Hi ,where can you buy vandal sails in the U.K

4boards near calshot.

joe

aside for looking crappy with all the "cheap" looking designs (personal opinion, i just think that the graffiti designs are way over the top, even for most teens...) are these sails any good? i mean there are a couple guys in the pwa riding with them and doing well, same for RRD sails (i like the look of these much better, except for the massive rrd sign which looks more like an advertisement billboard than a sail, they have decent graphics). Im only asking because in today's market looks go a long way in product sales, but do these sails perform on the water? since both companies are rather new at sail making, i havent seen any of these sails around my area so dont know how they perform, even though a local shop just started stocking rrd sails so i guess ill see those in action soon... any comments on these sails?????

Hi Tom,

I can only tell about RRD Sails and I think they work fine. They are very close to Simmer Sails with the SuperStyle being a bit like the Icon and the Wave Vogue like the Mission. So if you like Simmer you should like RRD Sails.

That's such a shame that the wave vogue is like the icon.

I was really interested in it - hoping it might be like a NP Zone or a Gaastra manic (ie you can sail it in real wind without getting horribly backhanded).

Oh well my search continues for cool looking sails that deliver a rounded performance....

Cheers
D

Not quite sure why people here think that because a sail has new school funky graphics that it will perform bad. I know quite a few people who use the vandals and they all say they are great sails.

dan Kasseler basically had a really good idea, to make a cheap sail from the more basic materials using a proven design (gastraa manic) and print the graphics on instead of using shit loads of different panels like the other sails do.

Al

from what I have heard, the vandals are just old gaastra shapes, which to me is no bad thing
sure, the graphics are pretty in your face, but gaastras from last year or the year before are awesome,
try them, let us know what you think.

I have never used them, so these comments don't come from experience.

Dan Kaseler is a very good sail designer. He's proven this with years of quality sails, first from Naish, now from Gaastra and Vandal. I used to ride his Naish Outlaws and Force's back in 2002-4 and really liked them.

Saying that, even though I have only met the guy a few times and cannot speak for him in any way, to me, it seemed like he has always had a disdain for the way companies would take his nice designs and toss them over the marketting bunch to bung them up with extra seams and crap just to support the layout of graphics. I can only assume he felt this had a negative consequence to performance and weight.

Anyway, Vandal is a step away from that traditional philosophy, with design & graphics fully under his control(?) I think. While personally I find the graffiti-style graphics over the top for my taste, I doubt very much that Vandals are anything but world-class sails with top performance.

Just my two cents... but you are best to try one and tell us!

Cheers,
Fish

I`ve sailed Vandal Reverb 5.2 and Enemy 4.7 and 4.2 for a year. This september I got the Riot 3.6, 4.0, 4.4 and 4.8. Since 2006 I´ve sailed new Gaastra Echo and Manic every year. Both Vandal and Gaastra are designed by Dan Kaseler. The Vandals are cutting edge and don´t stand back from Gaastra. Both quality and performance is as good, if not better. The Vandal Riot is just a must try sail. It´s the best experience I had with a new sail ever. These days Gaastra is launching the new IQ. It looks like a Riot proving that Vandal this time was more cutting edge than Gaastra.
I´ve heard that Vandal uses the Neil Pryde factory to produce the sail. One of the reason is to not look to similar to Gaastra. I´m not sure if this is correct.

al bentley Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not quite sure why people here think that because
> a sail has new school funky graphics that it will
> perform bad. I know quite a few people who use the
> vandals and they all say they are great sails.
>
> dan Kasseler basically had a really good idea, to
> make a cheap sail from the more basic materials
> using a proven design (gastraa manic) and print
> the graphics on instead of using shit loads of
> different panels like the other sails do.
>
> Al


Not at all Al, the question had nothing to do with the graphics, more of just that the companies are new and there arent many of their sails around yet, so i didnt know how well they worked, the fact that they have funny graphics is a whole different story. By the way, speaking of new companies and their graphics, the new point-7 sails look great in my opinion, nice mix of old and new, love the whole solid black sails concept, really stands out on the water without being overly flashy and over the top like some other brands...

Vandal Sails in the UK can be found at Hunstanton Watersports in Norfolk. Enemy and Riot in stock.

Beauty in the eye of the beholder, quality in the hand!

[www.hunstantonwatersports.com]

Bonjourno

I got my 4.2 , 5.0 enemies and a 5.6 reverb from 4boards, They're definitely the best sails that I've used, far more controlled and responsive than what I'd got used to. I have tried quite a lot of kit this year, and reckon that the Enemies feel great, they've improved my sailing quite a lot this winter, because even when I'm absolutely stacked I'm still pretty comfortable.

I'd definately reccomend the Enemy, and I cannot wait to have a go on the Riot, it's made by Dan Kasseler so it's gonna be good.

: - )
SJ

Got my enemies at 4boards
www.4boards.co.uk
or
02380894583

Regarding Vandal Sails - The brand is jointly owned by Dan Kaseler and the Gaastra / Tabou European distributor who market the product, they are not manufactured by Winlok (Gaastra).

The sails are far from cheap, just take a look at some of the European shops who sell them and you'll see that Euro prices are much higher than GBP. The simple reason for the UK price being lower is that we buy sails, masts and accessories direct from Germany, there is no importer taking a slice and that is reflected in the UK price, if only the pound was not weak against the Euro!!!

4Boards were the first UK shop to stock Vandal products in May 2009, we have promoted them, sponsored key sailors and provided kit for magazine testing, it is inevitable that they will become more popular so other shops will benefit from the hard work we have put in but as the French say "C'est la vie". However, 4Boards will stock all the Vandal range, have demo kit available and continue to work with the European Distributor to get the products tested.

With Jamie Hancock joining the International Tabou / Vandal team and Alex Mussolini putting in some great performances the brand will certainly be in focus.

OK, so the sails do not suit everyone but you'll be surprised how they look in the flesh, if you want to take a look or try one out, just give us a call on 023 8089 4583 or drop an email to info@4boards.co.uk


Bob, www.4boards.co.uk



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 24/01/2010 | 11:18am by 4boards.

Regarding the RRD's:

He said the Vogue is Like the Mission not Icon

..... anyway I rode the Vogue 5.3 & 6.1 as well as the SuperStyle 5.8 & the Vogue felt very nice not backhanded at all. The SuperStyle was more powerful & backhand heavy. i havent' ridden the Simmers so can't compare. I would consider the Vogue's myself if I wasn't already so happy with my Hotsails Fire's.

my .02

the vandal sails should be quite good and i think i have heard they are based on a gaastra sail.

Hi lasse ,I'll bet it's great to be out of hibernation.

PWA Women’s Freestyle sensation Sarah-Quita has moved to Gaastra’s sister brand, Vandal.