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HOT SPIDERSLIDE 5.0
Mast: 400/21 Boom: 167
Battens: 3.5 Cams: NONE
Weight: 6/2.6kg Speed: 3.70 Power: 4.00 Stability: 4.00 Range: 4.00 Wtrstart: 4.20 Overall: 3.98 Price: $419
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HOT SPIDERSLIDE 5.0
The SpiderSlide is new for 2000, a hybrid combining the design of the Slide and construction of the discontinued Spiderlock, which Hot Sails Maui claims was the lightest production wave sail ever made. Our 5.0 SpiderSlide, with only 10 percent X-ply, tipped the scales at a thin 6.0 pounds (5.94 claimed, and our less-than-ideal scale rounded off to the nearest half-pound), while the same Spiderlock weighed 5.83.
One of the new features is the “vario top,” a convertible top used with 430 and 460 masts. With a 400 mast (luff length is 420) the vario allows a fixed top, which saves weight.
The SpiderSlide began appearing in R&D sessions on Maui last May, and Henderson calls the sail “exciting, to say the least!” and says the response was so great it was shocking. We can only wonder why in 10 ratings, only three testers were excited enough to comment, and then only slimly. Could very well be their shortfall, not the sail’s.
SCORE:: (10 ratings)
Speed 3.70 Power 4.00 Stability 4.00 Range 4.00 Waterstart 4.20 Overall 3.98
COMMENTS:
“A great Maui sail.”
“Easy to depower on a wave face.”
“Cutout could be higher. Prefer the 5.0 Pryde NR.”
FUSION 5.2
In its third year, there have been a number of refinements in the 2000 Fusion, including a trimmed head allowing more twist, more X-ply in the top of the sail, and new leech battens. It has a deep, low draft, for power in the lulls. The luff and boom length have been shortened, while the roach (sail area between the boom and head) has been fattened.
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HOT FUSION 5.2
Mast: 430/25 Boom: 169
Battens: 5 Cams: NONE
Weight: 8/3.6kg Speed: 3.40 Power: 3.60 Stability: 3.60 Range: 3.20 Wtrstart: 4.00 Overall: 3.56 Price: $489
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The Fusion’s center of balance is farther forward than the wave sails, making it more conventional. Hot calls it the “luxury SUV of bump-and-jump sails.” Smoothness and “hands-free stability” is the boast. Our five testers who rated the sail found otherwise.
It’s hardly fair to make conclusions about a sail based on the subjective results of brief encounters with five almost-random sailors. But it’s a fair indication of what may be—especially if the rating is low. Testers often sailed but didn’t rate something because, for one reason or another, the session provided unclear feedback—and any reason for doubt was a good reason not to rate. When a tester reserved a rating, it usually was an unfavorable one. So the fewer the ratings, the higher the score tended to be. And because the 5.2 size was in great demand, it can be assumed the Fusion was actually sailed many more than five times.
But all of that said, it’s also true that with fewer ratings, one bad score can blow it all away. One tester, a good sailor, gave the Fusion straight 2’s with a 4 in Waterstart. He had a one-word comment: “Ugh.” It could very well have been improper tuning on this day. Feel free to also throw out this rating in your mind, if you like.
Among all the boards and sails, the Fusion evaluation was probably the most skewed by various and strange inconsistencies.
SCORE: (5 ratings)
Speed 3.4 Power 3.6 Stability 3.6 Range 3.2 Waterstart 4.0 Overall 3.56
COMMENTS:
“Very light, good range, well balanced.” Now this is tough. Personal subjectivity regarding semantics perverts the numbers. This tester gave the sail straight 3’s, which is quite a low score. But the comments are quite favorable. Go figure.
Now here is the opposite. “Very stable and powerful,” said one intermediate who gave it three 5’s and two 4’s. Two days later he thought less of it, and dropped his ratings in Power and Stability down to 4’s. “Didn’t like it,” he said. He rates it “good” in four
categories and “excellent” in the fifth, and he doesn’t like it. Go figure.
“Well made, good balance.” And high scores, including a 5 in Stability. From Steve Gottlieb, the Aerotech owner. He knows his stuff, and was very fair and objective.
STAFF:
Speed 3.75, Power 4.0, Stability 3.5, Range 3.5, Waterstart 4.0, Overall 3.65
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