Severne Reflex II - who has experience with it ?

[BelSkorpio]

Hi,

I have been doing some reading about the Severne Reflex II system.
http://www.severneracing.com/reflex_system.php

It looks like a nice concept, those reflex batten tensioners.

Myself, I have never used the Severne sails and have no experience at all.
I also don't know of another sail brand that has this reflex system. Perhaps there are, I don't know.

Does anyone have real experience with it ?

[marekk]

Hi BelSkorpio,

Nobody answered for your question, thus maybe my answer will be helpful for you. I never ride on this sail, but last season I talked with Steve Allen and Wojtek Brzozowski about Reflex. They claim it is working perfect - you can adjust performance of sail for different winds and how it should reacting for gusts. Sailing overpowered is becoming safer and more effective.

But in my opinion (and many other nonprofessional windsurfers):
1. Sailor need experience with this adjustment to achieve effect of improved ride
2. You must be very experienced sailor If you need to have significant benefit from this.

After that talk I felt myself interested, but I'm not convinced that it is solution for me.

I hope my answer is helpful a little...

[BelSkorpio]

Hi Marek,

Thanks for the response. At least someone who is reacting

I think, Severne has made a very nice video of how the reflex batten tensioners are supposed to work:
http://www.severneracing.com/product_video.php
Nice how they show the bend curve of the battens when they are tensioned not from the end (leech) but closer from the middle.
Theoretically, I think they are right. It should move the power of the sail even more forward. How much more, I don't know, because the cambers are doing this anyway.

That's why I asked people with real practical experience.

Steve Allen was involved in the development, so it's normal that he promotes the system.

I'm rather convinced that it will help the performance of a sail. It will create a profile that gets closer to the wing of an airplane.

BUT, theory needs to be proved by practice !

[Erik Loots]

In practice you can see during sailing the leech react active, but with great stability in gusts, the frontend of the bottom battens is extreme stable. This is what I like about the reflex system.

I would not say it is harder to rig and trim than other race/ slalomsails. Maybe a small transition in way to rig/trim (depends mainly where you come from).

[Romas]

<Nice how they show the bend curve of the battens when they are tensioned not from the end (leech) but closer from the middle.

It look like commercial trick. If batten place in pocket and stretch it, picture will be not same like in video. Then extra increasing batten tension in regular sail it not make profile deep, contrary to this that make S-shaped profile.
Sorry for my English

[BelSkorpio]

Do you mean a S-profile between mast & reflex batten tensioner ?

Or S-profile between mast and leech because this obviously is the purpose.

[Remi]

Hi All

Just come from practice with Wojtek on Reflex II 12 on Formula and found the sail very nice, really ligth in hands and very effective to get planning and very good acceleration and top end speed. But the most surprise is the cam rotation, I never see before a cam rotation like this, super easy. Save a lot of time for taking and jibe.
All the best

[pfaffi]

Hi BelScorpio!
I like the bigger range of the Reflex sails but you have to use a outhaul trim system!
If you come to an overpowered stage just pull the outhaul and you will recognize that the sail will be a bit fronthanded and controllable instead become backhanded!!
:-))))
pfaffi

ps.: cant wait for the Reflex II :-((( (should arrive in 2 weeks)

[Farlo]

Just asking but what is the benefit of Reflex and the like systems (NP dynamic compact clew...) if you still need to adjust outhaul when sailing? I would imagine that these sails never get backhanded because of their S-shape.

[Erik Loots]

Farlo, good question . My biggest reflex is 7.0, and I do often focus on GPS speed. I would never put tension on outhaul. Recommended - 1 till -4cm, negative outhaul feels for me more stable. I guess it activates the S-shape better..