Topics

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Intriguing Beings Podcast - Ralf Grösel - the future of wing/kite production

« on: January 04, 2023, 05:56:25 AM »

A fascinating insight into where the production of out inflatable toys could be headed and it's not in China... The Brainchild laboratory seems to have totally reengineered the manufacturing process with sustainability and cutting edge technology at its core. One example is a proprietary cloth welding technology that does away with all seams save for one on the leading edge which is only there to facilitate repairs. Another being the use of white cloth exclusively which is then printed rather the use of coloured cloth. It's long, but worth a listen...

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / 2023 New Wings Thread

« on: December 20, 2022, 01:59:28 PM »

Seems a good time to start a new thread! I watched as much of the content I could find coming out of AWSI and the main thing that caught my eye were the new materials coming into wings.

Props to Mackite for pulling this together, which I found to be a great little summary of the state of play (although didn't cover everything):
https://youtu.be/4vp0f2zhMfU

Also from Mackite was this on light wind wings, which I found interesting:
https://youtu.be/fjC7ehPfGW0

I'm not in the market for wings at the moment. The Takuma RSs are doing it for me! Still looking forward to seeing what gets released this year though...

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / 3D dropstitch

« on: November 29, 2022, 02:40:32 AM »

This could have been posted in more than one forum but this is quite exciting technology assuming cost isn't a barrier for boards and maybe wings as well?!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lucarizzotti_moulds-foilingindustry-connect-activity-7003260193660661761-FWB-?utm_source=li_share&utm_content=feedcontent&utm_medium=g_mb_web&utm_campaign=copy

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Axis advance fuses

« on: September 09, 2022, 03:47:10 AM »

Haven't seen any discussion on the advance fuses yet here so thought I'd chip in having had a few sessions on the Adv CS now, moving down from the US.

If anyone has seen other feedback and reviews I'm not going to say anything too different from that but, here goes...

I was initially interested in the Adv fuses for loosening up the bigger ART 1099 and 999 foils. I was already running them with a 325 tail with a shim, so had pretty much run out of road on that respect not wanting to shim more to improve turning (and getting more drag and throwing out balance) and not going to a shorter fuse as I was happy with the pitch stability on the US.

Speaking to my friendly retailer, he pointed me towards the shorter Adv CS which is what I'd also heard was the right thing to do, so took his advice. The distance from the mast to the stab is the same on the US and Adv CS, and I wasn't sure if that meant pitch stability would be about the same, or if the dynamics of the shorter mast to foil distance would override that.

On riding initially, I noticed the pitch stability was a tiny bit less (smaller impact than I was expecting) but soon adapted, but in a straight line there is a small loss of overall stability. Turning was improved though, making the ARTs turn about half a size smaller for the same stab. When I say better, I mean less locked in and easier to control mid carve.

I was most surprised on the 799, which to my mind was already loose enough but using the Adv fuse definitely improved turning control and impacted the straight line stability the least. I think it's such a small foil that it doesn't get influenced by chop as much so has a natural straight line stability.

At the same time I got my new RS wings, so was getting to grips with two new bits of kit at once. I needed to rework my tacks, but I'm now tacking better than I ever have especially on the 799 on my weaker side. I think some of that is the better cornering control.

Hope that's of interest!

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Foil SUP / Would an iBarracuda be possible?

« on: August 01, 2022, 08:01:39 AM »

If this is the future shape of DW foil board design, would an inflatable version be possible?

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / 2022 New Wings Thread

« on: April 03, 2022, 12:52:25 PM »

I considered starting a new thread for each new one, but let's see if one thread is sufficient for the time being.

There are three new wings that have caught my eye that have just been launched:

Takuma RS - have put deposit for pre orders on the 5.1, 4.3 and 3.5 with nothing but the brochure and my gut to guide me. The shop I'm buying through as said they're pre-ordering out fast which either means that supply is limited or interest high or both. Whatever, at least it's not just me who's taking a punt on these. I hope they perform as well as they look on paper, and would appreciate a review or two before I have to complete the payment to put my mind at ease!

Nova V2 - couple of reviews have landed in the last few days with general feedback being handles are great, flags very well (despite being heavy on the scales), decent power and nicely balanced. Interesting to me as they are very different to the V1 so a clear shift in thought, so a step up in performance you'd hope. Superficially look similar outline to my current Slicks which begs the obvious comparison if anyone has ridden both.

Airush Nitro - premium pricing due to Hookipa fabric. Again, very little out there in terms of reviews so interesting to hear how it stacks against the Aluula wings... The Nitro info quotes 'proven Ultra PE load frame' which I assume are the radial canopy seams you can see (which I think are in Hookipa too), which is a development I've been hoping for to improve canopy longevity / reduces bagging out. I'm going with the cheaper monofilm option of the RS for the moment.

Does anyone have first hand experience on these and could share? What do people think? Anything else that looks good that hasn't been discussed in depth yet...

Hoping to get the RS's in May so will share my thoughts when I can.

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Takuma RS wing - more X ply

« on: February 22, 2022, 01:10:29 AM »

Saw an ad in the latest Foiling mag and did a quick search. The only thing I could immediately find... I think it looks great! Development keeps on rolling!

http://www.surfshop.fr/wing-568/ailes-de-wing-569/takuma-concept-rs-19255.html#idTab1

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Single center front foot strap

« on: December 16, 2021, 09:31:38 AM »

Just considering alternative foot strap options. Does/has  anyone ride with a single front foot strap on the centre of their board and can share their experiences? Does it work ok?

