Author Topic: Wing Drifter Pro?  (Read 11947 times)

jjdub

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Wing Drifter Pro?
« on: November 11, 2020, 03:56:17 PM »
Hey Guys,
Trying to get into foiling, prone and sup and looking for a board that will sup and wing well.  The new quatro wing drifter pro looks like it could be a great wing board that sups okay.  Not sure if anyone has any sup experience with this board or type of board - short, fat and quad concave.  I'd be looking to foil smaller surf with the 5'8 @ 115L which is about the volume I normally sup surf.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
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winddoctor

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2020, 10:52:51 PM »
Sorry, I haven't had experience with the Quatros but hear good things. You might also look at something like the Sunova Casey Aviator line as an all-rounder. I own the 6.4" Aviator and have learned to foil SUP and wing on it. So, longer than the Quatros for a given volume, but paddle well for SUP and don't feel too much like flying pigs on the wing. I'm hoping to try a Quatro this weekend for comparison..
6'5" 200 pounds. Armstrong HA1125, HA925, HA725, HS1850, HS1250 Foils. Armstrong 5'11" FG, Quatro WingDrifter 72L, KT 3m, 4m, 5m Armstrong V2 A-Wing 2.5

NJkiter

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2020, 04:04:27 AM »
There’s a guy in our surf spot that uses that 5’8” quatro for sup foiling.
It works quite well for him! I think it’s a good choice if you don’t mind struggling with the initial learning curve. He seemed to get the hang of it really quickly though.

I’m on a quatro 5’4” for winging & love it. The 5’8” should be fine.

You should get it in my opinion...but it’s too bad we can’t demo stuff 1st before we buy it.
Me:5’11” (170cm) 160lbs (73kg) Age:61
Wings: Duotone Echo 4m,5m,6m
SUP Foil Board: Blue Planet 6’6” 117 liters
Quatro Drifter 5’4” 90 liter wing board
Foils: Go Foil Kia, Iwa, M200,
GL100,140,210 & NL190
Paddle:Wener Rip Stick

jjdub

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2020, 01:13:58 PM »
Hey winddoctor, great suggestion thanks.  I'd love to hear feedback on the wing drifter if you get a chance to check it out.

NJkiter, thanks for the data point.  That's the analysis I'm trying to run through my head.  Slightly bigger board will be easier to learn but how soon until I want something smaller vs, how much struggle to learn on smaller board.

I'd definitely be looking forward to any extra glide I could get but that 6.0 looks quite a bit larger than the 5.8.

Any feedback on the strap placements for sup would be interesting too as they seem offset for winging and maybe not ideal for sup foiling?

Thanks again!
8'10" Bic Wave Pro Carbon Tec - sold 😔
9'9" Imagine Fluid
8'5 infinity B-Line
FFB colapinto
Lift 250/50 surf foil

jondrums

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2020, 03:19:39 PM »
I love the look of that board, and it seems like at the right volume it will be fine as a SUP.  I think the windsurf board guys really know how to make super light yet durable constructions which is valuable. 

I have to mention that I will never purchase another hollow deck board for SUPfoil.  Taking off on a wave with a hollow deck is really really annoying.  It takes a couple of pumps to get all the water off, and I'd rather be focused on the take-off and drop.  A lot of times I pull off the back of a wave and start to pump back out and water is still sloshing off the deck.  Never again.

Can't speak to how hollow decks do winging or downwinding - maybe its fine because you're up a lot longer so the initial water clearing isn't such a big impact.

gone_foiling

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2020, 03:25:36 PM »
Wing Drifter owners, what do you guys think of the construction? I saw a Facebook winging group discussion where a few folks were claiming very light and fragile skin. Basically a drop of a screwdriver resulting in punctured board.
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NJkiter

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2020, 06:27:27 PM »
In my humble opinion, you will not outgrow this 5’8” board. It’s really a good size & a good design. For SUP foiling it will be tough in the beginning than if you were on a bigger board. It will be alittle unstable in chop and paddling straight but definitely doable. Once you figure it out you will progress quickly. I personally like a bigger board for sup foiling but that’s me. For winging this board is perfect for learning. marginal conditions & beyond. You can’t beat the fact that you will have 1 board for 2 sports.

I wasn’t happy with the footstrap insert locations on my 5’4”, but its ok and works.

As far as quatro construction, I haven’t noticed any issues so far, Knock wood-(& it has taken a pounding in shore break and I accidentally bounced it once). It sure looks great, I hope it holds up.

I also haven’t noticed any water puddling on the deck of my buddies 5’8” quatro.
I am looking forward to trying the 5’8” out soon.
Me:5’11” (170cm) 160lbs (73kg) Age:61
Wings: Duotone Echo 4m,5m,6m
SUP Foil Board: Blue Planet 6’6” 117 liters
Quatro Drifter 5’4” 90 liter wing board
Foils: Go Foil Kia, Iwa, M200,
GL100,140,210 & NL190
Paddle:Wener Rip Stick

Califoilia

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #7 on: November 12, 2020, 09:24:21 PM »
I was looking at that board for SUP foiling in the 5.6 before I decided to have my new one shaped locally. The only thing that made me go the direction I did, was the Quatro's bottom after having read all of Dwight's thoughts wrt bottom configurations. But other than that, I thought the board had everything else I was looking for...and the price was right.
Me: 6'1"/185...(2) 5'1" Kings Foil/Wing Boards...7'10 Kings DW Board...9'6" Bob Pearson "Laird Noserider"...14' Lahui Kai "Manta"...8'0" WaveStorm if/when the proning urges still hit.

