VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

In surf the board and rig can disappear and lead to a long-ish swim.

Otherwise, the rig will act as an "anchor" of sorts and I have not had the windsurf gear head downwind faster than a pretty easy swim.

If they get separated, however ....

I agree it's not a big deal unless the rig does a flip which can send the board downwind fast, but then it usually stops.

In breaking waves it can take some effort to catch the gear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB46G5PdAy0

Now this looks super fun!!!

So want to try this out...that looks like pretty fun for sure Chris! You seem to be liking it! Wish it was cheaper to get into.

TheLaw wrote:So want to try this out...that looks like pretty fun for sure Chris! You seem to be liking it! Wish it was cheaper to get into.

Yeah, $$$ for sure. My funds earmarked for a new 29er got diverted. New bike will have to wait another year . I think for learning, the cost doesn't have to be prohibitive. An old beater SUP works great (Hypernut style) with older aluminum foil to start. It is so much more fun than it looks and there's the cross over appeal of paddling the same SUP foil into garbage waves...

Just posted my Hover 135 SUP foil/ wing board under windsurf gear. No windsurf mast track and no fins. Foil only. Ordered something a little smaller.

TheLaw wrote:So want to try this out...that looks like pretty fun for sure Chris! You seem to be liking it! Wish it was cheaper to get into.

Speaking of beater sups for learning wing foiling -- the orange riviera door is ready for return to you Mark! Now 3/4 blue, with foil tracks, and good to go.

juandesooka wrote:

TheLaw wrote:So want to try this out...that looks like pretty fun for sure Chris! You seem to be liking it! Wish it was cheaper to get into.

Speaking of beater sups for learning wing foiling -- the orange riviera door is ready for return to you Mark! Now 3/4 blue, with foil tracks, and good to go.

Mark is a motorhead now. Trials bike stole his heart He gone.

I'm interested to hear what you guys think about light wind wing foiling. What size wing would replace a 7.5M windsurf sale, would it even be worth trying or is it better for stronger winds?

I'm biased as whether it's worth it as I'm hooked and committed to all conditions for winging! Like any wind sport, it's a combo of your size, skill, and equipment. Not sure what you're asking, do you want to learn and stay in those conditions? Very light wind makes any size challenging to learn on, but you can definitely give yourself an edge by having a very large foil underneath you. I don't think I'd be going over 6m unless you're really heavy. I'm 85kg using a 5.3m wing and a 1310cm2 foil and can get going in about 14 knots. If I got a very big foil e.g. 1800cm2 HA or 2400cm2 LA, I could probably get going in 10 knots still with my 5.3 (?), and I'd be having a blast! Look around online, there are guys winging in very light conditions. My opinion, you'll get more low end capability from a bigger foil than a huge wing.

I have really been enjoying winging this summer. My goal was to chase low winds, but I am finding that aspect a bit iffy. Lots of people online bragging about getting up in 5-8kts, but I call BS until i see it in person. 10kts is just barely doable with my 6m wasp, but it's hard work and kinda slow, and quite frankly, kite foiling is a lot more fun at that wind speed. Similarly I was out in waves playing but just barely able to stay on foil and stay upwind, working it like crazy ... meanwhile, the windsurf guy on the big sail, slowly slogging back and forth, got wave after wave. Dunno, overall that was probably more fun on that day (though if wind increased even 2kts, game on, no comparison once powered up).

I have somewhat given up on the light wind wing dream. But the trade off: 20kt + is WAY more fun than expected! I an on a 4m / 6m combo, for high wind / light wind.

On another note, I am experimenting with a harness now, so far finding it a big improvement for high upwind angle and easy on the arms in long reaches, especially with big wing.

Tsawwassen wrote:I'm interested to hear what you guys think about light wind wing foiling. What size wing would replace a 7.5M windsurf sale, would it even be worth trying or is it better for stronger winds?

The comments say this is 7-13 knots measured, but it looks like less (no whitecaps anywhere). Looks like ridiculous fun for light wind.
https://youtu.be/yTwQrkO8WaE

UnusuallyLargeRobin wrote:Not sure what you're asking, do you want to learn and stay in those conditions?

I spend the summer in the North Okanagan and there are two types of wind days here. Light 4g12 early morning thermals or crazy 4g30 evening thermals. Wondering if I should get a 7.0 flyer for the light wind days and a smaller wing for the craziness or get 2 wings.

juandesooka wrote:My goal was to chase low winds, but I am finding that aspect a bit iffy.

That's what I was wondering.

more force 4 wrote: The comments say this is 7-13 knots measured, but it looks like less (no whitecaps anywhere). Looks like ridiculous fun for light wind.
https://youtu.be/yTwQrkO8WaE

Although this does look fun!
I had a great strapless windsurf foiling day today on my hypernut so that got me thinking. I have a Moses 1100 foil, it's big, with a 95cm mast but I think for winging I need a shorter fuselage.

I'm winging the moses 1100. Have ridden it from under 10kn to over 30kn. In this review he specifically talks about using the windsurf fuselage for even better low end of getting going in 6kn and better upwind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtKMleeqq9o

Don't blame the size of the wing: balz muller freestyle on the 1100

https://www.facebook.com/balzsurfsport/ ... 5MzYzOTI0/

My new-to wing foiling kook-take is that given a large enough foil and wing it'll be fun enough in light air. The transitions will keep you entertained but the speed won't (coming from windsurfing). Where winging starts to to shine, and I mean REALLY shine is if you have any lumps to ride. I'm still buzzing from a session a week ago in 3-4' windswell that allowed full depower of the wing and my first real foil surfing experiences. I have a feeling it will be much like kiting and windsurfing in that you can easily do it in light air but will gradually be looking for more wind/swell and even jumping conditions as you progress. The more I do it the more I'm getting a little obsessed. Pretty funny considering a year ago I thought it was the lamest thing I'd seen since disco 'blading. I eventually had to just trust that the smiles on everyone's faces who were wingfoiling were sincere and I ended up drinking the tall, cool glass of kool-Aid.