Thanks JB that helps, I'm often out in non perfect conditions and am not at that level of precision so 2000 sounds like a better bet for now. Your vids and info have been a big help with learning to wing it, appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

I have had my 5mtr Duotone wing for a month or so now and whilst I am overall happy with it and have managed to foil quite easily and charge upwind when conditions are ok, the wind seems to always be either too light or to strong and gusty and so as a learner I have had a few stacks.

I have now broken both outside battens and as yet replacements are still not available.

I have used it without them and it still seems to fly ok however I am a bit disappointed that I cannot get replacements and may have to try buy or make something else to fit.

Has anyone else had this issue yet?

I'm not sure yet but somewhere down the track when we get into our downwind season I will probably want a 3 metre or similar and ATM I am wondering wether one of the other brands without battens and booms might be a better option.

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tightlines said..
I have had my 5mtr Duotone wing for a month or so now and whilst I am overall happy with it and have managed to foil quite easily and charge upwind when conditions are ok, the wind seems to always be either too light or to strong and gusty and so as a learner I have had a few stacks.

I have now broken both outside battens and as yet replacements are still not available.

I have used it without them and it still seems to fly ok however I am a bit disappointed that I cannot get replacements and may have to try buy or make something else to fit.

Has anyone else had this issue yet?

I'm not sure yet but somewhere down the track when we get into our downwind season I will probably want a 3 metre or similar and ATM I am wondering wether one of the other brands without battens and booms might be a better option.

Maybe I spoke to soon I got an email this afternoon saying that they will be available soon possibly tomorrow.

Kent.

I have ridden both the Naish 4m and Doutone 4m. I'd say the doutone is better for getting upwind and it doesn't flutter due to tighter canopy. The boom also allows you to ride one handed but keep power in the wing, this is way more comfortable when riding toeside downwind in my opinion. The naish is a super light wing 2.2kg. It's easy to rig and packs down so small. My pick of inflatable wings currently available would be Naish, F-One or Ozone. I like the 4m size currently as a good all rounder but can see that a 3m would definately work well come WA summer time went the seabreezes fill in. Currently using the Axis 100 foil which works so good on the wing.

Pete

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tightlines said..
I have had my 5mtr Duotone wing for a month or so now and whilst I am overall happy with it and have managed to foil quite easily and charge upwind when conditions are ok, the wind seems to always be either too light or to strong and gusty and so as a learner I have had a few stacks.

I have now broken both outside battens and as yet replacements are still not available.

I have used it without them and it still seems to fly ok however I am a bit disappointed that I cannot get replacements and may have to try buy or make something else to fit.

Has anyone else had this issue yet?

I'm not sure yet but somewhere down the track when we get into our downwind season I will probably want a 3 metre or similar and ATM I am wondering wether one of the other brands without battens and booms might be a better option.

Go to a toy kite shop. Those toy kites use the same tiny rod battens, but in CARBON. My middle batten broke. You'll get a much better batten from a stunt toy kite shop. Those guys stocks lots of replacement battens for those kites.

Example here. www.kitestop.com/category/line-accessories/kite-parts/rods-tubes/

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baldy123 said..
Kent.

I have ridden both the Naish 4m and Doutone 4m. I'd say the doutone is better for getting upwind and it doesn't flutter due to tighter canopy. The boom also allows you to ride one handed but keep power in the wing, this is way more comfortable when riding toeside downwind in my opinion. The naish is a super light wing 2.2kg. It's easy to rig and packs down so small. My pick of inflatable wings currently available would be Naish, F-One or Ozone. I like the 4m size currently as a good all rounder but can see that a 3m would definately work well come WA summer time went the seabreezes fill in. Currently using the Axis 100 foil which works so good on the wing.

Pete

Just FYI, you can ride the Naish WIng-Surfer easily with one hand and with power. I use the 4th handle majority of the time to achieve this (sometimes the 5th if I want a lot of power or simply grip both which is actually really comfortable surprisingly (two fingers in each)).

