EXCEED 2020

OVERVIEW: Replacing the Sunray for 2020, the Exceed has been developed by the Gunsails’ R&D team in Tarifa, Spain. Presenting seven sizes in half-metre increments (in all bar the largest size), the three smallest sizes are compatible with RDM or SDM, whereas the larger sizes (of which this 8.0m is one) are recommended solely for use with an SDM, to increase drive and range. Constructed mostly of monofilm in its panels, there’s a couple of thin x-ply luff panels, along with x-ply in the head and foot. But more interesting, in their literature, Gunsails disclose that there are Kevlar reinforcements used in the sail’s makeup to ensure its structure, stability … and longevity. Tested on a Select 100 SDM, it is straightforward to rig, the movement in the Dacron luff sleeve enabling the cam to be rolled onto the mast without the necessity of a cam pocket. Applying tension according to the brand’s F.R.E.D. tuning marker (present in the top panel), there’s a moderate amount of luff curve exhibited, whilst the leech falls away progressively to the batten five. At rest, the sail’s profile displays a fair amount of depth, located forward in the sail’s draft. And whilst Gunsails price their products very competitively, there is certainly no let-up in detailing, with all the features you’d expect of a modern sail included, such as beading along the length of both bottom battens, a padded tack fairing with pocket incorporated, and alternating battens to enhance the sail’s symmetry on both tacks.

PERFORMANCE: Big and bold in the hands from the start, the Exceed is full bodied, and generates a good amount of crisp bottom end power. The centre of effort is located far forward in the draft, focussing the drive and blessing the sail with a degree of lightness and ease that belies its stated size. There is also some built in softness and breathability in the leading edge, encouraging the active rider to pump the sail, and making the desired feedback and response easily attainable. Once going, the Gunsails settles into a comfortable stance, the twist in the upper panels keeping the draft honest and forward facing, whilst the sail copes with gusts and lulls admirably. It wasn’t the most efficient in the test when racing upwind, yet pulls smoothly and consistently … but off the wind, the Exceed delivered an impressive and more competitive performance, accelerating through gusts and keeping the board pinned down superbly. In transition the size of the Exceed’s area above the boom is noticeable, yet the cams rotate smoothly and the pressure in the backhand gathers progressively, making it very sympathetic and manageable. And when the wind increases to challenge the Exceeds top-end stability, we couldn’t help but be impressed by the sail’s ability to adapt, the use of the low, inset clew eyelet significantly reducing the boom length and bestowing it with a more compact feel.

THE VERDICT: With range, manners and performance, the Exceed is a very easy sail to rig and get on with, and at this price, it simply can’t be ignored.

The quick-change artist feels a bit heavier when carrying the sail to the beach. - "well, the typical, solid gun material" you still might think. But on the water, the very deep profiled sail suddenly appears very neutral and can be easily navigated with very little force. The right trim is easy to find, once the luff is adjusted, the rest is done with the clew - and then you can surf for a long time with very little tension. The Exceed starts to pull very powerful and accelerates faster than the other sail brands. With a lot of speed on all courses and - with a slight focus on the rear hand - also very good performance on upwind, it dominated the lower and middle glide wind range in the test. It lies particularly stable and calmly over the board, and with the sail cut down far above the trim tab, it allows a particularly tight closure with the foot on the board. In the jibe, the handling of the weight is okay, the turning of the profile is quite tough, the camber rotation as soft as butter. Even in strong winds the controllability stays top, with a huge wind range. surf-conclusion: a very fast and early planing sail with top acceleration. Easy and stable (fast) to surf.

surf-conclusion: A very fast and early planing sail with top acceleration. Easy and stable (fast) surfing.

