SEAL

Propulsive power and subtle softness

DESIGN: The Seal features a strong Dacron presence in its mast panel, which is widened in the top area. Its outline is semi stubby and the leech has a cut at the end of the center batten. The sailcloth is made entirely of X-Ply. Also available in a RE-Seal version made from recycled PET bottles.

ON THE WATER: The Seal's luff tension is smooth, although the mast bend is prominent. The cloth maintains leech tension by following the trim indicator, which is fairly close to its leech edge. At the boom, the tension must be evident. The rig is lighter than one might have imagined, and is very respectably in the good midrange. The Seal has a balanced profile with a pronounced hollow across the boom. Propulsion is available quite early. The pull in hand is moderate with a touch of tenderness in the responses. For a 4-batten sail, the whole is particularly stable and well behaved in a straight line. When riding waves, it offers control of progressive traction with minimal pressure in the hands at all times. This allows you to approach the lip without losing momentum. The Seal is much more agile than the Horizon, but still controllable, but less responsive than the most extreme models. We used it on thrusters rather than quads to avoid having to reduce pressure underfoot. This model is an all-rounder that adapts to a wide range of conditions.

CONCLUSION: The Seal offers a balance between stability and agility, a good mix of versatility to be effective in both jumping and wave riding. The soft reactions show a real comfort. The Gunsails is a model accessible to all levels without being overly crazy. The Seal is suitable on a waveboard of an advanced rider who wants to try all kinds of conditions.

+ Drive, versatility jumping/surfing, price
-  Too little craziness for the expert

When we finally found the bread and butter to test the Seal 5.3 2022 in the form of waves and wind.... the Re-Seal 4.7 2023 came into our hands prematurely.
Given the delay in the last two issues of Wind News, it is therefore better to propose the test of the latest sail spontaneously. The Re-Seal was actually already a coveted sail for last season's testing, but between delivery delays and the "shortage" of this eco-friendly version of the Seal, made from laminates of used polyester appropriately recycled and converted into X-Ply, nothing had come of it. Until a few days ago, when the special edition Seal in size 4.7 and with its special 'green look' reaches our great hands.
We've already talked about the special design in detail in previous issues, so we'll just mention it briefly here, but at first glance, apart from the color, there are no obvious differences from the basic version of Seal! The shape confirms that it is the same model, but made of different, environmentally friendly materials.
There are no surprises in the trim either: The GunSails recommendation for the Re-Seal 4.7 is the RDM mast, and if you want to use its full potential in the waves, the best combination remains the RDM 370/17 with 27/29 cm extension, given the 397 cm mast pocket. Considering that GunSails uses the Vario-Top on this size (as on 3.2, 3.5, 3.7 and 4.0), we also tried to upgrade it with the RDM 400/19 and the combination was not daring at all, on the contrary! Especially if you are 'used' to the basic version... the Re-Seal 4.7 seems a bit more elastic and 'softer' with the 370/17, which is perhaps due to the materials used in the construction. This characteristic is already noticeable when rigging: With both masts, it is indeed easy to achieve the right luff tension to find the optimal trim, but in the water, especially with the RDM 400/19, you feel the sensation of a sail that is light in the arms, while with the 370/17 it is softer and more suitable for particularly windy conditions.
While not the most powerful wave sail, the Re-Seal 4.7 surprised us with how well it handled in the wind holes and how much power it could deliver at low speeds when trimmed appropriately in the boom. It may not be a versatile and stable "engine" like the Horizon, but it doesn't deviate much from it, and besides, it pays off in terms of maneuverability once you get into "serious" waves in strong winds, where it's even more responsive when it needs to be, but neutral in the surf at the right time. It leaves as a dominant impression that of great lightness and agility. A wave sail for experts in the sector, responsive and agile, robust and powerful, perhaps a little more "elastic" than the basic version, but equipped with the necessary stretch to be exploited even in our waves. The price/performance ratio is still unbeatable and the solid construction with the X-Ply equipped window that allows a good visibility, combined with the robustness, protects the sail in the roughest wash.

Plus: Quality/price, construction, relatively powerful, maneuverable and responsive in the surf, soft feel, eco-friendly....
Minus: Less comfort than the Horizon in very strong winds.

A wide range of use

The lightest sail of the brand, after the wind blows in, has a pronounced profile behind the mast, with a nice twist in the leech, reinforced by different X-PLY materials lighter in the upper part, and a Dacron panel behind the mast.

ON THE WATER: The Seal has been redesigned to be lighter over the last two years and creates a nice forward push to get planing quickly. It is softer than a Horizon, but remains relatively firm in its handling with a very good overall balance when sailing. It is one of the most efficient and powerful sails in this group when it comes to positioning yourself quickly on the water, sailing high on the wind, slashing waves and keeping in planing. It offers good, balanced support on both hands and a super feel at the top of the range. It covers a wide range of conditions, is more versatile than average and appeals to a wider audience. It has a less pronounced, less exclusive character than others in this group and is more accessible and tolerant, for example, in the settings. In the wave, you have a good pressure in the front profile area to push the edge of the board into the turn with a good guidance, without neutralizing as naturally as some others, without being so light and reactive in ON/OFF. The advantage is that you still have some pressure on the back hand to accelerate or go back up to the lip of the wave at side onshore, and less dependent on the good will of the wave.

CONCLUSION: This Seal has scored a lot of points for handling different wave conditions in France, thanks to its good compromise between stability and maneuverability. It is always present, even if some would like it to be a little more neutral, with a very nice range of use in the result.

+ Price, range of use, performance, stability/handling, versatility
-  Less pronounced ultra-reactivity.

Considering that GunSails' sail range for the 2024 season remains virtually unchanged compared to this year (more on this in the news on page 20), for this test we have taken a size of Seal, the company's four-batten wave sail, which is somewhat unusual for a test... 4.0! A size that in my case (I weigh 82 kg) is the "combat" size, which allows me to easily do without the 3.5, also thanks to the 340 mast, which makes everything more tolerable, but which in the case of lightweight Andrea (he weighs 67 kg) is a sail size that he uses much more. As already shown in the test of the Re-Seal 4. 7 (we are talking about the version of this sail made from recycled material ... ) in the December/January 2023 issue, the Seal 4.0 also feels a little softer than before. The sail, which is the lightest in the GunSails range, has been further slimmed down and now reaches the weight of wave sails that cost much, much more. However, the solid construction to which the German sailmaker has accustomed us for years has not suffered. Incidentally, the Seal still relies entirely on X-Ply windows!

On the water ... Andrea came back ashore after 4/5 sessions on a thundery day, with rain, wind for a 3.5 and very long wind holes where you wouldn't even have planed with a 5.3 and said ... "This sail is not even remotely related to mine! How beautiful!" For the record: Andrea uses my three year old Seals in sizes 4.2, 4.7 and 5.3, and the Seal 4.0 that is the subject of this review was rigged with the Reptile Reverse 340, which I strongly advised him to get with a view to buying the 3.5 in the future! After using both the Reverse 340 and the 370 on the GA IQ 4.0 and then on the Gun Seal 4.0, I found that the shorter mast made the sails much more "docile" and easier to handle, even in super-sailed conditions. Ideal mast or not ... the Seal 4.0 is a good compromise between stability and maneuverability, it is more versatile than the previous models and this feature makes it "usable" for a much wider audience than just experienced surfers.

It may not be due to the softer mast that this Seal is slightly less responsive than other wave sails, but only the most experienced wavers will notice this... while the little bit of extra flex pays off in pretty much all conditions. When surfing, the Seal has the advantage of always delivering a good pull, allowing you to accelerate at a reasonable speed and attempt cut backs even when the wind under the shore is not pushing as it should. This ability is particularly appreciated in side-on shore conditions and is a good card to play in local swell. A more accessible sail than expected, for all advanced riders who want to surf in all conditions.