Dear all,
Just got full set for going windfoiling here Friday afternoon and spent a happy weekend to try and put all the pieces together and check out the beautiful new gear!

Here this sunday afternoon I then started to try figuring out how to put that Slingshot Infinity 84cm foil together. And following your kind advice to select the C-position for being the right thing to do with that size foil and to fit my Levitator 150 board.

But now after trying to put it together for many many hours, researching the internet for close up photos and also youtube videos from SlingShot and also happy foilers, then have come to the point of giving up. It simply cannot be put together with the gear I have in my hand and the screws provided.

I will post a few photos now here below, which hopefully can serve to help you review this with me, and to either conclude I am the lost newbie and need serious help to fathom this new chapter of my life or indeed, if something is wrong with the brand-new SlingShot Infinity Foil set that I just purchased?

My suspicion is that the manufacturing team simply forgot to make notches (think this is what you call those inside railings, cut into the metal inside drilled holes in the fuselage, for the mounting machine screws aka M6 or M8?) to fit into and attach the foil and mast to it? (Rainur?, I think they are called in French. 'K?rv' in Danish, which I know for sure. )OK, now I will post a few photos to illustrate how my fuselage looks like in its holes!

Slingshot Infinity fuselage, in the C position end of it:


Notice that you have the screw graining inside the 3 smaller M6 holes here in the C position end of the fuselage!

Now take the A position end of the fuselage stick, and there are no graining/notches inside the 3 smaller M6 holes in that end of the fuselage! As a matter of fact, the M6 screws cannot even get into those holes at all. Did SlingShot forget to make the nothches/screw graining when they manufactured this fuselage??

Hi Cyber

Here is the instructions on the Slingshot webpage. Im surprised you didn't get the small folder with instructions as it should be in the package as standard.

Here below you should be able to check if any hardware is missing etc
www.slingshotsports.com/Images/Slingshot/Quick%20Start%20Guides/2020%20WIND_FOIL_QSG.pdf

If there is a problem on the fuselage, then take it back to the shop you got it from. Or forward them the pics etc if you are far away. It should be easy enough for them to guide you / help you out.

cheers
Jesper

Closeup of the C position end of the fuselage, where the notches/screw graining are there and clear to see!
but am i correct that its badly manufactured and they also ought to have been there for the 3 M6 holes in the other A position end of the fuselage?

I am not following, show us a picture of the wing slide onto the fuselage?

I think your right Cyber the small M6 scews for the A position (2nd picture) you took look like they forgot to tap the threads. Never seen that before. I Imagine it's very rare. Slingshot are usually very good with warranty in this case a manufacturing defect. Forgetting the threads would make it difficult to mount a wing
But everyone makes mistakes.

Like Jesper mentioned it should have come with a detailed booklet also, explaining the steps with a diagram aswell to help make sure you use the right bolts. Some bolts look similar but its important to use the right ones as people even shops have put the foil together with shorter bolts for the tuttle head to mast connection resulting in loosing a foil to the bottom of the lake.

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thedoor said..
I am not following, show us a picture of the wing slide onto the fuselage?

I just found the real correct naming convention in English for what I refer to is missing in one end of the fuselage stick:

There are no internal "threading" in the 3 holes for the M6 screw holes, up in the "A"-end of the fuselage stick. While you have the internal threading in the 3 holes for the M6 screw holes , in the other "C"-end of the fuselage stick.

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CAN17 said..
I think your right Cyber the small M6 scews for the A position (2nd picture) you took look like they forgot to tap the threads. Never seen that before. I Imagine it's very rare. Slingshot are usually very good with warranty in this case a manufacturing defect. Forgetting the threads would make it difficult to mount a wing

Like Jesper mentioned it should have come with a detailed booklet also, explaining the steps with a diagram aswell to help make sure you use the right bolts. Some bolts look similar but its important to use the right ones as people even shops have put the foil together with shorter bolts for the tuttle head to mast connection resulting in loosing a foil to the bottom of the lake.

