the larger sizes from 5.7 m² usually have a deeper profile and sometimes stiffer tube battens, which improves planing power, control and freeride suitability.
370, 400 or 430 - the right mast length
Masts with a maximum of 80 percent carbon were permitted for the test. While wave sails in this size are almost exclusively rigged on 370 masts, the same size freemove models are recommended on 400 centimeter masts. The idea behind this: Because longer masts are also always harder, the freemove models are stiffer and more direct - this can be an advantage, especially in strong winds. The freemove models from GA, GunSails, NeilPryde and RRD could even be rigged on a 430 mast. Our test has shown that the test sails with luff lengths of around 405 centimetres are already pretty stiff even on the 400 - the 400 mast therefore remains our clear recommendation! The longer (and stiffer) 430 mast is at best an option for heavy users (>95 kilos) and if you want to avoid the 400 mast, for example, because otherwise you will only be using sails over 4.7 square metres.
Nevertheless, the vario tops make sense in many cases, even when using a 400 mast, because the luff lengths of the test sizes are often just over the four metre mark. That would mean: If you don't have an extension that can be adjusted to zero, you would have a few centimetres of overhang at the bottom with a fixed top and wouldn't be able to pull the sail down properly. Therefore, it is better to let the mast protrude a few centimetres at the top of the vario top than to accept an overhang at the bottom.
Materials
The freemove sails also differ from wave models in terms of the materials used. On average, the test candidates have a higher proportion of monofilm, while the X-Ply material is limited to the stress area below the boom. If you are only sailing in moderate surf, this need not be a disadvantage, especially as the slimmed-down features are also noticeable in the price - here the freemove sails of some brands are 50 to 100 euros below the wave models of the same size.
In terms of the materials used, only the Severne Gator really stands out: X-Ply all over and still extremely light at just 2.90 kilos, that sounds exciting at first. On closer inspection, however, the film used here is somewhat thinner and the reinforcements on the leech are also reduced to a minimum. The brands have solved the issue of mast protectors well: they are long enough for all manufacturers, sufficiently padded and easy to fold down. Brands such as GA Sails, Goya, Naish and RRD equip their sails with two clew eyelets. The question of which eyelet to use should depend less on your own height and more on the conditions. The following applies here: the further apart the two eyelets are, the more the characteristics change. Rigging in the upper eyelet keeps the leech more closed, which can provide more power in light wind conditions. Conversely, if you use the lower eyelet, the leech can twist more freely and let off steam in strong gusts - the result is better control in strong winds. This tuning tip can make a particularly big difference to Goya sails, and is also clearly noticeable on the RRD Move.
The surf type recommendation - freemove sails 4.7
Which of the eight test models is best suited to you depends on the area of use and the boards you use.
Type 1: Beginner/Freeride newby
Freemove sails are ideal for beginners and for learning to get planing. To find your top sail, pay particular attention to the following criteria:
- Planing Describes how easily a sail starts planing even with a passive sailing style.
- Driving stability How easy is it to find the angle of attack to the wind and maintain it in gusty conditions?
- Handling in manoeuvres When low weight meets short boom dimensions and smooth batten rotation, fantastic handling is guaranteed.
The top tips for beginner/freeride newbys (in alphabetical order):
- Duotone Duke
- GA-Sails Hybrid
- GunSails Torro
- NeilPryde Fusion
Type 2: Advanced freeriders
If you like to accelerate on single fin boards and expect a high average speed, you should pay particular attention to the following points in addition to the "riding stability" aspect:
- Speed in medium wind range If a sail loads up after planing and delivers constant drag even in lulls, you can keep the pressure on the fin at all times and let the board fly - a high average speed is the result.
- Control As a rule, the normal trim should cover the widest possible wind range (gusts and wind holes). If a sail offers power and centre of pressure stability in one trim, it scores points across the board.
If you are an "advanced freerider", you should keep an eye on the following models (in alphabetical order):
- Duotone Duke
- GA-Sails Hybrid
- GunSails Torro
- Naish Force 5
- NeilPryde Fusion
- RRD Move
- Severne Gator
Type 3: Manoeuvre surfer
The core competence of this sail group! If your focus is on sleek power jibes, carving 360s and spin loops and you usually surf on small freemove or multifin boards, this sail group is perfect for you! All these moves are easily possible with any of these small sails.
Type 4: Wave & freestyle surfers
First things first: If you are 100 per cent focused on wave or freestyle and can only endure flat water sessions under threat of violence, you will be better off with a special sail in the corresponding category. Nevertheless, there are also above-average light and agile models in this group, with which you can do everything from frontside wave riding to backloops. These include the following models in particular:
- Goya Eclipse
- Naish Force 5
- Severne Gator
Freeride or wave sail - what suits better?
The transitions between wave and freemove sails are sometimes fluid, such as with the Naish Force 5, which could easily compete in both categories. However, if you switch from a freemove sail in this group to a 4-batten wave sail, you will notice clear differences. For example, a genuine wave concept such as the GA-Sails Manic in the same size requires significantly more sensitivity to find the angle of attack to the wind than the freemove pendant Hybrid. If you are standing passively on deck (without pumping or fanning), you need noticeably more wind to plane. The ride feel in wind holes is also striking: While with the Hybrid you can just keep on racing and always put pressure on the fin, with the Manic you can also park again more quickly. The planing and speed advantages become particularly clear when you are travelling on boards that also bring the additional horsepower to the water - such as freeride boards or small freemove boards with a single fin. The situation is similar when it comes to wind range: Due to the additional batten and the higher average tension in the rig as a result of the longer/stiffer mast, freemove sails hold their profile exceptionally well. So if you mainly race with your colleagues in bump & jump conditions and only occasionally sail in breaking waves, you will benefit from a freemoving sail.
The hour of the pure wave sails strikes as soon as you ride breaking waves to leeward. In the bottom turn, wave sails like the Manic are simply easier to handle, they can be steered with less force and have an unbeatable characteristic: a certain degree of neutrality! In other words, the profile can flatten out in the bottom turn or during jumps such as front or back loops. This property results on the one hand from a flatter profile, shorter boom dimensions, but often also from a different batten set-up: on many wave sails, the long batten above the boom is shifted significantly upwards. This results in a batten-free zone in the centre area. A full belly can form here when the batten is pulled tight, and then retracts again when unfurled. This design trick has a positive effect not only when riding waves or jumping, but also in manoeuvres: wave sails rotate and shift noticeably faster on average, are more neutral in the hand and therefore have significantly greater potential for ambitious freestyle and wave manoeuvres than the more powerful freemove sails. So if you are focussing on breaking waves and freestyle and use multifinboards, you will be better off with a wave sail.
Rating of the freemove sails 4.7 in comparison
