Fourteen centimetres of trim range - including four centimetres on the luff and ten centimetres on the boom. The trimming options Dave Ezzy has built into the Cheetah sails go beyond all dimensions (the maximum dimensions are given in the table below). On the one hand, the sail can actually be adapted very well to different wind conditions and, with its soft profile, can achieve either excellent planing performance or - with a lot of pull on the outhaul - superior top speed and control in strong winds. On the other hand, the sail also needs to be adjusted more often, as the Ezzy no longer cuts a good figure in light wind baggy trim at 20 knots.
Fortunately, the trim forces are very low and numerous aids are provided: For perfect trim, there are coloured bands on the outhaul to adjust the length of the boom and a very useful marking on the luff. An arrow that can be attached to the sail with Velcro must be pulled precisely to the end of the mast. This can also be used to record a personal favourite trim for the next session.
Ezzy with full equipment
Ezzy is also the equipment world champion in other respects. You will look in vain for mono film in the sail, you will only find X-Ply of various thicknesses, all neuralgic points are carefully reinforced. The protector is particularly long and thick and can be folded up wide for trimming; the (slotted) screwdriver for the batten is also well accommodated here.
The feel of the Cheetah always feels like that of a soft freemoving sail. Even if the top speed fits perfectly into the group, the sail hardly encourages racing and subjectively does not seem as fast as the speedometer indicates. The softly damped profile not only absorbs gusts, but even choppy waves, the sail is always slightly agile in the hand and requires some active guidance for the right angle of attack. In strong gusts, you sometimes have to pull harder at the back if you haven't adjusted the trim in time. The soft handling calls for more than just jibing - if you ever wanted to attempt a 360 or an air jibe with a sail in the group, then it's with the Ezzy. You have to like a soft sail feel and re-trim a little more often, then manoeuvre-oriented freeriders will get a great sail with impressive material equipment with the Ezzy - and plenty of performance is delivered on top.
Surf summary of the Ezzy Cheetah 7.0
The Ezzy Cheetah creeps smoothly through the jibe and sprints sportily on the straights. No other sail combines so much power with such a cushioned, almost cosy ride.
Trim range, glide ratio, handling
Very soft effect
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Technical data Ezzy Cheetah 7.0
- Sail weight: 4.18 kg
- Sleeve opening: 107-158 cm
- Mast used: Ezzy Sails Legacy RDM 60 % Carbon; 430 Euro
- Mast weight: 2.34 kg
- Price: 933 Euro
- Info under ezzy.com
all data measured by surf
