omg wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:29 am
I’m very good at kitefoiling, strapless surfboard rider and an ex-windsurfer, and I was wondering would it be possible to learn to wingfoil with a small board and would straps help in the process? My thinking is if you have your feet in the straps would it be possible to waterstart ie. get up from the water by the power of the wing and just start foiling? That’s obviously how it works with the kite with a pocket board but the power from the kite might be very different to wingfoil power?
Thanks!
With a lot of wind anything is possible. But I find a lot of people underestimate how difficult it is to keep the board under control under the water whilst you try to get the wing over your head to work. You will not be waterstarting with a wing like you will with a Kite.
60 Liters is enough for you to get going in good wind. I have a friend who straight away started to learn winging with his 5'3" 57L Indians Surffoil board. It took him 4 sessions and a lot of struggle. He is one of the best surfers I know.
Another thing you need to be aware of when learning with such a small board, is that you have no way to getting back upwind if the wind drops, as you cannot just stand or even kneel on the board if there is not a lot of power in the wing. So in that case, you will have to paddle back to your starting point.
I personally believe boards with at least your weight (kg) in volume or more make it very easy to lean in the beginning and give you a good margin for safety.
Basically I am saying, yes you can learn with 60L. It will be hard work with not guarantee of success. And if you try, do not bother under 20 knots.
I hope this helps.
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Gunnar