Forum for wing surfers
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ninanina
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Postby ninanina » Fri Oct 07, 2022 3:06 pm
Hello!
Looking for recommendations for an inflatable wing foil board in the 75-95 liter range.
My situation:
- Launching from a bad rocky shore - board gets lots of hits - thus inflatable
- Rider weight 65kg
- Currently using various random wind surf boards and a F-one 140l inflatable
- Location has either chop (short steep waves) or light wind, so prefer a longish board
- Have been winging for one season
- Something durable, light, cheap. I think I prefer longer boards than average?
Happy with the F-one build quality, but they don't have adjustable mast position in the inflatable boards. Thus wanting to think about alternatives. Gong boards seem cheap, but the colors are driving me away.
Any tips on good alternatives?
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airsail
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Lift, Naish and Levitaz foils
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Naish Hover 95 foilboard
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Postby airsail » Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:58 pm
Inflatables have a limited lifespan due to the glue aging. Ignore colours, quite irrelevant, buy cheap but good, eg gong, much easier to drop it in the bin once it is done.
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Eltreato
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Postby Eltreato » Wed Oct 12, 2022 10:09 pm
I'm really happy with my v1 Gong, and they've only gotten better with subsequent versions, and their prices can't be beat They have tons of sizes to choose from, including small ones, unlike most manufacturers. The only thing they are missing is a lip on the trailing edge to help with popping up when starting out. If one felt so inclined they could make their own. In decent winds though this is not an issue. Durability is not an issue, I've launched from rocky spots I'd not consider with hard boards. I have a couple inflatable SUP boards that I've had for years, they're still going strong too. I would have no concerns durability with these boards.
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Janus
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Postby Janus » Thu Oct 13, 2022 1:52 pm
Happy Gong Hipe 2022 user here.
68kg and on a 4.11 (70l), strapped (99% front foot in strap, 5% rear foot)
With a little wind, wind drop to say 6-8kts, I can taxi wing home. Below that I paddle..
taxi wing and paddle home are not fun and I try to avoid.. taxi home on a big inflatable is much easier but also not fun.. so also to avoid.. but it’s a good shoulder exercise..
If I would buy a new inflatable I would take the smallest.. that would be the Hipe 4.8 with 48l.
The smallest Hipe Pro would be interesting too and what I’ve heard a bit easier in starting / taking off.
Downsides are touchdowns and weight compared to same size normal boards but they’re so easy in transport sand rocky places..
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Eltreato
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Postby Eltreato » Fri Oct 14, 2022 11:27 pm
...
Last edited by
Eltreato on Tue Oct 18, 2022 4:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Eltreato
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Postby Eltreato » Fri Oct 14, 2022 11:27 pm
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fluidity
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Postby fluidity » Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:31 am
I've got an F-one early model and a Fanatic.
In my opinion the fanatic should have been done in a wider and less vertically thick design, I have a hard board I made with similar volume that has much easier takeoff. What I've seen of the gongs on line has been good. My F-one was great except for being deep tuttle box. I've seen some early Naishes that caused a lot of grief for their owners because of very rearward centre of lift compared to other manufacturer's foils. Even without foot-straps, stopped one of my friends having any successes until I had a crack on his board and told him he needed mast foot way way back and to level off the stabiliser. He sold it not long after that but after drilling extra holes on his mast foot he did get it working.
You only want a long board by the way before developing pumping technique. Wider and shorter is so much better for lift off. Some of the boards are coming out now with coanda disruptor strips on the rear. I 3D printed flex ones for my F-one and the fanatic already has one, but only underneath at the back. They should be placed on the sides as well. It's all about disrupting the curves at the back so water can sheet off cleanly for the board to plane. It can make a couple of knots difference to planing speed on some boards.
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