Yes exactly CAN17, there is no way I can mount the stabilizer wing, as the C-end is supposed to go into the main wing as its a 84cm foil, and the stabilizer wing is supposed to be screwed into the A-end of the fuselage with the M6 screws. But there are no internal threading in those holes there...

And no, no instruction manual included (thank you SailRepair, that PDF booklet is explaining everything in great details for me now! ), Included in the Infinity Travel Bag was just the 1-pager on how to sign up for the SlingShot Foiling Academy and then a small 3 by 7 inch white paper saying date of Quality Inspection and which 'worker number' that did this QA check at SlingShot...

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Cyber said..

thedoor said..
I am not following, show us a picture of the wing slide onto the fuselage?

I just found the real correct naming convention in English for what I refer to is missing in one end of the fuselage stick:

There are no internal "threading" in the 3 holes for the M6 screw holes, up in the "A"-end of the fuselage stick. While you have the internal threading in the 3 holes for the M6 screw holes , in the other "C"-end of the fuselage stick.

Oh, no good, I hope its not blowing or you will be pissed. If you flip the fuse would it work? You could always rock the 84 in the B position and slide the track all the way forwards. At least until they replace the fuse

And to top it off... I just noticed that SlingShot Manufacturing also forgot to put the air valve screw into my new Levitator 150 board.

I am not impressed......

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Cyber said..
And to top it off... I just noticed that SlingShot Manufacturing also forgot to put the air valve screw into my new Levitator 150 board.

I am not impressed......

So the "attention vent scew" sticker is on there but no vent plug
or
is it just the vent scew that's missing?

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Cyber said..
And to top it off... I just noticed that SlingShot Manufacturing also forgot to put the air valve screw into my new Levitator 150 board.

I am not impressed......

The black plastic screw, should be in a little plastic bag. Mine did not get shipped with them in place.

I've had manufacturing problems with most slingshot items I've bought. One was a fuselage which didn't have the M6 holes threaded all the way through.
Another was my H2 wing cracking at the socket.

They took care of me for the fuselage but the wing I was on my own.

Keep in mind nobody outside the production line does any QC and when you contract in China the cost of actual QC cuts into profit so the customer is the one that does it. I doubt a human looked at that part other than to make sure it was in the box.

Wow!!! All that was missed, slipped through the cracks and sent to the customer. Ouch!! I would see if you can get everything you purchased discounted or more discounted if it already was. That's unacceptable!! They should be able to make it right for you. There customer service always seems to be good. I have had my issues with the merchandise as well, but SS seems to pull through every time, making it right for the customer.

Slingshot are very good with warranty, replaced my fuselage bolts and the mast when half a bolt got stuck in the mast. Have since extracted the broken bolt, how have extra mast.

No conflict of interest in Slingshot to declare. #facepalm

Thank you all!
Yes its clear now, that the Infinity fuselage do not have any threading in the 3 M6 holes in the A-position-end as supposed to, so impossible to mount the wings in that end.

And just to clarify, the Levitator 150 board was missing the air vent screw. The air vent hole and internal threading there, looks OK. I went through all the shipping material very very carefully 3 times now, and the screw itself is simply not there.

The SlingShot reseller already confirmed an air vent screw will be sent to me ASAP.
Fingers crossed they also will get a new correctly manufactured infinity fuselage sent to me within short time.

Its good, it is still early springtime here in Europe and that I was not standing on the beach just yet...

Yes, there was indeed an error on this fuselage, and the screw and the brochure disappeared somewhere.
Thanks for sharing the pdf Jesper.
It was a big mess in this delivery. My sincere apologies Cyber.
New fuselage and screw are packed and on the way to you, probably in your hand before the weekend

Kind regards.
Romain
Windfoil Zone

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Windfoil Romain said..
Yes, there was indeed an error on this fuselage, and the screw and the brochure disappeared somewhere.
Thanks for sharing the pdf Jesper.
It was a big mess in this delivery. My sincere apologies Cyber.
New fuselage and screw are packed and on the way to you, probably in your hand before the weekend

Kind regards.
Romain
Windfoil Zone

Wow thank you Romain,
Your advice and support along the journey has been fantastic !

