719 posts
Learned something about Greg’s harness line. I bought the 30cm. It’s ok, but a little short. So I thought I’d just sew my own. I have everything to make an identical one. But then I noticed something when getting ready to sew my own Dyneema loops. My line is soft and floppy. Turns out, Greg has taken those tiny plastic rods he uses on his parawing and put it in the core of his dyneema rope to make the harness line loop stay open for the hook. You would never know this as first look. When you get to touch one of Greg’s harness lines, flick it with your finger and you’ll feel it. Feel the looped ends of his line without the rods inside, it’s super obvious then.
719 posts
The S3 is a beginner wing. I’m a beginner.
I tried and failed 2 years ago with the Flow Dwing. I spent days trying to get to my feet with the Dwing and sold it. Got to my feet once on it. Such a frustrating experience when you’re old and arthritis makes everything so painful and difficult.
The S3 has none of the crappy flying quirks of the gen one parawings. If you buy one, study Greg’s videos. Don’t be a know it all and try to figure everything out yourself. The handle is super easy and intuitive with Greg’s tips. The wing flys and behaves great. Really happy with mine.
719 posts
After all of Gregs tips the shovel is so easy. Palming it to taxi. Grabbing the side of it, to tack and jibe. Works amazing. You’d be crazy not to learn Gregs way before giving up on it.
719 posts
Regarding the harness line not being stiff enough, there is old trick we used in kiting with our chicken loop lines before plastic coating because the standard.
The trick was to soak the dyneema line in candle wax. I'd just melt and drip tons of hot wax into the line using a BIC lighter. The line would wear way better and it gained some structure.
719 posts
thinner masts seem to collect less weed.
719 posts
Wing foiling wins in gusty crap wind.
When I windfoiled, I found the weight and drive of the sail into the board directly, complicates the foil balance and trimming.
The hand wing not being connected to the foilboard is a huge advantage.
719 posts
based on this comment "just getting my jibes down, suck at pumping and foot switches"
We need to ignore the hype, and keep it real..
F4 Orcas.I say no. While the wing is wide and you would think this makes it extra stable in foot switches, the narrow tips offer less stability at lower speeds doing foot switches. Also less stability climbing back on the board, which you're likely doing a lot. It's also likely why it rolls so well into turns.
Code S series wings. More stable foot switches. Board stability strong from the foil. Can be ordered with long fuse to make progress easy. This would be an upgrade. Great wings to learn pumping, although not the same glide as the Orca. All still better than the Progression.
Please note, when you get into these foils that carry a lot of speed into jibes, people still not masters of the jibe, can struggle with the windwing skill needed. They sail into the windwing and body slam it. On the plus side, you will always sail away in the opposite direction with a lot speed, if you don't screw up the windwing handling.
719 posts
You take the gusts all in the legs.
There is almost no limit to the power you can hold via kite harness. If you've got the courage to hook in super powered.
Your hand wing will gain back hand pressure as power increases. You move harness lines back a bit to compensate for this shift. You cannot hold insane power with a simple belt loop and plastic buckle.
At some point, the legs will start to fatigue and collapse. Provided you are able to maintain back hand pressure. Once you loose it, you'll get backwinded and slammed to the water. Same as any windsurf sail.
Videos of kite foil racers show what is possible via legs, and harness. They hold near unlimited loads.
