Small downwind boards for winging

[ninja tuna]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CuP4zueA08L/

These will be awesome

[Badger]

Downwind boards are having a big influence on board design. I like it.   

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[Hdip]

I rode one of these from a local LA shaper. Thing worked really well. Paddled like a surfboard, instead of a boogie board. I only towed with it, but it worked better for that than the wing boards I've used to tow. No problem carving since it's so narrow. Pumped fine with no additional swing weight. It was a 5'6" version of the one I'm linking.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtRyHsxpHuo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

[B-Walnut]

At the start of the season I was riding:

4'8" Kalama with a Takuma Kujira 1210 and a 4m Duotone Slick most days.

I got a barracuda 1.5 months ago.

Now I ride:

8' barracuda with Cloud IX FS850 and Cloud IX 2.8m wing most days. A MASSIVE step down in foil and wing size for the same conditions.

I'm happy to demo some shorter boards, but the swing weight on the barracudas is far less than you would imagine (my 4'8" and the 8' weigh almost the same). I'm a big believer that by this time next year the board offerings on the market will be completely changed.

[Badger]

I'm a big believer that by this time next year the board offerings on the market will be completely changed.

I agree. A large portion of wingers will want longer narrower boards once they discover the advantages. I got my 6'1 x 23" E3 five months ago and it has been perfect for the winging I do. The E3 could be considered a compact version of the Barracuda.

The Barracudas look awesome but I don't think I need one yet. I would love to get an 8'0 for SUP foiling if I could afford it. Of course, I would have to use it for winging as well.

[burchas]

I'm a big believer that by this time next year the board offerings on the market will be completely changed.

It has already started. Smaller companies already caught on.

I have the Omen Flux 72L 5'7.5" x 22". That's my light wind winging weapon and prone foiling for my 195lb.
There's an 84L 5'11 x 21.5"  as well. All made by Appletree so won't take water if dinged.

https://omenfoils.com/collections/boards/products/flux

[B-Walnut]

I'm a big believer that by this time next year the board offerings on the market will be completely changed.

I agree. A large portion of wingers will want longer narrower boards once they discover the advantages. I got my 6'1 x 23" E3 five months ago and it has been perfect for the winging I do. The E3 could be considered a compact version of the Barracuda.

The Barracudas look awesome but I don't think I need one yet. I would love to get an 8'0 for SUP foiling if I could afford it. Of course, I would have to use it for winging as well.

I'm looking into a custom barracuda, something in the 6'6"-7' range. I'd also be down to demo the E3 downwinders since I can't imagine they are anything other than great. All I'm hunting for right now is incremental weight loss.

[B-Walnut]

I'm a big believer that by this time next year the board offerings on the market will be completely changed.

It has already started. Smaller companies already caught on.

I have the Omen Flux 72L 5'7.5" x 22". That's my light wind winging weapon and prone foiling for my 195lb.
There's an 84L 5'11 x 21.5"  as well. All made by Appletree so won't take water if dinged.

https://omenfoils.com/collections/boards/products/flux

How's the weight on that one?

[burchas]

I'm a big believer that by this time next year the board offerings on the market will be completely changed.

It has already started. Smaller companies already caught on.

I have the Omen Flux 72L 5'7.5" x 22". That's my light wind winging weapon and prone foiling for my 195lb.
There's an 84L 5'11 x 21.5"  as well. All made by Appletree so won't take water if dinged.

https://omenfoils.com/collections/boards/products/flux

How's the weight on that one?

Just under 12lb

[jondrums]

I'm swapping back and forth between my 5'6" 85L "traditional" wingboard and my 8' barracuda.  To be honest, I'll probably stop swapping back and forth and just settle on the barracuda every day.   Its just better in every way, but I keep taking out the old small board just to see if I'm missing something.  Haven't found anything yet.

Now, I'm dreaming of a 85L 7'6" version just to shave a little weight and swing-weight.   For my #210 pounds, it would be a slight bit of a sinker, but I'm pretty confident that once its moving just a little bit, the low volume will be fine.

A lot of people are questioning me at the beach when they see an 8' strange looking board, but I'm confident that if they were to try it they'd be hooked too.

[B-Walnut]

I'm swapping back and forth between my 5'6" 85L "traditional" wingboard and my 8' barracuda.  To be honest, I'll probably stop swapping back and forth and just settle on the barracuda every day.   Its just better in every way, but I keep taking out the old small board just to see if I'm missing something.  Haven't found anything yet.

Now, I'm dreaming of a 85L 7'6" version just to shave a little weight and swing-weight.   For my #210 pounds, it would be a slight bit of a sinker, but I'm pretty confident that once its moving just a little bit, the low volume will be fine.

A lot of people are questioning me at the beach when they see an 8' strange looking board, but I'm confident that if they were to try it they'd be hooked too.

8' is the new 4'!

But in all seriousness, I love my 8' and the people who claim the board wont turn, wont tack, etc, just need to watch you ride it. I'm 188lbs and was riding the Cloud IX FS700 with a 2.8m wing the other day. More than one person told me they couldn't believe the turns and speed I carried on that board.

Today I demo'd the 7' 100l KT Dragonfly. I thought the same as you. Maybe a little shorter, a little lighter.... No. The inefficiencies of the Dragonfly were painful and any gains from weight savings and shorter length were overshadowed by the need for more foil or more wing on takeoff. I've paddled the 92l Barracuda as well and Kalama just knows what he's doing. If I was forced to choose between the 100l dragonfly and the 92l Kalama I would go Kalama all day every day.

[SUPeter]

Lately, my 8' x 20" Kalama Barracuda type board is the only board I wing with if the wind isn't 15-20 kts or more.  Otherwise, I would be on a sinker.  These boards get up so easy, turn so sharp(narrow) and provide a very noticeable "indexing" with regards of knowing the precise angle at which it is flying. This due to the extra length out front. This extra length being barely noticeable since I am basically standing midway between nose and tail. In Maine, conditions are often variable so having a board that lifts off in very light wind, sub 10 kts, is definitely a plus.