2008 Gaastra Matrix 6.5 - Boards (UK ) June 2008
"very clear favourite from this test...we very strongly recommend this sail for any recreational freeride sailing and drag racing...great feedback and power while retaining easy handling, good top end and maneuverability...very impressed with it's real competitive edge over it's rivals without sacrificing comfort in any way...faster and more comfortable for blasting and manouvering than opposition...excellent acceleration and top speed...extremely forgiving in heavy chop...allows very easy maneuvering of the board and goes neutral for easy handling...it is the first time for several seasons that we tried a no-cam sail that seems to move the genre forward a notch....best acceleration, always fast. Impressive"

Gaastra Matrix 7.5 - Windsurf (UK)
"Verdict; The Matrix has a massive natural range, feeling crisp and easy in the hands and requiring minimal input for impressive returns. Liked by all who sailed it, it comes well recommended as a high performance freeride sail." (Full review below)

Don’t want the hassle of cams, but crave speed and stability, the Matrix is your solution. Jibes and maneuvers are effortless as the RAF battens easily rotate in transitions. The handling is light and free, but at no cost to sizzling top end performance and low end power. Twin X-Ply luff panels keep shape low and forward as you crank up to mach speed.

Newly designed for better all-round performance the Matrix continues to push the boundaries and raise the bar of a non-cam free ride sail. Top end stability combined with easy maneuvers make this a speedy blaster. -- Ross Williams

Gaastra Pilot - Windsurf (UK)
"Verdict: The Pilot is an uncomplicated and user-friendly powerhouse, providing the impetus to get the most out of large boards in marginal winds, and fast track the novice sailor into planing conditions." (Full review below)

Gaastra Pilot 6.5m - PlancheMag 
"The sail is smooth and light with a very stable profile. The strong point is definitely its balanced compromise between lightness, handling and power. It is gentle without being soft, what gives it a comfortable ride in choppy conditions and on top, high speed."

The Pilot integrates nicely into any quiver with a range extending from 4.5 to 7.5. Full profiles combined with slightly longer booms, yield excellent bottom-end power to get you planning and stoked. Durable patching and details ensure fun for many future seasons.

The Retro, now into its eleventh year is Sailworks’ most conservative, long-term sail development project.  As one of the most popular freeride sails ever sold in North America (with or without cams), why mess with a good thing?   “We continue to polish up its performance profile,” says designer Bruce Peterson.  “The geometric history of the Retro’s evolution has been a steady increase in the broadseam shaping that’s cut into the seam – and we’re continuing further down that path.”

For 2008-2009, the Retro is sporting a slightly lower center of effort, made possible by a smaller head, longer chord and deeper foot profile.  Mitigating the longer chord length is a clew cutout for the boom end on all the 7-batten Retro sizes (6.0 m² and up), which reduces the actual boom length, despite the lower aspect ratio.  The clew cutout has additional advantages in that it lowers the swing weight of the rig. 2008-2009 Retro owners can also use the same boom with quivers ranging from 4.5m to 7.5m or 6.0 to 9.0m!

In addition, the 2008-2009 Retro sails feature a series of small improvements in construction and finishing to improve durability, ease of use and handling.  Head and mast sleeve patching for example has been optimized to incorporate Kevlar load strips, reducing the actual and perceived weight aloft. That, combined with batten angle adjustment, and the Retro is easier to roll up snugly.

There are a few designs attributes of the Retro you can be sure we haven’t touched -the legendary power, stability and ease of use.  Our fanatical Retro loyalists demand nothing less than the best in sail control, wind range and handling, all in an easy to use camless rig package.  The Retro delivers as a true windsurfing classic.