DavidJohn

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2020, 08:59:24 AM »

jjdub

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2020, 06:21:48 PM »
Great info Dave, thanks! I'm definitely seeing how a flatter bottom or even a single like the Armstrong could be a better design than the quad.  I don't know how noticeable these differences would be.  Can't beat the price, that's for sure.

Thanks DJ! Know anyone supping them? I suppose you're flying the s25 hover wing sup?
8'10" Bic Wave Pro Carbon Tec - sold 😔
9'9" Imagine Fluid
8'5 infinity B-Line
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Lift 250/50 surf foil

APPST_Paddle

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2021, 04:19:46 AM »
I'm looking at the 5'6" for SUP foil, I may one day wing, but right now I want to get down in size and swing weight from my 6'5" /115L, I tried the S26 95L and it was just a bit too small. I feel like the volume is right on this, along with the width, just wondering how it will SUP. Any reviews?
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Califoilia

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2021, 08:32:50 AM »
I'm looking at the 5'6" for SUP foil, I may one day wing, but right now I want to get down in size and swing weight from my 6'5" /115L, I tried the S26 95L and it was just a bit too small. I feel like the volume is right on this, along with the width, just wondering how it will SUP. Any reviews?
I've always liked the numbers and look of that board (sans all the concaves on the bottom), and almost bought one of those myself when they first came out, just so I could get it right away.

But ended up going with a Kings custom since I hadn't seen a Quatro in person, and didn't know the weight on them...and with shipping of the Quatro, the Kings I could just go and pick up ended up cheaper anyway. So the couple month wait was well worth it, since the Kings - 5'7x28"x105L - weighed in at 11.25 lbs...it's now what I'm learning to wing on.
Me: 6'1"/185...(2) 5'1" Kings Foil/Wing Boards...7'10 Kings DW Board...9'6" Bob Pearson "Laird Noserider"...14' Lahui Kai "Manta"...8'0" WaveStorm if/when the proning urges still hit.

gone_foiling

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #12 on: August 16, 2021, 07:07:41 PM »
I have 5.4 wing drifter for winging. Great board, very light 12lbs. I tried supping it and it’s a no at my 175 lbs. 5.6 @105 puts in the realm of possibility but I would also look at new kalamas e3s.
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Hwy1north

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #13 on: August 16, 2021, 08:13:59 PM »
Another great board line are the Amundson Johno Sups.  The 5'9" x 28 113 board is probably doable for a 170-190 lbs with good sup skills and would be easy to learn winging on.  I'm 185 and have the 5'6".  Really perfect for winging, but for sup there's no way I could have learned to sup foil on it.  And unless I catch just the right wave, and get flying out the back, paddling is pretty difficult.  Shape wise, the Drifter Pro is flatter rocker and wider tail looking at the profiles, compared to the Johno with a wider nose and narrower tail (more like a Kalama.).  Functionally, the DP has a shorter water line in the wave as you angle your take off when the wave pitches. I find this type of board more difficult to paddle into a wave because it doesn't want to surf and is instead meant to lift before the wave pitches.  This means you have to get on foil or eat it.  Bottom contour discussion alone on foil boards is a bit of a joke imo, but taken as a whole of the board design, a certain concave in the nose or tail release point could be the standout feature.  My summary, without any experience on the Drifter, is it's more of a wing foil board and advanced sup board.  It looks cool, and I'd trust Keith's board design ability way more than my unproven theory!

APPST_Paddle

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Re: Wing Drifter Pro?
« Reply #14 on: August 17, 2021, 05:20:21 AM »
Yeah, I was looking at the Kalama's since he seems to be one of the few sticking with a SUP-dedicated foil board. I'm really between 3 boards (currently on the 6'5" Flying-V, which I really love, just want a smaller overall footprint/swing weight):

5'11" Flying-V @105L. pretty hard to find right now, and is worth spending that much for a 6"/10L drop?

5'8" Quattro Wing Drifter V1.2 @115L, that's a ton of volume, not sure how smooth it would be for paddling, I'd probably do it over the 5'6" to be safe. Any idea on weight?

5'11" F-One Rocket Wing - mainly bc of the 6.2 kg weight, although I bet the 105L JL is right around that.

Any thoughts? I'd wait on Kalama, but I feel like I'm losing sessions I could be progressing on. The 6'5" is great, but I could definitely go down in volume/size.

7'6" JL Super Frank Lean
8'2" JL SuperTech 
10'1" JL Black and Blue
14' BIC WS Tracer
6'5" JL Flying-V/GoFoil Maliko 200
Kenalu Ho'oloa 95, Werner Rip Stick 79

 


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