I picked up a 5.6m blacktip team carbon in September and today got the chance to use it. It has replaced my previous 5.6m blacktip from 2018 era. This is not a down the line epic review so if you are looking for that then other reviews will be better suited. This is a numpty review at my local bump and jump spot.
For context, I rigged to the exact dimensions on the sail on the recommended sx10 430 mast with sx10 extension as well as an sx10 wave boom. Because I like to be wanky about this stuff is also used a simmer base plate.
first thing to notice, top of sail is tighter than most current wave sails and a lot tighter than my previous blacktips. I notice the boom cutout is also lower than my other simmer sails so I initially rigged the boom too low and had to lift it higher after one run. The new blacktip also has less profile than the older model blacktips. The sail still touches the boom at the window it's more that it's got more skin tension which translates into less belly.
from there it's a completely different beast and bears no resemblance to the previous models. I'd go as far as to say that familiar simmer feel is absent. That's not a bad thing as this sail feels very new, very crisp and very immediate. it's not as relaxed as previous models.
this is what simmer say on their website.
The all new Blacktip Team Carbon will bring your wave sailing to the next level, as it has done for 2025 Wave World Champion , Marc Par?. Engineered with our new ultra-technical carbon fiber scrim, its fibers are precisely aligned along the sail's load paths for instant power transfer and ultimate control. The result: lightning-fast response, massive wind range, and effortless handling - pure performance without compromise.
Key Performance Advantages
Immediate response and control - carbon fibers are precisely aligned with the load paths, distributing force without delay for maximum efficiency in critical manoeuvres. Enormous wind range - the Team Carbon is engineered for maximum efficiency at both the low and high end, giving you full control in overpowered conditions without sacrificing low-end drive.
Effortless performance - light, balanced, and nimble in maneuvers, yet delivers instant response and explosive rotation the moment you commit.
the takeaway from the simmer description above is the use of the word instant. The sail is instant, and this does feel odd at first and made the sail feel very different to what I am used to. I was describing it to a friend as instant, kinda twitchy but now I've read the simmer description twitchy is probably not the right word because it's stable so immediate would be a better descriptor.
The simmer description above also describes the sail as light, balanced and nimble and this is exactly what it felt like. My previous simmer sails all feel light but this is a whole new vibe and doesn't feel anything like my previous blacktip on the water. The sail felt more like a 5m than a 5.6m. During transitions the sail goes completely neutral, immediately, you can then position the sail wherever you want and then power on, immediately. With the previous blacktip I felt i needed to be more forceful as the sail never went fully neutral. This for me is a great outcome, being a heavy guy I rig for more power and that can make sails feel less nimble. The team carbon seems to have power and remain nimble.
Also, carrying the gear back to the rigging spot after the session it was noticeable how much lighter things felt than my other simmer sails.
The team carbon feels like it has more downward pressure than my previous blacktips. maybe because of the tighter leach, not sure, but my board felt more planted so I'll need to move the base back in the track to try and loosen up the board next session.
Now the downsides, the first is the cost... it's not cheap.
The second, is just how responsive the sail is. It maybe too responsive for someone with my skill set or needs. I can see how this sail would excel in big waves, especially down the line. Probably even a fairly handy freestyle sail if that's your thing. But when I'm 70% blasting 30% small surf it's probably not the right tool for the job..
'thing is it feels so good on the water. If I can get use to how fast the sail is to react then I'm gonna love it. Maybe the sail just needs some more use to stretch or maybe it's just me or maybe simmer are already working on this.
will probably take the risk and buy a smaller size at some point.
edit.. notice on the simmer site the blacktip pro has a slightly smoother power delivery than the team carbon.
thanks for the review, sounds like a good thing!
have you tried any of the more recent blacktips (2023 onwards) ? Wondering how it would compare to these...
Select to expand quoteAI.Dave said..
thanks for the review, sounds like a good thing!
have you tried any of the more recent blacktips (2023 onwards) ? Wondering how it would compare to these...
Unfortunately no. My most recent is a 2022. I just edited the end of my review as I noticed on the simmer site the blacktip pro has a smother power delivery. Would be interested to try the team carbon and the pro back to bsck.
next purchase most likely a 6.2m evoq
Yeah I'm hoping that's true too. In the stronger gusts today the sail felt more stable than my blacktips. Draft is really locked in. Gotta say I'm surprised at how accurate the simmer description is. There is no marketing hyperbole going on.
