GYBE

YOU CAN MAKE IT AS COMPLICATED AS ASTROPHYSICS, OR AS EASY AS WALKING.
PETER HART INDICATES THE EASIEST, QUICKEST, MOST JOYOUS ROUTE TO GYBING –
CARVED AND OTHERWISE.

When teaching the loop, the favourite
opening gambit to mollify the victims is to
say that the loop is, in fact, a lot easier
than the carve gybe and that the Moreno twins
could loop before they could gybe. Good news
for loopers but not such good news for aspirant
gybers. If the two most naturally talented
windsurfers on the planet would rather rotate 20 foot
in the air than risk leaning on the edge, what
chance have the rest of us? Well firstly, we would
help ourselves by NOT trying to learn it on the galetorn
chop of Pozo beach in Grand Canaria, where
the Morenos practise their art, which is probably the
hardest place to gybe on the planet.
Yes the carve gybe is complicated move – but only
in the same way that the golf swing is complicated.
The precision needed to smack that little white thing
with the right part of the club is amazing – yet lots of
people do it, despite a bizarre taste for tartan
trousers. If their game goes off the rails, it’s usually
because they’re thinking too much and have
become embroiled in their swing’s complexities.
Likewise carve gybing is straightforward at a basic
level if you keep it simple and believe in your body’s
natural ability to balance in demanding situations.
In part one of this short series, I will suggest what I
think is the easiest way to get into it. Then in part
two, I’ll suggest how to tweak it and adapt it to
produce that elusive Holy Grail – the planing exit.
WHERE ARE YOU COMING FROM?
In that massive holding tank that contains aspirant
carve gybers, you find two separate camps.
1 Those who grew up on big boards (wide or long)
and who have spent many happy hours light wind
‘flare’ gybing. Their problem is that they can’t adapt
those skills and techniques to cope with more
speed and power. Most of them are trying to flare
gybe on the plane, which leaves them fighting for air
in the back seat
2 Fast-trackers. They took up windsurfing because
they love the idea of going fast. Ambitious and
mildly fit and with reasonable guidance and modern
kit, they were in the straps and planing within a
couple of weeks. Not unreasonably, therefore, they
were having their first go at a carve gybe pretty
soon after. Their natural gusto allows them to carve
the board, BUT, having never bothered with light
wind manoeuvring, they have no real sense of
where the rig should be at various states of the turn
nor of how and where to move their body to resist
the ever changing forces of a rotating sail.
In essence, all that needs to happen is for these two
factions to get together, have a party and swap
ideas and talents and they’d all move on.
However, on balance the light wind gybers are in a
stronger situation. The problem for the fast-trackers
is that their raw ambition has driven them to learn to
carve gybe. What they really need to do is just learn
to gybe, whatever the conditions.
LIGHT WIND, STRONG WIND –PLANING, NON PLANING
There is not such a huge difference between a
planing and non-planing gybe. Assuming you’re
doing the ‘step’ version of the planing gybe, the coordination
and timing of rig and foot change are the
same. As you progress from non-planing to planing,
your body angles just have to change to withstand
different forces.
The end aim is to do, to feel, to react, to experience
and to learn from mistakes, avoiding getting
involved in the brain curdling technical analysis
which makes you move and function like a badly
oiled robot. However, having a skeleton understanding of what makes a board
turn and what the differences are, in technique terms, between a planing and
non-planing gybe can help sweep away a little mystery.
Off the plane, the steering principle is pretty easy to understand. All the turning
force comes from the rig. You use the rig like a paddle, pulling left to turn right.
By leaning the rig to the outside of the turn and keeping it powered, the
pressure down through the mastfoot drives the nose around – just like it does
when you use the rig to line the board up in the beachstart.
In terms of body position, you need to resist the forward and outward pull of the
rig and so drop in towards the centre of the turning circle and back over the tail.
On the plane, the board’s speed and the act of banking it on its edge make it
turn. The forces involved are complex, but basically the inside edge deflects
water (think of a plume of spray thrown up by a waterski). Thanks to Newton’s
‘every action has an equal and opposite reaction’ first law of motion, the water
goes one way and the board goes the other.
This may help explain why many carve gybes die. If you try banking the board
over at slow speeds, not enough water gets deflected to make the board turn.
And that’s also why, if you don’t carry enough speed through the gybe, you will
just sink on the rail and stop. This won’t be the first time you hear this, but in the
carve gybe, speed, although it may not always feel like it as you cannon into the
mast, is truly your best friend.
In terms of body position, you have to stay in balance with the acceleration of the
board and the centrifugal force of the turn by projecting in towards the centre of
the and forwards towards the mastfoot.
AN IDEAL PROGRESSION
In Nirvana, you, a 75 kg adult, take a wide board of between 150-180 litres.
Then using perhaps a 6.5 in 5-8 knots, you tackle the light wind gybe. With
every session the wind magically rises by two knots. More power forces you to
assume more dynamic body angles. On the third day, it’s a solid force 4. You’re
planing and start to ease into the gybe by banking it over and carving rather
than using the rig. The board drops off the plane half way through but you know
how to use the rig to finish it off.
When the next day the wind builds to 20 knots, you borrow a 130 litre model
which planes faster and which you can bank harder into the turn. You start to
carry that extra speed right through the wind and
suddenly you’re performing the rig and foot change
