Eating humble pie after I whined about 4 and then 3 batten sails and how they can't be as stable.

I've been testing a 5m S-3 due to the kindness of the Severne people. OMG it is amazing. Yes, really, even as a heavyweight - and all 100kg guys want 5 battens and skin tension and stability and a foil built-in that we can see ... right?
Not anymore....

I have used it a couple of times in a lot more wind than all the team riders would have - maxxed out sailing for sure.
Firstly it looks dumb rigged up, totally wrong. But oh how it works

It has about the same power as my 5.3 NP Combat. So almost as much as a 5.5 Blade would. The bottom end is insane, so much forward drive, really easy to get up onto the plane. Then suddenly you are planing and the sail disappears. So, so light and controlled.
And the range is just as wide too (yes really!). If overpowered, a bit of oversheet spills wind so harness lines back 20mm fixes it.
The forward drive makes it go upwind like crazy, today I reckon it was like tow-in surfing..... dragged up to the peak with heaps of power then a big release as I started riding the wave, zero power when I wanted it light and easy.

But then - it turns off when you want it to on a wave - like having a power on-off switch.
I always thought that flexibility in the foil would be a downside, but no - the "boing" is great! You can switch it off on a wave but then suddenly power it up and it shoots you off like a lacky band!! Brilliant. Love the boing.
I guessed at first it was only a pure DTL sail, but the ability to generate sudden grunt is great for ****ty conditions. I've made the most of waves that would have been a bit lacklustre before.

The lightness of the sail, especially with the 100% RDM I have used it with and the fact you are on a size smaller than normal, makes everything so much easier. It is hard to explain but to have instant on-off power and the lightness makes for a really lively ride.... so a wave that was just a bottom/top turn combo is now more playful with arc changes easier, an extra turn, and heaps of loft off the lip when you want it for aerials (not that mine are any good but I wish I had this sail 10yrs ago I'd have learned so many moves earlier).

It is divorce material as with more control and doing things easier I am sailing longer.... past home time.....

S-3 surely stands for Superb, Superb, Superb.

Or maybe Slash Spin Slash

I dunno. I just love it to bits.

So you finally made it on to the team...

Hey Mark, you say it doesn't look so good rigged, do you have any photos of it rigged

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Hooksey said..

So you finally made it on to the team...

Nup :(


and sorry Vince a no for you also, was too keen to sail.! We'll see...

Good one Mark!

I love my S1 Pro's but it sounds like I need to give the S3 a go too... Too many choices

Update - sailed on my 5.8 Atlas yesterday, powered up nicely and on my favourite board. Really didn't like it - the power is great but hard to switch it off so waveriding fully powered was hard.
I missed the S-3 ....... having lots of power and on-off ability is great for big guys and I like it in less than ideal waves. That's totally the opposite to what I thought it would be for (little light pro fellas going DTL). Yearning to use it again!!!!

Proof for those who don't believe it hahaha

[im






and look - everybody's doing it

Hey Mark,

Do you have any footage with ya fancy back mount thingy, or just the stills?

Cheers.

The sail sounds great but would you use it when things got critical. For example BOL ( that's El Presidente (Houston) I think).

Hey Mark I'll bite,
Send over the S3 and I'll test/review for the 95kg (+) eastern seaboard kook !
:-)

Yes!

i used my three battern sail on a fairly critical day at the same joint without much issue, went down on a couple this big and bigger sail popped up ok.

marks comments very similar to my feeling on the KS3, sounds like severne got the design correct on these ones, alot have come out with the three battern design, mixed results and feedback.

Al, AFAIK it is designed for big DTL....... thus why I am impressed about the ability in normal conditions.

Ben, can I send it to Kev and then keep it when he's done?

Hi DunkO,

I m also very happy about the KS3 as an 90kg + guy...sorry for OT

are those 2 pics the same spot ? where is it ? tassie ? looks sic

Good review Marky Mark.

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WindWarrior said..
Hey Mark I'll bite,
Send over the S3 and I'll test/review for the 95kg (+) eastern seaboard kook !
:-)

You already tried my S1 Pro ... you know it's good ... you know you want it!