In answer to the above Q with power and some of the points from this one. Naish use what they call a Luff strut for the Boom/Strut. This allows the canopy to go to full profile quickly and immediately giving it insane power immediately, but also allowing the canopy to flatten off as soon as you sheet out, even just a little bit. This gives you an enormous wind range whilst keeping a great consistent feel throughout the range. This is similar to a down the line wave sail, where you want the luff to be soft and able to flatten off when you don't want the power. Whilst you may get some flutter, it is not annoying or harmful. I am not sure, but I also believe F-One use this similar system on their Wing's strut. Wings that attach the canopy straight to the strut or wings that use battens will find their profile/canopy will not respond as quickly resulting in some loss in immediate power and a more difficult smooth power bleed.

I have been blown away in the wind ranges I have been able to comfortably use my Naish Wing Surfer 4m. I now get going in ridiculously light winds with relative ease, and can sail well into the 30+kn range.

Winging is so fun

And Addictive

How did we go without them for so long

JB

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DWF said..

tightlines said..
I have had my 5mtr Duotone wing for a month or so now and whilst I am overall happy with it and have managed to foil quite easily and charge upwind when conditions are ok, the wind seems to always be either too light or to strong and gusty and so as a learner I have had a few stacks.

I have now broken both outside battens and as yet replacements are still not available.

I have used it without them and it still seems to fly ok however I am a bit disappointed that I cannot get replacements and may have to try buy or make something else to fit.

Has anyone else had this issue yet?

I'm not sure yet but somewhere down the track when we get into our downwind season I will probably want a 3 metre or similar and ATM I am wondering wether one of the other brands without battens and booms might be a better option.

Go to a toy kite shop. Those toy kites use the same tiny rod battens, but in CARBON. My middle batten broke. You'll get a much better batten from a stunt toy kite shop. Those guys stocks lots of replacement battens for those kites.

Example here. www.kitestop.com/category/line-accessories/kite-parts/rods-tubes/

Yep, that is what I planned to do.

5m size seems to be the choice in my area with some wanting bigger.

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warwickl said..
5m size seems to be the choice in my area with some wanting bigger.

For the fuller figured individual ......

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bigtone667 said..

warwickl said..
5m size seems to be the choice in my area with some wanting bigger.

For the fuller figured individual ......

I am looking to size up from 5m to 7m (Gong wing), though I am a middle weight. So far I have found that the times i want to use this wing are when the winds are light (10-15kt). Once it is 15+, I am more likely to rig up my kite.

This is similar to my progression in sup foil. I found it challenging to get going on my initial foil, so went with biggest I could get (Infinity 84), then later on as I got better and wanted to chase bigger juicier waves, I sized down (h2).

[on a side note: I took the advice from wind wingers to move mast as far forward as it could go, to get as early lift as possible. Then I used the same board sup foiling yesterday, and I couldn't keep the wing in the water, kept getting ejected, and wondered if I forgot how to do it over the summer. But turns out I forgot to move mast back! So now I can say with certainty, mast placement really does matter ... though in the end, moving feet forward 4" could compensate for it and get decent rides]

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juandesooka said..
I am looking to size up from 5m to 7m (Gong wing), though I am a middle weight.

It definitely helps in low winds. Here is Patrice Guenole' kid, Malo, 14yo, 57kg with the 7m2.



About battens: they are optional on the Gong wings, which are designed to be used with or without them. They help for the high wind range, but can be left out if you want a softer wing.

Finally we got a decent wind to get out on the wing this weekend (July and August all we get is 10 mph breeze on a good day).

Slingwing 4.2, outwit 7.6, infinity 84/48 wings set on the short fuse, with the foil almost to the front (maybe 1.5 cm left on the track).

I had tried the longer fuse on a gustier day but the board felt sticky, the short fuse makes things sensitive but once dialed in it gives instant feedback and early lift. Maybe on a super windy day the longer fuse may work better? we shall see.

For us inland dwellers this is the closest we get that feels like foil surfing and I am completely hooked (completely different from wind foiling). When you can just glide in the swell and give the wing a quick throttle and keep going, its surreal :)

This guy is killing it in this vid, he makes it look insanely fun!

One thing i am seeing in a few vids is guys riding waves going upwind and sometimes straight into the wind with the sail at full depower trailing behind or above their heads, such as in the first wave of this vid. The ability to ride waves upwind in this manner is somewhat unique to wing surfing and opens up a lot of new potential. Great in wa for a natural footer with our predominantly south west winds!

