Maui Sails are pleased to announce the launch of their new 4-batten Mutant…
With nearly every sail loft producing a four-batten sail nowadays, it was only a matter of time before the Maui Sails team produced their own excellent version. Announced as the loft’s most progressive wave sail ever, Maui Sails state that the upper wind range issues often found with 4-batten sails are a thing of the past.
Over to sailed designer Artur Szpunar for a more detailed review…
“We are super stoked to introduce the Mutant, our newest and most progressive wave sail that goes beyond conventional thinking with its ultra-low aspect ratio and wind range previously unheard of in 4-batten sails. The Mutant is designed to combine soft, light handling and playful maneuverability together with balanced power and stability. The shaping and body tension of the sail have been carefully refined around the short outline keeping the sail composed throughout a huge range of conditions. The Mutant’s construction uses the most up-to-date materials for light weight and durability with generous use of our ultra-light and strong Technora scrim in the upper sail body, bomber 5-mil x-ply along the leech and foot as well as an oversize optical X-ply window. The name and graphic of the Mutant are inspired by the idea that the sail should feel so light and natural that it is like an evolved wing that is actually part of you.”
In development since spring of 2011, my original motivation for the first prototype was to test out the shortest possible luff length that I could make for a 4.7, in the hopes that it would help me pull off cleaner wave 360’s by both reducing rotational inertia and avoiding the dreaded “mast tip caught in the lip” scenario. As it turned out, this first prototype not only possessed the desired maneuverability and clearance, but the very compact aspect ratio and low center of effort gave it tremendous wind range. The sail was planing in the same wind as a 5.0 while remaining very balanced, light and controllable even when seriously powered. Of course it took several re-cuts and new prototypes since that first one, to get the tension and outline perfectly balanced but the result is magic. The sails have proven themselves through daily sailing sessions in anything from rough monster waves with howling, gusty winds to glassy surf with wind so light and offshore that you shouldn’t be able to sail (but you still do). Feedback has been tremendous from everyone that has tested the sails and the great thing is that not only do the light and middle weight wave rippers like it but big guys like Micah are in love with a 4-batten for the first time too.
Head over to the Maui Sails website to find out more (mauisails.com)
