Author Topic: The Slingshot High Roller Project  (Read 74046 times)

Admin

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The Slingshot High Roller Project
« on: October 29, 2019, 12:42:22 PM »
It is still in the 30's here in Hood River so I went to the store for some winging gloves.  I had no intention of buying a board, but this little beauty whistled at me and I couldn't resist.  Now that the first round of brutality is mostly over...its time to suffer again :).  Learning to waterstart and get cruising on this will be a project (timeframe undetermined).  She is 5'2" x 21" x 2.7" at 39 liters.  Bring on the flailing...
« Last Edit: October 29, 2019, 12:54:59 PM by Admin »

Dwight (DW)

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2019, 01:14:16 PM »
Wow, you must like swimming in cold water a lot  ;D ;D

eastbound

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2019, 01:15:56 PM »
gluttony!!
Portal Barra 8'4"
Sunova Creek 8'7"
Starboard Pro Blue Carbon  8'10"
KeNalu Mana 82, xTuf, ergoT

supkailua

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2019, 01:19:22 PM »
Are you using the Outwit now?

If so what size and how is it working?

What are you looking to gain from the smaller board?


JEG

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2019, 01:25:52 PM »
she is cute Admin and sees how you go with the consequences and you might want to get the divorce papers ready  8)

PonoBill

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2019, 03:57:00 PM »
Chan let you go into Big Winds by yourself? What was she thinking. Then agin, she could probably knee start that thing.
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.

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2019, 04:12:02 PM »
Are you using the Outwit now?

If so what size and how is it working?

What are you looking to gain from the smaller board?

Yes, our two remaining boards are the Outwit 6'6 and the 5'10.  We have been really happy with those and we plan on keeping them as light wind boards.  The boards are super durable (that current bomber windsurf board construction).  We haven't been gentle with them and they are hanging tough.  They are nice and light for their sizes.  They have a long flat section that extends from the tail to the front foot position.  You can see that in the attached image (the High Roller uses the same design).  This helps them accelerate and take off very early in light wind.  A lot of the boards out there have a more constant surf rocker which I wouldn't want.  We had that on another board and it changes things a lot.  These have a deck which is nicely level with the base so the foil is correctly positioned without shims at all positions in the track.  That is a big deal.  Our other board rode nose up (and that angle changed at different track positions).  The stock inserts don't extend far enough forward for me but I added angled NSI stick-on inserts and that did the trick.  I plan on doing that to this new board once I figure out where they need to be.  I also would prefer a flat deck (these are all concave) but obviously that was not a deal killer :)

The new board is 10 lbs lighter.  It weighs 8.8 lbs and has almost no weight in the nose. I love that idea!  Even on Chan's 5'10 the shorter, lighter weight nose feels awesome.  Winging around with near zero excess is the primary goal.  Once you are flying the board is just baggage.  It gets blown around, interferes with the water and in part it controls you.  The more of that we can take away the greater the soaring experience.  It is also 10 lbs that your foil and your wing don't need to lift (6% less total payload in my case).  That is a cheap diet.  It is less pull on your leash.  It tucks under my arm with room to spare.  No need for a handle.  No goofy carry style.  Board goes under the upwind arm with the foil facing into the wind, wing goes in the downwind hand.  Simplicity.  Carry the board nose first, it doesn't matter anymore.  It can fit in the back of any car.  It fits in the passenger front seat of our Subaru.  That is how it came home from the shop as the back was full.   It will travel anywhere super easily.  Go to town with the bubble wrap in a shortboard case and check it. 



« Last Edit: October 29, 2019, 04:39:25 PM by Admin »

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2019, 04:23:29 PM »
Chan let you go into Big Winds by yourself? What was she thinking. Then agin, she could probably knee start that thing.

They do a 4'6" x 19.8" x 2.7" 32L and a 4'0" x 19" x 2.8" 29L.  The real question is which one she will get :).  It took all of my willpower not to bring all 3 home from Windance.  This 5'2 will almost certainly be too big for for Chan to sink.  My shortboards were ~29 liters and they were fine for me to submerge and crouch on (chest deep).  They were like funboards for Chan.  She could sit on them high and dry :) .  I had a classic style fish that was 50 liters.  That was the same way for me.  I could force it under and crouch on it but it was really hard to do.  It wanted to squirt out from under me.  I hope that 39 liter will be a nice middle ground.  What could go wrong ? :).

