Peter_Frank wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 5:40 pm
BOEMIX wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 9:59 pm
It may really bring a lot of fun to ride a sinker, cause I ride a 20l plus and 0 problems even in light winds, and I doesn't have any problems riding it till 30 knots either.
Actually a lot better question than what you might think.
I have had boards a tad below my weight, and very short.
No good IMO, unless in perfect winds - but how often do you get this?
Riding +5 litres now, works for everything (for me).
But I am not a hardcore freestyler doing loops and stuff - so is this the reason why so many (in this forum) go for ultra small sinkers?
As the swing weight is of course present, but IMO more a mental thing.
But I agree, the mental thing can be CRAZY dominant, so I get that....
Or is it because you ride in big breaking waves, and an advantage to "fight" these conditions?
Curious now...
Here, a few of the top freestylers ride small boards, but they regret when the wind drops or gets fickle - so for these it is a matter of freestyle jumping, but only as long as there is lots of wind.
Peter
Hey there Peter F!
I have a quiver of boards to pick from when winging. Normally winds averaging 17-21mph. I'll add some thoughts to your questions.
I weigh 72.5kg. I can barely stand to ride a 50L board, thing feels huge!
I oftentimes ride 28L, 33L, 35L, and my big board 40L. I oftentimes grab a kite if I have to go much bigger.
Forget tricks, for carving (I grew up surfing - everytime I'm out winging I pretend I'm surfing sunset beach in Hawaii, like the hours I spent doing back in high school dreaming while the teacher carried on about the importance of math). So, winging is 100% a substitute for surfing.
Every bump and hump and swell is me smacking off the lip, cutting back and floaters over the mushy section.
So, that said, here are some thoughts:
-I never swim in. I always wing straight upwind of my launch - if the wind happens to back off I can sit on my 29L board, hold the wing and drift straight back to the launch. I grab another board or wing and go straight back out.
-I don't jump. It looks stupid to me (maybe 5% look cool out there)...
-The advantage of small boards, light boards for riding and pumping is massive. Just massive. Can't be overstated how great the advantage is...
-I have no regrets whatsoever. But if I rig wrong I make quick changes to make it right...
-I ride -45 to -35 day in and day out. And it is easy!
-Lastly, because the wings have gotten so much better, it is easier than ever to fly very powered. That unlocks the ability to ride small boards.
Hope that helps a tad!
I ride kite foils too - but that is another post!