Had a Turbo GT for just over a year and Never really liked it so I I got myself a overdrive and what a difference. it's just better in every way.
easier to rig, mast just slides up
easier to de rig, mast just pulls out with out another person holding the top of the sail.
just as much low end grunt and easier to pump
cams don't pop off the mast if you want to let of the downhaul a bit in light winds
rotates just as easy maybe even easier than the Turbo
turbo liked being kept upright which felt like you where about to go over the front the first gust, and foot was high off the deck.
Wind range, turbo over 12knots is horrible, how a sail can pull so hard but go so slow is beyond me. Had the overdrive out in 10knots with long 16knot gust today and it was a joy, effortless and fast.
The overdrive is lighter on the scales and feels much lighter sailing.
the only possible negative is it might be harder to uphaul or waterstart if the luff sleeve fills up but it didn't hit the water today so didn't have to find that bit out.

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Ben1973 said..
Had a Turbo GT for just over a year and Never really liked it so I I got myself a overdrive and what a difference. it's just better in every way.
easier to rig, mast just slides up
easier to de rig, mast just pulls out with out another person holding the top of the sail.
just as much low end grunt and easier to pump
cams don't pop off the mast if you want to let of the downhaul a bit in light winds
rotates just as easy maybe even easier than the Turbo
turbo liked being kept upright which felt like you where about to go over the front the first gust, and foot was high off the deck.
Wind range, turbo over 12knots is horrible, how a sail can pull so hard but go so slow is beyond me. Had the overdrive out in 10knots with long 16knot gust today and it was a joy, effortless and fast.
The overdrive is lighter on the scales and feels much lighter sailing.
the only possible negative is it might be harder to uphaul or waterstart if the luff sleeve fills up but it didn't hit the water today so didn't have to find that bit out.

I have the turbo 9.2 from 2019 and an overdrive 8.6 M3 (and 7.8/7.0/6.2) and have rather the opposite experience.
I used the turbo with my JP SLW 165L in marginal conditions and get planing at 9-10kn, and can handle it up to 15kn (me weighing 82k).
I find the Turbo absolute light and effortless, cambers rotate easier, much smaller mast sleeve makes the sail much sighter for waterstarting. The turbo is easier for maneuvering.

The Overdrive maybe has more grunt, is faster and handles gusts a bit better. Agree that the OD is easier to pump. But it's a heavy slalom sail. The overdrive works only and exclusively with the Severne Apex/Apex pro masts as they are thinner. Even with an older Severne SDM 100 mast, the Overdrive cams don't rotate. The Turbo works also with older Severne masts and has no camber rotation issue.

In the end, I think it just depends on what you want. Turbo is a freeride-freerace sail for easier maneuverability. OD is a freerace-slalom sail for full locked-in slalom blasting.

best,
mariachi76

Not a heavy slalom sail, it's lighter than the turbo
i used them on a apex pro mast and have always found the rotation much easier on the overdrive, maybe a got a dud turbo? It's for sale if anyone wants it.

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Ben1973 said..
Not a heavy slalom sail, it's lighter than the turbo
i used them on a apex pro mast and have always found the rotation much easier on the overdrive, maybe a got a dud turbo? It's for sale if anyone wants it.

The current Turbo 9.2 and the current OD m4 9.4 weigh both 5.4kg.
The OD m2 of 2020 weighed 5.6, so it seems they new ones got a bit lighter - down to the 5.4 the Turbo always had.

I also use a new Apex pro 490 and find the Turbo 9.2 a quite nice sail. Managed to go 26kn with it on my SuperLightwind board.
I liked it, not sure if it is possible that you got a dud - I have 11 Severne sails and found they have a good quality and quality control.

Anyway, as you say best to sell it if you don't like it.

I love my Turbos.
I use my Overdrives for flatwater sailing..

I can't compare to much else but I really like my ODs.

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Ben1973 said..
Had a Turbo GT for just over a year and Never really liked it so I I got myself a overdrive and what a difference. it's just better in every way.
easier to rig, mast just slides up
easier to de rig, mast just pulls out with out another person holding the top of the sail.
just as much low end grunt and easier to pump
cams don't pop off the mast if you want to let of the downhaul a bit in light winds
rotates just as easy maybe even easier than the Turbo
turbo liked being kept upright which felt like you where about to go over the front the first gust, and foot was high off the deck.
Wind range, turbo over 12knots is horrible, how a sail can pull so hard but go so slow is beyond me. Had the overdrive out in 10knots with long 16knot gust today and it was a joy, effortless and fast.
The overdrive is lighter on the scales and feels much lighter sailing.
the only possible negative is it might be harder to uphaul or waterstart if the luff sleeve fills up but it didn't hit the water today so didn't have to find that bit out.

Perhaps it's the turbo lag, takes a little getting used to.

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remery said..
I can't compare to much else but I really like my ODs.

I would just stick with them, I've tried others and alway gone back to them. Almost went point7 until I realized not only would I need a new mast but my boom wouldn't of been long enough either

Select to expand quote

Ben1973 said..
Had a Turbo GT for just over a year and Never really liked it so I I got myself a overdrive and what a difference. it's just better in every way.
easier to rig, mast just slides up
easier to de rig, mast just pulls out with out another person holding the top of the sail.
just as much low end grunt and easier to pump
cams don't pop off the mast if you want to let of the downhaul a bit in light winds
rotates just as easy maybe even easier than the Turbo
turbo liked being kept upright which felt like you where about to go over the front the first gust, and foot was high off the deck.
Wind range, turbo over 12knots is horrible, how a sail can pull so hard but go so slow is beyond me. Had the overdrive out in 10knots with long 16knot gust today and it was a joy, effortless and fast.
The overdrive is lighter on the scales and feels much lighter sailing.
the only possible negative is it might be harder to uphaul or waterstart if the luff sleeve fills up but it didn't hit the water today so didn't have to find that bit out.

Hi Ben,

Ive had the same experience with the 8.6. I did have the Turbo GT, but it was hard work to rig due to the tight luff sleeve, and the top end was really poor. I got a 8.6 OD and love it. Way better wind range, easy to rig and i find it almost as easy to flick around. Take it any day over the GT. Its got to do with size and stability (and your weight), the bigger the sail the more difficult it is to create a stable frame, hence more cams, battens, wider luff pocket etc

I do have a set of M3 5.5 to 7.0, 7.8OD and 8.6 OD, plus a 7.0 TurboGT, Im 90kg. Yes thats right a 7.0GT. In the smaller size its great, i rig it on a RDM and use a light weight 160 carbon boom. It's a great free ride sail. The maneuverability is great, however the top end is not as good as the M3. If the swell is big and i don't feel like going hard at it, i prefer to use the GT and cruise around a bit, saving the M3 for the flat water.

I also had a 7.8M3, but sold it for for 7.8OD, as i find above 7.0 for me, i prefer to go the OD, as the M3 starts to feel big and heavy.

The 6.2 and lower M3's are really good no point in going OD's in my view, as they rig on a RDM, they have the smaller cams, rig on the smaller booms and are really easy to flick around