Author Topic: Wind wing - self-rescue  (Read 12058 times)

Wetstuff

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Wind wing - self-rescue
« on: September 12, 2019, 06:04:37 AM »
I try and anticipate failure... and cannot come up with a relaunch scenario in deep water.  Can you?  How'd you do it? 

Jim
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PonoBill

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Re: Wind wing - self-rescue
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2019, 07:01:25 AM »
Yup. Early in the learning process, I forgot to attach my calf leash. I fell, and then watched my board head merrily downwind. I swam after it but couldn't catch it. I started to swim to shore, trailing the wing, which was banging around in the wind and yanking on my wrist. I reeled it in, flipped it into the flying position and lifted the nose up. The wing started flying nicely and towing me faster than I could swim with all that crap tied to me. I could steer it by pointing the nose over either shoulder. My board was too far away to catch, but I could easily see that if I had used the wing to start with I could have caught it quickly. It's like body dragging with a kite. I used the wing to get to shore quickly, tied it to a stump and walked briskly down the bank to get ahead of the board.

So yes, the wing will hold you up out of the water. It's also quite a floatation device. I suspect the Duotone might be better at this than some other wings that don't have dihedral. It's pretty easy to get the wing off the water and flying, and the boom let me optimize the angle. A flat wing might be a bit more problematic.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Wind wing - self-rescue
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2019, 07:10:30 AM »
What do you mean by relaunch in deep water?

You can just put both hands on the deck of the board and stand up. With the wings nose handle in your hand. You don’t need to use the wing to help stand. I never use the wing to help me stand.

PonoBill

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Re: Wind wing - self-rescue
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2019, 08:10:33 AM »
I assumed Wet meant a situation where you need to self-rescue, which implies no board. Relaunching the wing in deep water if you still have a board is something I do fifty times a session. Well, maybe ten yesterday because I wasn't trying to do foil jibes. People are calling this a water start, but it's more like a kneeling start. Kneel on the board, flip the wing to the flying position, use the wing to turn the board and you in the direction you want to launch. Bring one foot up, catch a nice gust and stand up.

I DO use the wing to help me stand, my knees aren't all they could be. The 4 or 5M wing is great for this. If I turn sufficiently upwind on a port tack in typical gorge conditions I get yarded to my feet and as a regular foot person, my feet come naturally into a stable position. When I'm on a starboard tack I find it easier to be going more downwind, which means less lift from the wing. I have to kind of toss myself to my feet, but for some reason, my feet wind up in a better position than if I were doing a closer reach.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Wetstuff

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Re: Wind wing - self-rescue
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2019, 09:23:06 AM »
That was it, Bill... Thanks.  The concern was if 'up-to-your-neck w/o a board'.  I don't remember specifically, but there were times when I needed my kite to tug me to shore with a rats nest lineset. 

Jim
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Evan Lloyd

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Re: Wind wing - self-rescue
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2019, 11:34:58 AM »
I haven't lost my board but I've run out of wind a few times.  In AZ we don't have consistent wind, it's gustier.  Luckily each time it happened, I had my paddle strapped to the wing.  Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to get anywhere pulling a wing in the water, so I've had to deflate it, pull the wing up onto the board, and then paddle in.  The ability to self-rescue, regardless of the reason, is a skill everyone getting into water sports should learn. 

RobM

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Re: Wind wing - self-rescue
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2019, 09:18:43 AM »
For a light / no wind self rescue, I have found that if you take the wrist leash off and put it around your ankle, the wing will happily follow you while you prone paddle your board back to shore.
Me: 5'10" (178cm), 185lb (84kg)
Wings: Duotone Unit 5.5m,4.0m; Naish S25 5.3m,3.6m
Board: Fanatic 5'0 Sky Wing (75lt); BluePlanet foil sup 6'6" (116lt)
Foils: Axis 1150,1000;370 tail/short fuse; Neil Pryde Glide Surf L-1484cm2;
Mast: Axis 90, 68cm; NP Flight 82cm,NP Glide 60cm

Wetstuff

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Re: Wind wing - self-rescue
« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2019, 01:10:13 PM »
Rob, That makes too much sense for me to thought of it - thanks.

Jim
Atlantis Mistress .. Blue Planet MultiTasker ..   Atlantis Venom

 


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