The Naish Wing-Surfer

[Peter_Frank]

It will be great to follow how it evolves, looking forward

PF

[bragnouff]

What could make the difference too in the appeal factor would be the setup procedure. When I see Kai Lenny walking with the wing overhead carrying his foil down an alley, it screams super awkward. But imagine if you could have it neatly tucked in a small backpack, you paddle out from the shore to deep water or to a place where the wind fills in, you sit on your board and then you deploy your wing in no time with a small hand pump, then there will be tangible benefits compared to kiting or windsurfing. Launching from a boat would finally become trivial. Sheltered spots, spots with barely any room for setup, high tide, etc... this becomes much less relevant when accessing the waves. For all of these conditions, that winged contraption could be a really viable option, opening up some playgrounds.

On a skateboard, I use a 3m foil kite on handles, straight on the bridles, and the ability to throw something in the air out of the bag and just get going is pretty special. Minimal setup time, small pack size, those are sometimes characteristics that are as legit as a faster speed or better VMG.
Time will tell

[juandesooka]

What could make the difference too in the appeal factor would be the setup procedure. When I see Kai Lenny walking with the wing overhead carrying his foil down an alley, it screams super awkward. But imagine if you could have it neatly tucked in a small backpack, you paddle out from the shore to deep water or to a place where the wind fills in, you sit on your board and then you deploy your wing in no time with a small hand pump...

or if you wanted to get super high tech, some kind of pressure cartridge like they use for life jackets. Pfft...and off you go.

I did see a photo of one of these wings with a paddle strapped to center strut ... which I guess is the rescue plan is the wind dies somewhere way downwind.

[Slappysan]

Slappy: "I can't believe I'm the only one taking the piss about this little marketing frenzy.". The only one? Dude, get on instragram or facebook, there's an entire symphony of haters out there on this, you'd be 7th violin at best.

That was JumpTheShark, not me.

[junebug]

I admit it — I’m a hater too. I like flying small kites as fast as I can and turning small boards with big foils as fast as I can. These wings don’t turn like kites and you have to use really big boards.

I have tremendous respect for the windsurfers who paved the way for kiteboarding, but this looks like an activity that a stubborn windsurfer who refuses to dump his sail and buy a kite wants to do. Just buy a kite, buddy!

Like almost anything on the water, it’s probably pretty fun, sure, but why bother when there is something so much better that requires the exact same conditions? If this were a no wind activity, I’d be all for it. But if it’s windy, I just can’t fathom reaching for a wing and a huge board instead of a kite and a small one.

[jumptheshark]

Yeah, get rid oh that Slappy character. Dudes killing the vibe in here.

Wouldn't a tiny super light ram air, packable kite like the peak work so much better? Short little 3 m lines if you want, Just enough to get it out of your face! Make it a tiny two liner, pull it out, hold it up for a min, drift it down and pop it up. Just loop up two pigtails on your paddle and theres your bar. Preferably something stupid stable or better yet, auto zenith. As long as you can drift it one handed. Something like the Peter Lynn ARCs. They made a pretty fast wave kite in the arc style.... the bomba. Cool looking kite, You could probably make that two line that just auto sheets out on a bungee bridal at the wingtip. Whatever, there are just better ideas than sending people out in the ocean with one hand leashed to a 5m wing. You can't even hand paddle properly with one of those!

Man, until that thing furls out of a paddle, its kooky shit. If it's competition for a paddle, it can't leave you up the creek without one! Lose the paddle and you have a pile of people drifting into trouble with that wing occupying one hand.... Pffft.

[juandesooka]

I admit it — I’m a hater too. I like flying small kites as fast as I can and turning small boards with big foils as fast as I can. These wings don’t turn like kites and you have to use really big boards.

I have tremendous respect for the windsurfers who paved the way for kiteboarding, but this looks like an activity that a stubborn windsurfer who refuses to dump his sail and buy a kite wants to do. Just buy a kite, buddy!

Like almost anything on the water, it’s probably pretty fun, sure, but why bother when there is something so much better that requires the exact same conditions? If this were a no wind activity, I’d be all for it. But if it’s windy, I just can’t fathom reaching for a wing and a huge board instead of a kite and a small one.

