North Ram F12 7.0
Background
The Ram F12 is described by North as the “tough little brother” to their hard-core world cup race sail, the Warp. It is designed to deliver 90% of the performance of the Warp but with much easier handling. For 2012 the sail has been tweaked to make it lighter, give it even better handling and also more grunt.
At a glance
It has seven battens, with three cams and a moderately narrow luff tube. The North build quality is top class, with superb attention to detail, this sail is made to last and as such comes with North’s 5 year warranty.
Rigging
It sets on a 460 mast, and we tested the sail on a North Platinum 100% carbon mast. It is easy to rig and tune, with all of the usual North features such as twintrim clew and VTS (visual trim system), which are very effective for getting the sail tuning just right. We did find, for best performance, setting the down-haul to maximum before tuning with minimal out-haul.
Performance
It feels perfectly balanced and poised in the hands, the power feeds in smoothly and positively, which means it is quick to accelerate but at the same time, you’re in complete control. The bottom end performance and grunt are great and have been notably improved from last year’s model, so it gets going earlier. The range at the top-end is also very good, the handling is superb and it remains balanced and controlled regardless of how fast you’re travelling or how windy it gets, which really encourages you to push yourself and the kit hard. Round the corners its light and easy handling make it perfect for powering into high speed gybes in all conditions, the rotation is super smooth and you feel in complete control of the power through every stage of the turn.
The verdict
The Ram F12 is a fast sail, with superb handling and the widest wind range. It is a high quality product that is built to last and will suit serious racers and weekend speedsters alike.