Topics

1

Foil SUP / Foil Wing Repair - Damaged in Shipping

« on: December 05, 2019, 12:03:07 PM »

I received my new Gong XXL Pro foil wing this week and unfortunately one side of the wing poked through the protective foam and was chipped. I'm going to have this repaired professionally or do it myself. What is the best material and process for repairing these wings?

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Got New Gong 7M Pro Wing

« on: December 03, 2019, 07:07:54 PM »

I received my new Gong 7M Pro Wing today, the largest wind wing on the market currently. Apparently this new shape packs a lot more punch, so I'm hoping for sub 10 knot sessions. I haven't had the opportunity to ride it yet, but here are my first impressions from unboxing and holding it on land...

Pros: Build quality is outstanding, my original Gong 5M has really nice quality, but this is on a whole new level (high-end kite brand quality IMO). Surprisingly light weight for its size. I think the windows will be really nice when riding (to look out for boat traffic on the busy lake I live on).

Cons: This is the nature of the beast, but when not on the foil I'll have to be holding this thing really high up with my arms stretched in order for the tip not to drag in the water, this could get tiring. And the center strut took forever to deflate.

I will report back with impressions once I get this thing on the water!

3

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Bent Mast - Rideable?

« on: October 07, 2019, 04:58:03 PM »

I have bent my aluminum Gong mast, the board got picked up in wind and slammed down on the front wing and subsequently bent the mast near the base. Do you guys think this is still rideable with this bend until my replacement arrives from France? I've tried bending it back with a vice, slamming it with a hammer, and even took it to a fabrication shop, but they couldn't help me.

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Gong 5M Wing Review

« on: September 29, 2019, 09:46:27 AM »

I received my Gong 5M Wing a week or so ago and finally had enough wind locally yesterday in Seattle (Lake Washington) to give it a go. This was my 2nd time trying Wingfoiling, the first time was with a 5M DuoTone. The first time I only got up on the foil for a few seconds. I am using a Gong XXL foil setup and a Takuma BX Hybrid 7'10" x 30", 138liters. I weigh about 175lbs with all gear - I ride with a full face mountain bike helmet as well for added protection.

The build quality of the Gong Wing seems as good as any kiteboarding kite that I've used. The handles are nice and rigid, they don't feel floppy. It feels lighter than the 5M DuoTone I've ridden. It packs down real small and would be great for traveling. 2 battens are included, but they're really hard to pack up into the bag because you have to torque them into a "circle" or loop, if they come undone from the string while in the circle they could take an eye out. The batten design is the low-point of this Wing IMO. Overall the build quality of the wing seems very good for the price, which is almost half that of other wings on the market of a similar size. I had no issues with shipping/receiving, other members on this board haven't been so lucky, as some have had issues with customs.

On the water the wing handled great, it behaved nicely in gusts and was predictable throughout the wind range. The wing didn't feel floppy, except a bit when pumping it hard in the lulls. I was out in 16 - 21mph wind, which was the ideal wind speed for this Wing, anything less and I don't believe I could've popped up onto the foil at my skill and with my gear. I did need to pump the wing and the board in order to get up and flying, even in the higher gusts. But for my first time out on this setup, and only 2nd time trying Wingfoiling, I was getting long flights of 30 - 45 seconds before crashing or coming down. After good flights I was hooting, a similar feeling to catching a great wave while surfing! On goofy foot tack I was very wobbly on the foil and wasn't able to stay up wind as well as on my regular-foot tack. After about an hour and 15 minutes I was downwind a few hundred yards from where I started. With some more practice I think staying up wind won't be a problem.

Thanks to Pono, Admin, Dwight, and the others who provided tips and tricks for dialing in this new sport! Here are some pics (low-quality phone pics)

5

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Wing Board - Slingshot Air Strike 7'8" ?

« on: June 27, 2019, 10:58:12 AM »

I posted a similar question in the Foil Surfing section, but since I won't be using the board for foil surfing at all I figured I would post it in the applicable Wing section to see if anyone had insights...

