HORIZON 2023

OVERVIEW: Stepping into its fourth season, the Horizon is Gunsails‘ five-batten ‘Power Wave’ option and is described as “truly all-round” for use in all conditions, from cross-off utopia to bump-and-jump skate parks. Such is its intended versatility in application, that Gunsails have evolved the sail’s shaping through the sizes. The smaller sizes (up to this 5.0m) are oriented towards strong winds and more extreme action, whereas the three larger sizes have fuller profiles for more drive and coastal blasting prowess. And to provide extra practicality, the 5.7m and 6.1m are also compatible with SDMs should the need arise. For 2022, the Horizon 5.0m’s luff length has been reduced and boom length extended, with the intention of lowering the draft and enhancing the smoothness of its power delivery. Rigged here on a Select 400 RDM, it sets with a moderate amount of luff curve, the recommended extension only just enabling the leech’s looseness to touch the brand’s famous F.R.E.D. marker in the head, so we extended the extension an extra notch to provide more tuning margin. Setting relatively flat at rest, the bottom two battens protrude beyond the mast’s leading edge, before using one of the two clew eyelets offered to pull the sail out and set the draft. Detailing is both functional and current, with all the features you’d expect of a modern sail, from beading along the foot of the sail and both sides of the bottom batten, to alternating batten pockets and double stitch seams around the x-ply window.

PERFORMANCE: The Horizon is one of three five-batten sails on test here and as such it does possess a little more physical weight than most. Nevertheless, reduce the tension in the sail for marginal winds and it generates a good amount of bottom end grunt, the battens pulling away from the mast as pressure builds and enabling the sail to adopt a much deeper more purposeful profile. Power delivery is soft and progressive, the drive coming in from a forward position, feeling stable yet positive in the hands. As the conditions turn on and even become turbulent, this cushioned ride from the Horizon is a really welcomed asset, absorbing any violent impact as you ride over chop and allowing the rider to keep the board pinned, whilst concentrating on their own stance or performance. It’s a great all-round companion for combating all coastal conditions and whilst the feedback and response may be smooth and easy rather than crisp or instantaneous, it means it is not energy sapping or tiring to use for prolonged sessions. In transition it drives in positively, the battens pushing back round the mast as the sail is eased out mid-transition, allowing the draft to exhale for easy manoeuvring. It feels compact and dependable throughout, never pulling the rider to their toes or asking too much of them. Even at the upper end of its wind range, the Horizon can be re-tuned with more downhaul tension and the lower clew eyelet utilised to help it retain its manners. A supremely dependable engine for all coastal environments and even high wind freeride sailing, the Horizon is easy to get on with.

THE VERDICT: With a good natural and tuneable range, the Horizon delivers smooth progressive power that asks little of the rider. Compatible with all riding styles and board types it is very user-friendly and comes with a very attractive price tag.

A super all-rounder for the heavy

Characterized by a good profile in the front and a nice tension in the profile as well as in the leech, this 5 batten Horizon is a power wave built from X-Ply materials with a Dacron mast panel.

ON THE WATER: Aside from the larger surface area, this Horizon is one of the high-horsepower sails, as it generously distributes pull to both hands and the profile is more tight due to the 400 mast and 5 battens. It is more lively in acceleration and more powerful than the others, with excellent references to reposition itself at the spot, supported by a great profile stability and constant power on the back hand. The Horizon is bigger, drier, more brute and a bit more inert than the smaller 4-batten sails, but provides extra push and support for medium and especially heavy surfers, making it more effective in the low and mid-range when other sails run out of resources. It also pays off in weak waves or onshore to fly over foam and current at Mach 2 and get out to the open sea easier and faster. This is Power Wave, the super all-rounder that gives the board more lift, more speed/stability with a more controlled ride appreciated in freewave and bump & jump. The downside is that it loses lightness, responsiveness, neutrality and softness/smoothness in the wave and consumes more energy, especially for lighter people. However, it cannot be completely neutralized.

CONCLUSION: This big motor positions itself at the intersection of a wave and a bump & jump program, prioritizing stability and zippy support for more powerful and efficient riding in unstable and varied conditions. A reliable sail to plane earlier and longer.

+ Range of use, dynamics, stability, surfing with more power, speed and downwind, price.
-  Logically less playful, less light and less smooth behavior than a 4 batten sail.

And here we are again with the test of the Horizon, the Power Wave from GunsSails, standing next to the Seal with 4 battens, a sail we will be testing shortly.

Indeed ... The idea was originally to do a comparison test between the two sails in the 5.3 size, which is the most commonly used on our trips ... but the Seal has not yet arrived in our editorial office. That's why we focused on the "classic" five-batten wave sail, which gets a completely new design and geometry for the new season. The Horizon 2022 remains the high-performance GunSails wave sail in every respect, but offers greater versatility in the freewave/bump&jump segment, expanding its already wide range of use. On the Horizon 5.3 '22, the mast length (+1 cm) and boom length (+ 3 cm) have been increased compared to the 2021 version (which we tested in size 5.7 in the June/July issue).

Once set, when dry the new sail appears slightly flatter than usual, but when first approaching the water the Power Wave profile does not appear saturated: By adjusting the clew tension and playing with the clew eyelets, you can give it a little more power to manoeuvre the Horizon in light wind and wave conditions. Speaking of which ... It can be rigged with the 400/19 (but also, without too much disadvantage, with the 430/21 thanks to the vario-top ... a plus in flexibility), and no excessive luff tension is needed to find the optimal trim right away. The feel is slightly stiffer than that of the Seal 021 we normally use in the waves, a sail that is also easier on the arms with its 4-batten shape, but the Horizon pays immediate dividends with greater acceleration to bail us out in gusty winds below, which unfortunately has always been a "habit" of our spot.

In addition, the Horizon, which seems to have lost none of its strength thanks to its meticulous all-X-Ply construction, has undoubtedly increased its flexibility. Indeed, the new sail seems to have gained something in terms of neutrality, comfort, manoeuvrability and profile stability in particularly rough conditions. In windy conditions, it never pulls too hard on the back hand and guarantees the right mix of speed and neutrality, which is much appreciated in our conditions. It responds directly, is stable and manoeuvrable, a little more ponderous in the surf than the 4-batten wave sail, but much better suited to a range of conditions, from waves to chop and strong wind excursions. The construction, reinforcements and love for details are on par with the best sails, making it desirable for all surfers, including those approaching the wave, with a quality/price ratio that is virtually unbeatable!

+: Acceleration, range of use, versatility, stability, control in the wind, also suitable for heavy and less experienced surfers, construction
-:MINUS Less sensitive and neutral than the Seal