Author Topic: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards  (Read 20540 times)

RobM

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #45 on: June 02, 2020, 01:03:26 PM »
You can do the 5’0 no problem. I can ride my wife’s 75 liter no problem. I’m 190.

Awesome Dwight thanks!  I do keep coming back to the 5'0 as my favourite in my mind. Quit thinking just do it! Same issue with my gybes  :D
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

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #46 on: June 02, 2020, 05:31:32 PM »
Hi Admin, have you tried the 5'0 yet?  Really interested to know about that board. I'm 83kg and looking to replace my 6'6 116 lt BluePlanet SUP Foil board I use for winging. I'm used to years of 75-80 lt windsurf boards so am familiar with how that volume supports me, but in a longer length. I'm a competent fast knee starter in pretty much all conditions from 10-30+ knots. I'm looking for that one board to wing with and can't decide between the 5'0 or 5'4.  I've got lots of variety from lake to ocean swell and point waves to "grow into" on my wing journey.  Thanks for any input on the 5'0 and 5'4.  Stay healthy & happy!  Rob

Hi Rob,

I haven't used the 5'0.  I could definitely go smaller than the 5'4 if I could get up straight from my knees.  Just cruising on my knees on the 5'4 is very comfortable, so if you can pop up from there with the wing in hand you should be fine.  Standing on the 5'4 and cruising is also fine and I could go smaller for that as well.  Other than that you will get better advice from guys like River and DW who are able to do the normal kneestart.

Phils

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #47 on: June 03, 2020, 12:16:45 AM »
Your technique is of interest to us because my wife is just starting to learn and is having trouble with standing up onto board.  If one cannot stand from a kneeling position, what is the best alternative?

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #48 on: June 03, 2020, 01:21:24 AM »
Your technique is of interest to us because my wife is just starting to learn and is having trouble with standing up onto board.  If one cannot stand from a kneeling position, what is the best alternative?

Hi Phils,

Very cool that your wife is learning!  Can she stand from a kneel on land without using her hands (hands overhead)?  If she can then it is probably worth sticking with the conventional knee start.  It has a lot less steps and some other advantages.  No worries if she cannot.  There is another way. 

I would suggest that you show her how you get on your board, get to your knees and position yourself on the board before you lift the wing or lift your front knee.  It is worth practicing a little cruising in that position as well.  That part is the same.  The next part is different. 

Rather than lifting the wing have her hold the wing's leading edge handle in her downwind hand and then use both hands to push down on the rails.  The downwind hand is going to be holding the leading edge handle and grabbing the downwind rail.
 The nose of the board is going to take a position somewhat downwind at that point.  That is OK.  She shouldn't fight that.  It is important that she get the toes on her back foot tucked under and on the deck first (just like they are when a runner starts a race).  Having the toes tucked under is really important for giving extra push when standing if she has uncooperative legs.  Then she can move her front foot up to the taking a knee position.  If her legs are really bad she may need to use her free hand to help move that leg into place.  Where her knee and foot are positioned is the key to her success.  It is worth taking her time to do the fine tuning on leg positioning before lifting the wing.  If things are going to go wrong it almost always because the setup wasn't quite right. 

At that point she can lift the wing.  She is going to need to lift the hand that is holding the handle and pass it across her body to grab the front strut handle with the other hand.  As soon as she lifts the wing the board is going to turn straight downwind.  There is no getting around that.  If she can get her back hand on one of the back wing handles at this point, great.  She should do that, but only apply very light pressure to it until the board rounds up to a normal reach.  In stronger wind she may not be able to get her back hand on immediately.  In that case she can twist the wing a bit with her front arm to help bring the nose of the board a little upwind.  Then she can grab the back handle.  Once she has both hands on the strut the rest of the kneestart is the same as the normal kneestart. 

A big board and very mellow conditions will be very helpful until this is second nature for her.  This start is awkward because you have no support from a flying wing while you are getting the knee up.  That is much harder in chop, swell, current or with a challenging board. 

