Tried out: Extension GA Sails Carbon Team RDM in test - massive & filigree

The thick-walled extension with solid stainless steel fittings is available in lengths of 32 and 48 centimetres (189/199 euros). In the 32 centimetre length, the extension weighs 490 grams - a good compromise between stability and weight. The adjustment ring with joint and snap-on rubber can be easily opened and moved with one hand, the stainless steel pins snap neatly into the holes. The shortest adjustable length is two centimetres. The trim fitting encloses the lower end of the extension, has two transverse rollers and the clamp is located on the upper side when trimming. The low-stretch, smooth Dyneema rope is guided through the roller axis and enables a clean rope run for both, regardless of whether the roller block is sewn to the sail "normally" or rotated by 90 degrees (e.g. GunSails, Severne). When changing sails with a trim block, the rope only has to be threaded through the roller axle in the other direction once at the beginning, but this is easy to do thanks to the large diameter.

• Luff trim: How to thread the luff adjuster perfectly

The contact surface for the foot when trimming is not particularly large, but for an RDM extension, which is rarely used for 7.8 race sails, it is absolutely sufficient even barefoot. The smooth rope is easier to pull with the harness hook than with bare hands, but runs smoothly through the rollers and thus reduces the trimming forces. During our test, the extension was easy to detach even after extensive sand rinsing; only the flush integrated push button requires a little more thumb force due to the high spring tension.

Surf summary of the GA Sails Carbon Team RDM

A solid, but also filigree-looking extension with solid stainless steel fittings, which has proven to be practical for both castor variants as well as quick and easy to use. The features and dimensions promise very good durability.

• Info under https://ga-windsurfing.com

Tip: Incidentally, the GA extension is largely identical in construction to the Pro XT models from GunSails!

Lifehack: The magic loop - how to build a trimming aid for rigging sails