on the plane … and the following day you enter the
PWA Wave Finals and win. In the real world, you try
the carve gybe on whatever board you happen to own
and in whatever winds happen to coincide with your
day off. The first session it’s force 6 and raining. The
second session (4 weeks later) is 5 knots and foggy.
Whatever cruel hand Nature deals you, the message is
to go out in that light wind and learn to gybe with style
and consistency.
The light wind photo sequence tells a thousand
words. These, however are the key points that you
need to take with you from that light wind technique
into the carve gybe.
Feet Positions Perform the light wind gybe, where
possible, with the front foot in the footstrap. That means
setting the straps up in the friendly inboard positions. If
you don’t have that option and the wind is too light to
allow you to get anywhere near a strap, then at least
stand with the feet in the same relative positions as if
they were in the straps – i.e. one in front of the other,
the same as for the carve gybe.
Back hand down the boom Whenever you need
more leverage on the boom to sheet in – it might be
sailing in strong winds, going for a loop, duck gybing,
carving gybing or just light wind gybing - move the
back hand down the boom towards the clew. If you
don’t, it’s like trying to open a door using a doorknob
mounted in the middle. How far back you move the
hand depends on how hard and suddenly you want
to sheet in. About two feet back from the normal
sailing position usually does the trick.
Head steering the body Turn the head to look in the
direction you’re gybing and so many things will fall
into place naturally. Coming through the last half of
the turn, looking over your back shoulder towards the
exit of the turn, helps you stay committed and
orientated and gets the whole body moving in the
right direction. It’s just the same as for the carve gybe.
Back hip in The hips represent your centre of
gravity – your weight if you like. The way to resist
the outward pull of the sail (the pull that makes you turn) is to push your back
hip towards the centre of the turning circle. This is the same committed body
angle you need to take up in the carve gybe.
Counter-rotation (hips in, shoulders out) The key to windsurfing, gybing and
life as we know it, lies in being able to twist at the hips and get the upper and
lower body facing different directions
and doing different things. In the light wind gybe, you lean the rig to the outside
of the turn to create the turning force, at the same time you have to drop the
hips to the inside to resist the pull – shoulders out, hips in. Unless you angulate
at the hips, it can’t happen.
Sail powered In both gybes, the sail needs to be held at its most efficient
angle to the wind all the way round. Because you’re constantly turning, you
have to constantly alter the rig angle, sheeting out all the way through the wind
up to the point of rig release on the new tack. The timing of the change is the
same for both gybes – release on a broad reach and sheet in again across or
just off the wind.
Rig and foot change The action of changing the rig and stepping is also the
same. The key points to both are:
Rotate and move the front foot first (the one in the strap)
Don’t get too close to the rig and don’t put yourself between the mast and the
water. As the rig rotates behind you, ease the shoulders forward, and as you
throw the rig forward to sheet in, move the shoulders back.
When you release the rig to flip it, the mast has to be upright. For it to stay
upright when it rotates, the front hand has to slide right to the front of the boom
so it acts like a hinge.
THE CARVE GYBE
You probably will, as mentioned, first try the carve gybe in whatever wind and on
whatever water are available to you. However, let it be known that your chances
of success decrease in direct proportion to the size of the chop. The flatter it is,
the faster you can sail within your comfort zone. And speed, for at least the
second time, is the oxygen of the gybe. Without it you will expire. Then, of the
course, there’s the equipment. Please forgive me while I quickly go off on one.
KIT ISSUES
I was on this same soapbox in the Feb. issue of Windsurf. Sorry for the
repetition but I have to tell you about learning to carve gybe on very big boards
and what hardware and set-ups are going to help and hinder your cause.
Big, wide boards (approx 90 cm and wider) are, under the feet of most people
in most conditions, harder to carve gybe than smaller ones. It’s controversial
stuff, for surely volume lends you extra momentum and therefore extra time and
room for error? And, surely they plane in lighter winds, which will also make life
easier. Well no – not really.
They plane in lighter winds because they can support a huge rig. But then using a
big rig (8.0 plus) to learn to gybe is a nightmare. It’s slow and unwieldy to flip and
(accepting the fact that you WILL fall), it’s exhausting to recover from the water.
Ok so you wait for a little more wind and load it with a smaller rig – a 6.5. But
take a 200 litre and 130 litre board with a 6.5 in the same 15 knot wind and the
smaller board will plane earlier. It’s simple physics. There’s less of it so it needs
less power to push it along. If the thought of sailing a 130 spooks you, then
unless you’re a giant and genuinely need the volume of the bigger board to
float you, then it’s possible you need a few more happy reaching miles under
the belt before giving the carve gybe a try.
Footstraps All boards (big and small) are easier to gybe when the front straps
are mounted inboard near the centreline. The problem of using the inboard
settings on a very wide board is that it’s hard to control the board in a straight
line. The outer settings meanwhile leave you with a wildly wide and
uncomfortable gybing stance.
In the photo sequence, I am using a 180 litre allrounder with the front straps half
way between the rail and the centre-line - a good compromise.
…And a word about training straps … Most wide allrounders offer a variety of
