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Severne Blade 4.7 ::
(Windsurf UK, Sept 2006)
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At a Glance
The Blade is a popular sail within Severne's team of sponsored riders, designed around the demands of Australian wave legend Scott McKercher, it has also found favour with top lady Nayra Alonso - testament to the sail's versatility. For 2007 the graphic of the sail has altered slightly, losing the forkedlclaw design in the main panel for a distinctive band of coloured translucent x-ply, which, combined with the MetaleX II in the upper panels, really makes the sail stand out on the water. Utilising various weights of x-ply in all but the main window, the Blade is built to last and possesses excellent attention to detail giving a real sense of a quality product.
Rigging and Set
As with its predecessor, the 2007 Blade sets with a lot of pre-shape in its draft, using downhaul to twist the leech off to the required amount before pulling on significant outhaul to lock the camber in place. There is a good deal of skin tension in the sail and an impressive tuning range to boot.
Ride and Handling
On the water the new Blade retains the exceptional stability and range we came to admire in it last year, yet combines it with a lighter more lively feel to give it even more user appeal for 2007. Using x-ply throughout its luff panel, the Blade feels powerful and precise in the hands as it is sheeted in, providing excellent
bottom end grunt and acceleration. The centre of effort feels as if it has been raised a little in the foil, allowing the rider to adopt a more upright manoeuvre-oriented stance than in the past. Nevertheless, it still drives the board forward with purpose, delivering power directly to it and keeping it pinned to the water, improving control in severe sea states. As the wind increases, the Blade shows no sign of losing its form, the leech twisting off efficiently to exhaust excess power. It's when you use the sail in the close quarters of an onshore break such as Cabezo that you really begin to appreciate its power, helping to punch the board back up the face in the shortest possible space before providing the energy for an expressive cut back. As such it does feel a little stiff and solid in
the hands compared to the S1, never going neutral as it is sheeted out, but with a bit of practice, you will soon learn to appreciate that extra reliable notch of power.
Plus: Bottom end, stability, range and sharp precise handling.
Minus: Look to the S1 for a more relaxed and accommodating ride.
- Great fun for use in a bump and jump role, the Blade was also one of the test team's favourites for expressive wave riding in cross-onshore conditions, coming well recommended for its power delivery, range and handling.
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