hi guys
looking for some feedback:
has anyone used the wizard? Or even the larger 125 board?

how do they go compared to the naish set up?

can't find much other than marketing material on the interweb.
cheers

I started foiling on the Naish hover with the naish foil and am now using the Wizard 125 with slingshot foil. Both packages are good and over all I don't think one is better then the other. The naish was really easy to learn on but once you advance you may find the more compact wizard an advantage, depends what you want to do. The wizard seems to be built a bit stronger than the hover but is consequently a bit heavier, once you are up in the air you don't notice the weight. Only went to the wizard as the Mrs wanted to try foiling and so handed the hover down to her when she offered to buy me a new set up and thought I may as well try something different.

Really nice little board. Nice flat foot area with the rear foot straps out further than the Naish. Heavier than the Naish but probably a bit stronger. Almost impossible to tack though.

I've had 3 ocean sessions on the Slingshot Wizard 105 varying from a marginal 10-12 knots to a 20-25 knot seabreeze with mega chop and small waves - using the Slingshot Infinity 76 and Time Code 68 wings.

It feels awesome without the nose - the reduction in swing weight is obvious and makes it seem like riding directly on the foil. Reacts quicker so carves and pumps better on downwind swells than a longer board.
The stronger the wind the more amazing the short-board feeling is, as the board is buffeted much less by the wind.

The board gets foiling in 10-12 knots (with a 5.7) by kind of popping the foil, the wide tail means it's stable for a 105.
I managed to uphaul ok, front foot just behind the mast foot, the wide tail and foil resist the board turning into the wind even though my weight's behind the mast - as easy to uphaul as a regular 105 wave board.

Haven't managed any tacks yet, got close a few times, just need more practice - I only make half my tacks on a wave board. Anyone who can consistently tack a wave board will be able to tack the 105.
Completing foiling gybes is equally challenging as on a longer board - but the wide stable tail does mean that light wind tail-sink gybes are easy.
Probably crash less on the 105 as there's no nose to catch - but when I do crash it's a little harder and more sudden.

I started foiling with a modified Isonic 121L 225 x 75 - footstraps moved inboard, Tuttle box moved forward 10cm and with increased nose rocker.
It worked surprisingly well but riding a board designed around the foil cranks the fun-factor up another level.

Other pros of the 105L;
Awesome new design footstraps - adjustable easily with one hand.
Quality of construction of the board is first class.
Fits in the back of the car without the front seat down.


Stoked - awesome fun



Thanks for the photo - Lindsay Preece Ironbark Photos Facebook

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alvadave said..
I started foiling on the Naish hover with the naish foil and am now using the Wizard 125 with slingshot foil. Both packages are good and over all I don't think one is better then the other. The naish was really easy to learn on but once you advance you may find the more compact wizard an advantage, depends what you want to do. The wizard seems to be built a bit stronger than the hover but is consequently a bit heavier, once you are up in the air you don't notice the weight. Only went to the wizard as the Mrs wanted to try foiling and so handed the hover down to her when she offered to buy me a new set up and thought I may as well try something different.

How's the handling of the Wizard 125 on the water (sub-planing) compared to the Naish Hover? Does the Wizard get going as early as the Naish in light wind? I know that the foil wing set plays a huge part here, but I'm just wondering how the 125L is as a lightwind board compared to similar volume longer boards. Thanks!

can't comment on the Naish Hover but I have switched from a Formula 136 ( 245x100) to the Wizard 125 Both boards pop up on the foil just as easily, the Longer nose on the Formula makes it easier to tack especially if the wind is light BUT as for performance the low swing weight of the Wizard makes it incredible to sail!! I have never enjoyed flat water sailing as much as I have on the Wizard 125

That's great to hear 2keen, I would love to lose 18" off the end of my current board.

Hello azymuth and 2keen. Cool you shaired you experiences with the wizard 105 and 125.
I am actually thinking of the same board but still not sure if I should get the 105 or 125.
How much do you weight and with which wings and sails do you use your setup?
Why did you go for the 105 and the 125?

I weigh about 82 kg and plan to use it with 4.0/4.5/5.3 possible add a 5.7 if needed.
I also was thinking of the infinity 76 but with the warp speed.

Above 22 knots I can still be an a normal 90 liter wave board.

Thanks!

Hi Wytze, I've only had board a couple of weeks but have had about 6 sessions on it.
I'm 82 kg using the Slingshot Infinity 76. So far used 4.5, 5, 5.5, 5.7 and 6.2
I chose the 125 because no nose seemed a little extreme for me and I was also keen to use it in light winds. I figured everything would be a little easier with the extra volume. I still feel I made the right decision for me.
I can get up on foil in about 12-15 knots.
Tacking takes some commitment but I'm probably nailing about 70% , no question the 125 would be much easier to tack than the 105.
Having come off a Formula (245x100) the compatibly low swing weight of the 125 is significant, carving is SO much fun!
Considering a smaller wing for when it gets windy cause now all I want to do is foil!!
Get into it

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Windbot said..

alvadave said..
I started foiling on the Naish hover with the naish foil and am now using the Wizard 125 with slingshot foil. Both packages are good and over all I don't think one is better then the other. The naish was really easy to learn on but once you advance you may find the more compact wizard an advantage, depends what you want to do. The wizard seems to be built a bit stronger than the hover but is consequently a bit heavier, once you are up in the air you don't notice the weight. Only went to the wizard as the Mrs wanted to try foiling and so handed the hover down to her when she offered to buy me a new set up and thought I may as well try something different.

