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mr love said..
My prediction for 2026

Windsurfers continue to jump to winging. As they improve on the wing they will spend less and less time on fin and many will give up fin all together. I see it happen all the time.
Windfoilers will also jump to wing..both freeride and racing. If it were not for iQ foil being an Olympic sport windfoil racing would be in trouble.
Freeride windfoil will become even more niche, manufacturers will dump it as the market is not there.
Wingers in windier / wavier places will jump to parawing....its the hot thing at the moment.

I have tried winging a dozen times (have a 105l board, Axis foil, and 6m and 4.5m wings). What I really miss when winging is loading the harness. When I windfoil, I load the harness. I love that feeling. BTW, my understanding is that even adept wingers in freerace/race mode do not load the harness nearly as much. Not selling my winging gear because I still want to learn. Parawing: lake sailor who goes to hood river once or twice a year so it makes no sense to me.

Hey WillyWing

I'm new to winging, and don't use the harness much yet (still sub-20kt top speed)... but I'm pretty sure racers load the harness up after pumping... especially upwind legs from what I understand.

I come from a windsurfing/windfoiling background and have been winging exclusively for the last 2 years. I like to be well powered (better for jumping) so I'm in the harness most of the time except when flagged on a wave, gybing, tacking, jumping etc. For me, my harness is nearly as loaded as it was when I was windsurfing (not quite as you need less power using a foil). If you look at the above picture, the wing is orientated in a very similar way to a windsurfing sail when powered, so I'm getting more or less the same sensation to windsurfing. It's just more versatile in what you can do (huge wind range, super tight upwind angles, swell riding etc). As Guy Cribb says, it's the new windsurfing.

Article below on NSW Wavesailing forum summing up where foils complement fins for wavesailing.

But I use an Alien windfoil board with my existing wavesails instead of a wing ding to basically acheive the same objective of extending the range of conditions that I can sail in and can also get to places I wouldn't get to on my waveboard.

nswwavesailing.org/winging-vs-windsurfing/?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=NSW+Wavesailing+Association&utm_campaign=publer&fbclid=IwY2xjawPS4W5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF4cDM3WWNFdGlsS0hDeXNOc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHlhLsMYpA6Lv540BPgVoGhAItchtx6AelgaBNkYi0r7RCzDxFbJQNEUn0mol_aem_UKJcHzeHkH1oTzfCG4Nhbw

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berowne said..

Hey WillyWing

I'm new to winging, and don't use the harness much yet (still sub-20kt top speed)... but I'm pretty sure racers load the harness up after pumping... especially upwind legs from what I understand.

Curious how you feel about winging vs. windfoil after getting into jumping and such on the wing.

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aeroegnr said..

berowne said..

Hey WillyWing

I'm new to winging, and don't use the harness much yet (still sub-20kt top speed)... but I'm pretty sure racers load the harness up after pumping... especially upwind legs from what I understand.

Curious how you feel about winging vs. windfoil after getting into jumping and such on the wing.

I'm still learning... I find it ridiculously hard to move the backfoot forward before moving the old front foot after a gybe. Like stupidly hard to fight 30+ years of 'muscle memory'. So, I can connect gybes if I sail regular stance rotated toe side back toward the beach then gybe heelside to go back out... all without moving my feet! But gybing GOOFEY is less reliable for me, but my goofey reaching is getting quite good now. Gybes on Goofey are 1 in 5 or worse, and I don't get far enough around to sail goofey & Switch! See my youtube/insta.

Jumps are WIP. Only done one and I lost the board about 1m up... Need to tighten the straps but don't want to do that yet.

I've gone from windsurfing to windfoil to wing. Ditched windfoiling entirely, but refuse to stop windsurfing. I'm more picky with windsurfing now, only tend to go out on good 25kt+ speed sailing days. Wing to Windsurf ratio is about 10:1, which reflects that I now get heaps more TOW overall. I was faster on the windfoil, but seem to be maxing out in the 24's on the wing. Just can't seem to crack 25kts no matter what gear I'm on. I try not to chase speed too much now, because winging is to me all about fun carving. With just your 2 feet on the board, gybing, tacking and pitch control is so much easier - for me. I also like how winging is a mixing pot of people from all sorts of disciplines. The surfers seem to do well once they have their basic wing handling skills sorted. I never learned to sail toeside windsurfing, but now feel comfortable riding toeside in goofy stance winging. Didn't even know I was a goofy footer prior to winging, but natural foot is definitely my weaker stance gybing, tacking and riding toeside.
jumping? Tried it a couple of times. Hopeless - fail! I ride with front straps only now. Old men can't jump?

