Wingfoil boom or handles?

[bigtone667]

I have a windsurfing background, got a Gong wing, and I don't think the handles are that much of an issue compared to a boom. OK, you're not sliding your hand up or down a boom, but it's very easy to seamlessly transition from one handle to the other, and there's even enough room to have both hands temporarily on the same handle in hand to hand transitions. This doesn't require much attention, nor a visual check. And even if it did, the harsh reality of the sport is that it's all pretty much happening in slow mo, with plenty of time to spot your next hand position if needed.
Twisting your hands around the boom to alter the pitch of the wing has been touted as an advantage, but it's nowhere near as effective as using the wind to do it for you with the right back hand movement.
Arguably, the boom is better when riding one handed to wave at the camera, as you can find the perfect balance with millimetric adjustment. But that can also be done with the intermediate handles, or most likely, when we start to use a harness.

I have to take glance when placing the rear hand after a transition. Front hand - no dramas.

[Dave K]

I think I am going to sell mine by the way as going back to 100% kiting for many reasons.
But if I ever will be on a spot with nice waves I am happy to now know how to handle wingfoils

Horst, So why are you going back to 100% kiting?? Especially since you already have the gear and skills??



Been using a 4 and 5 m Duotone from the get go. Going to order a Gong Pulse (6 or 7 m, haven’t decided yet) when it is released later this month. Looking forward to trying handles and having more luff stability. Just don’t feel like spending $900-1000 on the 6m Wasp or F-one. Greg at BRM should have some cool wings coming out soon but I figure his wings will be expensive as well. We’ll see. Happy to experiment with Gong for now (~$620 usd for a 6m delivered). In a year I suspect the current wings will be obsolete

[ronnie]

Anyone tried both the Duotone with a boom, and the "rest" with grab handles?

Feels a lot more right for windsurfers with a clean boom, where you can grab whereever you want intuitively.

Also, you can adjust the profile depth so possible to use in more wind without too much power.

Any downsides?
I dont mind the length of the batten, doesnt matter compared to the board lenght

But Duotone is the only one making wings this way, or ???

I know the wings can be totally different most likely, so not asking about a comparison between wings, but between bar/boom versus grab handles

IF anyone has tried both, maybe just on land.

Or any thoughts even if never tried?

Peter

Hi Peter,

I have tried Naish, Duotone, Gong and WASP's....

I personally think the boom is somewhat easier when you start gybing and tacking in terms of moving your hands around (ie it is easier to find the boom without looking).
But the handles are not that much harder. I just have to the spot the grab handle I want first, then snatch it.

The boom is also much much easier when you are re-positioning your hand, ie simply slide it (no viewing required).

I imagine over time, the requirement to look for your grab handle probably lessens, but after 100 odd sessions, I am still looking.

This is Brett Lickle's preferred hold on the Duotone when riding a wave.

[foam-n-fibre]

Hi, I thought I would just bump this topic up to the surface to see if the current thought on handles vs boom had changed much after another season. Also I see the 2021 Cabrinha will come with longer handles you can slide your hands around on, so that's a hybrid between the two. Maybe others are doing that too(?) Anyone have thoughts on that, or know where this might be going in the industry now? I don't have a wing yet, but I and a number of my friends are in the market and trying to decide what's best.

Thx, Peter

[fluidity]

Hi, I thought I would just bump this topic up to the surface to see if the current thought on handles vs boom had changed much after another season. Also I see the 2021 Cabrinha will come with longer handles you can slide your hands around on, so that's a hybrid between the two. Maybe others are doing that too(?) Anyone have thoughts on that, or know where this might be going in the industry now? I don't have a wing yet, but I and a number of my friends are in the market and trying to decide what's best.

Thx, Peter

Duotone brought out their "Unit" with an inflateable version too. I'm a kiter/ex wind surfer and I think the boom is like training wheels packaged to draw wind surfers into the sport. It's fine for that but after reading all the reviews, watching the handling of wings in the videos and facing the arrogant attitude of a local shop owner running down everything he doesn't sell and then giving a glowing report on the Duotone gear he doesn't even ride himself, I bought a second generation Naish. I'm not convinced the Naish is the best out there, I'd like to try a wasp, an F-one and a Takoon but I think getting an inflatable boom was the right decision for me. While you can slide your hand on a hard boom and torque it to help the bottom wing tip not dip into the water, I think this just lets you get into bad habits, a well designed wing should be easy to control by wing rotation on the plane defined by front, back, wing tips, not have hard bits and behave well when trailed behind surfing.