How's the handling of the Wizard 125 on the water (sub-planing) compared to the Naish Hover? Does the Wizard get going as early as the Naish in light wind? I know that the foil wing set plays a huge part here, but I'm just wondering how the 125L is as a lightwind board compared to similar volume longer boards. Thanks!

Wizard gets going as early as the Naish. The width seems to be more important than the length and the wizard holds the width all the way back. The Naish is a bit easier to tack than the Wizard but you get used to it. I only foil in light winds (over 12 knots and I'm on the slalom gear) and the Wizard does everything I want out of a foil board. Probably the only real difference is that with the fin boxes on the Naish you have the easy adjustability of the foil position on the board but I never really felt the need to play around with it.

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nd my tack Wytze said..
Hello azymuth and 2keen. Cool you shaired you experiences with the wizard 105 and 125.
I am actually thinking of the same board but still not sure if I should get the 105 or 125.
How much do you weight and with which wings and sails do you use your setup?
Why did you go for the 105 and the 125?

I weigh about 82 kg and plan to use it with 4.0/4.5/5.3 possible add a 5.7 if needed.
I also was thinking of the infinity 76 but with the warp speed.

Above 22 knots I can still be an a normal 90 liter wave board.

Thanks!

I agree with Simon (2keen). We foil at the same spots.
I'm also about 82 kgs - I've been foiling about a year.

The 105 is amazing even in light winds. I'd use a 6m in steady 10-12 knots.
I've used a 5m in 10-12 with 15 knot gusts (which is what we normally get) which worked surprisingly well.
I can get up on the foil with my feet already in the straps.
It grovels through the lulls ok.

Generally, I try and use as small a sail as possible so that I can depower when downwinding wind-swells.
So probably a 4.5 in a steady 15-18 knots.
I haven't made a clean tack on the 105 yet, I kind of do half-tacks (start with tack, end with water-start ) which works ok.
Mostly gybing now - I can reasonably consistently pull off low-speed sink gybes and foiling gybes seem to be easier on the smaller board as the nose is less likely to catch.

So 105 or 125?
If you're fairly new to foiling definitely the 125.
If you're reasonably experienced but primarily want to sail light winds I'd still go the 125 - it will be more enjoyable as it's easier to uphaul and tack.
If you're reasonably experienced and want to sail in all winds and crank tighter turns go the 105 - think about getting the Time Code 68 wing if you want to optimise carving with the smaller board.

Comparing to wave-board riding experience - the 125 is like a 95L and the 105 like an 80L.

Don't be scared of the "low" volune of the 105 though. I foil on a 92L x 180x69 custom with my 86Kg and get going in 10kts with 4.8. i can uphaul and tack on this board, its great! Due to the big wide tail it is fairly stable sinking. Short nose has pro's and cons though. The smaller wizzard is also a little less wide right? The smaller the board in length the less the longitudinal stability. The less wide the more wobbly it is side to side. My formulaboard is litteraly 5x easier to ride with the same foil as my custom, but the custom spins like crazy. If you don't do jumping or foiling in 30kts at sea like me i wouldnt know why you'd want a no nose concept.

I guess the focus will be 12-22 knots if possible. So about the same as my slalom gear (Mistral 137 & 8.4) which I have been using with a np alu foil this year.

Seems like the 125 is better in 10-15 knots and still ok up to 20.
The 105 is better in 15+ knots?
Will both board be ok to jump with?

One other thing is when the water is cold like 0-5 degrees.
Is it still ok to slog back in with the 105 if the wind drops?

By the way shouldn't it be easier to do a heli tack on the wizard? Then you do not need to go around the short nose :)
When I do tacks on my wave board I go as fast as possible upwind but then you have the longer nose. When I go slow I do heli tack instead to keep the power in the sail.

When do you guys consider the 125 is on the large side?
In how much wind have you been using it? Thanks!

While I can't speak specifically regarding the Wizard 125, I can tell you that I have an 243cm x 72cm 122L modded for windofoiling Starboard that I've had out and lit with my 3.7m in the Gorge in very high winds and I never felt like board buffeting was an issue. If i was in the same wind with a 4.2 riding it as a regular non-windfoil board, it would have been a pretty unpleasant I'm sure. Wind has surprisingly little effect on the board when you are up foiling based on my experience. I think the Wizard 125 would be fantastic in high winds and great all around unless you're throwing a ton of loops and airs in which case you'd want to go smaller. I just freeride so it's not an issue for me.

Agree with windbot.
I have used the Wizard 125 in 20 knots with a 4.5. Would have gone a smaller sail but don't have one
At no time did I feel the board was being buffeted by wind, I can however see myself purchasing a smaller foil than the Infinity 76 for the windy days.

I used to foil on a modified Isonic 121 - 230cm. Had a dozen awesome sessions in 20-25 knots.

What's noticeable with the Wizard 105 at 180cm is the lower swing weight - connection to the foil feels more direct than with the longer board.
I just like the small board feel and I'd probably only use the Isonic again in super light winds.

In stronger winds the 105 seems to cut through the air more smoothly, but this benefit is probably marginal, I would have to test the 2 boards back to back to be sure.

Longer boards definitely have the advantage with tacking and uphauling.

To progress, time spent foiling is heaps more important than equipment choices (as long as your kit's reasonable)

For carving / jumping shorter is definately better, also is faster up in the air i think due to to bet wright distribution and less surface/sticking. With 82kg you have 23L to spare on the 105, that's easy going.. on my own board i am at 6L (92L board 86Kg me.) and it is very doable, uphauling / tacking / jibing subplaning takes a little getting used to with 92L and 180cm length, but took me maybe 5-6 sessions. (Very used to to sailing on the 100L fs underpowered though..)

Thanks appretiate all the feedback!