Because you're probably not a surfer! Two styles of wave riding with a kitefoil: zipping in and around swells at full speed like a jet powered skateboard (awesome). Or slowing down, drifting the kite so it has near zero pull, surfing the swells with just wave power, then re-engage the kiter after to go get some more (also awesome, more like surfing). For people into the latter, a functional challenge is keeping the kite in the air while you surf towards it, especially in lighter winds. This new wing toy may extend the envelope for this kind of riding.

But I am halfway with you: I have been SUP foiling a lot lately, but I have never done a downwinder ... because if it's windy, I am not willing to give up a kite session. Where I see this wing as having the most potential, is those days where it was blowing 40kts and there are big marching swells, then it dies down to 10kts...there's a magic hour where there's surf but kinda marginal kite wind. May be dreaming to think I'd time it right but it's fun to dream. And if it turns out to radically awesome fun, maybe it cuts into some kiting time too, who knows.

Would I plunk down a grand to chase the dream ... probably not.

PS sorry for the character assassination Slappy

[juandesooka]

Wouldn't a tiny super light ram air, packable kite like the peak work so much better? Short little 3 m lines if you want, Just enough to get it out of your face! Make it a tiny two liner, pull it out, hold it up for a min, drift it down and pop it up. Just loop up two pigtails on your paddle and theres your bar. Preferably something stupid stable or better yet, auto zenith. As long as you can drift it one handed. Something like the Peter Lynn ARCs. They made a pretty fast wave kite in the arc style.... the bomba. Cool looking kite, You could probably make that two line that just auto sheets out on a bungee bridal at the wingtip. Whatever, there are just better ideas than sending people out in the ocean with one hand leashed to a 5m wing. You can't even hand paddle properly with one of those!

Sounds pretty radical ... though I have a tough time envisioning surfing wind swell 2 feet above the wave while twirling a ram air on 3m lines with no depower. I am halfway to mastering the juggling unicyclist routine, so now need to add chewing gum while giving haircuts? You thought of it, you pioneer it, send video!

Man, until that thing furls out of a paddle, its kooky shit. If it's competition for a paddle, it can't leave you up the creek without one! Lose the paddle and you have a pile of people drifting into trouble with that wing occupying one hand.... Pffft.

I'll do some searching for the photo I mentioned....paddle strapped to the middle strut. Another poster had mentioned having a 2 piece paddle strapped to back or board. Paddling with arms being the back up plan. And I assume you'd deflate the kite before paddling in.

[junebug]

Because you're probably not a surfer! Two styles of wave riding with a kitefoil: zipping in and around swells at full speed like a jet powered skateboard (awesome). Or slowing down, drifting the kite so it has near zero pull, surfing the swells with just wave power, then re-engage the kiter after to go get some more (also awesome, more like surfing). For people into the latter, a functional challenge is keeping the kite in the air while you surf towards it, especially in lighter winds. This new wing toy may extend the envelope for this kind of riding.

You misunderstand me. I said I like *turning* the board as fast as I can, not *going* as fast as I can. When I go in the waves, I surf them (or try to, anyway) up and down the wave face instead of zipping around in them. I’m aware of the problem of keeping the kite in the air as you are riding down the line towards it, but I generally only have that problem in light wind with bigger kites. On a light wind day, you aren’t going to have any fun at all on one of these wings anyway.

At the end of the day, I think we are saying the same thing: In the ideal conditions for the wing, I’m always going to have more fun on a kite.

[jumptheshark]

Cmon, think like a disruptor!! Would have to have full depower. Remember, this is for the short bus foiler, no one is looping anything! Your thinking of kiteboarding. No no, something more like the paraskiflex, but dummy proofed.

Ive seen the pic of Logosz with the paddle along the centre strut. That doesn't really solve the question of what you do with that wing while you paddle...... drag it? You know what I've also seen? People trying to sit and sail their way through brown water and coming to the realization they can't just stand up and paddle straight outta that shit. I love the part where he gives up... or his arms get tired and he lies down to try paddling with one hand. I bet it splashed in his mouth a tiny bit just there!

That pic of tony Logosz in the gorge is the only one I've seen of someone with the smarts to bring the paddle.