Neilpryde H2 Racing 8.7

On land: With a mast pocket so wide that several families of mice could easily spend the winter in it - made of very high-quality, lightweight material - and the longest boom plus an additional mega jib, the 8.7 looks huge. Surprisingly, the trimming forces remain within tolerable limits. On the water: Despite also only two cambers and only 0.2 square metres more, the H2 feels like a wall. Only after planing does the rather tired handling change into a very neutral and no longer heavy ride - the comparatively moderate holding forces ensure relaxed surfing. The H2 only moves when you want it to, otherwise it stands there like a rock in the surf and takes every gust as an invitation to take off again. In terms of performance, it is way ahead, but the freeride fun factor suffers from the somewhat clunky handling before planing and in manoeuvres. Compared to the smaller Hornet 8.2, it planes passively a little later and remains more controllable in strong winds - just as you would expect from a race-orientated sail.

Web: www.neilpryde.de

Mast used: NeilPryde X65 SDM 490 cm, IMCS 29, 2.3 kilos, 65 % carbonPrice: 459 Eurosurf measurement sail weight: 6.36 kgMast weight: 2.34 kg

Downloads:

Test freerace sail with camber 8.5 (pdf)