Windsurfing Gear

Design:
The Excess is dubbed as the most versatile crossover sail in the Pryde collection and is supposed to meet your needs and match the conditions, be they flat water blasting, jumps, basic freestyle or even riding small waves. This 5-batten sail is available in five sizes in 0.5m increments from 5.4 to 7.4m and is built with a full X-ply body, giving it a bulletproof appearance.

Rigging:
With a fixed head, the Excess 5.9 sets only on a 430cm mast. We rigged it on a Neil Pryde X9 Ultra 430. The leech twist is similar to that of the Firefly, although it extends further toward the clew. There is a lot of rotation in the first and second batten (from the bottom) and even some in the third, more so than on the FireFly. The preset shape cut into the Excess appears to be quite similar to that on the Firefly, creating a deep foil shape out on the water. We found it set best with a small amount of positive outhaul in marginal conditions and a bit extra when well overpowered.

On the water:
This is where the differences between the Firefly and the Excess really shone through. This sail has a much stiffer foil, giving it a very positive and stable feeling with a rock-solid center of effort. The extra rigidity meant that it didn't appear to have quite the same early planing power as the Firefly, but once up and going the ride was extremely comfortable - and the top-end is phenomenal! This sail also felt very compact when sailing along, so despite being a bit stiff and full for top maneuverability it allows you to throw the board around easily. And, all of that X-ply meant for many silors felt extremely confident when going for new moves.

Overall:
Although the low-end power of this sail doesn't quite match that of the Firefly, the locked in feeling and excellent top-end would make it an excellent choice for freeride sailing. This sail was also a firm favorite with some of the more meanuever-oriented sailors due to its compact nature and bulletproof appearance. A great all-round sail that can be used in a huge variety of conditions.

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