Anybody wanting anything SlingShot or Ezzy Sails as I did here in Europe, then I can highly recommend contacting Romain. Outstanding service minded, quick and full responses to all my inquiries/questions and also the delivery was actually very fast and in high quality delivery to my door! Things can occasionally go off from planned, and this was indeed a bumpy start to my WindFoiling career. But very grateful to hear that Romain/SlingShot are also there when such stuff happens.

Is it just me or the Foil Forum is becoming the Singshot Forum? It is incredibly boring. Commercials, semi-commercials, and lots of discussions about a variety of problems with their products ... maybe I'll start a new thread "Has Slingshot ruined the Seabreeze Foil Forum?"

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duzzi said..
Is it just me ...

Eight ball says...

A lot of folks starting out get them (for better or worse) because they are affordable and chances are they'll succeed on them. Those same folks have lots of questions. We can help them out or not. I don't ride SS and am tickled with the gear I do have but if I can make the life of a SS owner a little easier, that's a good thing. The guys banging around on race or carbon freeride performance gear are either answering questions or busy doing their thing.

Here, this will make you feel better. A floating Loke:
www.facebook.com/gwenael.gourlay.3/videos/10218022914659302/

This may be partly because there are a lot of posts from the US. Here in the US, Slingshot foils are everywhere, while other foils are rare (and sometimes hard to get). It did not help that some of the foils that competitors came out were clearly inferior to Slingshot foils. At two of the most popular US East Coast locations, you can get decent other foils now .. but you cannot really use them as a beginner, since they only come with 90+ cm masts, and the spots are shallow. Once you get started on Slingshot, it's much easier to stick to what you know. I'd like to get a faster foil for windier days now, and something like Starboard GT-R may be just right. But that would be a somewhat risky $1000+ investment, while a new Slingshot front wing (i65 or Warp Speed) would be a lot cheaper.

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duzzi said..
Is it just me or the Foil Forum is becoming the Singshot Forum? It is incredibly boring. Commercials, semi-commercials, and lots of discussions about a variety of problems with their products ... maybe I'll start a new thread "Has Slingshot ruined the Seabreeze Foil Forum?"

OK, but why did you open a post with slingshot in the title?

Duzzi

Slingshot has also got it right with many freefoil wings and boards and the competition have been very slow in reacting for the weekend sailors that want to foil and have fun.

We have already gone down the dedicated racing kit path before and yet the majority of weekend/weeknight sailors want something to rig up with little faff and cruise with their mates...very few manufacturers actually understand the concept it seems?

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duzzi said..
Is it just me or the Foil Forum is becoming the Singshot Forum? It is incredibly boring. Commercials, semi-commercials, and lots of discussions about a variety of problems with their products ... maybe I'll start a new thread "Has Slingshot ruined the Seabreeze Foil Forum?"

As mentioned before - the SS Infinity 65 and Freestyle 87 (or Wizard 105) combo is dynamite for downwind carving/wave riding in big swells and strong winds

Do you know another brand offering a combo that competes in those conditions?

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CoreAS said..
...very few manufacturers actually understand the concept it seems?

Ahem, we need to drop that trope.... Moses, NP, Starboard, Naish, Manta, Loke, Horue, AFS is not "very few". Yes, I realize the last three not so much if you are 85+ kilo but their 1100-1300 wings are killer. At 70 kg, the AFS F800 wing is amazing as a freeride wing. I've ridden the 76 and 84 - they are nice but the AFS is easier to ride and - for me - more versatile. SS has scored in the States by dumping a bunch of product at loss-leader pricing. Foil + board for approx $1700 US or less. They've been a great gateway for people to get into the sport. They certainly deserve credit for that.

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azymuth said..
Do you know another brand offering a combo that competes in those conditions?

With all due respect (I love your riding and how it's motivated so many of us here), as I've mentioned, Horue did four years ago and still do. Horue even do one better by having had the Swart series of freeride sails for some time.

I'm not against SS. But there are a lot of foil options available. If one is looking at the traditional windsurf players, one is looking in the wrong spot. The most innovative brands are the smaller ones who aren't the big "all-in-one" guys we are accustomed to. It's a new sport and new names have emerged, e.g. SS who until a couple of years ago wasn't really even a windsurf company.