« Last Edit: October 29, 2019, 04:48:34 PM by Admin »

Chan

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2019, 04:42:48 PM »
You bought me a new board, awesome  :)  I see another purchase in the near future.  High Roller is seeming like an appropriate name.  Let's see how long that willpower holds.  At least the wind is free.
« Last Edit: October 29, 2019, 04:45:21 PM by Chan »

Dwight (DW)

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2019, 04:48:54 PM »
I have a 4’9 x 20 x 3 to try myself. I expect to fail with it. I don’t have youth on my side.

I’m betting on this plan: Thickness is harmless, other than making duck dives harder. I don’t need to duck dive my winging board. The benefit of thickness, besides the obvious, is volume makes a board repel water like an Iglo cooler. Pops onto foil easier. Thin isn’t needed for surfing, we don’t surf the board, we surf the foil.

This philosophy has served me well with SUP foil board design too. Corky pops onto foil quicker.

Short and corky is my thing.  ;D

I’m not alone with these thoughts. Look at the boys in South Padre.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B35g5q7Hvqi/?igshid=hmhw7058nfsv

« Last Edit: October 29, 2019, 05:47:53 PM by Dwight (DW) »

Admin

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2019, 04:36:25 AM »
I have a 4’9 x 20 x 3 to try myself. I expect to fail with it. I don’t have youth on my side.

You have experience :).  You are going to get it.  The water here is still 55 which is comfortable in my 4.5/3.5.  The last few days have been getting into the low 20's at night and not making it much over 40 for highs.  We do have a week of 50's coming after today though and if that happens at a location that will work (light current, wind relatively near shore, easy downwind out) I am ready to get started. 

PonoBill

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #11 on: October 30, 2019, 06:43:29 AM »
Yeah, but is Chan going to let you use her new board?
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.

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #12 on: October 30, 2019, 09:42:00 AM »
Yeah, but is Chan going to let you use her new board?

Chan decided to go with the 4'6" x 19.8" x 2.7" 32L.  I am going to pick that up today.  She has let me do a lot of stupid things over the lat 30 years...but never alone.  If there is something ridiculous going on she is going to be in on it  :).

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #13 on: October 30, 2019, 12:47:43 PM »
All padded up and ready to go.

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Re: The Slingshot High Roller Project
« Reply #14 on: November 07, 2019, 02:07:16 AM »
Yesterday was day one for waterstart boot camp.  The wind lined up pretty nicely at a spot that has an easy downwind out.  The air warmed up to over 50, the water is still over 50 and it was strong 3.5 Swing conditions.  My plan was to do a few downwind drifts and hike back up with my gear. 

I took out the larger of the two new boards (5'2 39 Liter) with my Axis 1020 foil.  Wow, is it a pleasure to carry that rig.  The wind was really gusty over the bank path and this relatively small board was awesome.  No major achievements on day one, but I learned a ton.  First off, it is a very settled and calm feeling to straddle a smaller submerged board even in stronger wind and chop.  It just kind of hangs out and locks in.  I like that a lot.   Lifting the wing overhead in that straddle position is very straight forward.  You can reel it in, get your hands on the handles, hang out and drag in either direction.  As long as there is wind, seated self rescue is going to be fine.  Flipping the wing while seated is also no problem but it does take a little more force and planning because you are sitting deeper and it drags more.

I do need to make some gear adjustments, though.  The 39 liter board is too large to comfortably sink at my weight, at least with the large 1020 foil.  I could force it underwater and sit on it navel deep, but it takes a lot of force to get it under and it has way more cork than a shortboard surfboard (which I think is going to be roughly the volume I need).  It really fought me when I pressed it deeper and went to stand on it.  It wanted to squirt out in any direction that it could (and it eventually did).  Also, the big 1020 foil was way too much (at least at this point in my learning).  When I was butt cruising (does that sound OK?) I had to really limit my (already slow) speed or the foil would start to kick in and drop me off the back. 

It is clear that I have some experimenting to do and that nailing the volume is going to be the big deal.  I did get the feeling that with the right volume that this will be very workable.  I am going to switch to the 4'6 32 liter for the next round (hopefully today) I think that 7 liter drop may be enough.  I am also going to put on the 1000 or 900 wing to limit that early lift. 

I am really stoked to be underway with this. 
« Last Edit: November 07, 2019, 02:12:31 AM by Admin »

 


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