Wing specific boards

[Thatspec]

Did you notice the Gong wing boards are priced higher than the SUPs!

That is interesting (shrewd even). The SUP's are bigger, have more materials in them and it's the same newer carbon construction.

[Admin]

Floaty and stable helps a lot at the beginning.  You may want to borrow or buy used for that period because within a few weeks you will likely be able to move down in size. 

I agree stable boards are critical when learning.

Unfortunately my learning curve might be slower than others as I have been at it longer than a few weeks and have not quite mastered the air jibe. I am close, but I still hit the water, and once I hit the water the floaty and stable board is a benefit again. At my location I know others on the same learning curve so I am OK with it.

Also, I wonder in 10 to 11 knots if that small board is going to be easier to get foiling vs. something with a bit more volume. In higher winds small boards work great, but are small boards also good boards in 10 to 11 knots?

A huge board early on is really helpful.  I borrowed Bill's massive board to learn the kneestart.  I then went down to a 6'10 135 liter for a few weeks and then a 6'6 120 Liter board which is smaller but still quite large for my weight.  Those shifts down were helpful when I was ready for it but those are all steps down to still large boards.  I am not suggesting small boards for new riders.  The opposite actually.  I would say go huge for a short while and then move down a bit.  When you go to that slightly smaller board you will shed a lot of weight and bulk and takeoffs will be easier.  Slightly smaller boards also get pushed around less by chop and swell but this is also relative.  Very small boards are a major handful to kneestart in wild water.

We have been very happy with our 6'6 and 5'10 boards for most of this season.  It seems like a kneestart board for marginal conditions and a waterstart board for steady wind will eventually be a good combo.  These new wing specific boards are packing a lot of volume into very compact shapes.  Something like that looks good to me as a potential replacement kneestart board for light or inconsistent wind.  Knee starting on a smaller board is not bad in mellow water.  Takeoffs are fine as well. 

[Dwight (DW)]

Got my wing board transport system worked out. The big downwinder is happening tomorrow.

[JEG]

cool ride Dwight (DW) 

[PonoBill]

Looks like my rig--which I've never used!!

[river]

Very cool ride, but watch those hard left turns

[Dwight (DW)]

Got another reference point yesterday, for who can ride a wing board on day one of winging...

A snowbird from Wisconsin, who comes down every Winter arrived. Expert kite foiler. Never SUP foiled. 55 years old. 158 lbs. Never even seen a wing ding in person. I spent 5 minutes on the beach teaching him. Sent him out on the 5m Swing with a 5’8 SUP and Axis 92 foil. It took some time to figure out pumping the board and the wing in coordination, but he got there and rode all around on foil. No jibes.

Then I offered up the 5’1 90 liter wing board to see what he could do on the Axis 1000 foil. No problem knee starting, but could not pump onto foil with limited pump skill. Then I put the Axis 1020 foil on it. He foiled all over the place like a hero.

So starting with a wing board on day one, is very possible for anyone with some good athletic skill and a kite foiling background.

He’s going to order a wing board and skip the SUP foil board step.

[winged surfer]

i'm about to buy a new smaller wing board.
I own a Fanatic Sky surf 6"3 which i love but i really need something smaller now.
Let's make a list on the possibilities on 5" size (not including the custom made options):
 
F-One: Rocket Wing (already available?)
Gong: Lemon and Flint (from February 2020)
Fanatic: for sure they are working on something smaller but the new boards will not hit the market before May/June i guess
Takuma: Zk Wing (from February 2020) - but they are doing only 5'4 size

What other brands i am missing?

[Admin]

For right now I think you are looking at previously existing SUP models.  Robert's current Carver 5'2 is looking very similar to some of the upcoming Wing specific boards.  https://www.blueplanetsurf.com/search/carver/

I think that you will have a lot of options by mid summer.

[Dwight (DW)]

At the end of this clip, it looks like they branded the wing boards Duotone.

[winged surfer]

They say is 5’ and 75 litres.

[Admin]

Looks good.  Boomless option for a new wing, maybe a microboom/long handle?  Hard to see but rigid handle(s) with a rigid strut connection would be very cool.  It already looks like it is flying a lot better from the leading edge handle.

[JEG]

Good find Admin, that new Duotone wing interesting.

[Dwight (DW)]

Wow, size perspective

[Wetstuff]

This guy Patrice is prolific.  He puts out more product in two months than the typical Starboard-type brand in two years.  They're still serving Nuts (like they need permission of a Private Equity partner to move ahead) while this guy is displaying haute cuisine.  Flying saucers.

Jim