POINT-7 SALT 4.8M 2014 TEST REVIEW
POINT-7 SALT 4.8M 2014 TEST REVIEW
BEST FOR
Heavyweights and those with a more skilled, powerful surfing style – especially in onshore conditions. A strong option for driving a larger board with as small a sail as possible.
RECOMMENDATION
Downhaul it enough to activate the upper leech in all conditions. There isn’t loads of draft considering the power, but a few cm of positive works well in strong wind and quite a slack outhaul – barely positive – works well in onshore and lighter wind. Use the Point-7 recommended mast. Without the correct P7 mast to-hand, we used Naish and Severne and MaverX models on all the P7s on test and all brought slightly different behaviours, the Severne probably being the most settled on the Salt.
BRAND CLAIM
“The Salt is our all out performance orientated 4 batten wave sail. With a high skin tension and tighter leech, Point-7 has creating a very manoeuvre and reactive oriented ride maintaining a slightly flatter batten profile. The Salt is fast riding on the waves, quick to respond and ultra light in your hands.”
OVERVIEW
Due to logistical issues the SALT was a late addition to this trip and therefore missed-out on our comprehensive off-water compare-and-contrast assessment sessions.
Outline: The Salt is fairly low aspect in comparison to this group and has quite a high level of luff curve.
Build Quality: Pretty much an all-x-ply with dacron trim affair.
PERFORMANCE
Launching any Point-7 sail for the first time always has one expecting tonnes and tonnes – and tonnes – of power from the get-go. The Salt isn’t quite the exception to the rule as there’s still plenty of poke there once you sheet in, but it is true to say the pressure is more refined than say, its Sado stable mate. First up, the speed and acceleration is very impressive – something that’s been a real characteristic of this group compared to generally softer sails of years gone by – which is a great help to reach ramps early, such as in the close-to-the-beach shore breaks of the main Médano spots. The generally compact nature also makes the Salt feel easy to flick about and control in moves too and all-round straight-line sailing reveals a balanced and stable foil. In the wave riding department the Salt really comes into its own. It’s very easy to de-power quickly and then throttle on as you need through the turn. The action off the top is formidable, with the low-aspect shape needing a little application and skill to control, but the compact nature makes it super snappy and easy to push a lot of power through the deck (and spray off the tail and tails!) once you’ve got your body positioning and timing right.
THE VERDICT
A gutsy, stable sail capable of impressive speed and mobility around the break. Although there’s easy on-off control in the bottom turn, the Salt needs a little application for the onshore pivot, but, in the right hands, can help execute devastatingly powerful cutbacks.
READ THE OTHER REPORTS
GAASTRA MANIC 4.7
GOYA BANZAI 4.7
HOTSAILS QU4D 4.7
NAISH FORCE R1 4.7
NEILPRYDE COMBAT 4.7
NORTH HERO 4.7
RRD MOVE MKII 4.7
SEVERNE S1 4.8