I'm looking into getting my first SUP foil board exclusively for wing foiling and downwind wing foiling. I found a great deal locally on the Slingshot Air Strike 7'8". Do you guys think this would be an adequate board for wing foiling and down winding with the wind wings? I had a chance to examine both the SS Air Strike and the new Fanatic Sky SUP 7'0 next to each other and the Air Strike was surprisingly noticeably lighter. They're both huge however in terms of width and thickness (at least in my eyes). I'm trying to determine if the Air Strike will work just fine and I can save a bunch of money compared to the latest foil SUP's. I weigh 175 for reference.

Another question regarding foil weight. If I was to get the Air Strike board I would likely get the SS Infinity 84 foil setup because I can get a package deal. I've read this is a heavier foil setup than other options (Fanatic, GoFoil). How much will the weight of the foil effect performance for winging? Would I be able to pop-up and ride on the foil in significantly less wind with a lighter foil setup?

6

Foil SUP / Slingshot Airstrike 7'8" Reviews & Experiences?

« on: June 22, 2019, 04:36:28 PM »

I'm looking into getting my first SUP foil board for downwinders and wing foiling (when my wind wing finally arrives). I'll likely be using the Slingshot Hover Glide FSUP foil w/ the big Infinity 84 wing. Being inland, I don't make it to the coast often for surfing, so this board would be used primarily for downwinders and wind foiling.

Does anyone own one or has tried the Slingshot Airstrike 7'8" board? What are your thoughts and experiences with it? The price is right, but I'm worried it's going to be a bit too much board for me (heavy, wide, too much volume) and that it wouldn't be very fun to ride due to its large size.

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Rider Reports - Demos Are In

« on: June 19, 2019, 04:31:49 PM »

It looks like a lot of shops in the NW and national shops now have demos of Wind Wings from the major manufacturers - DuoTone, Naish, Slingshot. Who out there has had an opportunity to test or ride any of the wings? What was your experience and thoughts on each?

Do the floppy handles really detract from controllability in your experience? Does the Naish really have a loop on both the leading and trailing edge to hook up a paddle to use as a rigid boom? This seems like a great feature that is a nice compromise for travel. Does the Slingshot wing have that capability?

I have a deposit down on a 5M DuoTone Wing, but a shop I just talked to was saying their favorite is the Slingshot due to the rigidity from the inflated trailing edge. It looks like the next 4 weeks is when the first batches from big 3 brands will be reaching shops across the nation.

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Gear Talk / New Toy! Naish Nalu 9'6 - Review w/ Pics & GoPro Video

« on: April 17, 2014, 05:10:31 PM »

I picked up a new 2012 Naish Nalu on close-out - it's the 9'6 x 28". I have ridden the older 10'6 x 28" Nalu extensively and loved that board, so I took the leap hoping I could handle its shorter brother.



In short, I love the board and I'm so glad I went with the skinnier design...it paddles very quickly and catches waves effortlessly from knee high to well overhead. Once you're on the wave it is SO much faster over all parts of the wave than the wider boards I've ridden. It took a day or two to get used to the width (and I own tippy boards in choppy water, such as a Javelin on a windy Round The Rock), I fell off 10 times just waiting for waves my first session on this Nalu. After that I would rarely, if ever, fall off...even when kicking out of a wave or punching through white water. The smooth longboard feel combined with quick acceleration and turning is just what I was looking for. It's too bad Naish doesn't make this board anymore, I think it's a real gem. Stoked!






Here's a vid multi-tasking being camera man and surfer watch in HD!

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Gear Talk / Naish Nalu 9'6 x 28" - Experiences?

« on: January 28, 2014, 06:03:22 PM »

I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on a used '11 Naish Nalu 9'6 - it's 28" wide and is 135L. I'm 170lbs. Experienced paddler.

Does anyone have this board or have any experience or thoughts on this board? I've ridden the 10'6 x 28" Nalu extensively and loved it, picked up the smallest waves with ease but could surf well in overhead surf. But am worried losing the foot in length will sacrifice glide and ability to catch smaller waves.