This vid also shows a lot of upwind wave riding and lots of nice free carving unencumbered by the sail.

It's really cool to see footage of the small board waterstarts but they do look really difficult and probably not a realistic option for most

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Youngbreezy said..

This vid also shows a lot of upwind wave riding and lots of nice free carving unencumbered by the sail.

It's really cool to see footage of the small board waterstarts but they do look really difficult and probably not a realistic option for most

awesome video, thanks for posting it. The initial videos of the wings in action where all flat water and kinda boring/lame. But we're now seeing the talented riders pushing the capabilities ... some people doing big jumps and back flips (though you don't see many landed yet), and others riding waves. The latter is very much my interest, this video shows exactly what I am hoping for. Though the time investment to get proficient enough to do this is a little daunting (our dependable wind season just ended, now we're into doldrums and frontal winds...back to surfing)

small board water starts: straps seem mandatory. I suspect windsurfers will have an advantage, as the principle is pretty similar: a small board that doesn't quite float you, using the sail to lift you out of the water to a quick plane. My windsurfing career ended just short of that capability, being catapulted up and over onto the sail. I was told that you try it repeatedly and then it suddenly clicks, but I had given up already. ;-) For the wing, it could be easier, as in higher winds, the wing will lift you up readily. But also, without a harness the mistakes won't be as dramatic or painful. I made a 6.0 sup foil that is a challenge to ride ... I am going to add some strap mounts, see how it feels with the wing. If it's good, then maybe I'll consider some strap mounts on the surf foil board too. Getting way ahead of myself though .... in the meantime, still seeking basic competency on the 7.6 big floaty. :-)

impressive! and I like the back wing move below link

www.instagram.com/tv/B2mZpOWJw0q/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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JEG said..
impressive! and I like the back wing move below link

www.instagram.com/tv/B2mZpOWJw0q/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Interesting - he uses a harness as well, like a windsurfer.

My armchair expert opinion on wind wing design is- so far of all the designs I have seen I like the sling wing the best. Slingshot has done the most to ensure a rigid solid wing whilst also keeping it 100% inflatable.

I am not in favour of hard components in the wings, firstly and most importantly is the added weight, the ability of these wings to float effortlessly at full depower is the number one performance advantage over kite or windsurf. Realistically I would need to see all their weights compared side to side to know whether an ali boom and no struts is really that much heavier compared to the one strut inflatable but I would bet that it is much heavier. Also it presents an increased risk of injury to the rider and i feel like its just a matter of time before a heavy stack forces a batten or boom to tear through the sail material.

The most common design- naish, ozone, f one -with inflatable leading edge, 1 strut and no sail reinforcements or anything to stiffen the trailing edge. These don't look like a very efficient sail, they often look like they bag out in the wind a bit more, they look like there could be significant flapping in the wrong conditions. Also the softer sail seems like it would have reduced upwind ability and reduced top end.

It seems like slingshot have put together a good rigid sail that would stay solid in strong wind and be able to point up wind nicely, it's probably heavier than the other 100% inflatable wings but probably lighter than the duotone

I am fully aware that my opinion is just based on what I have seen online but I thought I'd like to put it out there and see what others think

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Youngbreezy said..
My armchair expert opinion [...] I thought I'd like to put it out there and see what others think

I agree with you... you are an armchair expert :-)

Voicing such strong opinions with no actual experience is quite impressive.

I heard one first hand report that the ozone and fone wings had noticeably more power than others for the same size. Not sure why...shape of leading edge, stiffness of the assembly, etc. I expect performance differences will start to become clearer soon, with more reviews and more experience.

I find the ozone feels like it has more power for its size compared to F1 and SS. It might be that it holds the wind more with its flatter profile. The F1 is my favorite so far, easy to use, only two handles to choose from and the strut is bowed down with the floating canopy so it sits higher when one handed while riding waves. I tend to hit myself in the head sometimes with the ozone. The SS feels over built, under powered, the window isn't needed but makes it take up more room when rolled up. The wing tips also catch water more than the other two so it's a pain flipping it over.