Windfoiling is just for old windsurfers? Yeah, so, what's wrong with that ;) ? To be honest if I'd not started using Predator and manoeuvre / "foilstyle" kit I'm sure I'd be winging but that's going to be reserved for when I'm really old. The Predator gives me a hit of windsurf feel, ease of use of small kit (sails 2.9 to 5.2), amazing carving, jumping and swell riding. Love it.

Winging may well be pushing development of foils but it sounds like it's still on an awfully steep equipment improvement curve for foils, boards and wings at the moment. Manufacturers love it. Wallets, less so. Mountains of only just out of fashion / season kit available for sale. Windsurfing has been through the same, many times!

Agree, love my freeride / swell chasing windfoil, such fun. Will I wing?, quite possibly but not at the moment. Downwinding and parawinging has probably pushed foil development the most recently. Chasing the magic combination of glide and turning. It wasn't long ago that a surf foil had no glide and a glide foil didn't turn but now designers have learned how to do both and the foils are getting better and better..

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mr love said..
Agree, love my freeride / swell chasing windfoil, such fun. Will I wing?, quite possibly but not at the moment.

Could not agree more. I will stick with windfoil. I think I have as much fun as the wingers
?si=Loqxzhdm_j9EYdJT
Credit @ thedoor for the vid

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Mr Keen said..

mr love said..
Agree, love my freeride / swell chasing windfoil, such fun. Will I wing?, quite possibly but not at the moment.

Could not agree more. I will stick with windfoil. I think I have as much fun as the wingers

?si=Loqxzhdm_j9EYdJT
Credit @ thedoor for the vid

Preaching to the converted. Windfoiling suits me, it reminds me of my wave sailing youth. Executing heelside cutbacks at the top of a swell in side shore wind feels fantastic.

Personally, I'm in my sporting "middle age." With over 35 (uninterrupted) years of fin-riding, windfoiling has given me new and exciting stimuli. At a certain point, since I don't have the opportunity to do more than 50-60 sessions a year, and in order to improve and master my technique, I had to relegate fast-fin windsurfing to special days.
As for me, I believe that wingfoiling (and its derivatives) is the "ultimate weapon" for countless reasons. If I were 20 or 30 years younger, I wouldn't have had any doubts...
...but after having invested so much energy in "fast" windfoiling and imagining that I'll have to spend at least another three years to gain even a modicum of enjoyment, I prefer to continue "being different."

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w100 said..
Personally, I'm in my sporting "middle age." With over 35 (uninterrupted) years of fin-riding, windfoiling has given me new and exciting stimuli. At a certain point, since I don't have the opportunity to do more than 50-60 sessions a year, and in order to improve and master my technique, I had to relegate fast-fin windsurfing to special days.
As for me, I believe that wingfoiling (and its derivatives) is the "ultimate weapon" for countless reasons. If I were 20 or 30 years younger, I wouldn't have had any doubts...
...but after having invested so much energy in "fast" windfoiling and imagining that I'll have to spend at least another three years to gain even a modicum of enjoyment, I prefer to continue "being different."

I am have totally the same apinion as you w100 I've had same number of years on fin (35 + years) and 5 years ago I got hooked on wind foiling and love the challenge from flat water speed and big lumpy sea state. I tried wing foiling last year but with my old knee and shoulder injury winging was too uncomfortable compared to wind foil so went straight back on wind . I am in my early seventies so as a old boy goin stick with wind foil ! and not waste any water time winging (guess 10 years ago probably have stuck with it) just still loving being out in all wind and sea conditions.

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w100 said..
I don't have the opportunity to do more than 50-60 sessions a year,

I think that 99% of riders would just dream to have over 20 sessions a year. I think I am just over that number thanks to winDfoiling. My fin yearly session count was probably below 12 before foiling.
Now I fin windsurf about 10 times a year, but my technique massively improved by foiling, so I enjoy it even more. winGing is just for when I don't have access to other gear.

