Windsurf MagazinePOINT-7 SALT PRO 4.7m TEST REVIEW 2024

The Verdict

The Salt Pro’s power delivery promotes a poised stance that will drive you into critical sections with ultra stable power at your fingertips, which you can turn on and off at a moment’s notice as you ride.

The Lowdown

In true Point-7 style, the sail is a smart, shiny black with grey angular cut-outs around a well-placed window. It’s not bold, but it screams, “I am here for business.” Rigged and at rest, the sail holds tension across the monofilm, with a very small amount of noticeable fall away at the leech which uniformly falls away to the second panel, but no more. Look closely at the sail and you will notice a Dacron luff panel, primed and ready to fill and breathe. It sits predominantly above the boom, working its way through the main three panels of the sail, aiming to deliver a slightly higher centre of effort toward the front of the sail. The Salt Pro uses a real mixture of materials in targeted areas to build resilience, which also compliments its performance. For 2024 Point-7 have integrated a second luff X-Ply Panel to add more control to the existing Dacron luff panel, giving more stability in the luff, while still maintaining the power being delivered, which brings additional control to the general handling of the Salt Pro.

Brand Claim

“Hitting the waves at high speed to pull out new school aerial wave moves, whether you are jumping or going for aerials. The right mix between drive on the bottom turn, but at the same time a neutral on/off performance going for the cutback.”

Performance

Straight off the beach, the Salt Pro doesn’t tug or pull you around aggressively. The Dacron luff panel fills and lifts you onto the plane with a smooth and soft transition from non-planing, to semi-planing, to top speed. The entire time, its power is stable and usable. If you need a little extra juice with a bit more urgency, the Salt Pro pumps well with well-timed backhand movements as you apply proactive input through the sail.
Once up to speed, the Salt Pro feels rigid and solid, thanks to the higher tensioned monofilm and well-placed materials that do a superb job of holding the Salt Pro’s well-balanced 4-batten outline. Holding its power slightly further up and forwards, it promotes the rider’s stance to be more front-footed, and poised, ready for the next manoeuvre, aerial, or radical turn. Over choppy water, the rig maintains its shape, and in turn, the power stays stable, allowing the rider to maintain an efficient and poised stance, driving the board in the desired direction. The Salt Pro handles lulls well, while also handling gusts with ease as it maintains its shape, converting excess power into stable, usable power for you to drive back down through the board. With a natural tunability it requires very little extra tuning to the downhaul or outhaul from the rider, it adapts very well to the range of conditions presented before it.

On a wave, the Salt Pro moves effortlessly through the hands, propelling you through the bottom turn and then up to the top for a critical hit. Here, you can turn the power off and immediately bring it back on as the Dacron luff expands and fills with power again, pulling you back down the face. In cross-on conditions, where you’re riding to your next critical section well-powered, clew first and the rider’s body twisted, the stable nature of the Salt Pro is noticeable, allowing you to focus on the angle of attack, while managing the sail’s movement and power precisely. The Salt Pro breeds a dominant riding style that still remains playful.