Windsurf MagazineGA SAILS COSMIC 8.3 2021 TEST REVIEW

THE VERDICT

The Cosmic has adorned the ‘Freerace’ motif for this season and for good reason. Easy to rig and set, it demands very little rider input, yet provides crisp, exciting performance in return.

OVERVIEW

The Cosmic sits neatly in the GA lineup, between the no-cam freerace Matrix and the three cammed Phantom. This 8.3m is the second largest size in the Cosmic range and has the added versatility of rigging and setting on either a 460 cm or 490 cm mast. Tested on the longer of the two here (a 100 SDM), the two small cams roll easily onto the mast with the pockets open and a small amount of downhaul tension applied. There are no rigging guides or trimming marks offered, so you have to go on feel, yet it wasn’t much of an issue – the set of the Cosmic being clean and attractive; just apply tension until it looks right! The moderate luff curve forces a good amount of shape into the sail’s profile, albeit set back a little further than most in the draft. Meanwhile, GA are keen to point out that they have spent time updating the Cosmic’s leech outline and seam shaping, with the apparent effect of tightening the mid-leech whilst it actively falls away in the upper panels. Available in a straight red colourway or red-blue as tested here, its finish is excellent, with plenty of detailing niceties and material consideration: x-ply use in the luff, foot and clew panels and C-film in the upper panels to ensure visual longevity.

BRAND CLAIM

“This is the right sail for everybody, who doesn’t want to be overtaken by anybody at their local spot, without having to pass on comfort and ease of use. With the Cosmic’s already impressive low-end power we focused on adding control and performance in the top end.”

PERFORMANCE

We have had several Cosmic sails in the centre over the years and it has always been well received, offering plenty of bottom end grunt and useable torque to make the most of marginal winds. This year however, the feel and manner of the Cosmic has changed somewhat. The bottom end power is still certainly there, but it is more of a performance engine than its predecessors; more V8 than dependable diesel! It does feel its size before getting going, but quickly settles into a comfortable stance and accelerates willingly. The faster it goes, the lighter it becomes in the hands, really inspiring the rider to lock it in and push harder. As a gust hits, the extra energy the sail generates is tangible, pulling precisely in the hands and pushing the extra power efficiently into the board. The centre of effort is a little further back, focused around the rider, the feedback direct and engaging. Up to full speed, it feels more like a 7.5m than an 8.3m, encouraging the rider to enter transitions positively and confidently. And if the speed is maintained through the carve, the Cosmic rotates smoothly, the 220 cm boom length relatively short for this size of sail, whilst the cams click into place between tacks without any persuasion required. As the wind increased, we thought the tight-mid leech would begin to load up and show its displeasure, yet the twist in the upper panels seemed to cope admirably, giving the Cosmic an impressive wind range on one setting. A great twin cam contender, whose ease of use belies its performance potential, the Cosmic is compatible with every board, from the modern wide freeride right through to slalom boards, which in turn blesses it with real appeal through many rider styles and abilities.