+ planing, performance, handling
- nothing

"Honey, did you shrink the cambers?" - the Gun-Surfer might ask himself, because the Exceed trumps again with outstanding soft rotation in the jibe. The fun with the two profile supports begins with the assembly, because you don't have to use zippers and the mounting is very easy. This sounds like the best freeride genes and this is how the sail turns out on the water. In the planing phase it doesn't look super light, but it is easy to control and gets going fast - even if this is not its special focush, the 3-camber-sail Vector has a bit more power. The Exceed convinces with very good controllability - even with only a light boom tension - and compact feeling on the straight as well as in the jibe. The pressure point position keeps even agile boards calm on the water even in strong winds, which is also due to the fact that the sail never puts too much effort on the back hand. In light gliding winds, there is a lack of lift in the upwind course in direct comparison (which is only really noticeable in comparison runs in race mode), but in strong winds this characteristic makes control and handling noticeably easier. Conclusion: Very user-friendly sail with a wide range of use in one trim and especially good manoeuvring handling in the camber class.

+: Control and Handling
-: ./.

ON THE BEACH: Designated by GUNSAILS as a "Power Freeride" sail, the Exceed succeeds the Sunray. With only six battens, it has been significantly slimmed down compared to its predecessor, the dimensions and outline remain similar. Five of the six battens are tube battens and provide good profile stability. Also new at the Exceed are the two clew eyelets, offset by almost nine centimetres, which last year were reserved for GUNSAILS racing sails, but now also open up a useful tuning option for hobby windsurfers. The rigging of the Exceed is easy. The boom can be easily attached in the narrow mast sleeve made of Dacron and the two small cambers can be easily snapped onto the mast. Thanks to the FRED trim mark in the sail top, the right downhaul tension is quickly found. The clew can only be attached without tension.

ON THE WATER: In recent years, we had come to appreciate the old Sunray as a powerful freeride sail, but criticized the somewhat weaker handling. With one less batten the Exceed starts at this sore point. This is the first thing you notice when walking to the water. Already at the beach start the Exceed lies comfortably in the hand. When planing it is very balanced. Neither does it pull strongly on the back hand, nor does the pressure point sit bombproof in the front area of the profile - a successful mixture of stability and feedback! Even though the GA Cosmic is stronger in early planing, the Exceed then accelerates very close behind as the second best sail on good speed. Again, it's the mix that makes the Exceed so great, you can ride it upright or lean against it to get even faster. It remains true to the old virtues of the Sunray, is always stable and controllable. Even in wind holes, the profile maintains the pressure for a long time and the board continues to plane. Full control is maintained for a long time. In the jibe it also lies better in the hand than the Sunray from last year, rotates easily and quickly when shifting.

CONCLUSION: The Exceed is an uncomplicated and balanced sail and can really put the old Sunray in the shade by saving a batten. It is more energy-saving when windsurfing, a very good companion for relaxed to sporty freeriding and also looks better in the jibe. A great crossover performance, which is not to be criticized.

Silent Power

DESIGN: The SUNRAY disappears, replaced by the Exceed with the same size graduation. The new design changes to 6 battens instead of 7 and with a new outline. The 2 cambers surround the boom in a half width mast sleeve. 2 clew eyelets are offset and have a distance of 9 cm. Kevlar reinforcements control the stretch.

ON THE WATER: The Exceed gets an excellent rating for rigging. The wide mast sleeve makes it easy to insert the mast and the cambers are attached with two fingers. It's so easy that the Exceed doesn't need an opening to access the cambers, just through the boom cutout. Tensioning is done on the same wavelength, gently and without breaking your back, without a trim handle, to achieve the optimum tension indicated by a mark. The switch to 6 battens allows a considerable weight saving in the order of 600 g. This change is noticeable, although the old model already showed easy handling. On the leech, the clew is placed about 20 cm inwards, which makes the boom shorter and also contributes to the manoeuvrability of this big sail, which is generally not very bulky. The second batten crosses the boom and serves as support for the profile. The Exceed is an easy to use camber motor for stress-free freeriding. Top speed will not be its strong point, but it is more than enough for exhilarating planing. Sit back and let the Exceed take you on a relaxed ride.

CONCLUSION: By changing to 6 battens the GUNSAILS Freeride sail emphasizes the idea of easy surfing without losing grip. The weight saving is a benefit for the weekend surfer and the beginner in the camber sail sector. The Exceed should be paired with a freeride board to allow easy planing without the need for performance, just to have the pleasure of riding with drive and stability.

+: RIGGING, TRIM AID, LIGHTNESS, PRICE
-: LESS POWER