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
I'm interested to know if you can gain anything upwind on a SUP with a normal skeg fin?
I haven't actually tried, but I would say no, a wing will not get you going upwind with just a normal SUP fin. Even with a hydrofoil you don't really make much progress upwind until you are up foiling.
Yes you can. You just need to know which handles to hold and how to use the wing like a sail.
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Gunnar
The type of board and your weight impact your ability to go upwind when not on the foil.
ie At 105kg, on a Hover 150, I cannot go upwind unless I am on the foil. But my mate on a Hover 125, who is 80kg, has no issues.
I haven't actually tried, but I would say no, a wing will not get you going upwind with just a normal SUP fin. Even with a hydrofoil you don't really make much progress upwind until you are up foiling.
Yes you can. You just need to know which handles to hold and how to use the wing like a sail.
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Gunnar
The type of board and your weight impact your ability to go upwind when not on the foil.
ie At 105kg, on a Hover 150, I cannot go upwind unless I am on the foil. But my mate on a Hover 125, who is 80kg, has no issues.
Not really. I have tried every type of board and have been able to make it work and also with heaver friends on bigger SUPS or Windsurf boards. Check out the How to Ride Video above. A lot of people think that the Hand positions for Foiling and displacement riding are the same, but they are not.
When not foiling to you need to have your hands more forward on the Boom/strut and ride with the Wing more open to go up wind. Also where you stand on the board makes a huge difference. If you have enough wind to get planning on the board then its all about foot position on the board.
I see it like Gunnar,
it is possible to go upwind in lets say at least around 5 knts even with my setup with 63 kg naked and 72 l, but similar as with those values on a windsurfer it can pretty much be a pain, so sometimes depending from wind and wave conditions it can be more effectiv to swim with such a setup even if it is downwind.
When not flying with small but still floating boards it is important to balance both your weight over the board to have the tail not going to much down and therefore having a bad board pitch against forward direction but on the other hand you have to bring the kitewings pressure point as far back over the pressure point of your fin or better foil strut. And there will always be a conflict for smaller boards especially the more the fin or strut is towards back. It can be solved a bit by body tension which allows to seperate your center of weight and the forces of both wings running through your bodys structure, but again if to much it will be even more pain... that is how my setup looks in close to enough wind short before I start pumping to lift of.
But even if I think this could become a big business and in some years the supermarket could also sell kitewings together with their low cost iSUPS ... I just don't understand, even with big boards, anybody who wants to use those wings without foil
I rode a 7'7 x 27 SUP surf board with big quad fins upwind without too much problem in 10 knots. And yes , seems like the front hand needs to be way forward when not foiling to go upwind.
People tend to forget that you need to hook up 2 leashes...what a pain. Tried with just the wing leash but you cant really body drag to get your board like in kitesurfing. Thats my main annoyance with this sport. Plus the huge boards.
LMAO, the manufactures be like OOOOh its the next awesome thing.... Facebook/instagram/kite pros etc.... (including Gunnar... so sad) be like ... its awesome get one...
Kiteforum be like ....... crickets
And this is why I love this place. No marketing BS is going to influence us!
Haha, not sure how you can draw any similarities between the popularity of hydro foiling to the wind wing, hydro foiling solved a major challenge for riders all around the world... it enabled us to get out on the water in sub 10 knots and have fun.
The windwing requires more wind then you would normally need a massive buoyant board and massive surf wings, its backwards ass thinking, its a step back toward windsurfing.
I know how much the manufactures are pushing their riders to support it... and I don't buy it, anyone who says this is awesome has very low standards imho.
LMAO, the manufactures be like OOOOh its the next awesome thing.... Facebook/instagram/kite pros etc.... (including Gunnar... so sad) be like ... its awesome get one...
Kiteforum be like ....... crickets
And this is why I love this place. No marketing BS is going to influence us!
Haha, not sure how you can draw any similarities between the popularity of hydro foiling to the wind wing, hydro foiling solved a major challenge for riders all around the world... it enabled us to get out on the water in sub 10 knots and have fun.
The windwing requires more wind then you would normally need a massive buoyant board and massive surf wings, its backwards ass thinking, its a step back toward windsurfing.
I know how much the manufactures are pushing their riders to support it... and I don't buy it, anyone who says this is awesome has very low standards imho.
People said the exact same stuff about Hydrfoiling 9 years ago. That is why I likw the cartoon. Shows how people jump to early conclusions without even trying it.
I for one have only kited once since I started wingfoiling.
Plug pulled. Blue Planet 5’8” carver, 5m Duotone, and Moses 873 on the way. Thoroughly enjoy kite foiling but Looking forward to a new challenge. Alan Cadiz’s riding style convinced me....flat water and slowish with plenty of cool stuff to learn (way beyond my athletic ability but that’s ok). I can see all kinds of fun potential that doesn’t have to involve surf
This wing thing is here to stay.
It relatively inexpensive when you see you can get away with one....or two...wings.
No harness
No lines
No need for a launch site at all
For sure it is relatively hard to do.
But if you enjoy laughing at yourself and not buggered by what anyone thinks of you--- then you will be so stoked.
We have been foiling behind boats and skis, and towing into small waves.
Also have done strike missions to try and catch cruise ship wakes with moderate success.
Large freight ships put off nice wakes.
Cruise ships wakes up to 3 foot and steep.
The wings are just another way to foil. And for some it will be the best option.
But it is difficult to learn if you quit easy.
Dont be a whiner.
I would suggest trying to foil behind a boat as much as possible.
And if you kite foil then you will pick it up faster.
But there is a whole new set of muscle memory triggers that you don't know you have.
Combine the heavy chop of heavy wind, you get a bowling ball on top of a greased bowling ball....and holding on to the wing above your head.
I am very glad we use boards with soft shells and memory foam rails.
Saves the knees and shins.
The less chop the better.
Less challenge just getting to your feet initially.
If you have a high wind area with a flat and deep section (uncrowded too) then you have a gem for winging.
