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One embodiment of a seal includes a body portion, a skirt portion, and an insert. The body portion is composed of a first material. The skirt portion extends from the body portion and is also composed of the first material. The skirt portion has an inboard leg and an outboard leg that move toward ea

One embodiment of a seal includes a body portion, a skirt portion, and an insert. The body portion is composed of a first material. The skirt portion extends from the body portion and is also composed of the first material. The skirt portion has an inboard leg and an outboard leg that move toward each other upon collapse in use. The insert is carried by the body portion and is composed of a second material which is more rigid than the first material.

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1. A ring seal, comprising: a circumferentially continuous body portion having an inboard side, an outboard side, a generally radially extending upper surface, a generally radially extending lower surface axially spaced from the upper surface, and comprising a first resilient, flexible and compressi

1. A ring seal, comprising: a circumferentially continuous body portion having an inboard side, an outboard side, a generally radially extending upper surface, a generally radially extending lower surface axially spaced from the upper surface, and comprising a first resilient, flexible and compressible material;a circumferentially continuous skirt portion integral with and extending generally axially from the body portion and comprising the first material, the skirt portion including, in cross-section and in an uncompressed state, a generally axially extending inboard leg immediately adjacent the inboard side of the body portion, a generally axially extending outboard leg radially spaced from and adjacent the inboard leg, both legs spaced radially inboard from the outboard side of the body portion and a recess between the legs, wherein, when in a compressed state, the recess is at least partially collapsed and respective inside surfaces of the inboard and outboard legs move toward each other;the body portion extending radially outboard of the skirt portion and having its greatest dimension substantially in the radial direction, the skirt portion having its greatest dimension substantially in the axial direction, andan insert carried by the body portion and comprising a second material which is more rigid than the first material, the insert including an anchor portion received between the generally radially extending upper and lower surfaces and embedded in and surrounded at least in part by the body portion, and including an exposed portion extending from the anchor portion and projecting at least in part radially outside of the outboard side of the body portion. 2. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein the greatest dimension of the body portion in substantially the axial direction is less than the greatest dimension of the skirt portion in substantially the axial direction. 3. The ring seal of claim 2 wherein a groove is generally located at an intersection of the axially lowermost surface of the body portion and the radially outermost surface of the skirt portion, the groove facilitating displacement of the body and skirt portions upon compression during use of the ring seal. 4. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein the body portion has a sealing bead located at its axially uppermost surface, the sealing bead and the axially uppermost surface constituting a first sealing surface. 5. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein a plurality of intermediate walls extend between the inboard and outboard legs to define a plurality of separate recesses circumferentially spaced around the skirt portion. 6. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein, when the ring seal is in the uncompressed state, the inboard and outboard legs of the skirt portion are coextensive with respect to each other, are substantially parallel with respect to each other, and are substantially parallel with respect to a center axis of the ring seal. 7. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein: a first sealing surface is located on an axially uppermost surface of the body portion and, when the ring seal is in the uncompressed state, the first sealing surface extends in the generally radial direction;a second sealing surface is located on an axially lowermost surface of the body portion and, when the ring seal is in the uncompressed state, the second sealing surface extends in the generally radial direction and is generally parallel to the first sealing surface;a third sealing surface is located on a radially innermost surface of the skirt portion and, when the ring seal is in the uncompressed state, the third sealing surface extends in the generally axial direction; anda fourth sealing surface is located on a radially outermost surface of the skirt portion and, when the ring seal is in the uncompressed state, the fourth sealing surface extends in the generally axial direction and is generally parallel to the third sealing surface. 8. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein the insert has an annular shape and defines a plurality of openings spaced circumferentially therearound and away from one another, and the first material of the body portion extends through each of the openings to form a mechanical interconnection between the insert and the body portion at the anchor portion. 9. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein the anchor portion is completely surrounded on all sides by the first material of the body portion in order to fix the insert in the body portion. 10. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein the exposed portion has a free end constituting the radially outermost end of the ring seal and has a bend located therein and an angled outer surface extending from the bend that is angled with respect to the radial direction, the angled outer surface is positioned to abut a component of a vessel when an associated joint is assembled. 11. A seal, comprising: a circumferentially continuous body portion having its greatest dimension orientated substantially in the radial direction, the body portion having an inboard side and an outboard side and comprising a resilient and flexible first material;a circumferentially continuous skirt portion extending generally axially from and integral with the body portion and comprising the first material, the skirt portion including a generally axially extending inboard leg immediately adjacent the inboard side of the body portion, a generally axially extending outboard leg radially spaced from and adjacent the inboard leg with a recess between them and both legs spaced radially inboard of the outboard side of the body portion, and the skirt portion having its greatest dimension orientated substantially in the axial direction; andan insert comprising a second material which is more rigid than the first material, the insert including an anchor portion in and surrounded on all sides by the first material of the body portion in order to fix the insert in the body portion, the insert also including an exposed portion extending from the anchor portion and located radially outside of the body portion and constituting the radially outermost structure of the seal, the exposed portion having a bend and an angled outer surface extending from the bend that is angled with respect to the radial and axial directions, the angled outer surface positioned to abut a component of a vessel when an associated joint is assembled. 12. The seal of claim 11 wherein the skirt portion includes, in cross-section and in an uncompressed state, an inboard leg, an outboard leg, and a recess therebetween, wherein, when in a compressed state, the recess is at least partially collapsed and respective inside surfaces of the inboard and outboard legs are located closer toward each other. 13. The seal of claim 11 wherein: a first sealing surface is located on an axially uppermost surface of the body portion and, when the seal is in the uncompressed state, the first sealing surface extends in the generally radial direction;a second sealing surface is located on an axially lowermost surface of the body portion and, when the seal is in the uncompressed state, the second sealing surface extends in the generally radial direction and is generally parallel to the first sealing surface;a third sealing surface is located on a radially innermost surface of the skirt portion and, when the seal is in the uncompressed state, the third sealing surface extends in the generally axial direction; anda fourth sealing surface is located on a radially outermost surface of the skirt portion and, when the seal is in the uncompressed state, the fourth sealing surface extends in the generally axial direction and is generally parallel to the third sealing surface. 14. The seal of claim 11 wherein the insert has an annular shape and the anchor portion includes a plurality of openings spaced circumferentially therearound and away from one another, and the first material of the body portion extends through each of the openings to form a mechanical interconnection between the insert and the body portion. 15. The seal of claim 11 wherein the anchor portion includes at least one protrusion, and the first material of the body portion surround the protrusion on all sides to form a mechanical interconnection between the insert and the body portion.