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Paducah said..

CoreAS said..
...very few manufacturers actually understand the concept it seems?

Ahem, we need to drop that trope.... Moses, NP, Starboard, Naish, Manta, Loke, Horue, AFS is not "very few". Yes, I realize the last three not so much if you are 85+ kilo but their 1100-1300 wings are killer. At 70 kg, the AFS F800 wing is amazing as a freeride wing. I've ridden the 76 and 84 - they are nice but the AFS is easier to ride and - for me - more versatile. SS has scored in the States by dumping a bunch of product at loss-leader pricing. Foil + board for approx $1700 US or less. They've been a great gateway for people to get into the sport. They certainly deserve credit for that.

azymuth said..
Do you know another brand offering a combo that competes in those conditions?

With all due respect (I love your riding and how it's motivated so many of us here), as I've mentioned, Horue did four years ago and still do. Horue even do one better by having had the Swart series of freeride sails for some time.

I'm not against SS. But there are a lot of foil options available. If one is looking at the traditional windsurf players, one is looking in the wrong spot. The most innovative brands are the smaller ones who aren't the big "all-in-one" guys we are accustomed to. It's a new sport and new names have emerged, e.g. SS who until a couple of years ago wasn't really even a windsurf company.

Slingshot still remains a fair bit cheaper then other brands like horue. Your right Paducah they have been doing freeride stuff for a while now but it seems like there gear is based out of France and harder to get in north America. If we are looking at the price of a down wind foil machine board like the slingshot wizard 105 for $1943usd(from SS website).
The comparable version of that for horue would be the tiny Pro 105 for 2200 euros(price from horue website) conversion
~$2,500usd

This is over $500usd difference in price and can go even lower on the wizard depending on where you shop. For me the horue tiny pro would be over 1000 dollars cad more for a sorry canadain who would have a even more hellish time trying to order one from wherever?

Is horue really worth that much more for a board that looks very similar?

Don't get me wrong horue boards and foils look amazing and they make some of the hottest videos and have me drooling by the end of it but not enough to make me spend way more money and effort trying to buy one.
It would be cool to see more options and different brands. For example I don't want 3 big companies hording 95% of the market like bell, Rogers and Telus phone companies do in Canada allowing them to charge a disgusting amount of $$$. I just
don't see Manta foil or even neil pryde or anyone else gaining much traction over where I am in the fun freeride category, there is naish but I see more foils on the used market then people riding them. For Neil pryde I think it had something to do with the failure of the pinkie which lost a few customers to say the least.
A brand that I've heard good things about for WWF and foil surfing is Gofoils but last time I checked their factory is closed temporarily from covid 19

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Paducah said..With all due respect (I love your riding and how it's motivated so many of us here), as I've mentioned, Horue did four years ago and still do. Horue even do one better by having had the Swart series of freeride sails for some time.
I'm not against SS. But there are a lot of foil options available. If one is looking at the traditional windsurf players, one is looking in the wrong spot. The most innovative brands are the smaller ones who aren't the big "all-in-one" guys we are accustomed to. It's a new sport and new names have emerged, e.g. SS who until a couple of years ago wasn't really even a windsurf company.

Thanks

Fair enough, I'd forgotten about Horue, we don't see much of their gear here.
They were certainly early into windfoiling, I remember frothing over their vids a few years ago.

Slingshot foils might not be the shiniest, but I reckon they outsell everything else in the freeride/wave sector here because the gear is proven to work - for beginners and more advanced riders in challenging conditions.
I've never seen the foils or boards majorly discounted in Oz - the price is equivalent to other competing brands.

Still trying to figure out what "trope" means?
Horue is popular here for boards but all have converted over to Slingshot foils. Obviously being that the boards are made by Flikka they are very nice but the lead time can be weeks/months for one.
Owned several Naish boards and foils and I like their free foil direction. learned on NP pinkie and still have an NP/F4 foil but still feel they have the racing foiler in mind.
The other foils you mention I have not seen or tested. Tried to get AFS but logistically difficult.