Y'all need to move to WA.

Sometimes in summer you have to give yourself a lay day to let your footstrap wounds heal a bit, and let your fingers stretch back to straight.

its hard to resist, especially with windfoiling now too, but sometimes its got to be done.

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6u1d0 said..

w100 said..
I don't have the opportunity to do more than 50-60 sessions a year,

I think that 99% of riders would just dream to have over 20 sessions a year. I think I am just over that number thanks to winDfoiling. My fin yearly session count was probably below 12 before foiling.
Now I fin windsurf about 10 times a year, but my technique massively improved by foiling, so I enjoy it even more. winGing is just for when I don't have access to other gear.

Ya, I'm very fortunate to get well over 100 in a year with winds >18 knots. In a good month I'll have to take a break even if the wind is blowing. It would help if I shortened my sessions to < 30 miles, but it's too much fun to quit if theres still daylight

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mr love said..
My prediction for 2026

Windsurfers continue to jump to winging. As they improve on the wing they will spend less and less time on fin and many will give up fin all together. I see it happen all the time.
Windfoilers will also jump to wing..both freeride and racing. If it were not for iQ foil being an Olympic sport windfoil racing would be in trouble.
Freeride windfoil will become even more niche, manufacturers will dump it as the market is not there.
Wingers in windier / wavier places will jump to parawing....its the hot thing at the moment.

No way. Winging is lame imo. Most wingers have no idea what they are doing, no idea of sailing safety rules (port/starboard etc), and are generally a giant nuisance (with some exceptions of course). Windfoiling is much better as its more related to sailing/windsurfing and if you're on good race or slalom foil gear you get the feeling of flying in anything from 8 knots up. If i wanted to hold a blow-up toy above my head i'd go winging.

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Maddlad said..

mr love said..
My prediction for 2026

Windsurfers continue to jump to winging. As they improve on the wing they will spend less and less time on fin and many will give up fin all together. I see it happen all the time.
Windfoilers will also jump to wing..both freeride and racing. If it were not for iQ foil being an Olympic sport windfoil racing would be in trouble.
Freeride windfoil will become even more niche, manufacturers will dump it as the market is not there.
Wingers in windier / wavier places will jump to parawing....its the hot thing at the moment.

No way. Winging is lame imo. Most wingers have no idea what they are doing, no idea of sailing safety rules (port/starboard etc), and are generally a giant nuisance (with some exceptions of course). Windfoiling is much better as its more related to sailing/windsurfing and if you're on good race or slalom foil gear you get the feeling of flying in anything from 8 knots up. If i wanted to hold a blow-up toy above my head i'd go winging.

Interesting topic , Having owned a dedicated windsurfing shop for more than 25 years I have seen a lot of changes, In all that time I have never seen a sport grow so fast , maybe it is because it combines the best of a few sports. The compact gear like kiting , the lower wind range from the foils but you are still hanging on to a boom so has a windsurf feel . I find a lot of windsurfers now wing in winds less than 20 knots and windsurf in winds above that . One thing I know for sure is if I just sold windsurf kit now the shop doors would be closed .

Above was written: "the only people who do it are old blokes who come from a windsurfing background."

Yup, that's me. I finned for 30 years then switched hard-over to winDfoiling in 2017 and haven't looked back. I'm not interested in winGfoiling.

As I get older and weaker I really appreciate that I can now winDfoil in light conditions with a 7.0 that used to require 11.5 on a big slalom or formula board. My favorite size is 5.0-5.2.

I live in the far east Gorge. Cold here now; 21 degF. I have friends in Florida who still fin with big gear and weed fins. Many of them also kite with fins. Foiling is doing OK in Florida but shallow waters everywhere require judicious choice of foiling spots where the water is deep enough.

Within the foiling side of things, yes, you do see some winGfoilers, but the finners still dominate (both sail and kite).

That said, in Hood River on a nice summer day it is not unusual to see 300 winGfoilers, 4 winDfoilers, 4 finners, and a few dozen kiters.

