The new Severne Mach 8 sails are now online.
You can see from the specifications that the Mach 8 sails have become significantly heavier again.
For example, the 7.5 Mach 6 weighed 5.5 kg, the 7.5 Mach 7 weighed 5.78 kg, and the 7.5 Mach 8 is now listed as 6.03 kg.

The Mach sails used to be the lightest race sails on the market, but now they have become about half a kilo heavier within 2 years.
Does anyone know the reason for this?
Is Severne now using heavier fiberglass tubes?

The NeilPryde race sails, on the other hand, have become significantly lighter in the last 2 years, partly because they now use very high-quality full carbon tubes.

8.5 for a 90kg rider in 7 to 17knots, on what world does a 8.5 get a 90kg rider going in7knots?
also they say to remove all the cam spacers, why put them on there in the first place if you recommend taking them off?

Are these reviews or simply bagging Severne?

The reason for this post was the fact, that the Severne Mach sails have become about half a kilo heavier
over the last two versions (from Mach 6 to Mach 8), and I am interested in the reason for this.
No more, no less.

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BBsurfer said..
The reason for this post was the fact, that the Severne Mach sails have become about half a kilo heavier
over the last two versions (from Mach 6 to Mach 8), and I am interested in the reason for this.
No more, no less.

Probably the way the mast sleeve is connected to the body panels on these versions

Here's a review.
I have the 7.5, 6.5 and 5.5. Used them all. Had the M6 before. Are they heavier ? Can't really notice.

Are they awesome sails - you bet ! So does the extra weight bother me ? Not in the slightest. They have an incredible wind range and rotation is the best ever in a Severne and I've had them since Code Reds. There is a YT video somewhere of the explanation by a Polish pro sailor explaining what they had done to the M6 resizing to 7.5 instead of 7.8 etc to increase the wind range. What Ausbinny said about the luff pocket is probably spot on. Defn stronger in this area.
About the spacers - yes there have been some issues, with the M6 6.5 on cams being too tight and I've broken 2 masts to prove it. I spent some time with Ben S looking at exactly this and if removing spacers makes the cam sit perfectly flush to the mast, that's what you want. We shaved over 5mm on one cam to achieve this. So just make sure they fit nice and square with a little give when downhauled. The M8's fit beautifully in this case out of the bag but I did remove the spacer nearest the boom on the 6.5 and 7.5 - just as a precaution.
FTW - I have found that you can downhaul another 1cm on the 7.5 and 6.5 to get even more range out of it (and even pop the boom out one more notch than spec), after the first run or two when it's new. As an idea, I had the 7.5 working fine in 24 knot gusts on the Swan River last night and clocked just over 30 knots on a Patrik 115 and I only weigh 82kgs.
IMHO they are the best of the Mach race sails and I've had most of them.

When they make them lighter people complain about durability. When they make them durable they ask why they are heavier.

if you complaining about spacers don't use race sails. The Mach 8 feels lighter, more comfortable and rotates like butter.

Mmmm, butter.

Look who loves the new M8 Severne sail.
He does look good in red ????

Yeah much better than the ugly pink and purple colours. It looks extremely bright in that photo, wonder if it is photo shopped together.

?si=ltW67wJeUk56_91O

As an update on the cam issues. I now see that the Severne website under the Mach 8 recommends removing ALL spacers out of the cams including the silver one (!). At least until you see how the sail sits and stretches after a few goes. I tested this last week in a solid 20-22 knots seabreeze (in mid May !!) out the front of Rockingham Beach and whilst a handful to begin with, as I said above, an extra 1cm of downhaul and touch of outhaul solved it. Could have been on a 6.5 but with tweaking 7.5 was fine.

Might reinstall spacers slowly over time but for now, sail is humming ....

Saw a M8 at Melville and for a fresh out the bag sail it was one of the best Mach's I have seen. Luff material was drum tight with no wrinkles and the twist in the sail was perfect. Sail was rigged on a APEX blue.

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wa881 said..
As an update on the cam issues. I now see that the Severne website under the Mach 8 recommends removing ALL spacers out of the cams including the silver one (!). At least until you see how the sail sits and stretches after a few goes. I tested this last week in a solid 20-22 knots seabreeze (in mid May !!) out the front of Rockingham Beach and whilst a handful to begin with, as I said above, an extra 1cm of downhaul and touch of outhaul solved it. Could have been on a 6.5 but with tweaking 7.5 was fine.

Might reinstall spacers slowly over time but for now, sail is humming ....

Another update on the cam issue. Broke my first 430 Apex Red mast today right at the cam below the boom on the 6.5. This is after seeing all of this discussion and the rigging tip on the Severne website and having taken out all of the spacers including the metal one from the sail. Apart from the mast, the M8 is pretty well torn up as well after the breakage and the swim in.

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ptlonsdale said..

wa881 said..
As an update on the cam issues. I now see that the Severne website under the Mach 8 recommends removing ALL spacers out of the cams including the silver one (!). At least until you see how the sail sits and stretches after a few goes. I tested this last week in a solid 20-22 knots seabreeze (in mid May !!) out the front of Rockingham Beach and whilst a handful to begin with, as I said above, an extra 1cm of downhaul and touch of outhaul solved it. Could have been on a 6.5 but with tweaking 7.5 was fine.

Might reinstall spacers slowly over time but for now, sail is humming ....

Another update on the cam issue. Broke my first 430 Apex Red mast today right at the cam below the boom on the 6.5. This is after seeing all of this discussion and the rigging tip on the Severne website and having taken out all of the spacers including the metal one from the sail. Apart from the mast, the M8 is pretty well torn up as well after the breakage and the swim in.

I would definitely raise it with Paul at Revolution boardsports in Perth (Severne loft). That way Ben will hear it directly. When I spent time with him going over the issue and reducing cam widths (before the new rigging advice to remove cams), he was rightly so, very keen to understand why this was occurring.

Select to expand quote

wa881 said..

ptlonsdale said..

wa881 said..
As an update on the cam issues. I now see that the Severne website under the Mach 8 recommends removing ALL spacers out of the cams including the silver one (!). At least until you see how the sail sits and stretches after a few goes. I tested this last week in a solid 20-22 knots seabreeze (in mid May !!) out the front of Rockingham Beach and whilst a handful to begin with, as I said above, an extra 1cm of downhaul and touch of outhaul solved it. Could have been on a 6.5 but with tweaking 7.5 was fine.

Might reinstall spacers slowly over time but for now, sail is humming ....

Another update on the cam issue. Broke my first 430 Apex Red mast today right at the cam below the boom on the 6.5. This is after seeing all of this discussion and the rigging tip on the Severne website and having taken out all of the spacers including the metal one from the sail. Apart from the mast, the M8 is pretty well torn up as well after the breakage and the swim in.

I would definitely raise it with Paul at Revolution boardsports in Perth (Severne loft). That way Ben will hear it directly. When I spent time with him going over the issue and reducing cam widths (before the new rigging advice to remove cams), he was rightly so, very keen to understand why this was occurring.

Paul has left Revo i believe.