EXCEED 2022

A GUNSAILS windsurf sail is a combination of selected and high-quality materials, combined with years of experience and construction knowhow. Sail designer Renato Morlotti is responsible for the performance and quality of the sails. In his working environment he has optimised everything down to the smallest detail. Every piece of material in the sail is continuously improved in terms of durability and weight savings. Only a closer look reveals the quality, good manufacturing and durability of a GUNSAILS sail.

To ensure the functionality, easy handling and durability of our products, we have developed various features over the years and established them as our standard. The dedication and precision of our sail designer Renato Morlotti are once again evident in the individual details. An important factor that makes our quality possible and distinguishes us from other sail brands.

OVERVIEW: The Exceed sits in Gunsails’ line-up between the no-cam freerace Rapid (tested last month) and the 3-cam freerace Vector, described as their ‘Power Freeride’ sail. With two cams, one either side of the boom, it boasts tubed battens in all bar one of its pockets and the brand’s well established ‘Cross Batten Concept’ (where batten five crosses the boom), said to maximise stability and control. Compatible with RDMs in the three smaller sizes of the range, this 8.0m is recommended for use solely with SDMs and was tested here using a Select 100%. Easy to downhaul thanks to the ideally oriented roller tack pulley, the cams are straightforward to roll onto the mast, the sail setting with a moderate amount of luff curve, pulling a good amount of depth forward in the draft. The F.R.E.D. (Fast Rigging, Easy Doing) trim marker in the upper panel helps to provide guidance on the amount of tension to apply, the leech falling away progressively along its length. Compared to the others in the group, the Exceed has one of the deeper profiles here, pushed well forward in its draft, yet also has one of the narrower luff sleeves. Build is clean and straight forward, with all the features you’d expect of a modern sail, such as abrasion beading and pads along the length of the foot battens and in other vulnerable areas, a padded tack fairing and alternating batten pockets to mitigate any asymmetry between tacks. And at €539.00 it comes in at a price that can’t fail to draw the attention … but how does it fair on the water?

BRAND CLAIM: “Our uncomplicated camber sail convinces with its coherent and balanced profile, the defined draft point and its effortless handling in manoeuvres.”

PERFORMANCE: Used in light winds initially, the Exceed’s deep forward-facing profile generates a good deal of bottom end grunt. There’s a softness to the delivery, cushioned by the response available in the mast and as the slack in the Dacron luff sleeve pulls tight, making the pressure build progressively. The higher clew eyelet extends the boom length and offers the leverage to make the power all the more obvious through the backhand, providing welcome feedback to cruise through even the most prolonged lull. It’s an ideal engine for partnering wide freeride and boards, punching them clear of the water and keeping them honest over long distances in variable winds. User-friendly and comfortable, the centre of effort is stable and balanced, being around shoulder height and focussed forward in the draft. As the wind increases, a simple drop down to the lower clew eyelet generates more rake on a shorter boom length and helps to improve control. With every gust, the acceleration felt is more gradual and progressive rather than instantaneous, yet the stability of the Exceed is impressive, displaying a good natural wind range on one setting. In transition, the Exceed drives in well, locking into a course round a gybe and following its own path through the wind, requiring little input or force from the rider. Opening up easily, its cams rotate effortlessly on the new tack, the power returning smoothly and providing time for the rider to settle into their new stance. We did try to pull a little more tension on the downhaul to open the leech further and push its top end performance, but it’s not really what the Exceed is about. Instead, it’s for uncomplicated plug and play freeride sailing across a wide wind range – simply rig it and enjoy.

THE VERDICT: A user-friendly twin-cam delivering all-round performance for use on a variety of platforms, from freeride to freerace, and at €539.00 it represents exceptional value for money.

A good companion

The very pronounced profile behind the mast goes high up, with a moderate mast pocket and a rim that takes up little space. It is very easy to rig (No. 1 in camber rotation!) and has two clew eyelets 8 cm apart with a large cut on the clew.

ON THE WATER: One of the lightest and easiest sails to pull out of the water, the Exceed delivers a nice forward drive, at the same time very balanced and smooth. It facilitates passive planing and is less explosive/nervous than its sister Vector. Everything is surprisingly easy with the Exceed, everything goes by itself, from planing through wind holes to running upwind or when gybing. It's light, powerful enough to get through wind holes, comfortable in chop, balanced and agile in gybes with a good camber rotation and a strong relaunch after the gybe. There is nothing to criticise here for a large majority of riders. It is easy to ride and especially fun in the "light/medium" range, with more smoothness/easiness/manoeuvrability than a Vector 7.8. It unleashes more power than a non-camber sail to start planing early and passing the wind holes when hooked in the harness without being heavier. On top of that, it performs very well, which is more than enough, and above all, it is more accessible to most surfers, as it is easier to get 100% out of it. The heavier you are, the wider and heavier the board, the less technique you have the more enjoyable this sail makes the session. The lighter ones are more likely to choose a 7.0. Its limit? The planing/control is not as good compared to the best of the group with freerace orientation.

CONCLUSION: The Exceed is ideal for taking the first step towards camber sailing because it makes everything as easy as possible. It offers support and safety with a likeability value that is the envy of its competitors. It is right at the heart of Freeriding .

+ Easy to rig, lightweight, comfortable, powerful, stable, camber rotation, speed, price
-  Performance and stability behind the Freeracers of the group

When it comes time to test the Exceed (and its predecessor Sunray before it), the many friends who are looking for a sail that is easy to rig and has sufficient performance for planing in summer winds magically show up every time.... And since our backs have been begging for mercy for nearly a decade, this year we've significantly reduced the square footage, going from 8.0 to 7.5 and then from 7.5 to 7.0.... Combine it with an "old" slalom board or a modern 120/125-liter freeride racer, and you'll plane smoothly in even the lightest breezes. Considering that if you fly with a foil and a 6.0/6.5, it's not a given that you can't also plane with a 7.0 and a 'big' board with a fin.... the group of sport freeriders allergic to strange appendages is not that small! This is exactly the type of surfer that fits well into the concept of the Exceed, whose success is evident in the extreme ease of trimming, combined with respectable performance and a lightness in the arms when surfing that you wouldn't expect from a camber-equipped 7.0. This size, chosen to "save" a mast, is just as easy to trim with a good 430/21 as it is with SDM or RDM masts. The only restriction is that you should have at least a 75% carbon mast available. If you decide to use the RDM mast, remember to insert the spacers supplied by GunSails into the camber slots. In our case, the combination with the Reptile Fibra 100 rdm 430/21, we used two spacers per camber, and they fit perfectly on the mast after tensioning the battens. From the first stroke, the thought that spontaneously arises.... "If only there were sails like this!" for the ease with which even surfers who normally use 5.3s as mainsails use their sails, you can immediately find the right position for planing, run after run, with a sail that is not too bulky even during maneuvers, since the boom is relatively short. The Exceed 7.0 guarantees excellent planing characteristics in light winds, but remains so stable and under control in strong winds that it will be appreciated by anyone who tries it.... If you are a surfer looking for a sail that is fun, easy to trim and ride, but at the same time delivers performance that may not be at the top of the freerace category, but is still respectable and pays off in terms of versatility, the Exceed is for you, a sail that over the years has become a best seller like the Sunray!

+ ease of trim and handling, light weight, powerful at low rpm, stability in high wind, comfort, camber rotation, price
-  not the most powerful in its class