positions for forward training straps, which are good for helping you get used to
the feeling of footstraps at low speeds. Given a marginal breeze you can even
get a sensation of semi-planing. But AVOID them for carve gybing for 2 reasons.
1 You’re standing too far forward to control the angle of the inside edge.
2 If the wind gets up even a little, you find yourself way too close to the rig and
are fighting for survival at which point carve gybing is scrubbed from the
agenda. Wherever possible, use the straps that are at the same level as, but
inboard of the most aggressive positions.
Strap adjustment Get into good habits from day one by making sure the strap
accommodates your whole foot to the point where you toes are visible. It
becomes ever more important as you look to gybe smaller board.
NOW LET’S DO IT
Being able to do a tasty non-planing gybe with a confident rig and foot change
leaves you in the happy position of being able to focus on what is really
important in the carve gybe. Think of nothing but the following and you have a
good chance of scoring a dry one. Details can be added later.
1 Speed IN Abolish all thoughts that slowing down will somehow buy you
more time as well as reducing the risk of a serious impact injury.
It’s just the opposite.
With speed comes stability as the board sits higher in the water.
You have more momentum and so can describe a longer arc –
that’s the way to buy time.
The apparent wind moves forward and the power in the sail softens,
which allows you to drive the board into the turn without the rig pulling you
out of shape.
2 Preparation – maintain speed It’s all very well reaching towards the gybe
with the speed of a bolting mustang but you have to be able to carry that speed
into the turn. In the preparation phase of the gybe, you need to check for
strangers, move the back hand down the boom, move the back foot from the its
strap to the inside edge and unhook (the common sequence) without upsetting
the general trim and balance. Basically you have to stay sheeted in and do all
the above across the wind before you bear away.
The trick is to make all movements subtle. You don’t need to heave on the
boom to unhook, a gentle tilting of the hips will suffice. You don’t need to move
the back foot onto the inside edge as if you were crushing a cockroach –
just slide it across.
You can learn to carve gybe on just about ANY board. The 180 litre
allrounder in the main sequence is fine, especially if your chosen sailing
area is famous for iffy breezes. However, this is the preferred scenario for
anyone keen on making the gybe more than just a means of turning
round. 130 litre board, 6.5 sail, 18 knots of wind AND… look at the water,
gloriously flat. Chop is as helpful as tying a bucket to your fin.
The smaller lighter board actually planes earlier and will be faster. Athough
more sensitive to leaden feet, it has the potential to carry more speed
through the back half of the turn. With speed, the rig and foot change, the
traditional stumbling blocks, are a pleasure.
Unhooking persuades many, through laziness it has to be said, to open the sail.
Instead, grit the teeth a little and take the strain on the arms by extending them
and just lowering your backside. Hold still, give it a second to settle – you’re
ready.
3 Body anticipation When you bear away and carve, the board will accelerate
and change direction. You need to take up a position where you can dominate
and drive the rail to balance the forces thrown up by a fast turn. It’s like riding a
bike. You bank into the corner – then you turn the handlebars. Turn the
handlebars first and you carry straight on in to the hedge. Stamp on the rail to
start the carve with your body still hanging back over the tail and the board
carries on the gybe without you.
The secret lies in a gradually bearing off wind and letting the rig pull you
forward and inboard so you don’t start carving the board until your shoulders
are over or in front of the feet.
4 The Carve The best advice you will ever hear is “keep an even pressure on
the inside edge and all else will fall into place.”
Banking the board to carve it round is a joyous event. Imagine a pedal under
your foot supported by a strong spring. You have to gradually push the pedal
down and then hold it there until you’re through the wind. If you release it
prematurely you will catapult off the back.
If you physically can’t hold the rail in, you’ve lost your shape, dropped back or
stood up too tall. Bend the ankles to project the body forwards and bend the
knees so the legs can work like pistons and keep that rail buried.
Controlling the turning edge and keeping the board carving at the right angle
despite lumpy seas is an acute skill developed through many arcs.
5 The rig – keep it simple.
The rig’s role in the carve is simpler than for the non-planing gybe. It’s not
providing a turning force (unless you drop off the plane) – just forward power to
pull you through the turn. Through most of the gybe up until the rig change, if
you look forward, you should see your front hand, the mast and the nose of the
board all in a line. Just as with the non-planing gybe, don’t forget to keep
opening the sail all the way round to keep presenting the maximum surface to
the wind.
It’s at this stage, that you might be craving intimate details about how to
complete the perfect rig and foot transition because that seems to be the stage
where it always goes wrong. Sorry to disappoint you but a scrappy end is merely
the symptom of a flawed beginning and middle. A sweet rig and foot change is
impossible if you’ve lost speed, body form or generally been thrown out of
shape. In the carve gybe, as with just about every other sporting endeavour, do
the basics well and all else will follow.
Having said that, next month I will be looking at how some attention to detail
can take you to the next level of gybing.
IN THE MEANTIME:
• Embrace your speed
• Start settled
• Anticipate the change in direction
• Let the rig pull you into the turn (don’t fight it)
• Look the way you’re turning,
• Lead with the hips
• Keep an even pressure on the inside edge