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CAN17 said..

Paducah said..

CoreAS said..
...very few manufacturers actually understand the concept it seems?

Ahem, we need to drop that trope.... Moses, NP, Starboard, Naish, Manta, Loke, Horue, AFS is not "very few". Yes, I realize the last three not so much if you are 85+ kilo but their 1100-1300 wings are killer. At 70 kg, the AFS F800 wing is amazing as a freeride wing. I've ridden the 76 and 84 - they are nice but the AFS is easier to ride and - for me - more versatile. SS has scored in the States by dumping a bunch of product at loss-leader pricing. Foil + board for approx $1700 US or less. They've been a great gateway for people to get into the sport. They certainly deserve credit for that.

azymuth said..
Do you know another brand offering a combo that competes in those conditions?

With all due respect (I love your riding and how it's motivated so many of us here), as I've mentioned, Horue did four years ago and still do. Horue even do one better by having had the Swart series of freeride sails for some time.

I'm not against SS. But there are a lot of foil options available. If one is looking at the traditional windsurf players, one is looking in the wrong spot. The most innovative brands are the smaller ones who aren't the big "all-in-one" guys we are accustomed to. It's a new sport and new names have emerged, e.g. SS who until a couple of years ago wasn't really even a windsurf company.

Slingshot still remains a fair bit cheaper then other brands like horue. Your right Paducah they have been doing freeride stuff for a while now but it seems like there gear is based out of France and harder to get in north America. If we are looking at the price of a down wind foil machine board like the slingshot wizard 105 for $1943usd(from SS website).
The comparable version of that for horue would be the tiny Pro 105 for 2200 euros(price from horue website) conversion
~$2,500usd

This is over $500usd difference in price and can go even lower on the wizard depending on where you shop. For me the horue tiny pro would be over 1000 dollars cad more for a sorry canadain who would have a even more hellish time trying to order one from wherever?

Is horue really worth that much more for a board that looks very similar?

Don't get me wrong horue boards and foils look amazing and they make some of the hottest videos and have me drooling by the end of it but not enough to make me spend way more money and effort trying to buy one.
It would be cool to see more options and different brands. For example I don't want 3 big companies hording 95% of the market like bell, Rogers and Telus phone companies do in Canada allowing them to charge a disgusting amount of $$$. I just
don't see Manta foil or even neil pryde or anyone else gaining much traction over where I am in the fun freeride category, there is naish but I see more foils on the used market then people riding them. For Neil pryde I think it had something to do with the failure of the pinkie which lost a few customers to say the least.
A brand that I've heard good things about for WWF and foil surfing is Gofoils but last time I checked their factory is closed temporarily from covid 19

Their boards are made by Flikka and are fairly priced as the construction is up a notch - full carbon sandwich from more affordable options. Yes, I realize that they are more expensive and distribution is more limited. Horue, like most of the windfoil innovators, is a small shop. You email them and Phil Caneri replies. Most of the names I listed, it's the same deal.

I'm in the same boat as you when it comes to windfoil gear and especially sails. There are a ton of really good freeride options in Europe but it literally almost costs to ship them as the sail itself costs - Sailworks and Severne are really the only options here. I totally get it.

Yes, I may have mentioned Gofoil earlier but they are a great example of having big wings a lot earlier than most. Someone learning on a Maliko 280 back in '18.



Again, as I said before, credit to Slingshot for getting affordable gear into people's hands. And a big thanks to those on this forum who are pushing the envelope and getting people to understand how much fun windfoiling is in different conditions.

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Paducah said..
They've been a great gateway for people to get into the sport. They certainly deserve credit for that.

A bit of Gorge History:

Logosz Sailboards. windsurf.gorge.net/logosz/warbirfa.htm

I don't remember when they started building sailboards; from the copyright on the web page the date is at least 1995.
They had 3 model for a total of 10 different sailboards. I had a Logosz War Birds board (no nose).
They stopped making sailboards and went to the dark side; Slingshot was the next venture the Logosz brothers dabbed in.