Which 4.5 sail for blasting?
I'm a 95kg intermediate sailor and trying to choose between Severne's 6 batten NCX or their Gator for those brown arrow/pants days. Just blasting back and forth on choppy flat water with the occasional chop jump thrown in.
Most people seem to choose a Gator in these small sizes but wouldn't the stability of the NCX be more beneficial in maxed out conditions?
I'm after more control than my current 15yo 4.5 wave sail provides in 30+knots. Riding a 111L Futura.
Why do most people choose a 4.5 Gator over the NCX for these conditions?

Cheers

I saw a Gator in a shop once, lower panel was heavy X-ply, that is the panel I hit the most. Maybe the name is supposed to imply it is built tougher than other sail lines? How often do you hit your sail?

I'd go for the ncx, the 4.5 is great for high wind, I had one before the small size overdrive came out, on an 80l Isonic, it went well in choppy water and stable in gusty wind.

I prefer the Gators but that might be because my 7m NCX was old and brittle where my Gators are new.
I imagine the NCX's will be a bit more stable but the Gators are easy to sail.

It says on their website:

NCX:
NO CAM SLALOM Engineered for performance, the NCX defines the no-cam freerace category.
IT'S RIGHT FOR YOU IF.
You don't want cams, and top speed and high-end stability are your main priorities. Suited to fast freeride, freerace and slalom boards. Improved performance in maxed, out of control conditions.

Gator
The Gator is an all-round freeride / freewave / blasting sail. Gets you going fast, and maximizes stoke.

IT'S RIGHT FOR YOU IF. You want to plane early, gybe easily, and make the most of any conditions on freeride or freewave boards.

Select to expand quote

Dezza said..
I'd go for the ncx, the 4.5 is great for high wind, I had one before the small size overdrive came out, on an 80l Isonic, it went well in choppy water and stable in gusty wind.

+1, but Gator may be nicer if it's very gusty, and way tougher when you crash!

Select to expand quote

Peter Hands said..

Dezza said..
I'd go for the ncx, the 4.5 is great for high wind, I had one before the small size overdrive came out, on an 80l Isonic, it went well in choppy water and stable in gusty wind.

+1, but Gator may be nicer if it's very gusty, and way tougher when you crash!

That is what I was thinking based on looking at the Gator sail in a shop and the name seems to imply that too.

Isnt a 4.5 ncx meant to be used in a lot more wind than a 4.5 gator?

You can hang onto a 6.5 ncx in atleast as much wind as a 6.0 gator.. Probably even more.

Thanks for all replies
It seems the robust build of the Gator may trump the stability of the NCX for my usage.