Light weight wave sails for 2020

I've been really interested watching the technology and progress of wave sails over the last few years, particularly in the development of lighter weight sails. There is a lot that goes into how a sail feels on the water and physical weight is only one of those components, so I'm not saying it's the be all and end all, but still really interesting.

So I've gone through a number of brands websites and compiled a spread sheet to show how they compare in physical weight. Not all brands list weights, so it's hard to get a full picture. Let me know if u know any brands I haven't looked at that list this data and I'll add them in. I'm just looking at sails between 4.0 and 5.8 and only listing the lighter sails in their range - not all ranges from brands - too much work. Also if a sail comes in different constructions I've listed the lightest one.

Someone has already mention Avanti, so I'll add that soon.

Here is a screen shot, sorry if it's a bit blurry, hopefully u can zoom in and read it for now while I think of a better way to share it (my tech skills are pretty basic) if u have any ideas let me know, it's currently just a google sheets doc.

Currently I have the S1 Pro as the lightest, but still waiting for that data to be released, but I would be very surprised if it's not the lightest sail for 2020.


It's fair to say that Severne have really lead this charge, consistently producing the lightest sails available and now Duotone are also pushing hard with the Super Hero M series. But they are not the only ones and it's fair to say the most brands have been working on and producing light weight sails also.

Other things to consider.... Price Tag, Durability, Lifespan, and most important, how the feel on the water and how they suit your style of riding.

Anyway, jump in, share your thoughts, give me more data to add to the spreadsheet etc....

140-190 booms

Severne enigma 1.88kg
Duotone platinum aero 1.95kg
Chinook 1.95kg
Goya super skinny 2.12kg
Hot sails kauli 2.15kg
Unifiber carbon 2.24kg
Simmer blackline 2.25kg
GA wave carbon 2.33kg
Neil Pryde xwave 2.6kg

Good call on considering rig components weight, that can make a big difference.

Here's the link for better viewing.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U2J8xXgmC1h0-FIXj_uN1mXzuwGeLGsbbM7dkAwvxKk/edit

If weight is your only consideration then Severne will win that category hands down.

It'll be interesting to see how the S1 will last with durability.

We used to make glued only sails for yachts, problem was that the glue used was heavier than the double sided tape and the stitching, and then it went brittle and cracked after a year, couldn't use them in the tropics as the glue went soft in the heat so the sails seams would open up and were a bugger to repair.

Seamed sails with the best materials in the right areas of the sails body in my opinion are still pretty good.

The membrane sails though do feel nice but durability is the big issue, Ok if your a pro or can afford new sails every season.

i guess the severne redback and duotone now should also be on list as they are both super light wave sails.

its interesting that duotone say the now is the first sail dedicated to smaller riders and rippers because that's nowhere near true.

Depending on the manufacturer, the membrane thickness will also differ.

They try to use thicker materials nearer to the foot as that's also where the shape in the panel is and therefore the thicker film will support the shape more.

Some companies use more thread count in higher stress areas but a thinner film. The new one from duotone looks like there's not many mapped threads, the mapped threads are ones that are computer laid in between the films.

The Severne have lots of mapped thread. Think the Gun sails membrane uses quite a thick film.

A few random notes on rig weights:

1) Once you have used lighter rigs you won't want to go back to really heavy ones.
2) The all-up weight of the rig is important, so that's the sail, the mast, the boom, and, yes, the extension - because the total weight is at times a dead load on your board, and that becomes a factor when choosing a wave board size and how high it sits in the water before planing.
3)We care about every rig component because of the incremental effect on all-up rig weight, so a few grams in the extension or boom does make a difference. The mast and sail weights are the key weights in any rig set up because they affect the swing weight of the rig in any move.
4) A light sail must still be well engineered because we do care about breakages and rig longevity. I use a beefier 370 mast but the lightest 4m mast.
5) In terms of handling, the rig still has to work and so the sail and mast must match well, with correct downhaul applied etc.
6) The main benefit then comes from when you carry the board and rig to the water, and when you chuck the rig about in gybes and other rotational moves. The lighter rig lets you sail longer and take less muscle power. You won't notice rig weight so much once planing and simply sailing along in a straight line.
7) If I could only afford a few of the lighter rigs then I'd go for the light version of the bigger wave sizes, say the 5.3 and 4.8. Once it's 4.4m weather then weight seems less of an issue because you're on a smaller rig anyway.
8) A good day on the water is still defined first by you scoring good conditions.

Membrane sails:
The whole point of a membrane sail is to engineer each panel to suit the specific loads in that part of the sail, but bespoke panels also allow greater strength at minimum weight in the sections of the sail you might fall on.
Having engineered the sail with bespoke panels it might be lighter or else it may be the same weight as other sails but a lot stronger.

Longevity is then another issue.
My own Severne S1 Pros and Blade pros have lasted several seasons but it's the smaller sizes that take the most beatings because at my beach we need strong wind before we get bigger waves.
If you sail in a sunny climate then U/V damage will eventually kill any sail. We don't seem to have that problem here run the UK because it rains a lot in out wave season.
On sandy beaches, it's best not to leave your gear lying down whilst it gets sandblasted just because you are taking a break. And it's good to rinse your gear because it's sand or grit left on the sail that destroys that sail as you drive it around in your van.

Masts and Booms now added - Click the link for clearer viewing :)

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U2J8xXgmC1h0-FIXj_uN1mXzuwGeLGsbbM7dkAwvxKk/edit?usp=sharin

Useful chart, thanks for putting together.

I have a 2014 KS3 5.5 so I weighed it with a hand held luggage scale. Possibly not the most accurate scale, but it's what I have. In the sail bag it weighs 3.3 kg, so assuming the sail bag weighs 50 grams (it's so light it didn't register on the scale by itself), the hotsails website weights are accurate.