Tempo 6.9 at £277 Under the Spotlight   
You could spend over £400 and get less performance...

“Responsive, the Tempo has a built-in autopilot.”

How it feels on the water:
Very light, the Tempo offers a good balance between power/responsiveness for its surface area. Stiff without being heavy, this is a lively sail which responds well and rakes down naturally onto the deck. In handling terms, it’s one of the best with battens which rotate easily, lightness and good drive out of gybes. You sail comfortably, as if it had a built-in autopilot. In terms of performance, the Tempo is one of the quickest with a wide range of adjustment at the clew. This is a firm sail but it doesn’t tire you out over long runs. It was difficult in these conditions to find anything to criticize, though it had the advantage of a smaller surface area for stronger winds. This was the Gun sail that won us over the most in freeride. The Tempo is extremely versatile. It combines performance, comfort, stability, and ease of use in a successful package. A sail which is both refined and powerful.

The design:
Designed with a reasonable amount of shape under the boom, the Tempo has a narrow luff pocket which houses two mini ball cams. This is a six batten sail (four tubular) which opens up beautifully in the leech. Reinforced by a frame in X-ply, it displays high quality construction but has only a single eyelet at the tack(?). The 6.9m2 was the only size provided for testing.

Tester’s opinion:
Sam/1.83m/75kg
“This is the sail which had the best combination of features in this category. It was lively and responsive in your hands, not just remaining neutral. At the same time, it doesn’t wear you out, and you can sail relaxed for hours. All the work they’ve put into the leech allows this sail to accelerate and breath.”
 

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Test report of Wind 2007

Tempo 6.9 at £277 Under the Spotlight   
You could spend over £400 and get less performance...

The Gun test team, lead by Philippe Vigneron and Renato Morlotti, have dreamed up a new Tempo for us with good reinforcements and high build quality to produce a long-lasting sail. The X-ply and Insignia cloth are mostly used on the top and bottom parts of the sail, and around its contour. The lower seams are hidden so the thread cannot be broken by deck grip. Unfortunately, all these reinforcements have a negative effect: the Gun Tempo 6.9 is not a featherweight on the scales. Also, we noted the introduction of a triple downhaul pulley at the tack to make rigging easier. Otherwise, construction is good with everything you expect, and the only criticism would be the elastic tack strap could be made a little longer. As soon as you step onto the board with the Tempo you get the feeling it’s a well-balanced and extremely comfortable sail. Softer than the Neil Pryde V6, it’s easy to hold onto and absorbs gusts with ease. Its stability is among the best in the group. The draft isn’t completely static, but still scores way above the average. The Gun Tempo 6.9 is an easy sail to use, which accelerates well and allows you to zip around your favourite sailing spot with ease. Occasionally it lacked a little drive to plane through lulls. Its low-end is not the best in the group. It would be interesting to see nonetheless if by playing with the outhaul you could adjust the power, stiffness and performance of the rig fairly easily to increase its wind range or more simply achieve a different feel. The foil rotates well from side to side and you feel that you have a manoeuvrable sail in your hands.

+ ease-of-use, balance, speed.
- low-end power.


 

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