GOYA MARK 7.2M 2017 TEST REVIEW
GOYA MARK 7.2M 2017 TEST REVIEW
OVERVIEW
Introduced last season, the Mark is Goya’s six battened freerace sail, sitting next to the refined freeride Nexus as their go-to blasting foil. It has had more than just a graphic update for 2017, yet retains the same increments and size options within the range. Available solely in yellow, it uses a lot of x-ply scrim around the perimeter of the 5mil monofilm main panel window, with great attention to detail to ensure longevity and years of service. It was tested here on one of Goya’s Direct Drive 70% RDM masts, which is slightly stiffer than most 460s, possessing an IMCS of 26. It is not surprising then that the Mark takes more effort than most in the group to downhaul, yet is very easy to set correctly thanks to the visual aid ‘dot’ in the top panel. Applying extra skin tension in the foot of the sail with the tack strap, the Mark has real quality to its set, with not a crease or blemish in sight. The profile of the draft is significant at rest, residing low and back in the foil, its depth capable of being fine-tuned through the outhaul, whilst all bar the bottom batten rest clear of the mast. We summed the Mark up last year by calling it a ‘powerhouse’, so it would be interesting to see how it got on against the class of 2017.
BRAND CLAIM
“Speed racing made simple. The new Mark is a quick to rig and easy to tune camber-less freerace sail that delivers breathtaking velocity on the water. With impressive low end torque and acceleration combined with easy handling when super powered, the Mark allows you to focus on your line and tactics rather than managing your sail.”
PERFORMANCE
Put simply, the ‘powerhouse’ description still stands! The Mark is a true weapon for making the most of marginal winds. It provides solid useable feedback directly to both hands, feeling balanced and positive as soon as the pressure builds. Rocking back into a comfortable committed stance, it accelerates purposefully through each gust, delivering the power to squeeze every last bit of performance out of any board. It was certainly one of the favoured sails amongst the team for those variable days we all too often experience, making the most of the gusts and providing the impetus to point high and charge through lulls. Partner it with an efficient freerace or slalom platform and the Mark will get it flying on its fin in no time, pushing the board to impressive speeds, particularly off the wind. The form of the foil’s leading edge is rock solid, and doesn’t deteriorate as the wind increases. Whilst the extent of the power delivery can be refined through the outhaul, the centre of effort remains fixed around the rider, which goes some way to explaining its direct and instantaneous nature. As such, the Mark will contend with anything that the elements throw at it; the more relevant question is whether you have the minerals to keep up with it?
THE VERDICT
Precise and direct in nature, the Mark offers constant useable feedback, whilst its ‘tight-as-a-drum’ structure provides reassuring dependability as conditions increase.
Other sails in this test: