Seatec Gabbiano 90cm

[Huw]

Hi guys.

My favorite speargun in my collection is the Seatec Gabbiano 90cm. It fulfulls all of my needs... NEARLY! Visability in my location does not allow a gun longer than 90cm to be very effective at all, and infact a 90cm is ideal for the hunting that i do. However i could really do with a bit more range. I feel that the range of a 110cm gun would be brilliant however as i said, i simply would not be able to manage it in the water that i hunt. I notice that the seatec gabbiano elite has a reel fitted to it, the model that i have does allow the fitting of a reel. Would this improve range? If so by howmuch? Also how would i rig the line to the gun witha reel. At the moment i can rig the gun perfectly (with my eyes closed if i wanted ) but really would have no clue about using a reel. At the moment i am using 16mm rubbers, and am thinking about upgrading to 20mm. However i feel that this would be better accompanied by a bit more range. Once i have fired a shot with my current gun, it is relatively straight forward to rig and load the gun in about 10 seconds; would this time be longer or shorter with a reel?

Any thoughts, or imput would be very gratefully recieved.

Thanks in advance ,
Huw

 

[spaghetti]

Hi again, Huw. I've read here on DB that none of the english spearos use a reel (while all italians do), and there must be a reason (I think it depends on the kind of fish you find in your waters).
However, this is a very good topic about rigging and reels.
http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=64504&highlight=dummies
My opinion:
A reel will not improve the shooting range, and will make reloading time longer if you open it after shot. But it will be useful with big and strong fish: after spearing them, you release the friction to give some meters of line, so the fishes can run away a bit without pulling themselves off the shaft. This way they will also waste their energy until, when they're tired and unprofitably weary, you'l be able to roll 'em up.
It's the same you do with angling reels.
BTW. I've seen in a shop the new seatec "Energy" reel and it's a very advanced concept: very smooth and "clean" lining.

 

[Huw]

Spaghetti...
you once again come to my rescue:inlove lol.

Basically the fish that i am shooting are not huge and strong, and therefore this makes me think that a reel is unecissary. The ONLY reason i would think about getting one is for extra range. This would be because i cannot see how extra range can be achieved from a gun that has no reel as there would be no place for the extra line to go. I think that i am stuck. maybe i cannot get extra range from this gun and will have to make do with the present state of the Gabbiano. No real problem though, i was just thinking of any possible improvements to be made

Thanks,
Huw

 

[fearthespear]

Recently bought a Gabbiano 100 from Spearo Dave. It's superb but I have needed to remove the butt pad to improve the line of sight when aiming! I haven't used it much yet but early impressions are good. Range is plentiful. Surely you have loads of kelp to hide in down there in tropical Cornwall!?

 

[Huw]

Yeah loads of kelp, its just vis thats a bit of an issue. Plus i am looking to buy a shorter gun at the moment not a longer one! i was just wondering what i could do to get range without a new gun. Just a fantasy i think rofl .

Thanks,
Huw

 

[dave]

You can rig the Gabbiano very easily with a double wrap of shooting line, (the line goes around the little hook on the muzzle, then back around the other side of the line release) but I find it doesn't give much more effective range, and makes fish harder to control once shot as there is more loose line out
cheers
dave
www.spearo.co.uk

 

[Huw]

Thanks alot dave...
I was sure that a double wrap must be possible. I have also been reading up on a previous thread that you put imput on about 20mm bands vs 16mm bands. If i put on a double wrap of line on i may buy a 7mm shaft with 16mm rubbers for a 75cm gun. Do you still think that this would not be worth it? I presume that loading time will only be a tiny bit longer. How much harder will the gun be to load with these rubbers on it? So many people advise different types and brands of rubbers... what are peoples favorite (bearing in mind that i will need the screw in type)?

Thanks,
Huw

 

[spaghetti]

You didn't ask me, but for bands I personally recommend these ones:
20mm: Seatec "Progressiv" and Cressi G20
18mm: Omer "Power 18"
17,5 mm: Demka
16mm: Dessault (the best for me).
With any of these you won't miss!
My advise is to use the proper length for you gun's size.

 

[Huw]

Thanks again spaghetti...
the more i think about it, the more i think i should just stick with what i have. I think technique and practice are needed more than range anyway .

PROBLEM SOLVED!

Thanks everyone,
Huw

 

[spaghetti]

But what was the problem? And how did you solve it?
Please let us now, because your ideas, too, could help us in exchange.

 

[Huw]

Spaghetti...

Sorry i have taken so long to get back to this thread... my mind has been wandering on new guns! I did not have any genuine solution to the problem as such, i just figured that i should work more on my approach to fish in the water, and technique ( i was bearing the old saying 'a bad worksman always blames his tools' in mind ) rather than blaming my gear. Also thinking about it, only one fish out of about 20 in my last dives have been unshootable because of range, and i dont think those sort of figures require a change in my kit . Im never going to get a shot at them all.

Also reading up a thread entitiled 'how to get close to the fish' which although is aimed at very new beginner spearos, i feel that it raises such good points that each of us should give it a read. It is simple enough to find on the search function i think.

Once again sorry about how long i took to reply, and that there was no real solution to the subject.

Huw

 

[jimy286]

What is the advatage of 16mm or 20mm for the Gabbiano

 

[Huw]

20mm has the power wheras 16mm has the accuracy! Unless you are shooting monsters i would highly advise the 16mms


Huw.

 

[jimy286]

Was thinken of getten the Gabbiano 90.

I live in dorset but do alot of traverling to the land of the monsters as im a scuba instructor. so i could just swap rubers

Would u recomend this gun for wat i seek?

also what the differnce with Gabbiano Elite and Gabbiano other then rubers and a reel?

 

[scottie3030]

i ve got the elite with 20mm rubers its got bags of power but is a bitch to load but thats prob coz im a newbie i us that when the fish are bigger n in open water! ive also got the gabbi 77 with 16mm rubers still very powerful alot easier load i use this one round rocks n when viz is crap! Dont no the differance between the elite n the gabbi only what you mention they look exactly same there both brilliant bits of kit

I bot mine from dave spearo he'll no have a look on www.spearo.co.uk

 

[jimy286]

Have you shot anything big like Tuna wahoo ect. I herd one post saying it didnt penertrate anything big. dnt no wat set up he had.

do you have the reel that Dave sells with it? any good. worth using in the uk?

Were do you shoot in Bristol?

 

[Huw]

Generally reels are not needed in the UK and the reel on the gabbiano is no exception. I use the 90cm standard version with 16mm bands, and this is superb. The spear went straight through 90% of the bass that i shot in the UK this year at most ranges, although long shots at the gill plates often mean that the fish end up half way along the shaft.

As far as i know, there is no actual diference in the Elite version since the reel can be easily mounted to the standard version and so can 20mm rubbers. However the Elite does come in a 100cm model, which will be better in blue water abroad.

From what you say i dont think you could go wrong with a gabbiano, although i would advise fixing a 7mm shaft in bluewater when targeting bigger species since the 6.5mm could possibly bend. If i was yourself and was intending to fish abroad regularly, i would go for the elite 100cm ( you can always remove the reel when you see fit).

Hope i helped.

Huw.

 

[spaghetti]

Jimy 286, I'm a big fan of the Gabbiano, technically speaking it's probably the best eurogun in the industrial series-production category. But if you're targeting tunas a 90cm could be not enough: specialists here use at least a 110.
Then again, if you're targeting tunas and appreciate Seatec guns, you could try to get the new Seatec Tornado, an impressive railgun with 3x16 bands, same handle, mechanism and grip of the Gabbiano. One of the official testers is a friend of mine and gave excellent feedback on power and accuracy. (but he actually couldn't find any tunas here: he tested it shooting AJ's and big tanks full of sand, and pierced them all trough from side to side)

 

[scottie3030]

i got the reel but havent used it so i couldnt comment! but it fits on the gabbi 77 just the same!
Theres nowhere to spear in bristol the river severn 10mins away but thats chocolate brown on a very good day and if that doesnt put u off then strong currents will only way i no to fish it is with rod and line!
i spear around portland and teighmouth

 

[jimy286]

Is there any way of puting two rubers on the Gabbiano?

Has anyone got any bitchy comments on this gun?

Scotie were is teighmouth? Is it any good?