Let her know that she is learning the hardest part first.  The rest will be much easier once she can get to her feet.  It doesn't have to be pretty, just functional.  She will get it if she sticks with it. 
« Last Edit: June 03, 2020, 03:00:16 AM by Admin »

Phils

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #49 on: June 03, 2020, 09:45:35 AM »
Thanks so much for the detailed explanation and encouragement.  She (middle aged, fit and athletic) has no board, foil or wind sports experience so this will be a long but hopefully fun journey.  We are trying to video the whole process. :D

Sorry, a bit off topic.  I may start a new one about her wing journey.

Quickbeam

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #50 on: June 03, 2020, 04:20:16 PM »
Thanks so much for the detailed explanation and encouragement.  She (middle aged, fit and athletic) has no board, foil or wind sports experience so this will be a long but hopefully fun journey.  We are trying to video the whole process. :D

Sorry, a bit off topic.  I may start a new one about her wing journey.


I will be very interested to follow your wife’s story. It sounds much like the adventure I am just starting on. Like your wife, I have no foil or wind sport experience. I suppose I am also fairly fit, but unlike your wife, I’m a little older than “middle aged”.

I went out the other day for the first time on my foil board with the foil attached. Didn’t have a wing with me. I just went out and paddled around to get the feel of it. Made me realize what a very steep learning curve I will have. But then again, as the saying goes, “nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Very best of luck to your wife!
Infinity Blackfish 12’ 6” x 23”
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 24”
Infinity Whiplash 12' 6" x 24 1/2"
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 26”
Bark Competitor 12’ 6” x 29”
Red Paddle Explorer (Inflatable) 13' 2" x 30
Starboard Airline (Inflatable) 12’ 6” x 27

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #51 on: June 04, 2020, 02:31:32 AM »
Phils, that sounds amazing.  I would love to watch her progress. 

Quick, don't let paddling your little foilboard spook you.  If you are used to a "normal" sized SUP, these little boards will feel super awkward for paddling.  The foil underneath only adds to that.  I would say pump up your wing and do a few laps on your knees.  Get a feel for that and then get started on the kneestart.  You will be cruising around in no time.

Here goes....

Quickbeam

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #52 on: June 04, 2020, 09:06:15 AM »
Phils, that sounds amazing.  I would love to watch her progress. 

Quick, don't let paddling your little foilboard spook you.  If you are used to a "normal" sized SUP, these little boards will feel super awkward for paddling.  The foil underneath only adds to that.  I would say pump up your wing and do a few laps on your knees.  Get a feel for that and then get started on the kneestart.  You will be cruising around in no time.

Here goes....

Thanks Admin. Appreciate the encouragement.
Infinity Blackfish 12’ 6” x 23”
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 24”
Infinity Whiplash 12' 6" x 24 1/2"
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 26”
Bark Competitor 12’ 6” x 29”
Red Paddle Explorer (Inflatable) 13' 2" x 30
Starboard Airline (Inflatable) 12’ 6” x 27

lieutenantglorp

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #53 on: June 08, 2020, 03:18:27 PM »
I have had a well timed opportunity to demo the 95L 5'4" for a few sessions now in a variety of conditions.  I am about 165lb. I have outgrown my 116L foil sup, for winging at least, and am awaiting an 85L board from DW.  This has been my first ride on a dedicated wing board but I am pretty stoked by all the known benefits, especially swell riding and to finally be able to pump without hitting the nose on the water.  I was a little concerned about going lower volume for knee starting but it has been no problem even in the wildest wave and chop.  It is all technique and once you can do it correctly it quickly becomes confidence building.  I thought the handle cutout on the bottom would be helpful, but found it only to be useful in certain situations and awkward in others such as walking downwind/ cross off/ swirling wind with wing and foil.  I can more easily stabilize the wing overhead by carrying the foil on my shoulder with the wing pressed against the top of the board (at the expense of shoulder pressure).  I found overall I'm not a fan of the concave deck.  It benefits from slightly more turning leverage at the expense of foot comfort.  It hurts to keep my foot bent up like that for more than a few turns.  Otherwise, the board is great.  I like that they flattened the tip of the nose, since I always seem to get nose damage on boards that are pointy and bump into something.  Hopefully it will spread the impact load.
Infinity B-Line 8'5"
FoilSurfMachines v4 4'9" Rocket 75L
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Ozone Wasp v2 2.3, 3,4,5