Tushingham Lightning 7.0m

The Lightning has been in the Tushingham lineup
for several years now and has had a complete
makeover for 2006. Incorporating the brand’s
new ‘airframe’ concept (designed to lock stability
into the foil whilst offering the best strength to
weight ratio), their Optic-2 x-ply material and
alternating batten system (to make the sail
symmetrical on both tacks) it is a very well
engineered sail. The attention to detail on
Tushinghams is constantly refocused, with the
new Lightning now boasting an easy-access 3Dmoulded
tack fairing (although we do think it
could be extended to cover the UJ as well), a
strap-on cord and rubber abrasion pads in all the
vulnerable areas.
Rigging and Set
Proving extremely easy to rig for a cammed sail,
the Lightning’s two cams remain on the mast
whilst the mast is sheathed. With an extensive
tuning range available, the draft is locked well
forward irrespective of the tension applied, the
leech twisting off smoothly and progressively.
Ride and Handling
On the water the Lightning has a superb natural
range on one set, providing good bottom end
drive and remaining well balanced in variable
conditions. The power delivery is very progressive
and easy to handle, the low forward centre of effort
making the sail accelerate positively in the hands
as it pushes the board onto the plane. The foot
shape of the Lightning is very low with a lot of area
underneath the boom, and as such it is easy to
lock down into a secure stance, whilst the mast
remains very upright and driving forwards. Feeling
easy and composed throughout its impressive
wind range, the sail’s subtle built-in softness (due
to the Dacron luff panel) also makes it incredibly
versatile, allowing the sailor to a adopt a variety of
stances, from upright and cruising, to locked in
and exploring the sail’s excellent top end. It may
not offer the ultimate speed or precision of some of
the more race-oriented sails in the group, yet the
Lightning’s forgiving nature and ease of use makes
it one of the most practical here, being more
relaxing to sail for long periods and requiring less
concentration or technical ability from the sailor. In
transition, the sail’s swing weight is minimal whilst
the battens rotate cleanly onto the new tack.
For: Wind range, easy handling, all-round
performance and user range.
Against: Tack fairing could be extended to cover
the UJ.

