Now it's out - the test of the most important sail group of the year: in surf 6/2024. With exciting results, because the group with sails with six or seven battens proved to be more varied and diverse than ever before. From crisp, almost racing sails to soft manoeuvring sails, everything is included. You can read the tests with all the grades and data (weights measured by surf, the manufacturer's key data for all sail sizes) in the magazine or online. You can find the photo details here.
2024 Duotone E_Pace SLS
The SLS version of the Duotone E_Pacce is one of the particularly lightweight sails. The necessary reinforcements are present, such as a rubbing strake on the lower battens and at the batten ends. However, the padding there is very reduced, just as the protector at the bottom is quite thin. The trim points for min and max are quite close together, and the trim range on the outhaul is comparatively large. Only one clew eyelet has been provided there. On land and in manoeuvres, the sail has a very flat profile without much shape in the battens, but a good belly forms under wind pressure.
2024 Ezzy Cheetah
Ezzy delivers the equipment world champion. 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 trim in general: coloured threads on the outhaul and good markings on the luff help to adjust the sail correctly. However, this is also necessary with the very large trim range.
2024 GA-Sails Matrix
The GA-Sail looks visually solid due to the coloured mono film, even though comparatively little X-Ply is used. The foil is well dimensioned. The protector is well-padded at the sides and easy to fold, the lower batten and the lower leech are protected by rubberisation that has been pulled up to the clew eyelet. Two eyelets allow adjustment for power or control or different body sizes. The optical trim aids for the luff trim are easy to recognise. Without wind, the battens have hardly any shape.
2024 Gunsails Re-Rapid
The Re-Rapid is partly made from recycled PE bottles, which is what the "RE" stands for. The one trim point for the luff trim is easy to recognise, the sail always has plenty of looseness. The lower battens are well protected and the protector also inspires confidence. In general, all materials are solidly dimensioned, which should benefit the durability, but also results in a comparatively higher weight. There are also clew eyelets and additional mini-battens between the battens. The pulley block at the bottom is rotated by 90 degrees, which makes threading easier in many cases.
2024 Naish Freerace No Cam
The thick foam protector of the Naish can still be folded up easily, making it easy to reach the cross-sewn roller block. The mono film looks thick and solid throughout, the single clew eyelet sits under a very large cut-out on the leech. Even without wind, the "Freerace" model already shows a good profile in the battens.
2024 Neilpryde Speedster
After the Point-7, the Speedster already shows most of the pre-profile without wind pressure, slightly more than the Naish. The batten tensioners can be operated without tools, but this is more for Leatherman-quality grippers. The protector can be folded up well, but not particularly high, the lower leech is solidly protected against chafing, the lowest battens are not. The top and outhaul (2 eyelets) are also solidly reinforced.
2024 Loftsails Oxygen
The Loftsails Oxygen is one of the best equipped sails, the protector in leather jacket look reaches almost to the deck and can still be opened easily and particularly wide. The sail has a moderate profile in the battens on land, two widely spaced clew eyelets allow individual adjustments to style, wind and body size. The trim point for the luff trim is high up in the sail, making precise adjustment a little more difficult than with sails that have the trim point in the sail track below. On the other hand, there are suitable markings for the harness lines and the overall materials are of a particularly high quality.
2024 Point-7 AC-0
On land, the Point-7 is as profiled as a camber sail and shows a lot of loose leech. As with racing sails, the lower leech is tensioned with an additional tack strap. The mono film used is thinner than the black look would suggest. The extension can be adjusted by means of an imprint in the sail.
2024 Sailloft Cross HR
The Cross HR uses X-Ply extensively except for the centre window and looks solidly made. The mast sleeve also looks particularly robust. The protector is of normal thickness, but is difficult to fold and the pocket for the rope is a little fiddly to access. The Sailloft is one of those sails that already show a visible profile in the battens on land, although not to the same extent as a Point-7 or Neilpryde.
2024 Severne NCX
After a few seasons with a cut without a real luff track, the new model comes with a three-part cut pattern behind the mast. The light-looking sail does not use the thickest mono film, the protector is practical but not particularly thickly padded, and the necessary chafe reinforcements on the lower leech and batten are present. The large trim block is rotated 90 degrees and with the four rollers - with a suitable extension - enables particularly low trim forces.
