Our most successful 5-batten sail ever came back with a bang in SS23, and for SS24 we have given it a facelift! The DUKE combines our LIGHT DONE RIGHT construction and all the other build concepts developed over the past decade to set a new benchmark for wind-range oriented handling sails. When it came to developing the DUKE, it was a 1.5 year project, with you, the final user always at the center of the development. As a starting point we involved “real” end-consumers who use these kinds of sails regularly and our surf centers to define a bucket list for the reincarnation of the DUKE, and here is the outcome and how we went about it: Maximum wind range especially in changing and/or super gusty conditions. This is the most important factor and the major advantage when going for a 5-batten handling sail. As a simple rule, more battens give you more control and a bigger wind range. Usually this has a negative effect on the low end power as more battens make it harder for the wind to inflate the sail and it becomes less efficient for pumping. Therefore, we have incorporated the BATTEN FREE CENTER concept from the SUPER_HERO. Instead of the usual even batten distribution the DUKE features a bigger gap between the foot batten and the batten above the boom. This makes the boom area easier to inflate plus increases the stability in the top (due to the increased batten density in this area). The second downside is that every batten increases the weight of the sail. That’s the reason why there was a trend towards fewer battens for wave sails in the past years. Superlight feeling in your hands but without falling apart after 1-2 seasons. The reduced weight of 4-batten sails was the major reason for the disappearance of the 5-batten sails in the past decade. Fortunately, we have made some major construction improvements over the last 10 years. The outcome of this development was the LIGHT DONE RIGHT CONSTRUCTION which got introduced in 2022. By replacing the usual multilayer reinforcements with a single layer of high-quality fabric and introducing the ONE PIECE SLEEVE we were able to reduce the overall weight by 300g. Most important we are the only brand out there where these weight savings have been achieved without reducing the thickness of the film and XPly panels. Only this way we can still guarantee our unmatched 5 year warranty. Another issue when reducing the film thickness is that the sail becomes spongy as the energy fizzles out in the increased elongation. This leads to the sail feeling heavier in your hands. So in contrary to others our sails are not just lighter on the scale but especially in your hands on the water when you use them. Cause this is where it really counts! Early planing power even without excessive pumping To achieve maximum planing power the DUKE features a high draft distribution combined with a deep profile which helps lifting the board onto the plane.