North sails Daytona 7.3m

The Daytona is North’s cammed freerace sail,
which they proudly state is ‘all about speed’.
Incorporating three of the brand’s intelligent Hyper
cams that have their rollers right on the corners,
the sail has been developed from their race series
and is designed to match top end performance
with impeccable handling. A very detailed and
attractive looking sail, it has all the latest features,
including a TT.Top, stiff box battens, abrasion pads
on the batten ends and head cap, seam beading
in the foot and their Easy.T elastic cord for holding
the rolled sail together.
Rigging and Set
Rigging the Daytona requires you to sleeve the
mast up the luff tube beside the cams, and apply
significant downhaul (nigh on the stated increment)
and outhaul tension before popping the cams on.
There is a pocket on the luff tube for each cam will
help you carry out this process. The moderate
downhaul tension needed is easy to apply thanks
to the efficient tack roller pulley, and the VTS
trimming guides are very useful, accurately
displaying the tuning range available. Irrespective
of set, the Daytona sets with quite a shallow profile,
whilst the leech falls away progressively.
Ride and Handling
On the water the Daytona provided the top end
performance to match any here, with the stability
and power to partner the most demanding slalom
board. Preferring to be used in powered conditions,
its shallow draft doesn’t generate masses of bottom
end power, yet accelerates with interest once
enough wind is there. Perfectly balanced and stable
in the hands, it physically accelerates in every gust
and transfers the power to the board, pinning it
down and charging efficiently through both gusts
and lulls. With a low clew eyelet, the boom angle is
very racked back, encouraging the rider into a
locked-in posture and providing a great deal of
control over the rig. In severe winds, the Daytona is
incredibly composed, never doing anything
unexpected as it vents excess power, the leech
profile twisting off smoothly without any hint of
flutter. Slipping efficiently through the air, the
ultimate speed of the Daytona is stunning,
delivering power smoothly whilst feeling solid and
dependable in the hands, rather than ultra light or
precise. In transition the swing weight of the sail is
minimal, although we did find the Dacron luff tube
presented a noticeable issue when tacking in
strong winds, filling with wind and making the sail
slightly heavy to reposition.
For: Top end stability and speed.
Against: Bottom end power

Verdict
The Daytona does exactly what is says on the
tin, providing exceptional stability and speed to
cater for the most power hungry freerace/
slalom board.

Neil Pryde V8 7.0m

The V8 is Neil Pryde’s twin cam freerace sail,
providing the benefits of the brand’s
distinguished racing program in a more userfriendly
package. Well engineered and detailed, it
incorporates the latest inset boom concept
(intended to help stability and handling), as well
as features such as a Flexhead configuration, an
extended easy access tack fairing, a strap-on tag,
and lightweight mini-battens along the leech
made from thin strips of composite material.
Rigging and Set
Despite looking rather intrusive, the rigging guide
printed on the luff tube of the V8 provides clear
instructions on how to rig the sail, popping the
cams onto the mast after some outhaul and
downhaul tension has been applied. The
provided increments were accurate, the sail
relying on its natural range instead of any tuning
adjustment – any less tension failed to lock the
centre of effort, allowing it to shift around and
affect the sail’s handling characteristics.
Ride and Handling
On the water the V8 feels much smaller than a
7.0m, partly due to the short boom length with its
inset clew cringles, and partly due to its subtle
power delivery. Light and precise in the hands, the
centre of effort is placed quite high and far back in
the sail’s draft yet doesn’t generate a great deal of
bottom end punch. Instead, the V8 comes into its
own in comfortably powered and overpowered
conditions, where getting onto the plane is not an
issue; it’s how the sail performs once there that is
its key. With a definite race-oriented edge, it has a
seemingly limitless top speed, accelerating through
every gust and complimenting the most efficient
slalom board well. Even in the most severe
conditions the sail’s handling is impeccable, the
raked boom angle helping to lock it in place as it
remains supremely light and balanced, the leech
twisting off very smoothly without a hint of flutter.
Slipping through the air it is incredibly efficient and
glides through lulls as if they’re not there, although
the rider has to be conscious of resisting the
temptation to over-sheet the sail, such is its light
handling. In transition the sail’s short boom length
makes it very easy to reposition during manoeuvre
– a particularly welcome asset, especially when
using the V8 in challenging conditions. One of the
more specialist contenders in this group, the V8 is a
scintillating sail to use with the most high
performance boards, combining raw speed with
controlled handling.
For: Top end efficiency and handling.
Against: Subtle bottom end power delivery.

