Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Wingfoil - is it truly the best for really gusty winds? Better than Peak4?

Forum for wing surfers
User avatar
omg
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 860
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 2:58 pm
Has thanked: 155 times
Been thanked: 34 times

Wingfoil - is it truly the best for really gusty winds? Better than Peak4?

Postby omg » Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:00 pm

One more question on the wingfoiling; people are marketing the wingfoil as an ultimate solution for the really gusty conditions, ie. smaller lakes surrounded wih trees etc. but I’m wondering if it’s really true and how one would compare wings to say Peak4 4/5m kites which people also tell to have the best gust handling ability?

Thanks once again.

BWD
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3848
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 3:37 am
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 81 times

Re: Wingfoil - is it truly the best for really gusty winds? Better than Peak4?

Postby BWD » Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:42 pm

Kites are good for lulls because they can be sined or looped, sails are good for gusts (usually).
Wing is a type of sail.

bigtone667
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 582
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:24 am
Kiting since: 2013
Local Beach: Birdie Beach, Budgewoi Beach, Lakes Beach
Favorite Beaches: Umina Beach, Birdies Beach, Lake Munmorah, Canton, The Swamp, Le Morne
Style: surf, foiling, jumping, lawn mowing
Gear: Kites: BRM Cloud D's, Duotone Rebels, Peaks
Wings: Cloud W1 2,3,4,5, Duotone DLAB Unit 4.5/5.5/6.5
Boards: Bit of everything
Foils: AXIS and Triton Foils
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 70 times
Been thanked: 55 times

Re: Wingfoil - is it truly the best for really gusty winds? Better than Peak4?

Postby bigtone667 » Wed Mar 25, 2020 11:55 pm

Wingfoiling works super well in gusty conditions. Super easy to capture or release the wind.

Our conditions this summer have been pretty ordinary and the kiters have complained numerous times about the gusty conditions. I have winged in those same conditions and found them perfectly okay.
These users thanked the author bigtone667 for the post:
Slyde (Thu Mar 26, 2020 6:00 am)
Rating: 3.03%

drsurf
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 513
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2018 5:42 pm
Kiting since: 2000
Local Beach: NSW South Coast
Gear: Too much too describe
Brand Affiliation: Whatever I sell
Has thanked: 37 times
Been thanked: 268 times
Contact:

Re: Wingfoil - is it truly the best for really gusty winds? Better than Peak4?

Postby drsurf » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:27 am

omg wrote:
Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:00 pm
One more question on the wingfoiling; people are marketing the wingfoil as an ultimate solution for the really gusty conditions, ie. smaller lakes surrounded wih trees etc. but I’m wondering if it’s really true and how one would compare wings to say Peak4 4/5m kites which people also tell to have the best gust handling ability?

Thanks once again.
There is no kite that compares to the Peak4 in gusty winds, especially if there are big lulls. You can keep the Peak4 in the air in 3 knots and gusts are easily handled with the instant depower of the Peak4. As has been mentioned you can sine the kite to gain more power and the kite can use a much higher column of air than a wingfoil taking advantage of stronger winds higher up. The Peak4 is also easier and safer to launch in difficult locations and easier and safer to land as well.

If the wind is consistently light the Peak4 can get you foiling when a wingfoil can't. I have used my Peak4 beside an experienced wingfoiler and I had a lot more fun. The wingfoiler then had a go of my Peak4 and Moses surf foil kit and couldn't believe how easy it was. He then started talking about getting rid of his wingfoil setup and getting a Peak4 :)

kiteykitekite
Frequent Poster
Posts: 271
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2020 10:41 pm
Kiting since: 2020
Gear: Core kites
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 56 times
Been thanked: 32 times

Re: Wingfoil - is it truly the best for really gusty winds? Better than Peak4?

Postby kiteykitekite » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:30 am

I just don't see how a wing will work well considering in really gusty winds there can be no or significantly less wind at rider height. I am talking right next to upwind obstacles, like houses or in amongst trees. You get a kite up 10 or more meters and it makes a huge difference. I wonder if the solution for these conditions is not 30-40m lines.

Slyde
Frequent Poster
Posts: 220
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2003 1:00 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: New Zealand
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 14 times

Re: Wingfoil - is it truly the best for really gusty winds? Better than Peak4?

