Chris Freeman introduces Hot Sails Maui‘s all-new freerace sail, the GP2…
The idea of a more user-friendly version of a race sail is not new. I remember seeing the first of these sails hit the market some 20 years ago, at the time I was racing most weekends and being small I did consider a few options. In recent years such sails did fall out of favour but with the resurgence of slalom racing around the world it was not going to be too long before consumers were asking for something to go fast on that had the feel of a race sail but less of the fuss (and weight). In recent months I have seen lots of forum posts around the globe asking whether they should choose race or freerace for their new sail and what the trade offs are. Today we are introducing our all-new freerace sail the GP2 which is derived from the GPS. I asked Tom and Jeff the designers at Hot Sails Maui for their comments on this new direction.
What is the design concept of the GP2?
The GP2 fits in the gap between the Speed Demon which is an easy handling no-cam flatwater sail and the high performance PWA racing GPS. It has more power and performance than the Speed Demon but remains easy to use and rig. It has a deep draft with lots of twist to balance power and control. The GP2 (like the GPS) is supplied with two sets of cams for either RDM or SDM masts. The sleeve is as narrow as we could make I so it does not become a sea anchor when dropped in the water!
Who is it aimed at?
It is a freerace sail for the weekend racer who wants maximum performance from an easy to handle sail. It is super light, this helps greatly when gybing for those of us who have not quite mastered the art. Go fast with minimum effort. Those smaller sailors or new racers will benefit from this sail around the course, we must remember that slalom is not all about the straight line and most races are won (or lost) at the marks.
What materials are used?
The sail is built to be light but we did not want to compromise too much in terms of durability for which Hot Sails Maui is known so we chose a combination of 4, 5, and 7mm films. The 7.3m GP2 weighs in at 5.4Kk which is 1.01kg or 16% lighter than the GPs version.
Specs:
|
GP2 |
MAST |
MCS |
IMCS |
Head |
|
GP2 5.0 |
400 |
25-27 |
18-20 |
Fixed |
|
GP2 5.5 |
400 |
25-27 |
18-20 |
Fixed |
|
GP2 6.0 |
430 |
25-27 |
21-24 |
Fixed |
|
GP2 6.6 |
430 |
25-27 |
21-24 |
Fixed |
|
GP2 7.3 |
460 |
25-27 |
25-27 |
Fixed |
|
GP2 8.0 |
460 |
25-27 |
25-27 |
Fixed |
|
GP2 9.0 |
460 |
25-27 |
25-27 |
Fixed |
When will it be available in the shops?
The first of the GP2s are available for pre-order via the UK importer Anton at MDE Distribution – www.mde-dist.com
How fast it it?
It is very fast! We tested against our GPS and other full race sails during the 2011 Maui Slalom Series and it comes very close to matching the speed on a reach. The only areas it looses out to a full race sail is in upwind performance and stability at the extreme high end of the range. In light winds or comfortable conditions many riders actually preferred the easy handling of the GP2 over the GPS.
Anything else?
For most people this hassle-free version of a race sail will be more fun to sail and will be more competitive due to it’s light weight and easy handling, it is all about having the right tools for the job which suit your sailing location, desires and ability.
More at www.hotsailsmaui.com