Verdict
The V8 is a true racing thoroughbred, coming
into its own in overpowered conditions where its
speed and handling is enough to partner the
most demanding board and rider.

Naish Redline 7.0m

The Redline is a new sail for the Naish line-up,
neatly filling the gap between their record-breaking
Stealth and their no-cam Sprint freeride sail.
Classed as their dedicated race/slalom sail for real
world sailors, it includes three of the brand’s new
‘SNAPCAMS’ to provide ‘serious race sail
performance in an easy handling package’. The
Redline incorporates some of the latest design
features (fold-over seaming in the foot, a strap-on
to hold the rolled sail in place, and an inset clew
eyelet), but we did think the overall finish of the
Redline wasn’t quite up to the high standards of
Naish’s wave sails. Little details (such as the foot
beading stopping before the bottom batten, and
abrasion pads only on the top three battens)
have been stripped out to lighten the sail.
Rigging and Set
The Redline uses two types of material in the luff
tube (a lighter weight Dacron above the boom
cutout and a more abrasive resistant Dacron
below), with a single pocket sewn into the
lightweight sleeve for the highest cam. Rigging
the sail was straightforward, requiring the sail to
be tensioned on both the downhaul and outhaul
before popping the cams on. There is a moderate
tuning range available on the downhaul (the roller
tack pulley helping to apply the tension), whilst a
positive amount of outhaul used to fine-tune the
power delivery.
Ride and Handling
On the water the Redline combined excellent stability
with crisp handling, making it very manageable in
overpowered conditions, especially for lighter sailors.
Adjusted for marginal winds, the sail is very light in
the hands, with a moderate amount of camber
locked low and forward in the draft. As such, the sail
generates a subtle, focussed amount of bottom end
power rather than real punch or grunt, requiring a
delicate approach to get the most from it. Once
going it is easy to lock into a comfortable stance,
feeling balanced and precise, the boom angle ideal
for this style of sail. As the wind strength increases,
the Redline relies on its tuning range, using more
tension to lock the centre of effort in place and allow
the leech to twist off smoothly. Very easy and
dependable in severe conditions, it remains
manageable even for the less aggressive rider,
instilling confidence as it accelerates through the
gusts and pins the board down. In transition the
sail’s excellent handling character is once again
apparent, being easy to manoeuvre and reposition
through the turn, although we did find the cams
sticking a little in rotation, particularly when the
sail is on its maximum setting.
For: Top end stability and light handling.

Verdict
With a more subtle power delivery than the rest
here, the Redline is particularly suited for riders
of 75kg and below, or anyone looking for a high
level of performance combined with superior
handling.
Against: Less detailing than expected.

Gaastra GTX 7.0m

The GTX is classed by Gaastra as their ‘freerace
speed-machine’, providing cutting edge
performance without the hassle of opting for a full
on race sail. Incorporating three cams, it has a
moderately wide luff-tube made from lightweight
Dacron and an ultra light laminate scrim borrowed
from yachting technology, which doesn’t stretch in
the slightest. Designed by Dan Kaseler, it boasts
real attention to detail, including fold-over seaming
and seam beading in the foot, a strap-on tag, an
easy access tack fairing and abrasion pads on the
batten ends. Stunningly well engineered, it has a
very attractive state of the art appearance and
really draws the eye on the water.
Rigging and Set
For a three-cammed sail, the GTX is very easy to
rig, although take care whilst sheathing the mast
as the race-technology Dacron luff tube is very
lightweight. The cams remain on the mast as you
explore the sail’s good tuning range through the
moderate downhaul and slight outhaul tension
required. Setting beautifully, it is a particularly
clean looking sail, with not a crease in sight
throughout its panels. The one aspect of its design
that we would change is the roller clew cringle,
although perhaps suited for adjustable racing
outhaul setups, simply creates a hindrance for the
larger market.
Ride and Handling
The GTX is truly magnificent sail admired by all who
used it, combining the stability of the finest race sail
with the handling and ease of a freeride foil.
Incredibly light and balanced in the hands for a
cammed sail, it has a wide natural range and
generates good bottom end power, delivering it
directly to the board. Accelerating like a rocket, it is
super efficient and slips through the air, gaining
more speed with every gust. Partnered with a
freerace or slalom board, it is a devastating weapon
and remains perfectly balanced throughout its
massive wind range. Sailing in overpowered severe
conditions, it’s awe-inspiringly stable and never
loses its manners or tries to pull the rider’s stance
out of shape; in fact, it is hard to see how a race
sail could offer any more performance without
compromising the sail’s handling. In transition, the
GTX’s cams rotate smoothly and easily, its low
swing weight and precise handling making it easy
to reposition during the turn, feeling much smaller
and more manageable than a stereotypical 7.0m.
Providing the performance to match its state of the
art appearance, the GTX has matured to become
the stuff of legend – well done Dan Kaseler!
For: Everything about this sail oozes quality!
Against: Take care whilst rigging, as the luff tube
material is very lightweight.