Postby Slyde » Thu Mar 26, 2020 3:23 am

The point is that (on the assumption you are riding a wing board that will float you) with a wing if there is a massive lull, your means of propulsion doesnt end up in the drink, and if theres a massive gust its easier to control the power. No way would I want to kite in offshore conditions where I can see the sheets of gusty wind and lulls on the face of the water. But I will go out on a wing. But if you are good enough to ride a sinking wingboard than you lose that advantage (in the lulls anyway).Never seen a Peak but Im still guessing there are times when Peak riders look at the conditions and go "no way'. But its not an all or nothing thing. I have had sessions where I think my kiting buddies got a better time because the wind was better a few metres up and sessions where I was out for 2 hours of fun and the kiters came and left because it was rubbish kiting conditions. When its on I still prefer kitefoiling but overall the wing wins out in crappy conditions.

kiteykitekite
Frequent Poster
Posts: 271
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2020 10:41 pm
Kiting since: 2020
Gear: Core kites
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 56 times
Been thanked: 32 times

Re: Wingfoil - is it truly the best for really gusty winds? Better than Peak4?

Postby kiteykitekite » Thu Mar 26, 2020 3:53 am

Kites through lulls is no issue, you can just land on the water. Until I see a wing can do as or better on the water than a kite I wouldn't even consider them. Especially considering just the wing alone costs more than a hydrofoil+board+kite. To me it's another marketing gimmick for the greedy resellers. Add the expensive board as well, then why bother. It's bad enough breaking hydrofoils in proper waves.

mike dubs
Frequent Poster
Posts: 370
Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:28 am
Local Beach: southend, whitstable, camber
Favorite Beaches: west end of camber sands
Style: Surf
Gear: FireWire, BWS drifter, nobble skim board, 12/9/7 bandit 5's
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 11 times

Re: Wingfoil - is it truly the best for really gusty winds? Better than Peak4?

Postby mike dubs » Thu Mar 26, 2020 9:52 am

You can get a wing for way less than the cost of a kite.

mike dubs
Frequent Poster
Posts: 370
Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:28 am
Local Beach: southend, whitstable, camber
Favorite Beaches: west end of camber sands
Style: Surf
Gear: FireWire, BWS drifter, nobble skim board, 12/9/7 bandit 5's
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 11 times

Re: Wingfoil - is it truly the best for really gusty winds? Better than Peak4?

Postby mike dubs » Thu Mar 26, 2020 9:54 am

Sounds to me like you’re not enjoying any of it , so just give up and do something else.😉
These users thanked the author mike dubs for the post (total 2):
Peter_Frank (Thu Mar 26, 2020 1:15 pm) • Slyde (Fri Mar 27, 2020 5:11 am)
Rating: 6.06%

User avatar
gmb13
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1934
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:19 am
Kiting since: 1998
Local Beach: Flag Beach, Fuerteventura
Style: Everything
Gear: Indiana, Sailmon
Brand Affiliation: Indiana, Sailmon
Location: Fuerteventura
Has thanked: 36 times
Been thanked: 294 times

Re: Wingfoil - is it truly the best for really gusty winds? Better than Peak4?

Postby gmb13 » Thu Mar 26, 2020 1:11 pm

omg wrote:
Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:00 pm
One more question on the wingfoiling; people are marketing the wingfoil as an ultimate solution for the really gusty conditions, ie. smaller lakes surrounded wih trees etc. but I’m wondering if it’s really true and how one would compare wings to say Peak4 4/5m kites which people also tell to have the best gust handling ability?

Thanks once again.
I have been in a lot of places where the wind was so gusty and shifty (more than 45 degree changes) where a kite would basically just fold and fall out of the sky. Even a single skin cannot handle these type of conditions and will end up folding up and crashing. The wing however can deal with these conditions a lot better. Also you can pump through the shifts and holes without worrying about the wing. With a kite you always need to worry about keeping it in the air somehow and that limits the courses you can pump when the wind stops in a 10 second or more lull.

The fact that you do not have to relaunch a wing makes these type of conditions bearable where even a Peak4 will end up getting in the drink, and it is a pain to relaunch single skin kites out of the water even under normal conditions with long lines, but combine that with the massive shifts which blow the kite over it turns into a nightmare.



--
Gunnar
These users thanked the author gmb13 for the post (total 6):
Peter_Frank (Thu Mar 26, 2020 1:15 pm) • tomtom (Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:01 pm) • omg (Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:25 pm) • bigtone667 (Fri Mar 27, 2020 12:04 am) • Slyde (Fri Mar 27, 2020 5:11 am) • droffats (Sun Mar 29, 2020 12:07 am)
Rating: 18.18%


Return to “Wingsurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: 20kts, Adventure Logs and 37 guests