'one thing I like about simmer sails is that they can be bagged out in light winds. Keen to try that on the team carbon to see how it feels.
Day 2.. The s1 pro comparison.
Another fun day at my local bump and jump spot. Wind was lighter so rather than rig a 6.2 I decided to bag out the 5.6 team carbon to see how it would go.. the top photo above shows the sail with -1cm downhaul. I also moved my harness lines further forward and the mast back 1-2cm in the track. Both these changes helped.
The first run was dredging. Sail felt really balanced when dredging. Maybe even more stable than the day before when gusts hit. I guess things have stretched a little now. I started thinking the team carbon will be great for float and ride. Guess I better sell the triceras.
Second run the wind kicks in to same strength as previous session. Say 15-20 knots. I didn't stop to adjust the downhaul and spent the rest of the session with the downhaul set at -1cm. The sail is definitely more stable than the previous blacktips when bagged out.
I Also spent some time swapping gear with my son who is an all severne kinda kid. He's 17 yo, 6 foot, 76kg and was riding a 5.6m severne s1 pro pre production rigged to spec with an 111lt flare. I'm 105kg and under 6 foot and on a 125lt custom board. As a comparison we are at different ends of the windsurfing spectrum. He can also jump higher, sail faster and crash harder and all the other things being young entitles you to. He jumped on my gear and immediately yelled how light the sail felt. my sons comment stood out because he is not a gear head. He doesn't really care. Whenever we swap sails or I tune his kit and I ask what he thinks he just shrugs and says he doesn't really feel any difference. This was the first time he had said he felt a difference and it was his immediate response. After the session I quizzed him and he said the simmer definitely felt lighter and also said he was more powered up almost over powered.
Now in severne's defence, the s1 pro is an awesome sail and I've got nothing bad to say about severne. I'm really just spoiled for choice here. Swapping onto my sons gear the s1 felt super stable and maybe a touch quicker or more locked in sailing in a straight line. Possibly a bit less bottom end due to downhaul. I need to also point out, it's not a fair comparison as the s1 pro we have was bought second hand and is probably a bit stretched by now. Also, not being the 2026 model it doesn't have the latest tweaks and weight reductions that the 2026 model has or the crispness of a new sail.
However when compared, we both thought the simmer felt lighter and more lively. I'd be happy with either sail. It was an interesting comparison because severne are known for being light and nimble sails more so than simmer. Simmer are considered a bit heavier and more bullet proof. But the team carbon has challenged that idea now and maybe taken a step ahead of the competition. We will see how long the new sail lasts when used by weekend warriors and not left in the sun to bake.
think I'll save up for a 5.3m team carbon too.
p.s. I can pull the mast out without needing to pin the sail head to the ground. woohoo!!
Select to expand quoteGestalt said..
-1cm dh, oh to spec. -1/0
dh and oh to spec. 0/0
Just a minor comment. As in the rigging thread about the Blade the batten tension especially on the top battens is to low. Beyond that these new Simmer sails looks fantastic. Thank you for the valuable comparison against the S1 Pro. Interesting to see that after few years other companies like Goya and Simmer jumped onto the "new" laminate that Severne was using on the Pro editions since a few years now. Besides that the designers are able to create an incredible Sail feeling for the customers , I think there is also a fantastic business case behind that because most of those Sails are high price but also tend to simpler designs with less seams, less panels which result in less production steps. Don't get that wrong for me this is a win win for everyone in this niche market. Lets see when Goya removes the window above the 2nd batten (Banzais) because this would be the next natural step for them and finally also their design will be in line with the Simmer Carbons and Severne Pros.
I'll take a look next time I rig.
you're probably right. I did adjust bottom battens which were loose. Then looked at the second batten from the top which did seem a little loose but decided to leave it. I usually leave the top battens relatively loose. Not sure why I do. The wrinkle in the head when under down hauled really stand out in the photo. I'll grab another photo after adjusting the top battens with everything set to neutral 0/0
ill also get a photo from the side as that shows the profile better. It's got more profile than it looks in the photos.
Select to expand quoteGestalt said..
I'll take a look next time I rig.
you're probably right. I did adjust bottom battens which were loose. Then looked at the second batten from the top which did seem a little loose but decided to leave it. I usually leave the top battens relatively loose. Not sure why I do. The wrinkle in the head when under down hauled really stand out in the photo. I'll grab another photo after adjusting the top battens with everything set to neutral 0/0
ill also get a photo from the side as that shows the profile better. It's got more profile than it looks in the photos.