DavidJohn

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #55 on: June 11, 2020, 03:59:33 AM »
Three weeks later and I am loving this board.  I haven't ridden anything else since it showed up and I have a bunch of sessions from maxed out 3.5 to super light 6.0.  It feels very comfortable to me now. 

I am fully stoked on the packed design - flat (no SUP angle) tail, chopped off vertically right behind the tracks, flat rail to rail with very vertical rails, and a flat rocker through to the front footstrap with no bottom contours.  I am convinced that any angled chop to the tail (often mentioned for easy takeoff) is not necessary or even valuable for winging.  Chopping off and blunting that whole area makes it so there is nothing back there to contact the water.  I have seen some designs where they blunt the tail but the tracks are further forward and that doesn't seem like the best solution to me.  This 5'4 takes off more easily than any other board I have used.  It is actually pretty silly feeling.  I haven't used my 6 meter wing or my largest foils in 2 weeks (and we have had plenty of light days).  When it is super light you can just wing pump a few times on the surface to gain a little speed and one good board pop will usually do it.  That is the magic of the super flat base.  I am not feeling any of the stick that is supposed to be associated with flat bottoms. 

The same is true of the rail bevels (or lack thereof).  This board basically has no bevels except for very forward.  I used to occasionally grab a rail on my previous board at 29.5 inches inches wide but at 26 inches wide it hasn't been an issue for me at all. 

It would be cool to see Fanatic offer a DLX construction that came in at 11 lbs. and equally sturdy.  That would be pretty unstoppable and they would have at least one buyer :)  They could also do a 5'0 x 25 in this design that could come in around 80-85 liters.  That would be incredible as well.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2020, 04:05:04 AM by Admin »

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #56 on: June 11, 2020, 07:46:20 AM »
YES....wing boards are the future.

It’s like the early days of windsurfing. Nobody wanted a longboard, but everybody needed one to get past the kook stage. SUP foil to get past the kook stage, then never look back. Wing boards only. Young guys can skip the SUP stage.

I made a 5’1 x 27 x 110 liter for a 225 pound winger. He had no problem riding it.

More sizes, nobody wants a SUP.


ceej

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #57 on: June 11, 2020, 08:46:35 AM »
Hey Admin, any chance you could measure the thickness of the 5'4 for me?  I'm making a wing board and am using the skywing as a guide and couldn't find this dimension anywhere.

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #58 on: June 11, 2020, 09:46:46 AM »
Hey Admin, any chance you could measure the thickness of the 5'4 for me?  I'm making a wing board and am using the skywing as a guide and couldn't find this dimension anywhere.

Hi Ceej,

I measured (no caliper) but these will get you very close:

At the rail: the absolute tail is 4 inches even.  It is 4.5 inches a foot off the tail and a bit over 4.75 at the thickest spot.   

The board loses an inch of thickness at the centerline due to concave.  The concave runs through the entire deck nose to tail but graduates with very little at the extreme nose and tail and full dept through (and well in front of) the stance area.  Most of the board has a full 1 inch concave.  You could add a lot of volume if you went with no concave or you could go thinner and lower your center of gravity.   

Phils

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Re: Fanatic Sky Wing Foil Boards
« Reply #59 on: June 11, 2020, 09:53:38 AM »
It is super exciting to hear that they are figuring out shapes for wing specific boards that make a real world difference.

 


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