Windsurf MagazineGOYA ECLIPSE PRO 5.0 2023 TEST REVIEW

The verdict

The Goya Eclipse has the ability to take advanced riders to a whole new level. Punchy and powerful, this sail can produce huge spray and spectacular rotations. A real performance sail for performance sailing.

The lowdown

Goya’s two-year cycle saw the return of the Eclipse for the 2022 season, during which we tested the 5.7 in the crossover test. This year we have had the opportunity to test the 5.0 Eclipse, allowing us to truly discover its wave sailing potential. The Eclipse has been recommissioned as the brand’s 5-batten wave sail option, which Goya describes as their Variowave sail, focusing on improving range, power delivery and stability. Despite being a 5-batten sail, the Eclipse remains light, tipping the scales at 3.33 kg, which Goya are keen to point out is down to the material technology breakthroughs that have arisen over the last decade that are now re-establishing the pertinence of the 5-batten design.

The Eclipse certainly has some spark, even before getting it on the water, with its fluoro-yellow colourway standing out. Goya also hails this sail as current World Champion Marcilio Browne’s own pro model, another reason to be excited about this sail before you have even touched the water.

When rigged, the sail is simple to tune, with the rigging dot in the second panel from the top providing a helpful visual aid. When fully downhauled with Goya’s Hundred Pro RDM mast, the sail exhibits a medium to low amount of luff curve, while the foot of the sail produces a modest amount of shape. Four innovative carbon tendons extend out from the two titanium-ringed clew eyelets, bestowing the sail with improved strength whilst minimising weight.

Brand claim

“We are super pleased to re-introduce a favourite, the Eclipse Pro. A concept once abandoned in favour of 4 and 3 batten sails, 5 batten wave sails are back on the rise, due to lighter materials and build concepts developed over the past decade.”

Performance

With the south coast providing some classic gusty conditions for the Eclipse’s first outing, we had plenty of opportunity to find where the sail’s strengths were. Its breathable movement in the luff produces a deeper profile in the sail as the power is delivered. This quality, combined with a reasonable amount of sail area in the mid and upper panels, provides a real sense of leverage and drive whilst trying to get the board moving and onto the plane, a welcome ally through patches of lighter air, while the sails elasticity avoids any transition interference as it works continuously to produce a smooth ride. The sails draft feels high and forwards, adding to its drive quality whilst ensuring that as the breeze builds, every ounce of power assists in forward momentum.

On the wave, the Eclipse has the potential to produce some magic and powerful turns. When the powerful and forward draft is positioned well, the kit whips around at pace, making it almost impossible not to take a sneaky look back at the wave to see the resulting spray. In all conditions, the Eclipse imparts the rider with an immense amount of drive and power on the wave, however the sail maintains the on-off ability needed to reposition through the turns.

When rigged on the top clew eyelet, some gusts may leave you wanting a little more twist in the leech of the sail. A quick drop down to the lower clew eyelet produces this instantly, without the need to come in and play around with the downhaul settings. The increased twist produces more control and drastically increases the range of the Eclipse.