This year Ben and the team have gone for a very clean, crisp, simple look to the sails and has focussed on locking the power and draft of his range, in place with refined shaping tweaks.
There is a real focus on sail lightness to appeal to those that want very little excess weight in their rig. EG the S-1 , which impressed all the european magazine test riders last year so much it won massive praise, is one of the lightests wave sails on the market for effortless sailing on the waves. With the scrim E-4 in the top half of the sail for panel strength the weight savings are enormous.
For those of you who prefer a little more power in your sail, the blade is a rugged full exply sail (including the window) which really suits the evo-stubbie-world wave boards. The power drives down the forward part of the sail into the mast foot giving maximum drive at all times. But unlike other power sails the Blade is a very balanced sail that offers drive without distortion when over powered.
This years Gator remains a light full x-ply sail that combines terrific wave sails in the small sizes moving to freeride models in the larger sizes. Rather than a one sail for all conditions and a master at none, the Gators change their characteristics in each size.
The 2009 NCX has been refined with lowering the battens down the sail slightly to lower the centre of gravity and locking the draft in place for a direct power source yet maintaining a balanced and very fast sail.
The first batch of sails should be here next week.
Cheers
Paul
2ndwind Sailboards
