Author Topic: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?  (Read 8273 times)

Admin

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?
« Reply #15 on: January 23, 2021, 04:14:42 AM »
At 180 you are going to love it Carib.  It will be an adjustment from your 6'6 but in a few weeks it will feel great.  The board's weight is frustrating mostly because it could easily be made better.  This could be an 11 to 12 pound board.  The extra weight is most noticeable before launch. 

I really hope that Fanatic has a lightweight construction in the works.  Call it a pro line, elite line, gimpy old guy who can barely get to the water line, I don't care.  I will buy it.  My walking looks like Jerry Lewis playing a drunk guy now, even when I am not carrying this clunky cluster of swords.  I have pretty much lost control of my parts.  I am all in for light.  :)
« Last Edit: January 23, 2021, 04:34:19 AM by Admin »

Caribsurf

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?
« Reply #16 on: January 23, 2021, 06:23:47 AM »
Haha, too funny Admin.  Maybe you walk like Jerry Lewis, but I bet you foil like Dean MARTIN
Hobie Raw 8'10"
Jimmy Lewis Kwad 8'7"
Naish Hover 95 liter 5'7"
F-One Rocket foil board 5'5" 90 liters
Fanatic Aero 1250, 1500, 1750 HA foils
CabrinhaMantis 3.5, 4m 5m. F-One Strike 7m CWC
Hobie 14' race board

Admin

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?
« Reply #17 on: January 23, 2021, 06:54:35 AM »
Hah!  I wish!  We are down in Baja now.  My problem is that I have a head full of dreams and willing delusion when my reality is trying to get back to last season's (low) level performance.  Every kneestart and every jibe is a minor miracle. :)

Caribsurf

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board? Update This board is GREAT
« Reply #18 on: January 29, 2021, 12:37:30 PM »
I had the opportunity to ride my new Fanatic 5’4” Sky Wing for the first time today, and this board is great!  It was paired with the 5m Duotone in 15-18 mph winds and was the perfect set up for the day.

I was impressed with the stability of this 95 liter board and had no problem at all with knee starts.  Like Admin said, getting on foil is quick and effortLess and will be even easier once I attach the front straps for pumping.  The ride was smooth and easy and board so responsive and loose.  I found jibes to be so much easier than my larger 6’6” Sky SUP foil board.  And despite its smaller deck, I actually found walking the deck and switching stance before, during and after jibes much easier.  That doesn’t make sense but it’s true.   On my other board I would tend to round up or come off foil in an instant.  The Sky Wing allowed me to switch stance and stay up on foil..a few times I actually found myself standing with parallel feet and I was expecting to crash, but kept gliding along on foil...amazing.


I love the handle on the underside..makes carrying board and wing a lot easier.

I am so glad I went with the 5’4” 95 liter and  and not the 5’8” 110. 



Hobie Raw 8'10"
Jimmy Lewis Kwad 8'7"
Naish Hover 95 liter 5'7"
F-One Rocket foil board 5'5" 90 liters
Fanatic Aero 1250, 1500, 1750 HA foils
CabrinhaMantis 3.5, 4m 5m. F-One Strike 7m CWC
Hobie 14' race board

RobM

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?
« Reply #19 on: January 29, 2021, 12:51:56 PM »
Awesome news Caribe! I knew you'd love it and the size would be no issue. It made a world of difference to my riding and transitions going smaller.  I'm really impressed and happy with the Sky Wing's build quality and performance!
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

Caribsurf

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?
« Reply #20 on: January 29, 2021, 01:21:06 PM »
Ya RobM pretty amazing how that board rides..comparing that to my first board, I think I was holding myself back.  Wish I had gone smaller sooner. 

Anybody on the fence about this board should go fir it.  I am so glad I did.
Hobie Raw 8'10"
Jimmy Lewis Kwad 8'7"
Naish Hover 95 liter 5'7"
F-One Rocket foil board 5'5" 90 liters
Fanatic Aero 1250, 1500, 1750 HA foils
CabrinhaMantis 3.5, 4m 5m. F-One Strike 7m CWC
Hobie 14' race board

Califoilia

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?
« Reply #21 on: January 29, 2021, 11:17:00 PM »
That's fantastic Carib, it's always great when a new board works for you right outta the box. Congrats on a right choice, and on what sounds like a great board...great news!!
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.

Admin

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?
« Reply #22 on: January 30, 2021, 02:05:30 AM »
So happy to hear that Carib!