So the way I look at it, you can get the hard-boom Duotone which is like an old lady's automatic car, or you can get a soft boom wing with better characteristics for surfing, weight and safety and work a bit harder to develop the correct muscle memory to grab individual handles instead of rubbing your hands all over a long hard thing.

[bigtone667]

Hi, I thought I would just bump this topic up to the surface to see if the current thought on handles vs boom had changed much after another season. Also I see the 2021 Cabrinha will come with longer handles you can slide your hands around on, so that's a hybrid between the two. Maybe others are doing that too(?) Anyone have thoughts on that, or know where this might be going in the industry now? I don't have a wing yet, but I and a number of my friends are in the market and trying to decide what's best.

Thx, Peter

I am now primarily riding Clouds, so I only have two handles but I still go looking for them occasionally on a tack (whereas I do not seem to do any searching on a gybe).

I prefer the Cloud handles over WASP/Naish/Gong handles because they are super hard and firm and angled inwards toward your chest.

But a boom is still easier overall in my opinion for handling/tacking/gybing/one hand option etc.

[Wazza Foil]

Have you thought about or tried this modification

[pākihiroa]

instead of rubbing your hands all over a long hard thing.

Well, that comment has totally destroyed the sense of gratification that I hitherto innocently enjoyed while sliding my hand along my Echo.

However, let's take the analogy analogy a bit further. Rubbing your hands all over a long hard thing BAD but the alternative, inserting your hands into holes, is GOOD ? Firstly, can you find the holes in question without looking or groping around ? Secondly, there is the awkward issue that you have two hands that need to go into two separate holes and I am pretty sure that one of those holes is off limits.

So, recall that imagery the next time you are reaching for your rear loop.

Hey, all in good fun, right ?

[fluidity]

However, let's take the analogy analogy a bit further. Rubbing your hands all over a long hard thing BAD but the alternative, inserting your hands into holes, is GOOD ? Firstly, can you find the holes in question without looking or groping around ? Secondly, there is the awkward issue that you have two hands that need to go into two separate holes and I am pretty sure that one of those holes is off limits.

At least there's a selection of holes. Normally there's one quick look and I'm only given a front hole opportunity.

[Dave K]

Hi, I thought I would just bump this topic up to the surface to see if the current thought on handles vs boom had changed much after another season. Also I see the 2021 Cabrinha will come with longer handles you can slide your hands around on, so that's a hybrid between the two. Maybe others are doing that too(?) Anyone have thoughts on that, or know where this might be going in the industry now? I don't have a wing yet, but I and a number of my friends are in the market and trying to decide what's best.

Thx, Peter

Duotone brought out their "Unit" with an inflateable version too. I'm a kiter/ex wind surfer and I think the boom is like training wheels packaged to draw wind surfers into the sport. It's fine for that but after reading all the reviews, watching the handling of wings in the videos and facing the arrogant attitude of a local shop owner running down everything he doesn't sell and then giving a glowing report on the Duotone gear he doesn't even ride himself, I bought a second generation Naish. I'm not convinced the Naish is the best out there, I'd like to try a wasp, an F-one and a Takoon but I think getting an inflatable boom was the right decision for me. While you can slide your hand on a hard boom and torque it to help the bottom wing tip not dip into the water, I think this just lets you get into bad habits, a well designed wing should be easy to control by wing rotation on the plane defined by front, back, wing tips, not have hard bits and behave well when trailed behind surfing.

So the way I look at it, you can get the hard-boom Duotone which is like an old lady's automatic car, or you can get a soft boom wing with better characteristics for surfing, weight and safety and work a bit harder to develop the correct muscle memory to grab individual handles instead of rubbing your hands all over a long hard thing.

Hmmm, I had no idea I was riding the old lady’s automatic car, but I can live with that. At 62 I’m an over the hill ole guy anyway, and my old lady car provides a smooth ride.....