Gong Veloce XL review

[supunk]

Hi Thatspec. I have recently received my 5’8 Flint and have had several days wing foiling on it. Really impressed with both the quality and the ride. Feels just as stable if not more stable than my Naish 6’0. More volume in the nose which I really like. Have primarily been using it with the Gong pro XXL and Veloce XXL which I both really rate. Struggle to post photo’s and vids here but have a few on my insta chrislucas735 if you are interested. Think you will be pleased when yours comes.
Thanks for the heads up re the availability of the Veloce wings. Going to order a XL wing and one of the larger Veloce stabs tomorrow if they are still available. 😀

[Fishman]

Hi Thatspec. I have recently received my 5’8 Flint and have had several days wing foiling on it. Really impressed with both the quality and the ride. Feels just as stable if not more stable than my Naish 6’0. More volume in the nose which I really like. Have primarily been using it with the Gong pro XXL and Veloce XXL which I both really rate. Struggle to post photo’s and vids here but have a few on my insta chrislucas735 if you are interested. Think you will be pleased when yours comes.
Thanks for the heads up re the availability of the Veloce wings. Going to order a XL wing and one of the larger Veloce stabs tomorrow if they are still available. 😀

Hey Supunk, How would you compare those two XXL wings? I would imagine the XXL Curve is great In very low wind if you're wing-dingin but it also seems you may like the Veloce XXL in very light wind. Do you prefer one over the other when winging?
 Side note, The adaptation of the Axis mast in in motion. I'm looking one more option that is very simple, but i'm wanting to hear from a machine shop.

ThatSpec, The XL Curve is really nice. I've only been able to use it behind a boat so far. We haven't had wind for a while but next week things may be picking up    

[supunk]

Hi Fishman. For low wind wingdinging the XXL Curve cannot be beaten. I use it with a Gong 7m plus wing and it will glide in very light winds. It is my go to foil. More lift than the Axis 1020. It is super easy to control even in very strong winds and at max speed, although it is not quick. I find the Veloce XXL needs more wind to get going. I have not cracked the light wind pump with the Veloce. If you push too hard you can stall the foil. With the Curve you can pump as hard as you like. For medium to strong winds the Veloce XXL is really impressive. It turns surprisingly well for such a big wing. I’m keen to try it SUP foiling in small waves.
Look forward to seeing some pics of your Gong/Axis rig. Love mine.😀

[Thatspec]

If anyone ever told me I'd have to get on a waitlist just to "pre-order" (and pay for) a product so I could then wait five weeks before it even ships....

Appreciate the feedback on the Flint Supunk, we're about the same weight so that helps a lot. There's a pretty big gap between the 5-8 and 5-10. I'm definitely going to pick up a couple of aluminum fuses as well for that Axis mast mod. Probably can't buy the bar stock for what they sell them for.

My poor lonely Gong 100cm carbon mast has just turned into an art piece this summer, mostly because I sold the XL pro to Fishman (glad it looks like it'll work for you!). The large Pro is significantly different from the Axis 1010, not in a bad way, it's more of a style of riding difference I've grown accustomed to. It just works best for my application which is winging downwinders here in The Gorge. What's under the water is soooo much more important than wing size above the water. We can have significant variations in wind speeds over the miles. I'm guessing the Veloce wings will bridge that style gap, the glide I can't live without but more turny like the Pro Curve.

So any more impressions you guys want to throw out there on any sizes of the Veloces would be much appreciated

[Thatspec]

My Flint shipped a week early should be delivered in the next couple of days. Best I'll get is a picture of it for a while but felt like Gong deserved a mention, sometimes stuff actually arrives sooner than expected.

As per my earlier post, I'd been on the waitlist to pre-order(  ) for the XL and XXL Veloce along with the 43 stab. Was able to pre-order but within a day regretted the smaller stab. Went back to the site and the 47's were already sold out for Oct. 4th. A week later I get the email they're available again to pre-order. I pre-ordered immediately, five minutes later they were sold out again.
Maybe a cancellation? It's just remarkable how 'real time' this has become...

[Thatspec]

Anyone else have additional comments on the XL or 2XL Veloces? Those of you who've been using them, any new insights relative to your other wings? Have you tried with different stabs? Recent comment by Patrice about Beryl prone surf foiling excerpted;

"...Here are the data from the Beryl session last night:
1st take off: 33 minutes of flight and 47 consecutive waves.
2nd take off: 18 minutes of flight and 36 consecutive waves.

Configuration:
Very ordinary spot, hip-size swell, Veloce full carbon XXL foil and 40 kite stab, Lethal 4'0 board strapped."

But then I outweigh Beryl by about 40#, what size wing would I need?

My pre-orders are about to come due (and I've added more...) Both carbon mast sizes are back up and available (pre-order), I picked up a 70 to match my 100 which is in the 'golf' bag. I've struggled with what pack for the winter but have committed to the Gong system, the Axis kit is safely stored for spring

[obxDave]

Anyone else have additional comments on the XL or 2XL Veloces? Those of you who've been using them, any new insights relative to your other wings? Have you tried with different stabs? Recent comment by Patrice about Beryl prone surf foiling excerpted;

"...Here are the data from the Beryl session last night:
1st take off: 33 minutes of flight and 47 consecutive waves.
2nd take off: 18 minutes of flight and 36 consecutive waves.