Love doubling my time on the water windfoiling in lightwind summer months and won't be exclusive with it as I still can't resist the exhilaration of a powered session on the fin in mid to high wind! I'll go wingding once I reach 70!

I'd rather fin, but conditions dictate foiling. I'm winging now but if I had the garage space I'd windfoil on flat water and lighter days.

From Windfoiling to the F One Plume 4.2 in winds stronger than 25 knots?

I really enjoy windfoling in winds up 25 knots with Goya sails from 2.7 to 5.3, but then I would like to try the F one Plume 4.2 from winds from 25 knots up to about 40. knots. Above 25 knots I find windfoling to uncomfortable and have therefore bought the F One Plume 4.2.

Does anyone have any experience with the F one Plume?

I use Slingshot Wizard V4 130 and the Slingshot Phantasm foil with the E990 front wing and 400 stab on a 103 wide alu mast and 872 fuselage. I`m about 90 kg and still learning to windfoil gybe.



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www.f-one.world/app/uploads/2025/06/plume-4.png' />

Other than kiting I think the Plume has my interest the least.

Hi

Im a Swedish windfoiler, I?ve been casually brwosing this forum for some time - I think it?s the most active community IN THE WORLD for windfoiling! kind of sad, but also cool!

anyways, I thought I would share a funny app I built for analyzing windfoil settings - a trim calculator, analyzing pitch moment arms to suggest "ideal" positions for vertical force balance. But I can?t, according to policy here, so instead I?ll post my take on the future of windfoiling

Windfoiling is the future of windsurfing, no doubt. the bottom line is that windsurfing is really hard and it?s not really fun if conditions are less then steady and strong. especially steady. Most surfers slog on too small boards, and everyone is not into big boards and slalom. in fact most dream of fsw + 4.2 sessions, which they only get a taste of <10 session a year. foiling solves that entirely, totally changing the game. Winging too - but winging is not windsurfing. Windfoiling on the other hand is like 99% windsurfing. way better 9/10 days for the average weekend warrior not stationed in coastal locations. If you windfoil, you ?re good to go on the fin. If you wing, you degenerate, there is no cross over. The dice is rolled, it?s just a matter of time, even though it doesn?t look like. If you enjoy windsurfing - you windfoil. If you dont - you go to winging. a sensible choice for a lot of people, who never really got the opportunity to develop or simply look for something new. foils are getting better, faster, even boards are seeing better geometries, riders are now faster in almost all conditions vs fins. you see it on the beach - lovcal people, average weekend warriors, old blokes passing 30 knots. over here counts are increasing every season, we?re still few but increasing. If windfoiling has not future it?s because windsurfing has none. But windfoiling has the potential to up the game. We?ll see what happens!

Good winds!

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sailortrash said..
Hi

Im a Swedish windfoiler, I?ve been casually brwosing this forum for some time - I think it?s the most active community IN THE WORLD for windfoiling! kind of sad, but also cool!

anyways, I thought I would share a funny app I built for analyzing windfoil settings - a trim calculator, analyzing pitch moment arms to suggest "ideal" positions for vertical force balance. But I can?t, according to policy here, so instead I?ll post my take on the future of windfoiling

Windfoiling is the future of windsurfing, no doubt. the bottom line is that windsurfing is really hard and it?s not really fun if conditions are less then steady and strong. especially steady. Most surfers slog on too small boards, and everyone is not into big boards and slalom. in fact most dream of fsw + 4.2 sessions, which they only get a taste of
Good winds!

Looking forward to when you can post the app

As an old guy, I migrated from formula windsurfing to winDfoiling. I can now foil a 7.0 in light conditions that used to require a formula 11.0.

As I get older and weaker, the smaller sails are a real delight.

WinGfoiling does not interest me at all. I like being on a floaty-enough board that I can slog standing up out of the water, not kneeling in it.

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segler said..
As an old guy, I migrated from formula windsurfing to winDfoiling. I can now foil a 7.0 in light conditions that used to require a formula 11.0.

As I get older and weaker, the smaller sails are a real delight.

WinGfoiling does not interest me at all. I like being on a floaty-enough board that I can slog standing up out of the water, not kneeling in it.

I totally agree ??

Slogging a midlength wing board is easy, even 10L under body weight. Plus if the wind completely glasses they are far easier to paddle.