Severne Moto

Just received my SV Moto's last week in the UK!

Previously owned Reflex, Overdrive, Turbo and NCX

Yes, I read all the hype and was slightly concerned as I loved my Overdrives, and while the Turbo was light and punchy in the hands, It lacked the overpowered credentials I look for, so I was a little sceptical.

Anyway, so far I've used the 5.2 and 5.8 Moto in the latest storms on Futura 93 and Fox 105 and while I do not have any GPS speeds

I have to admit, I am very impressed so far sailing alongside other cambered sails at Portland Harbour Weymouth. The rig profile is clean, and sets like a race sail, but unbelievably light, stable and certainly fast for a twin cam.

It is just plug and play and has very assessable performance for sure. I am now looking forward to getting out on my 6.8 and 8.4 in due course with ISonic 73.

Cheers
Al

They are not very wide and are tampered, Id say smaller than a OD, but maybe slightly bigger than Turbo, Id suggest you see one first to make you own opinion.

friend of mine went from Turbos to Moto and loves them. I tried 6.4 briefly last year when Ben was testing them. Certainly feels as stable as an Overdrive but easy to sail

Well I've taken the plunge and ordered a 7.2m Moto. I'll be able to give my own review soon..

I just rigged my new 7.2m for the first time.
The first thing I noticed was that I'm going to have to get a longer downhaul line because the higher aspect sail has a taller mast. I couldn't use all the pulleys as I didn't have a long enough tail to grip in the winch so I only used 3 .
As a result it took a lot of strength to downhaul but I assume that will improve with a longer line and using all pulleys.
I'm old , female and weak so I may have different requirements to some of you.
It feels lightish and rotates well. It's got a nice deep belly so hopefully it will be as powerful as my 7.5m Turbo.
The luff starts with an overdrive type luff although a little narrower and no enclosing zip at the boom cutout which is open to the water. From the 3rd batten down from the top upwards the luff is narrower more like a Turbo.
So far my only concern is how much water it will fill with and how quickly it drains.
if drainage is good and it's not an issue things are looking promising.
Hopefully I'll get to use it soon.
We only have light winds predicted so it should be a good test to see if the 7.2m Moto will get me going as early as my 7.5m Turbo.
I've got some photos but it doesn't want to upload atm. I'll try again later.

Looks nice and hope it delivers exactly as expected

I still need a few more sails before I sell the other gear but so far it looks to be a keeper.
My needs are probably different to most people. I will use it in 5-18kts of wind with 112ltre and 90ltre boards.
I'm an older female intermediate and weigh about 75kgs fully kitted with water in the camelback.
I laid it over the 7.5m Turbo and there wasn't much difference in size ( 7.2m Moto). The moto has more pre bend in the luff curve and is about 2cms smaller along the leech and foot . That was good, as I worried it wouldn't be big enough to get me going in the light stuff.
It has an OD type luff ( except narrower and open at the boom cutout) till about the 2nd batten above the boom then the luff is like a Turbo.
It's easier to rig than the Turbos in that you have to be careful rigging them to avoid wrinkling the area around the boom as it goes down the mast. Due to the wider luff in that area the Motos should last well.
One minor aesthetic- The bag end is now black rather then fluoro red which is good because my other bags have faded and it makes the sails look older than they are. The sun shines into my shed and I didn't think to cover the ends.
1st go was a very patchy 5-8kts with 50m patches of 10-12kts . I only got going a few times . It seemed easier to gybe subplaning. My board is 64cms wide so it's often wobbly and a bit of a pain.
2nd session was a pretty typical average day here 5-13kts with patches of 14-17kts and some 300m lulls. I seemed to still get going in about 11-12kts ( assuming I bore off and bounced the board and the gust was long enough).
It seems to continue through the lulls well although no fin can cope with a 300m lull..
It rotates extremely well. I was surprised.
My 2019 7m Turbo is my favourite sail for chop as you just hold the sail in the air and it rotates from side to side.
This one is similar. My pet hate is sails that you have to yank to get to rotate.
Subplaning it is a bit more like a race sail with not as much feel as the turbos and I'm having trouble working out the wind angle. I don't go upwind as well as usual but that may change as I get used to it. The Windtech boards I use are longer and go upwind extremely well even subplaning..
Once the wind kicks in and you're planing it gets better.
My top end for comfort with my 7m Turbo is gusting to about 18kts and that is getting tiring. It didn't get quite that strong but I had no control issues. It feels very stable. I think the control problem will be more likely the board getting too fast and big for the chop.
It was great to gybe and felt well balanced.
I was trying some new tips with my gybes but it felt quite easy ( all subplaning ).
I did a greater distance than usual and was pretty tired by the end so I fell in and got to test the waterstarting and uphauling. No worries. In that wind the sail stayed above the water for waterstarting and was good uphauling.
In stronger wind and bigger chop it may be a bit more of an issue but maybe not?
So I still want a slightly more consistent and stronger day but so far it's great.
The best bit is that in that wind range I usually rig the 7.5m Turbo and big board. As it picks up I come in and rig the 7m Turbo and 90.
With the Moto I just rig one sail and change boards.
I'd need to do a speed sailing session to see how the stability is but I suspect it will be pretty good with the tight skin etc.

Ps - The bag says boom length of 191cms which is similar to my 7m Turbo- OD where I set it at 192.
I found I really needed 194 to allow me the length to bag the sail out if needed. That's the same as my 7.5m turbo. It feels more compact though.

The website says the 7.2m is similar to 7 - 7.5m Turbo and 7m OD.
I've decided for my use ( patchy 5 - 17kts) it doesn't have the bottom end of the 7.5m Turbo even though laid on top of each other there's only a cm or so difference.
It's great for powered up sailing and easier and more balanced to gybe than the Turbo, but it doesn't get me going as early.
I was wondering why I wasn't going in the light conditions. I put it down to gutless wind but it was the sail.
Most people will be sailing them powered up and then they are great but for on and off the plane sailing, for me , it lacks feel and bottom end.
Looks like I won't be selling my 7.5m Turbo .

An adjustable outhaul is a must for getting going early, release the outhaul to where the sail touches the boom all the way to the leeward harness line. Once going one can tighten the outhaul a little, if there is enough wind.

With decent downhaul say twisted off to the 4th batten down my 6.3 Maui slalom sail gets me going in around 15 to 16 knots with my 100 litre and 35 fin.

When i drop the downhaul say 5 mm i get going in 14 to 15 knots.

Drop it to the point of only a very small twist in the sail and i can get going in 13 to 14 knots.

You also should have minimum outhaul to the point the sail is contacting the boom to maximise low end power.

Dropping the downhaul on big sails say 7.8 or larger you lose a lot of performance or top end.

Just got some advice from Severne and they say leave the downhaul as if you let it off too much the sail won't rotate ( although if you really need to maybe 1cm less). Set it up with less outhaul.
Let it touch the boom in the rubber protection area of the boom batten . I didn't even know what this was.. Apparently the batten is rubberised so you can let the sail touch it in that area and not damage it.
If you really need more let it off so the sail touches to the back harness line position under load.. Now we need some wind so I can try it..

Fair to say most severne sails require good amounts of downhaul and get tuned with out haul. 1cm +/- on the outhaul. I usually just start with numbers on the sail and go from there. Sometimes +1 or +2cm downhaul can set better.

wave sails, slalom sails have these attributes.