Windsurf Magazine5.7M CROSSOVER SAIL TEST 2024

5.7M CROSSOVER SAIL TEST 2024

The test team put the sails that are capable of handling pretty much whatever you throw at them through their paces!

Test Editor: James Hardy // Second Testers: Callum Blackwell, Maurin Rottenwalter

Photos: Tris Best // Locations: Portland Harbour, Hayling Island & Bracklesham.

VERSATILITY AT ITS FINEST

OVERVIEW

Looking at the 5.7m Crossover Sail, for me, and I know others will agree, that this size, if we want it to, allows us to sit on boards around the 100l mark, widening our window of opportunity to hit the water on smaller, more manoeuvre-oriented boards. For many coastal riders, this sail size may well be the largest in their quiver. However, at the same time, for some of you out there, this may well be one of the smaller options, as you ride larger freeride boards in flatter conditions and are aiming for speed, control, easy gybing, and rigs that handle overpowered conditions with ease.

The 5.7m Crossover sail has a plethora of boxes to tick off. On the one-hand, we are asking for extra power while remaining manoeuvrable, similar to that of a wave sail. On the other, we might be asking for the sail to remain locked and loaded, handle being sailed overpowered, and sit on a wider flatwater freeride-oriented board, while still feeling comfortable blasting over messy waters and having the ability to be manageable in the air, if and when, it is put through its paces in bump and jump conditions. To have all of these characteristics packed into one sail is a lot to ask and, in a way, the 5.7m has to be a jack of all trades – such are the demands – and the sails in question in this issue certainly deliver across a couple of the hands mentioned above or sit wonderfully into one. There is a sail in here that will suit everyone depending on what your personal desires are.

Due to the broad spectrum of conditions that this size sail may be used in by the end user, we have tried out best to put the sails on test through a vast range of water and wind conditions – from flatwater to marginal waves. Naturally, some sit more comfortably in certain conditions than others. However, one consistent theme that runs throughout the category is the stability within the lineup. Each sail delivers stable power, whether it’s riding, in the air, navigating a gust or powering through a lull – stability is a key ingredient in this category and something each sail offers in abundance.

Kicking us off in this test, we have the Goya Banzai Pro with a punchy attitude that likes to be ridden with an equally punchy manner, preferably on a wave if there is one going. Sticking with a strong delivery style, the Severne Gator and Duotone Duke offer some serious plug-and-play fun for the rider, with direct power which is usable across a spectrum of conditions. Offering a softer, yet stable delivery style, we have the North X-Over and GUNSAILS Re-Torro, which both respond well to rider input when conditions kick up a couple of notches. The GA Boost is the new contender in the group with a strong stature that requires a little more oomph to get going, but gives the user a strong and stable platform that will remain constant in a variety of conditions. Finally, both the Point-7 AC-F and Simmer Enduro offer a more freeride approach with a natural tunability in both, which allows the rider to really hunker down and blast when conditions are becoming more lively. The Loftsails Purelip 5.7m was added as a catch up test in our May 2024 issue.

5.7M CROSSOVER SAIL TEST 2024

THE LINEUP