At GA-Sails, the Manic is the declared all-rounder for bump & jump and a broad wave spectrum. In contrast, the IQ HD is designed as a sideshore-orientated wave sail with maximum neutrality. We were able to test the sail on the North Sea
The GA Sails IQ HD on land
The IQ HD 4.8 (surf measurement 3.08 kilos) comes with a fully barred window, the tried and tested mast protector and double clew eyelet. Integrated carbon fibres are designed to absorb the tensile forces in the sail and guarantee profile stability over a long period of time. The profile of the IQ HD appears extremely flat, the battens are virtually without pre-bend in the sail. The necessary loose leech can be pulled into the sail with very little tension, which is probably also due to the fact that the 4.8 is still rigged on a 370 mast.
This is how the GA Sails IQ HD behaves on the water:
The pressure point of the IQ HD is far forward, the flat profile is quite agile and wants to be revved up with an active riding style in the planing phase. In general, you should be careful not to over-trim the sail at the luff and clew, as the already flat profile then appears somewhat lifeless. However, if the sail is trimmed more belly up, the damped profile loads up better and is wonderfully light and playful in the hands. The use of the upper clew eyelet also provides welcome additional power. It is also positive that the control is at a high level even with little loose leech and clew tension.
The sail shows particular strengths in terms of handling: the batten rotation is virtually imperceptible, the soft profile changes sides smoothly and flawlessly. You benefit from the flat profile when performing classic manoeuvres such as power jibes and duck jibes as well as when riding waves - the IQ HD feels like it can be steered with two fingers. On the wave, the profile immediately flattens out ("off") in the turn and allows you to surf turns just over the board like a surfer. Conversely, the sail offers a little less ground pull in front of unpressurised waves to carry the speed through the bottom turn.
Surf summary of the GA Sails IQ HD:
The IQ HD impresses with its excellent neutrality and easy handling, especially for surfers who are looking for a playful sail for wave riding and ambitious freestyling - because the IQ HD can also do this really well. If you are looking for a sail with good planing characteristics for bump & jump and typical North Sea conditions, the Manic or the IQ ME (test on www.surf-magazin.de ), the latter feels a little more bulbous due to its different material.
Technical data GA Sails IQ HD
- Sizes: 3.3/3.6/4.0/4.4/4.8/ 5.2/5.6 square metres
- Luff: 332/352/366/377/397/ 414/432 cm
- Fork: 137/143/151/159/167/ 175/177 cm
- Prices:949/969/979/999/1029/1039/1049 Euro
- Info: ga-windsurfing.com
