Interesting to see a comparison with the Severne Swats - which are at such a good price point... and 4 battens/compact shaping.
What I find interesting is that Naish's claim that "Since you will be using a smaller size sail and shorter mast" tells me that they are returning to the power delivery of sails from pre-flat top days without the height? Lots of power down low, which suits my heavier weight, for instant speed but I guess a trade-off in less top speed? It's designed for waves afterall and ideal for freestyle too me thinks so top speed is not a priority.
If they have eliminated the upper twist off area from the norm and moved it down and out they must have done some serious shaping to the lower part of the sail to reduce pull from the top of the sail where they moved the sail area to.
I'd love to try one out in the XL size.
Hi All!
Wind Warrior and AUS301 are bang on. I have actually had a chance to use the Chopper sail here on Maui and it is truly amazing.
The "M" is equivalent to a 4.7 with increased top end range and same goes for the other sizes.
The control you gain with these sails, less swing weight without sacrificing power and early planing is unmatched.
FR
I fail to see how you can get more top end with a softer sail - less skin tension due to softer (shorter) masts and less battens for support.
Maybe I am missing something but a Fly, Swat or this thing will all be softer feeling than the same manufacturer's 5 batten wave sail.
FR, you are talking about early planing which means grunty down low, so how Naish can also claim much-increased top end is beyond me.
what were your thoughts on the north hero and the severne swat
Sailworks have has similar explanation issues. Their Huckers, which have been around since at least 2005, are very grunty sails. 5.6 Hucker is like a 6.2 NP alpha in terms of power.
Must be something to it, would seem Maui Sails are now doing similar stuff with their new Mutant.
www.mauisails.com/news.php?id=309
^^^ sorry I disagree there are many things companies do just to keep up (notionally / market share)
More recent?
Look at Quads - all of a sudden every company had to have a quad, and the first year many were awful as they rushed them out to compete. Season 2, and they were all quite good.
2001 -2 somebody (NP?) did batwing leeches, all of a sudden next year everyone had them. They were not that good and we haven't seen one since.
2004 - metallic x-ply in all wavesails. Seen much lately?
2006-7 (?) - companies start sanding excess paint off boards to lighten them and show off the fact they really do have carbon fibre. Now we have black resin in glass boards to make them look the part.
This is a tit for tat marketing thing with soft compact 4 batten wavesails. Maybe they are good, but they only suit a few people.
For Naish to say it has bottom end grunt, and a 4.7 has the top end of a 4.2 is rubbish and I am all the more pessimistic given the copying and marketing hype we see all the time
Hi guys. I'm a lightweight at 72 kg and I have a Naish boxer sl 7.0 2010 which rigs on 430 rdm. It is really compact compared to other sails and the 2012 is even more compact!Is that a problem??Works far better for me compared to other sails I had up to 8.5.Really like handling a much smaller sail and by far a lighter rig. Have never used a boxer but looking forward to hear comments on the chopper after someone tries it.I really think that when you are overpowered it is a lot easier to handle a smaller rig of the same sail size.Maybe thats what they mean for the top end conditions.
so mathew you are saying that someone at 85 kg should use the same gear as me?I think that for the same wind if I use M he should use L.We should go as you suggest just stay in the past and don't try something new
So essentially what theyve done is gone wavesailors dont need this top floppy bit of the sail since they don't need a ridiculous top end speed so we'll cut it off?
I can see them standing in the loft
Loft boss:"Wow! that looks super! Sooooooo, how much exactly did you cut off each one?"
Sailmaker:"Ummmmm S#%t"
Loft boss: "Thats a carton! Alright, we'll call this one a small this one a medium...........
I wish I was payed to do that Mark:) You are correct about the low end and top end.Can't have it all although we are looking for more and more. I just want to say that from all the new concepts some will be ok otherwise the sport wouldn't evolve.Maybe its to good to be true for this line of sails:) Anyway which sail would you recommend in the 5.3-5.5 category to have the biggest wind range.Ezzy's?? Just looking to lower my quiver.Would love to have a 5.5 and a 4.5 than 4 sails from 5.7 to 4.2.
Simplifying - agreed
All on one mast -agreed
My only beef, and it is just observations as I don't care what Naish do...
I have 5 sails 4.2 to 6.2 and use all of them - the 4.2 may only be 3 or 4 times a year in winter. In the Naish range what does my 55kg mate use? He uses his 3.2 and 3.7 sails a fair bit......
What does my 110kg mate use on the light days? His 6.2 is his most used wave sail.
Even if you love the S - M - L concept a 5.3 is not XL !!! There's the mindset of companies producing gear for 70kg 20 year old professionals.
And again - the claim of great bottom end yet a 4.7 has the top end of a 4.2. Crap.
Why all the grief Mark about Marketing. Surely you know not to read or believe any of the sales blurbs. It is another product to fill a niche like millions of other products out there.
It is not a sail for everyone, it is another tool for those that want it. You can still get 5.7 forces or sessions or boxers. Here is a sail for wave riding on great waves for anyone who doesn't want a standard style sail.
Mybe it is all gimmick but gimmicks do sell and some of them work.
There are boards made for the same wave conditions - they are not for onshore days, not for lumpy surf but are awesome on clean waves. That doesn't mean everyone has to have one.
I though twins and quads were a fad and now I have both and won't go back to a single fin as the multi fins offer me better riding.
I thought 4 batten sails suck from my experience 10 years ago, but now love some of the newer models and would always want one handy. They are way more stable than I thought, more fun to use and light. And I am sailing with 95kg guys who like the same gear all-be-it in the next size up.
It is all about choice - if you think it sucks don't try it. I agree there have been some very dodgy ideas bought to market but one mans turd is another mans gold.
Just to keep the bigger guys happy, there is also some serious work being done on proper wave oreinted 6.2's and 6.7's by some companies for the bigger wave boards guys are now buying and lightest of wind, so it seems everyone is being catered for more easily nowadays.
The way i have read the naish site is not that the 4.7 has the same top end os a 4.2, but more along the lines the actual sail size is around a 4.2 but has a much better bottom end - similar to that of the 4.7, and thus keeping it's original top end. see excerpt from naish site.
Possible ????
Time will tell.
When team rider, Mark Angulo, ripped a brand new Force nearly in half during an epic wipe-out that took him over the rocks at Ho'okipa, he asked us to put the sail put back together minus the top 2 feet (and top batten) just to see what would happen. After spending some time sailing it, the result surprised even Mark. His re-built 4.7 (which was now barely a 4.2) had nearly the same range as the original sail, and was letting him get away with moves that would have been unthinkable just a month earlier!