Wavescape 5.0 Green 2023

Windsurf Magazine UK :

The Wavescape offers on-off power across an impressive wind range, with more bottom end power than its appearance might have you believe. Its delivery is balanced and defined, put to best use by the pro-active manoeuvre-oriented rider.

OVERVIEW

With Loftsails adopting a two-year life cycle, we decided to swap the position of their manoeuvre-oriented sails in the tests for 2022, to avoid any repetition. The Purelip was reviewed in the 5.0m wave sail test, so it’s now the turn of the Wavescape in this crossover sail test – one of only two 4-batten sails in this review. Classed as their ‘Manoeuvre Wave’ offering, it was revised last year, with a higher aspect ratio and shorter boom length, intended to provide a more compact nature with improved handling. X-ply of varying weights are used exclusively in the Wavescape’s panels to ensure the sail’s integrity to cope with the most inhospitable environments, and there is certainly a lot of thought gone into its form, with a real finesse to its finish. The fully opening tack fairing, for example, just oozes quality, as does the double Dacron head panel to mitigate damage whilst rolling the sail. From head to toe and without a blemish in the panel between, the Wavescape maintains Loftsails’ reputation for high-quality engineering and competence. Rigged on a Team Edition RDM, it sets with a moderate to high amount of luff curve, the amount of downhaul tension recommended clearly marked with the ‘trim diamond’ in the upper panel. The resultant set is a super flat profile, with no rotation left in the battens and plenty of visible room for movement in the luff sleeve. The leech falls away significantly along its length and there are other hints as to the amount of wind the Wavescape can handle, with large mini-battens spaced evenly between their full-length counterparts, coupled with a concave-scooped outline between each batten for good measure. Available in two striking colourways, green (as tested here) or fuchsia, it is certainly designed to stand out on the water.