Gone are the days when Naish wave sails were comparatively soft and sometimes a little spongy. The new Force 4 has been given significantly more basic tension than was the case a few years ago.
On land:
The 2023 model of the Naish Force 4 was already tuned tighter compared to previous models - this approach has been maintained in the 2024 model. This is already evident when rigging, as the trim forces on the luff are noticeably higher than before. The fact that Naish has been using a new material since the 2023 season - "XS 1577 Film" in marketing jargon - also contributes to the tighter basic feel, as this grid film contains significantly more integrated load threads than in previous years.
When pulling through the luff, a loose leech forms, which runs far down towards the outhaul. Our trimming tip: A slight loose leech between the upper two battens is sufficient, and the boom also needs to be pulled less strongly than with older Force 4 models. The open roller block on the luff is a matter of taste: you can simply lay the rope on the open rollers without fiddling, which is particularly easy. However, when the rope is slack, it can sometimes fall off the roller.
Overall, the outline of the 4.5 model we tested is quite compact, the luff measures a short 380 centimetres, but the boom is slightly longer at around 160 centimetres. Two eyelets were installed on the outhaul, but as they are close together, the perceived difference is small. As always, using the upper eyelet keeps the leech more closed, giving you a little more power in light winds. If you thread through the lower eyelet, the leech twists a little more freely in strong gusts, which is good for control. In terms of equipment, the Naish Force 4 leaves nothing to be desired: The mast protector is stiff, but long enough and passably padded. In addition, the mono film used in the centre area now appears slightly thicker and therefore more solidly dimensioned than before. The sleeve opening is traditionally low. This is not a problem on waveboards, but if you are over 1.90 metres tall and want to use the sail on wide freeride boards (>70 centimetres wide), you may not be able to mount the boom as high as you would like.
On the water:
The new Force 4 stabilises itself well when starting off, it feels balanced and stable in the hand. The soft basic feel of the previous models has given way to a tighter set-up. At the lowest wind limit, the Force 4 now perhaps needs a little longer to really charge up and pull the pilot over the glide threshold. On the other hand, the light, crisp sail feel is now retained over a much wider wind range. Even in strong gusts, the sail lies calmly in the hands and is free of pressure point wandering, minimising the need for annoying re-trimming. The handling of the sail is also impressive: Even if the Force 4 is not one of the lightest handling wonders on the market, the perceived weight in manoeuvres is still at a very appealing level. The sail is also particularly balanced on the wave: in the bottom turn it always offers a noticeable ground pull on the back hand, which helps, especially in slack conditions and sideonshore wind, to bring the speed up to the wave lip and convert it into powerful carved cutbacks or wave moves. Nevertheless, the Force 4 also conveys the necessary neutrality - if you want to let off the steam and open the sail, you will experience pleasantly little disturbing life of its own.
Naish Force 4 - the conclusion:
The Naish Force 4 looks as if it has been cast from a single mould and offers a great mix of planing power, control and good handling. Because it has been tuned noticeably firmer, it now also scores points with large and heavy people (> 90 kilos). All in all, the Force 4 feels at home in all wave conditions, from Baltic Sea chop to clean down-the-line conditions. Even excursions into shallow water are no offence, but if you rarely get into the surf, are mainly out in bump & jump conditions and often use your sail in combination with freemove or freeride boards, you should tend towards the Force 5 - this offers a little more power and stability for heating.