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flkiter said..
I find the ozone feels like it has more power for its size compared to F1 and SS. It might be that it holds the wind more with its flatter profile. The F1 is my favorite so far, easy to use, only two handles to choose from and the strut is bowed down with the floating canopy so it sits higher when one handed while riding waves. I tend to hit myself in the head sometimes with the ozone. The SS feels over built, under powered, the window isn't needed but makes it take up more room when rolled up. The wing tips also catch water more than the other two so it's a pain flipping it over.

First-hand reports are appreciated! Have you tried the Gong by any chance? Would like to hear more about how it performs comparatively.

Just got my 7 meter gong in yesterday, so hopefully I'll get a sesh later today on it and I'll post a review.

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flkiter said..
Just got my 7 meter gong in yesterday, so hopefully I'll get a sesh later today on it and I'll post a review.

Hope it's a good review, I just pulled the trigger on ordering one. :-)

So finally had a breeze kick in at sun set. I was on a Axis 102 and a 5'11" foil surf machines board. I want to say about 14 mph. The gong is a good wing. I put it as being not as refined as the F1 and ozone due to the several handles and that the wing doesn't stay balanced when riding like the others. Also it wants to come out of the window and wind will push along the top of the wings sail. So it needs to be tweaked a little while riding. Not balanced I mean that it will want to fly over head and to the other side of the wind window as if I was turning.
Still it's a fun wing, very tamed coming in and out of the water and light when flying. Was easy to do transitions and with the extra 2 meters over the F1, it would propel me onto foil easily. I would hold the second handle, pull the wing back towards my back leg and just pump my back hand on the 5th or 6th handle down and it would just push me forward with speed. It handled transitions on waves easily and didn't drop too quickly. If I was going to change anything, a dump valve on the center strut but same goes for all wings. If the wing was more balanced then it would be my second choice under the F1. Oh yeah put a 5 foot leash on it at least. I used my F1 leash and it was too short.

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colas said..

Youngbreezy said..
My armchair expert opinion [...] I thought I'd like to put it out there and see what others think

I agree with you... you are an armchair expert :-)

Voicing such strong opinions with no actual experience is quite impressive.

I learnt from the best Colas

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Youngbreezy said..

colas said..

Youngbreezy said..
My armchair expert opinion [...] I thought I'd like to put it out there and see what others think

I agree with you... you are an armchair expert :-)

Voicing such strong opinions with no actual experience is quite impressive.

I learnt from the best Colas

Select to expand quote

tightlines said..

tightlines said..
I have had my 5mtr Duotone wing for a month or so now and whilst I am overall happy with it and have managed to foil quite easily and charge upwind when conditions are ok, the wind seems to always be either too light or to strong and gusty and so as a learner I have had a few stacks.

I have now broken both outside battens and as yet replacements are still not available.

I have used it without them and it still seems to fly ok however I am a bit disappointed that I cannot get replacements and may have to try buy or make something else to fit.

Has anyone else had this issue yet?

I'm not sure yet but somewhere down the track when we get into our downwind season I will probably want a 3 metre or similar and ATM I am wondering wether one of the other brands without battens and booms might be a better option.

Maybe I spoke to soon I got an email this afternoon saying that they will be available soon possibly tomorrow.

Nope still no battens available for Duotone 5mtr, not happy Duotone.
Looks like despite paying over a grand for a kite wing, I am going to have to sort it myself, I will be off to a model/toy kite shop to see what I can find.

Grab a comfy seat, sit back and if you can be bothered check it out.

Here's a very long video from a super fun DW Wing-Surfer session yesterday. A quick snip of upwind then about 20mins of DW fun. There's a few foil-drops in there, the wind was very onshore, so it took me a bit to find the groove (plus the bumps weren't as good at the beginning). But if you're interested in Winging DW, you may enjoy this. Newport to Narrabeen upwind in 4 tacks, then smoking DW Free-Winging most of the way. A few stats below the video.



Here is the full session (This was my second run for the day).



This is just the Up-Wind extracted.

This is just the DW Free-Winging extracted.

And here's my run from earlier that day,




Enjoy,

ride safe,

JB

www.instagram.com/p/B28ffrGpuJj/?igshid=11izersy2jo7l

Robby naish getting some bigger waves on the wing and using it for shade