On pictures it sometimes look more dramatic than in reality. In general I prefer more tension in the bottom battens and use lower tension the further I get to the top. The lowest batten for example 1-2 more rotations after the wrinkles are gone, the one above the boom only half rotation after the wrinkles are gone. On the top battens I just remove the wrinkles and thats it. After some sessions I'll check if something has changed. Cheers
They are brilliant, I've been running the 4.7, 5.0, 5.3 & 5.6 all summer. I can tell you that are a different sail compared to the standard blacktip and to get the most out of them you need to be an active rider, They want input to perform at their peak (they felt a little under powered to me at first but it was just the light handling, Once you start giving them some input and moving the sail around you find the power). Also using the SX10 makes them soft and they get out of shape and less stable in high winds, But I like this softer feel for float and ride. The V2 mast is definitely better with this sail, Make it super responsive and crisp. I do rig with more downhaul then the normal BlackTips and my harness lines are a bit more forward compared to the same size in the standard blacktip. Beautiful wave sail and just as good for blasting, I'll choose the carbon every time over my normal BlackTips. There definitely is more wind range and they feel so light in your hands.
Great review Jason. how do you find the .3m gaps in the larger sizes. Is there too much crossover?
Select to expand quoteGestalt said..
Great review Jason. how do you find the .3m gaps in the larger sizes. Is there too much crossover?
For pure wave sailing I like the smaller gap, I've always found 3 and 4 batten sails to have an ideal size for the conditions. While you can make it work on a bigger sail, Having the right size (especially in cross off) is better. I think for free riding the 1 meter gap will be ok. In larger sails I don't think the in between sizes are critical but as you get down in size 5.0 and below then I think it makes a real difference.For DTL waves anyway. If it's flat and I'm just doing bump and jump then I can easily hold a much bigger sail than required, This is where I noticed the increased wind range, You know you've got too much sail but it's comfortably overpowered if that make sense. The new V2 mast in my opinion is a must for these new sails, The SX10 works but it's not going to give you the best performance, Especially when over powered. The V2 is so more reactive and stable in higher winds compared to the SX10 which makes the sail feel much softer, good for the lighter winds but it definitely drops some stability when fully powered. I'm still learning every time I go out with these and I'm slowly unlocking their full potential but I am totally impressed with them every time I sail.
ever wondered why racing sails are mono film. Simply because nothing beets mono film. Fibers only work in a matrix i.e. with rasin. Therefore this carbon layers don't bring anything. Only a better margin for the supplier.
^^ I ran all mono wave sails for 2 or 3 years when Gaastra did R&D in Perth. Amazing feeling and performance but the sails would be done in no time, one wrong step and you'd blow a panel or doing something that would render them cooked. Testing on one occassion, I went through every sail at Gnaraloo in two days and had to borrow sails to keep sailing. After that season and 3 sets of sails, the decision was made to make test sails out of more durable materials so we could at least have something that lasted long enough to gain solid feed back. We could also on-sell the protos rather than bin them.
Select to expand quoteSchobiHH said..
ever wondered why racing sails are mono film. Simply because nothing beets mono film. Fibers only work in a matrix i.e. with rasin. Therefore this carbon layers don't bring anything. Only a better margin for the supplier.
I had some samples from Dimension Polyant last year to test these material and others. Indeed most of the fibres are dry inside. The bundle is laid pretty flat between the 2 layers of monofilm and the outer fibres are glued to the film but inside not, they are not in a matrix making full contact all around each fibre. So they can be pulled out. Over a longer distance the fibre pull length was stronger than the breaking strength of the carbon so the fibres would break before I could pull them out. To really test the stretch compared to other scrims with polyester or aramid fibres, you need a proper laboratory set up which I dont have. But It is questionable if the carbon fibres reduce the stretch if a big part of the fibres can slip inside. Carbon is like 5 times stiffer so this should be well noticable over time. So far people say that the sails feel quite elastic. I prefer to use scrims with polyester and/or Aramid fibres which have a more similar elasticity to the film so these materials co-operate better together. DP also have another new material which is a very thin Dyneema (U-PE) fabric laminated onto a very thin film on one side. It feels very flimsy and it is very easy to cut with normal scissors which should not really be possible with Dyneema but it is fairly hard to rip/tear further. Not so sure about that either. IMO it is all going too light. Both for the costs per use for the customer and for the environment.
