PRESS RELEASE

2014 Naish Vibe - All-around Wave/Bump & Jump

The Vibe is designed for riders looking for an easy handling wave sail with a soft feel, wide wind range and true all-around performance.

It features a new Fusion construction, which makes the Vibe exceptionally lightweight and durable.  It is the ideal choice for lighter riders, sideshore surf conditions and bump & jump freeride sailing. 

Key Features:

• 5 Battens = Stability      
• Draft Forward Shape = Light feel + balanced power
• Medium-to-High Aspect Ratio = Easy handling + wide range
• Single Dacron Luff Panel = Balances power + allows sail to go neutral
• Soft Leech = Adapts to gusty conditions + flex control when overpowered

NEW Fusion Construction:

• X-166 Leech Dacron Body Panels = Durable
• Radial Kevlar Airframe = Strength + shape control
• Spectraview Window = Lightweight + durable
• Radial Panel Layout = Maintains sail shape + progressive twist

Sizes: 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5

Vibe Sail Q&A

What characteristics set the Vibe apart from other sails in your line?

The Vibe replaces the strongly established Session. It is a lightweight wave sail that offers more front hand oriented pressure than the Force. The draft sits low in the sail but the overall feel of the sail suggests a touch less power and an easier depower function compared to any other wave sail in the line.

What inspired the new Hybrid Dacron/Scrim Fusion construction?

As the successor to the Session, we had to find ways to duplicate the soft and responsive feel of the Session with high durability. A larger Dacron panel was the most logical step forward to achieve responsive softness in the sail as well as matching durability at a better price point.  After working on the sail, we realized we found the way to improve the Session in all aspects, especially because we managed to increase the early planing ability per size.

What type of rider should purchase the Vibe over other wave sails on the market?

If you were previously riding the Naish Session and you are looking for a new sail, the Vibe is your new “go-to” model within the Naish range.

If you are unfamiliar with the Naish sail range, the Vibe is a great choice if you are looking for the following features in a sail:

• Lightweight and soft feel
• Extreme maneuverability (due to a shorter boom length)
• Durability
• You like sails that are very easy to depower on a wave covering as much range in as little size possible.
• You are a rider who’s lighter in weight, looking for maximum range in any kind of conditions within the size limitations of the Vibe range.

Different riding styles seem to be asking for different sails. Who do you use to test the Vibe in order to get the feedback needed?

Through the years of developing sails, the test team has always been split up pretty evenly with their sail preferences. Robby Naish and Frank Baensch are always Force guys, Kai Lenny always steers toward the newest developments such as the Boxer and Chopper; and Nathan Mershon, Scott Carvill and Michi Schweiger made up for the Session testing. In addition to the groups testing their favorite sails, we also use other groups to cross reference and make sure that the style of the sail doesn’t get developed into a corner that might be too specialized. That applies for all sail categories that we develop.

Why does the Vibe currently only come in 4 sizes?

We feel that it is possible to cover the needs within those sizes without sacrificing anything. Based on the sizes that are being used on waveboards it is possible to cover the maximum wind range within those 4 sizes. Having a quiver of the same sails allows the rider to switch between sizes without having to adjust their riding style. They are essentially already used to the sail and do not have to readjust.

What’s the deal with Dacron?

Dacron has been around for a long time…and not only in windsurfing. We have been using it for the Session’s luff panel for a long time as it delivers a softer feel than monofilm or scrim, which we need to create the reflex characteristics that we were looking for in the Session.

Back when monofilm became popular, Dacron lost a lot of its reputation as it was considered heavier, more stretchy and not see-through. Since then, sail designers have learned to implement it in areas where it can be strongly beneficial to the sail’s character.  A great advantage to Dacron is when a sail gets ripped, the repair person does not have to exchange the whole panel. Instead, they only need to create a patch over the hole.

How do you maximize the range of your Vibe through rigging and mast choice?

There are a couple of tricks that can be applied to any sail that is out there.

In a nutshell those are:

• Given that the mast is constant curve or as close as possible to constant curve, you will receive more power in the sail if you choose a mast 1 size up. For example, if you are running your 4.0 on a 400 mast then you will get more power out of the sail then if you had it on the recommended 370 mast. The downside is that you will lose top end and the mast will stick out of the top.
• Choosing a softer mast, on the other hand, will increase your top end but you will lose low end power.

* This information is extremely helpful for riders who do not necessarily use the recommended mast in their sail.

• When rigging the Vibe, we use the batten above the boom as our main reference. With no boom applied but with downhaul in place, you can achieve maximum low end by down-hauling the sail to the point where the batten above the boom lines up with the front end of the mast. Then apply about 2 cm outhaul and you will get to the maximum power output of your sail.
• On the other end of the scope, you can downhaul (with no outhaul tension in place) your sail so that the batten above the boom is not touching the mast anymore (even to 1cm away from the mast). You then apply about 3 cm outhaul and you will have your Vibe set up to deliver maximum top end performance without having to rig one size down.
• It’s important to know that the change in downhaul is always accompanied by an adjustment of the outhaul. Those 2 always have to be in balance to each other.
• You can actually see if you apply too much outhaul. While pulling the outhaul, you will see the area just above the bottom batten create a crease to the point where the bottom batten wants to flip the other way – if that is the case then you have applied too much outhaul tension in relation to the downhaul.
• If you see too little outhaul tension, you will notice that there is no tension on the outhaul line when you stand up the rig. This is something you only see if the sail is upright. All of our wave sails require a slightly positive outhaul tension.

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