Verdict
Undoubtedly one of the finest cammed sails
we have ever had the privilege of using, the
GTX has masses of user appeal, coming highly
recommended for recreational blasters right up
to the most serious racer.

THE NATURE OF THE BEAST

SAILS ON REVIEW:
Gaastra GTX 7.0m
Naish Redline 7.0m
Neil Pryde V8 7.0m
North Sails Daytona 7.3m
Tushingham Lightning 7.0m

Like the slalom boards tested earlier in this
issue, freerace sails are designed to be used
in overpowered conditions, and quite possibly
in a race environment. The five contenders
that we have on review here are some of the
most stable and advanced camber induced
sails we have ever had the pleasure of using
…but which one is ideal for you?

The first question you need to ask yourself is whether a freerace sail what you
are really after. What is your sailing style? Where do you sail and what level of
performance are you looking for? Freerace sails are the next step up from a
twin cammed sail, often (although not always) incorporating three cams and
specialising in powered or overpowered conditions. Their true niche is offering
top end stability and control along with raw speed, ideally partnering efficient
boards that thrive on being loaded. They have evolved to fill the gap neatly
between the twin cam (designed to perform across a
wide range, including the provision of bottom end
power to un-stick the modern widestyle board), and the
race sail, to offer a level of performance close to that of its nocompromise
sibling, whilst being lighter to handle and more
practical to rig and tune. With the re-emergence of slalom sailing and
renewed enthusiasm for high performance cammed sails, the development in
the freerace sail market has stepped up a gear this season. We have included
the Tushingham Lightning in this group to act as a benchmark all-round twincam
contender, giving us something to compare the performance of the more
specialist freerace sails with.
So to answer the original question of whether a freerace sail is the appropriate
route to go down, ask yourself what type of board you intend to partner it with.
All the sails here are impressively stable and will continue to drive power into the
board with every gust. If the board you are using has reached its speed limit and
can’t handle any extra surges of power, the energy has nowhere to go but
through you as the sailor, which will present control issues and begin to pull your
stance out of shape. In other words, these sails need to be coupled to a board
that can cope with their efficiency. Relating it to cars, you wouldn’t use a Ferrari
to pull a caravan for instance … the refined engine wouldn’t have the bottom
end torque to be comfortable whilst its high performance and speed would go to
waste. Staying with the car theme, you buy a head-turning car like a Ferrari if there is the chance to enjoy the performance on offer, be it round a race course or on the German autobahns… (Either that or you just want to publicly display how
deep your pockets are to compensate for other appendages you own!) There is
no point owning one if all you’re going to use it for is quick runs to the local
newsagent and a leisurely Sunday drive through the countryside. These sails
are designed to be sailed hard and aggressively; to provide the impetus and
consistency to challenge yourself in the most testing conditions.
WHY GO FURTHER?
It has to be said once again that the five sails here are undoubtedly some of the
most impressive cammed sails we as a test team have ever tried. Such is the performance level and range available that it presents the question of why go
for a full-on race sail? The extra speed and efficiency they may offer will
undoubtedly come at a cost, the most likely being the practicality of rigging the
sail as well as its handling. The choice is of course yours, but in our opinion,
unless you are a serious racer competing at the very top flight, these freerace
sails offer more than enough for most.