Windsurf Mag have just done a compehenive review of 4.7m Wave sails.
The Blade has again come out as “one of the testers favorite in the group”. A fantastically designed sail, combining a great range, superb handling and user-friendly nature ,,,” while the S-1 has received praise for its “ exceptional light handling for a large range of users…”.
Below are full Transcripts of the reviews.
SEVERNE BLADE 4.7
TARGET : Intermediate to Pro
A very well built and designed sail with great application for
wave, freestyle and high wind freeride for a huge range of
users.
AT A GLANCE
• Good build quality: all x-ply layout
• Double stitched seams for strength
• Silver sheen in top panels
• 5 battens
• 2 mini leech battens
• Adjustable head
• Alternating battens on either side of the sail
• ‘Aramid Radial Clew’ for strength and reinforcement
• Dacron luff panel
• Measured increments on luff cut out for boom height
positioning
• Reinforcement inside luff tube for sail durability
RIGGING AND SET
The Blade 4.7 is easy to rig with clear and accurate rigging
instructions. It has a small amount of pre shape in the
foil and a progressively loose leech.
PERFORMANCE
The Severne Blade is a well-balanced sail with plenty of useable power. It generates smooth and progressive drive early (the Dacron luff panel stretching the foil into shape once filled by the wind), which gets the sailor up and going quickly but in a steady, unintimidating fashion. Once up to speed the sail feels balanced and good in the hands, supplying the sailor with a constant applicable drive. This drive comes from central to the rider if not slightly forwards and about chest high, so that he/she is brought into a maneuver oriented sailing position. As the wind picks up and the sea state worsens, the sail stays very composed, demonstrating an excellent natural range along side a good tuneable one. When severely overpowered, the Blade still behaves itself, albeit maybe becoming a little back handed when you probably should be thinking of changing down anyway. In transition (gybes, tacks, wave riding and some freestyle), the Severne feels very light and throw about in the hands; it can be depowered easily mid -transition and during more drawn out bottom turns or gybes, offers controllable drive to
the rider. Light and easy to reposition, when the sailor sheets in again the sail offers up its controllable drive for a composed exit.
(+)
A fantastically designed sail combining a great range, superb handling and a user friendly nature, making it suitable for a wide range of users over a wide range of applications.
(-)
Not much to fault ...one of the testers’ favourites in the group! Lighter sailors and/or those looking for a bit less
drive, but still the same great handling characteristics should perhaps look towards the S-1.
WINDSURF UK, September 2008
SEVERNE S-1 4.7
TARGET : Intermediate to Expert/Pro
A typically well designed and built sail from Severne with
user-friendly power and a very throw about nature for superb
application in wave, freestyle and high wind freeride
for a wide range of users.
AT A GLANCE
• 5 battens
• 2 mini leech battens
• Plenty of x-ply with some reinforced Kevlar x-ply
• 2 main monofilm panels
• Measurements on the luff cut out for accurate boom
height positioning
• Double clew eyelet with good reinforcement
• Alternating battens on either side of the sail
• Strong double stitched seams
• Reinforcement inside the luff tube
RIGGING AND SET
The S-1 rigs easily, with accurate and clear rigging instructions.
The sail sets with a little pre-shape (although less than the Blade) as the leech is very loose in the top 2 panels and then has a small amount of tightness in the
mid-leech, which can be loosened off when the maximum downhaul setting is applied.
PERFORMANCE
The S-1 offers plenty of early drive to the rider, helping to accelerate a board onto the plane, which is especially useful in onshore conditions. The rig feels good in the hands when up to speed; balanced and light with the drive coming from central to the rider and chest to shoulder high. This brings the sailor into a good manoeuvre oriented position. As the sailor goes over confused water states or through gusts of wind, the sail remains stable, the foil remaining solid, balanced and efficient: offering good useable drive down into the board. When the sail gets overpowered, however, the tight mid-leech starts to get a bit noisy, and the sail becomes quite ‘pully’ and back handed. Re-tune the sail by applying more downhaul and outhaul, though, and the mid leech opens up more (the leech going loose further down the sail) and the drive in the sail is stabilized: feeling balanced and smooth in
power delivery again. While not having the biggest natural range in this group, this does demonstrate the S1’s excellent tuneable range. In transition, the sail performs very well; the S1 de-powers easily allowing the sailor to effortlessly re-position the rig, whether in a turn, on a wave or during some freestyle, and as the sailor sheets in again the power comes on smoothly and reliably.
(+)
A very well designed sail which offers good useable power and exceptionally light handling for a large range of
users for wave, freestyle and high wind freeride.
(-)
Natural range is not that good at the top end, but tuneable range more than makes up for this.