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Why does my 34L board turn so slowly?

« on: November 06, 2021, 01:12:34 PM »

It's something that I've noticed for a while but can't figure out why. Using the same foil on my 65L 4'6 and 34L 5'3, the turning is so much slower on the smaller board. Not just a little bit, but like I'm using a stab that's way too wide, almost hurting my feet in the straps muscling the board around... I don't get it.

I've resorted to using smaller stabs in the past to loosen it up, but I've only got one Axis stab at the moment - waiting for 375 to arrive although I might well need a 350.

The only thing working against the small board from a turning perspective is the additional length, but I can't believe that is the issue. The swing weight difference must be marginal between the two. The other big difference is the thickness between the two, with the small board being much thinner. Is that the cause of it??? Just to finally say, the mast feels like it's in the same relative position on the two boards - lift is similar.

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / The ART 899 and 799 thread

« on: November 05, 2021, 04:06:00 AM »

Perhaps jumping the gun a little but has anyone ridden the smaller sisters to the 999. I'm curious, but wonder how awkward they are to use in real life (reading the stats, they look small [the volume in particular], even for a light weight like me) but also appreciate that this breed of foil isn't quite like what's come before.

Basically want to understand whether the performance warrants the effort (like deciding to wing a sinker) although I suspect a straight tail board would very much help.

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Getting ejected out the front door...

« on: October 25, 2021, 04:47:58 AM »

Would like to understand why I get ejected out the front door.
Usually when I'm cranking upwind, loaded up in the harness, and I then feel something ventilate and usually ends up in a roll to windward, (so not a sudden, catastrophic loss of lift, / nose dive as you would over foiling)

Weirdly happens on flat'ish water as well as choppy.

I thought it might be something to do with the Gong Fluid foils, as it didn't happen so much with the Veloce, but it happened a few times yesterday on my brand new, perfect condition ART 999 and 380 tail, so I wonder if it's the mounting of the tail on top of the fuse rather that the middle, as the Veloce tails are. But the Veloce tail was a bit bigger too...

Clearly I'm the rider so will take responsibility for the crashing, but I feel a bit cheated as I don't feel like I'm making an obvious mistake. I wonder if it's a chop thing, because it does feel like a white cap, hits the mast and then it happens, but could be my imagination? Also, on a 1m wide wing can air get all the way down to the tail to cause ventilation without also causing a main foil tip breach? Is air going down the mast, down the fuse, to the tail? Feels unlikely... Am I loading up the tail too much and causing it to 'spin out' (upwards/negatively)?

I don't think it's a main foil issue for various reasons but could be that too?

Thoughts, comments, suggestions welcome...

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Understanding foil design - deep dive and Q&A into Gong range.

« on: July 18, 2021, 10:43:34 PM »

An hour of chat on foil design. Yes it's all about the Gong range, but that's not too say there is a lot of really interesting detail on foil design generally on shape and profile as well as how front foil, stab, and fuse length work together. Didn't really touch on mast length, which was the only missing topic. If you want to understand foils a bit better, this will be enlightening. Also a shame nobody asked why he's not designed anything that is 'proper' higher aspect, above 7...

https://youtu.be/EyDYcIhdW60

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / New Gong foils - Fluid

« on: May 07, 2021, 11:47:18 AM »

https://youtu.be/_C-zGQpc3Io

Sits in between the Curve and Veloce? Or a Curve replacement? We'll soon find out!

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Swing V2

« on: April 12, 2021, 11:30:14 AM »

Not immediately clear how this differs to the Strike, perhaps a more introductory rather than performance model?

https://youtu.be/94gG-nlkEis

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Gong 2021 boards - 9 models!

« on: January 08, 2021, 02:36:55 PM »

I don't know if this is too much choice and let's hope there's quality and quantity. I guess we'll learn more about intended usage soon...

I like the look of the Kube - pretty radical design!
The Lethal might be my next board though...

Edit - copied the brief description from website.

Lance
https://youtu.be/u4qY5Eg8VzA
Lethal
https://youtu.be/SWTfortubzs
Flint
https://youtu.be/fY8ecF5I0m4
Lemon
https://youtu.be/HQlLTp9fqqQ
Mint
https://youtu.be/4X9ZIbEVfhk
Kube
https://youtu.be/GxGrY4bqs9M
Zuma
https://youtu.be/aXd92KiGnIE
Hipe
Mob2Taste

Hipe: the inflatable with 95% of the performance of the rigid. Ideal for beginners and much more!
Mob 2tastes: three sports in one board: SUP, SUPfoil and Wing.
Zuma: the easy rigid in SUPfoil in Wing, and with good performance.
Lance: the compact Zuma, very stable laterally, ideal for progressing in Wing.
Flint: high performance SUPfoil, top in Wing car simple and effective in light wind.
Kube: pure wing freestyle board. Minimum length for maximum rotations.
Mint: compactness without the difficulty with its round nose, but excellent performance.
Lemon: maximum reactivity and liveliness, while maintaining lateral stability.
Lethal: absolute radicalism among volume boards