2015 Severne Blade 5.3 vs. 2015 Gaastra Manic 5.3

A bit of context. I recently bought a quiver of 9 sails (8 Manics and 2 Poisons). Some may say this is wasting money but I do sail quite a bit and I tend to keep my sails for up to 5 years. I find I am more likely to have the right size on the water with more options. Bit more bullet proof for breakages as well.

Why Gaastra - I like how much they de-power on the bottom turn, I like the draft in the middle, they just seem to suit the way I sail. My last quiver was Gaastra and the reviews are pretty good for 2015. Having said that the last quiver had no bottom end. They tended to lose their range after a season or two, and I killed a few in the surf after a few years.

In SA most guys use Severnes. Next most popular is probably Manic then there is a mixture of Pryde and other brands in equal thirds. Some use the Swat but quite a few use the Blade and say the Blade is close in style to the Manic.

I was given the opportunity to try a Blade 5.3 with a Severne 'Blue' Carbon mast to test alongside the new Gaastra Manic quiver recently. It was with much trepidation that I rigged the Severne yesterday. Would I like it - giving me a cheaper option in the future but being bloody annoyed with my recent massive purchase? Would I hate it, must be an idiot sailor compared with my collegues who seem to like them?

This is the first review because this was an 'onshore test'. Wind 22 - 27 knots, gusty, mid size waves. I am 83 kg.

Well the thing is as easy to rig as a Manic. Stiching looks full on as do the windows (more than the Manic). The 'collegues' suggested I use more downhaul that I would have expected. With the Manic I open the leech down to the second to top batton with a 'hint to the third'. With this I had it fully open to the bottom of the third. Severne has a one more setting + of boom and mast extension than the equivalent Manic.

It has a lot of bottom end grunt. Pull seems to be more from the front (I went over the front on a few gusts and poor gybes where I probably wouldn't have on the Manic). The wind range was definately more than the Manic at the bottom end. It seemed to go a bit heavy in the overpower. Like the new Manic, I was getting A LOT MORE height on airs that with my old sails. In fact I pulled a couple of the cleanest forwards I have done with the Severne, a result of a bit more height and more control I suspect.

I did feel like I was enjoying the spot more than normal, just. So both sails seem a massive improvement on even my 2013 and 2014 Manics. Severne Blade - seems more for a heavy sailor. Both sails very stable. Feel like I can throw the Manic around a little more, board a bit more lively with the Manic although this is a mixed blessing with chop.

Now to answer the question I know you are all asking (well, maybe). Do I regret my purchase? No, but if I got the Severne quiver instead I don't think I would have regretted that either at this point. There both have their strengths and weaknesses but these are actually fairly minor. I am glad the Manics are much lower in price than they used to be or I think I would be quite annoyed. In terms of bang for buck I can see why so many people are using Severnes things at the moment based on the performance of the Blade.

Now looking forward to the REAL test, what is it like for waveriding. Might have to wait a while. This time of year is intermittent for that in SA, bring on a good Robe day (they normally start mid Jan). Hopefully I can keep the Severne until then!

Key point - both of these are a huge improvement over even last years stuff!

I sail manic in Maui and blade in Vic.

Im no expert and find them very similar. If I could note three minor differences.
The blade appears to have more control in the air
The blade has slightly more range
The blade has a neat little pocket to put the downhaul rope in.

I buy blade because Ben severne is an Aussie.

I swapped out my 2010 Gators for 2014 Blades at the start of last year. I didn't even try one before hand, but I love them. The one thing I really noticed, and I am no hot shot sailor is just how stable the sails are. I find the balance point is so stable and does not move around. You can just sail around one handed so easily, and you are never wrestling with the sail. Only when you get too over powered and should change down, but that will go for all sails.

I can see why they are so popular