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AMERICAN WINDSURFER MAGAZINE
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NEIL PRYDE SOUL 5.0, 5.4
The Soul is a five-batten, no-cam freeride sail with heavy doses of freestyle in the 2000 shape. Both Stone and Dunkerbeck provided input in order to give the 2000 Soul better handling and a lighter feel. “Race sail seamshaping” was used, to provide more shape. Plus BLT.
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SOUL 5.0
Mast: 430/21 Boom: 170
Battens: 5 Cams: NONE
Weight: 7.5/3.4kg Speed: 3.00 Power: 4.50 Stability: 3.50 Range: 3.00 Wtrstart: 4.50 Overall: 4.70 Price: $499
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SOUL 5.0
SCORE (2 ratings)
We think this sail was tested so infrequently only because of the stampede toward the Signature 5.0’s, the NR and Zone. Its low score compared to the 5.4 Soul (with 15 ratings) doesn’t jibe; but with only two testers’ opinions, the verdict could be anything. But here it is:
Speed 3.0 Power 4.5 Stability 3.5 Range 3.0 Waterstart 4.5 Overall 3.7
COMMENTS:
“Very powerful with a softish feel,” said Justin Miller.
SOUL 5.4
SCORE (15 ratings)
Speed 3.87 Power 4.26 Stability 4.0 Range 3.87 Waterstart 4.40 Overall 4.08
COMMENTS:
“Very friendly,” said Jim DeSilva, a dealer who seemed especially focussed on what will work for sailors out there. “Easy with good power. People say freestyle is not them, but in the case of sails like this, it is them.”
STAFF: Mark Archer gave it a 3 in Speed, 4’s in Power, Stability and Range, and a 5 in Waterstart.
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SOUL 5.4
Mast: 430/21 Boom: 176
Battens: 5 Cams: NONE
Weight: 8/3.6kg Speed: 3.87 Power: 4.26 Stability: 4.00 Range: 3.87 Wtrstart: 4.40 Overall: 4.08 Price: $509
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SUPERNOVA 5.4
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SUPERNOVA 5.4
Mast: 430/21 Boom: 180
Battens: 4 Cams: NONE
Weight: 6.7/3.1kg Speed: 4.00 Power: 4.13 Stability: 3.75 Range: 3.50 Wtrstart: 4.33 Overall: 3.90 Price: $349
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The Supernova is intended to be primarily easy to use. Mild all-around performance for non-aggressive intermediates, at a mild price. It worked for Pryde in ‘99, and hasn’t been changed much in 2000.
Another sail that claims to be the lightest freeride sail on the market, our four-batten 5.4 Supernova (5 percent X-ply) weighed 7.0 pounds, a full pound less than the same-sized five-batten Soul (10 percent). But half a pound more than the 5.25 Aerotech Carve, and one pound more than the Hot Sails Maui 5.0 Spider Slide. Keep in mind that the American Windsurfer scale rounded off to the nearest half pound, so these are hardly numbers you can take to the bank.
Pryde sent a $599 Fiberspar Reflex 6000 mast for the Supernova to be rigged on, evidently to see if the sail’s performance could be brought up to the level of some of the higher-profile sails. Very light sail, lightest and most responsive mast, most popular size… should have the testers lining up, right?
Wrong. The sail didn’t generate any excitement, except from Nevin Sayre of Fiberspar. Apparently when our testers come to Maui, they come armed for aggression. Maui time is too short for mellow.
SCORE: (4 ratings)
Speed 4.0 Power 4.13 Stability 3.75 Range 3.5 Waterstart 4.33 Overall 3.9
COMMENTS:
“Very responsive and light,” said Marco De Moraes, who gave it 5’s in Speed, Power and Waterstart. He noticed the mast, but not the name of the sail, calling it the Soul. But we’re assuming it was the Supernova; if it’s not, the score drops by a bunch.
STAFF: Nevin Sayre found the Supernova “amazing” on this mast, which is made by his company. He commented that he was planing when guys on 7.0-meter sails were slogging. And he’s a big guy.
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