I found the same thing.  This board basically taught me to jibe on the foil.  I think it is the lack of nose weight that allows you to control pitch through the turn more easily.  Having no tail to catch is nice also. 


juandesooka

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?
« Reply #23 on: January 30, 2021, 09:34:05 AM »
@Caribsurf, I'm same weight and 10+lbs with full rubber up here in PNW (Vanc.Isl), riding the 5'0 Sky Wing. Similar story, went from my sup foil BluePlanet 6'6 116 lt to the 5'0 75 lt sky for winging only. I have to get up onto board and onto knees with wing in air very quickly to balance as it's very pitchy twitchy, you cant just sit there on knees or stand without wing pressure. It's a combination of the narrow width (24") and short length that make for a really small balance point/zone on the board while dead in the water, but I love it once up and winging it's is sooo much fun on a small board, and it actually made transitions so much easier for me.  There are times i have to prone paddle out to wind line or in from wind line.   That being said, I have a friend with the 5'4 Sky Wing and he to loves his board and has none of the issues that I have for stability as it's a considerably wider board, more length, and with 20 litres more volume.  He was a windsport rookie going directly to the 5'4 Sky. He is 165 and 10+lbs with rubber, so close to you if you're not all bundled up too?  I'm quite sure, I would have no issues with the 5'4 too at those dimensions, haven't tried his board yet but hope to.
I made an homage/copy of Rob's 5' ... it is a fun one. I was immensely relieved first time trying it, that i was able to make it work.  Though I didn't get enough days in the dependable summer wind to really feel comfortable, it's a bit of work to get up, especially in medium to marginal wind.  So I end up riding it a bit tentative, i.e., afraid to make turns or try stuff as I dread the water start, especially once tired.  Need more time on water to get it feeling comfortable.  But in light wind, I have my doubts I will ever get comfortable, my big 6'10" sup foil is just so easy and fun it's hard to give up.

Rob: if you could go back in time, would you still buy the 5' or would you prefer the 5'4" as more an all-rounder?  Seems like that would give up slight performance but with a lot of low-end benefit.  And since i am not exactly pushing loops, I don't know if that performance benefit is worth the cost. I am considering gluing some blanks to make a 5'4" homage next.

RobM

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?
« Reply #24 on: January 30, 2021, 10:11:05 AM »
Rob: if you could go back in time, would you still buy the 5' or would you prefer the 5'4" as more an all-rounder?  Seems like that would give up slight performance but with a lot of low-end benefit.  And since i am not exactly pushing loops, I don't know if that performance benefit is worth the cost. I am considering gluing some blanks to make a 5'4" homage next.
Hey JuanDF, in hindsight I think the 5'4 at 95lt may be a better all-rounder for me at 185lbs/85kg. I would probably have no issues riding it into the 35+ kn conditions similar to what I can go in with the 5'0. It's the low end that's a real struggle for me to be able to get on the board for a knee start with little to no wind to pressure up the wing to balance against, or if up on foil and the wind drops i eventually have to go to prone as I can't keep standing and balanced.  That being said,  I'm considering still pushing the low end with the 5'0 by getting the Axis 1150 front wing for light conditions and possibly more powerful wing like Ensis.
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

juandesooka

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?
« Reply #25 on: January 30, 2021, 10:23:37 AM »
Seems sensible....the 5' works, but the 5'4" opens up ease of use just that little bit extra perhaps.

That brings up a thought....maybe one of rippers can comment.  I know the smaller the board the better the ride....but how much better?

EG: The sky 5x24x5.5 board at 75L can be knee started, just barely, easy in high wind, doable in medium wind, challenging in light wind.  The armstrong 4.11x21x3 surf foil at 30ishL is a full-on sinker ... doable in high wind, challenging in medium, not doable in light wind. 

So in med-high wind, how much better is the performance of a sinker board for all aspects of riding, carving in waves, pumping, etc versus the same length but thicker and wider knee-starter?  Airs are obvious, lighter and smaller is optimal.  But for other riding aspects....anticipate smaller board is more responsive....but a little bit better or a lot better?  I guess ultimately the question....is the investment in the learning curve and the lower-end suffering worth it?  :-)

obxDave

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?
« Reply #26 on: January 31, 2021, 03:48:02 AM »
Seems sensible....the 5' works, but the 5'4" opens up ease of use just that little bit extra perhaps.

That brings up a thought....maybe one of rippers can comment.  I know the smaller the board the better the ride....but how much better?

EG: The sky 5x24x5.5 board at 75L can be knee started, just barely, easy in high wind, doable in medium wind, challenging in light wind.  The armstrong 4.11x21x3 surf foil at 30ishL is a full-on sinker ... doable in high wind, challenging in medium, not doable in light wind. 

So in med-high wind, how much better is the performance of a sinker board for all aspects of riding, carving in waves, pumping, etc versus the same length but thicker and wider knee-starter?  Airs are obvious, lighter and smaller is optimal.  But for other riding aspects....anticipate smaller board is more responsive....but a little bit better or a lot better?  I guess ultimately the question....is the investment in the learning curve and the lower-end suffering worth it?  :-)
I asked a similar question about minimal knee start boards on Wingsurf. Here is the answer I got. So the guy who designs these boards (Sky) does not ride a sinker, and his skills are most likely way above anyone on this forum. Always a lot of talk on this forum about high end skills (I recall the sinker board thread), but not so much on the demonstration part..........

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Fanatic 5’4” foil board?
« Reply #27 on: January 31, 2021, 04:05:18 AM »
I think volume helps in every way, until it starts making a board heavy. With some production models, they start out heavy, so you have to go pretty low volume to get rid of this weight.

In a perfect world, you would have all the volume you need, at the weight you want.

Landing jumps is easier with volume. The foil is the cushion, not the board.

Some things that could help production boards become lighter....fewer strap inserts! 60 holes in a board comes at a cost, weight.

 


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