Configuration:
Very ordinary spot, hip-size swell, Veloce full carbon XXL foil and 40 kite stab, Lethal 4'0 board strapped."

But then I outweigh Beryl by about 40#, what size wing would I need?

My pre-orders are about to come due (and I've added more...) Both carbon mast sizes are back up and available (pre-order), I picked up a 70 to match my 100 which is in the 'golf' bag. I've struggled with what pack for the winter but have committed to the Gong system, the Axis kit is safely stored for spring

Wish I had something to add, but I haven’t even touched my Veloce XXL since getting it back in Aug when I got the XL. Haven’t ridden much either. For the times I have, I just rigged a bigger wingding when the wind dropped off and stuck with the XL. Haven’t touched the W1100 either.  If the wind drops to where my 6m Echo isn’t quite doing it anymore with the XL, I’d rather just switch to my kite foil gear. Gonna have to try the XXL at some point.  This is all based on tipping the scales at 76 kg and flat water riding. Might be that the XXL (and the 1100) are just more than required for my weight if I’m not trying to ride in the absolute lowest possible winds. 

Jim Stringfellow finished that Gong-foil-to-Moses-mast-adapter for me and I should have a chance to test it in the next couple of weeks along with the XXL

[supunk]

Great looking setup Dave. I look forward to seeing some pics of the Moses/Gong rig

[Solent Foiler]

Just thought I'd report back having spent some time on the Veloce L now. I was impressed by the XL but the L is another level. Yes it's a bit trickier to get up, and I'll only use it when nicely powered up until my pumping skills improve to allow lighter wind use, but once up it's simply amazing.

Fast obviously (it is really fast!), but not furious in the slightest. I think the biggest surprise to me is the control it gives you. In big gusty winds it's so smooth, so unphased so predictable that it gives you so much confidence. It almost makes the wing feel better controlled!

Where I get bounced around a bit in the chop when on the XL, that dissappears when on the L. It's very light and maneuverable underfoot but responds to your input so nicely that it's never twitchy. Gybes can be super mellow but it equally cranks quickly through the wind carrying good speed when tacking. Doesn't quite have as generously low stall speed as the XL, but it's not a problem - just need to be more precise when tacking.

Bear away hard downwind and the acceleration is super fast but effortless, with your speed limited more by the size of your danglies than feeling like you're pushing the foil to it's limits, and again smooth and predictable.

I mentioned before about the 100 monoblock mast not isolating me from the chop as much as I expected. I think the issue wasn't so much the mast but using a foil that is t too big for me when it's choppy. Using the a L, I don't think about the mast at all, which is everything I want from a mast, so really pleased with it.

This does sound like I'm gushing a bit, and I probably am (so stoked about it!), but I think I'm enjoying riding a foil that is better suited to my weight (65kg). Flipping between the XL and L, although they feel similar in many ways, there are definitely noticeable differences, and I'll use them differently.

I have ordered the XXL, to see what I can do to get some lower wind riding in... Will report back again!

[surfcowboy]

Solent, I’m wondering about the L vs XL for surf. Trying to bridge a gap without owning 4 wings.

I have the XL Rise for learning and really light wind.

What wind speeds were you using the Veloce L in? And what would you guess it’s range is? I’m near your size and liking being underwinged in the surf.

I’m thinking this might be a good “decent wind” downwind winging wing and a small wave surf wing.

[Thatspec]

Jim Stringfellow finished that Gong-foil-to-Moses-mast-adapter for me and I should have a chance to test it in the next couple of weeks along with the XXL

Very interested in a pic of that Dave, hard to visualize. Must be basically an entire custom fuse.

I appreciate the updates from all of you. Hope I've made the right choices going XL, XXL but at my 90Kg and the style I prefer, it's hard to imagine using the Large, I barely used my Large curve pro this summer but could definitely see using it breaking surf.

The big unknown to me is the 70cm mast, I may yet cancel it. I was hoping to do some sup foiling this winter though there are only so many hours in a day (and limited energy), I'd be happy enough just winging.

[Solent Foiler]

Solent, I’m wondering about the L vs XL for surf. Trying to bridge a gap without owning 4 wings.

I have the XL Rise for learning and really light wind.

What wind speeds were you using the Veloce L in? And what would you guess it’s range is? I’m near your size and liking being underwinged in the surf.

I’m thinking this might be a good “decent wind” downwind winging wing and a small wave surf wing.

I don't surf (I wish I did! Downwinding is as close as I get) so can't bring experience there but it doesn't jack up on take off (it's much more progressive) and will need a bit more speed before taking off than thicker foils.

In terms of wind speed, I'll use it with my 5m from around 15 knots with essentially unlimited top end. Maybe I could eke out a bit more at the bottom end, but with the XL available there is no need to make life more complicated. I am wondering if the XL might get dropped if the overlap between the XXL and L is big enough, but let's not get ahead of myself. The XL is a superb all round foil. The XXL might be just too big for all but the lightest days and have a role as session saver. I'll soon see...

[surfcowboy]

Thx, that “no blast off” is what I like for surf. The XL Rise hits immediately which is great for light wind and learning behind a boat but is hard for me in the surf when you can’t predict wave size.

If the Veloce L will do 15 knots for you that might fit where I’m thinking. But it does sound like the XL Veloce might have a crazy wide speed range. Hmm..