How does the board glide on smaller waves? It will be used for surfing waves from 2' (most often) to 8'+ (a few times a year in Hawaii) and wakesurfing behind boats in the summer on the lake.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

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Gear Talk / New SIC Bullet: Steering System - Cables Unraveling/Fraying

« on: November 08, 2013, 06:59:38 PM »

My new Bullet 17' arrived today - very excited, but bummed to see that the steering cables are fraying at the ends, leaving it impossible to feed the cables through the holes in the cable rod to setup the steering system. Any ideas? Has anyone seen this before? They fray immediately and start unravelling when feeding the cable through the little holes in the cable rod. (pic of cable rod attached for reference).







You guessed it, this wasn't a Maui built board.

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Gear Talk / Ninja Fin sticks out too far off back on Javelin?

« on: June 05, 2013, 10:23:07 PM »

The LA Ninja fin just fits into the fin box on my 2012 Naish Javelin, with no room to move it forward or backwards on the board. The result is that the fin sticks out a solid 6-7"+ or so off the back of the board - every race fin I've seen doesn't go past the back of the board. Is this the proper setup for the Jav? How does a fin that goes past the back of the board effect the performance/drag?

Also, I heard that the Ninja fin comes in a model with the screw in a different spot and the base is smaller so it can be moved - anyone know of this (sounds like a completely different fin to me).

12

General Discussion / Video: My Maui-to-Lanai Crossing

« on: May 31, 2013, 10:43:39 PM »

Maui-to-Lanai SUP Channel Crossing

In April I paddled from Lahaina to a deserted beach on the East shore of Lanai.

Conditions: Southwesterly quartering/headwind 15-20mph. Board: SIC Bullet 17'4 w/ rudder pinned to Port the entire crossing.

Music from Kon Tiki

13

Gear Talk / My New Carbon Javelin

« on: May 28, 2013, 04:04:31 PM »

This week my new 2012 Naish Javelin 14' Carbon came via UPS. I recently sold my SIC Bullet 14' in favor of a faster flat-water board, all around board.



Initial impressions were really impressive - love the bow that slices through anything. It's very light (rumor has it they're around 27lbs). Feels like it's going downhill in flat water. A tad tippy with reliable secondary stability - not nearly as unstable as everyone makes them out to be (although I'm lighter at 165lbs).



Absolutely gorgeous construction - see through carbon fiber on the rails and Naish logo up front. One of the pretties boards I've ever seen in person. Surfed a few large ship waves on a sandy shoal - board doesn't suddenly accelerate onto plane - it's a much more linear acceleration and glides very well when you stop paddling.



Overall I'd give the board a 9.5 out of 10. Absolutely screams in flatwater - easily 25% faster than my old heavy Bullet in those conditions. I just put a LA Ninja Fin on it - it does seem to add a bit of stability without adding any drag. Although the stock fin is nicer looking with the wood IMO

14

Downwind and Racing / Seattle Downwind Video - SIC Bullet 14'

« on: March 20, 2013, 09:57:09 PM »

We've got a little gem of a downwind spot locally near Seattle - relatively shallow depth (less than 100') and non-banked shoreline produce groomed rollers and the fun begins when the S wind gets to 20+ range...today it was 30 sustained gusting to the mid 40's. The best day I have ever seen this spot.

Did two runs totally around 14 miles - the weather went from sunny, to cloudy, then hail as you'll see.



The Bullet 14 is an absolute rocket when the wind exceeds 20, its like a steam locomotive that you can't slow down once gaining momentum.

15

Gear Talk / SIC Bullet TWCC - A Heavyweight?

« on: February 01, 2013, 09:03:04 PM »

I just got the new SIC Bullet 14' TWCC (tough wood composite construction) and took it out on the water - initial impressions were that it tracked SO straight. But it felt very heavy, didn't glide well in flat water, and didn't feel fast. I understand its a planing hull but it felt slower and harder to get up to speed then my old 12' Glide. The SIC is a beauty though - the quality and finish are beautiful.

I put the board on the scale and got approximately 34 pounds...does this sound normal for a 14 board? Sounds and feels heavy to me.

Put my AST 12' Naish Glide on the same scale and got ~29lbs.