If you ride sinkers and are an advanced rider this will be boring..click back..

If you are advanced beginner or intermediate this maybe of interest you.

I'm 49 and from a surf, sup surf non wind sport background. I have owned and tried around 10 different wing boards and have settled on the Naish. I like the volume at the rear and the minimal nose makes it feel like a proper little slasher! I disliked the Fone Rocket, Fanatic Sky's..etc due to their boxey nose shape. The Naish is slightly more wobbly on the knees but feels ALOT smaller on foil It's all personal preference as most of my friends are on tomo shapes. Much like with non foil boards, now I know what shape I like I need to find which volume/size works best for me. I do like narrow boards for hard turns. The used market on S25 means they aren't loads of money so I indulged.

I've ridden the 85L for the last 10 months and just acquired the 60L and the 75L.

Im 78kgs naked and the 85L is a comfortable float for me.

The 75L will be just under my weight and the 60L maybe -20L. I'm going to test in several different winds and conditions and see if theres significant differences. I will keep 1 or 2 depending on findings.

Lots of people reckon the at or just over your body weight is the most difficult, for me the 85L. This will hopefully shed some light on this. I've had sessions on a 55L prone board and starting was fine but it's marginal with depth at low tide. I ride in the estuary, beach and open ocean.

5'2 26" 85L. 5.7kg
5' 24" 75L. 5.2kg
4'10 22 1/2" 60L 4.5kg

Cool keep us updated on your findings. I'm same weight. I like the shape of those boards too and also dislike boxy looking boards.


how long you winged for and do you use the stink bud method?

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eppo said..
Cool keep us updated on your findings. I'm same weight. I like the shape of those boards too and also dislike boxy looking boards.


how long you winged for and do you use the stink bud method?

Hi, around 18 months winging. When using my 85L I don't use stink bug. I had several sessions on a 55L prone board and used the stick bug which was pretty easy, I was surprised how easy it was. I tried the stink bug out of interest on my 85L and found it trickier as there was too much float..lol . I reckon stink bug on the 60L.

I think anyone that rides a square nose that gets a chance to ride a pointy nose (volume towards the back)maybe very surprised how how much smaller it feels on foil and how much more reactive it feels... Lol, don't shoot me down just my observations..

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IanInca said..

eppo said..
Cool keep us updated on your findings. I'm same weight. I like the shape of those boards too and also dislike boxy looking boards.


how long you winged for and do you use the stink bud method?

Hi, around 18 months winging. When using my 85L I don't use stink bug. I had several sessions on a 55L prone board and used the stick bug which was pretty easy, I was surprised how easy it was. I tried the stink bug out of interest on my 85L and found it trickier as there was too much float..lol . I reckon stink bug on the 60L.

I think anyone that rides a square nose that gets a chance to ride a pointy nose (volume towards the back)maybe very surprised how how much smaller it feels on foil and how much more reactive it feels... Lol, don't shoot me down just my observations..

Curious to see what you will be posting. My prediction is you'll keep the 60L unless your local depth is an issue.
I am 75kg and went from the boxy Fanatic 5.2 to a takuma 65L with 5.2kg. Even on light wind days I don't want anything bigger anymore.
The key for me is board width (I don't want anything >23'' wide) and pointy nose as you mentioned.
Could you post a bottom pic (interested in where the boxes are on these) ...
What are the specs of the prone you were using? I have used a 36L 5.6x20 but am eyeing the new 2022 Axis Froth 4.4 ....

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IanInca said..

eppo said..
Cool keep us updated on your findings. I'm same weight. I like the shape of those boards too and also dislike boxy looking boards.


how long you winged for and do you use the stink bud method?

Hi, around 18 months winging. When using my 85L I don't use stink bug. I had several sessions on a 55L prone board and used the stick bug which was pretty easy, I was surprised how easy it was. I tried the stink bug out of interest on my 85L and found it trickier as there was too much float..lol . I reckon stink bug on the 60L.

I think anyone that rides a square nose that gets a chance to ride a pointy nose (volume towards the back)maybe very surprised how how much smaller it feels on foil and how much more reactive it feels... Lol, don't shoot me down just my observations..

It's not just the swing weight, but the wind pushes the small pointy boards around so much less.

Following this, i ride the Ultra 85L S25 too.73kg.

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randomfoiler said..

IanInca said..

eppo said..
Cool keep us updated on your findings. I'm same weight. I like the shape of those boards too and also dislike boxy looking boards.


how long you winged for and do you use the stink bud method?

Hi, around 18 months winging. When using my 85L I don't use stink bug. I had several sessions on a 55L prone board and used the stick bug which was pretty easy, I was surprised how easy it was. I tried the stink bug out of interest on my 85L and found it trickier as there was too much float..lol . I reckon stink bug on the 60L.

I think anyone that rides a square nose that gets a chance to ride a pointy nose (volume towards the back)maybe very surprised how how much smaller it feels on foil and how much more reactive it feels... Lol, don't shoot me down just my observations..

Curious to see what you will be posting. My prediction is you'll keep the 60L unless your local depth is an issue.
I am 75kg and went from the boxy Fanatic 5.2 to a takuma 65L with 5.2kg. Even on light wind days I don't want anything bigger anymore.
The key for me is board width (I don't want anything >23'' wide) and pointy nose as you mentioned.
Could you post a bottom pic (interested in where the boxes are on these) ...
What are the specs of the prone you were using? I have used a 36L 5.6x20 but am eyeing the new 2022 Axis Froth 4.4 ....

The prone was a 4'11 23" 55L Gong Matata. Super light and a nice board but this was the light bulb moment for me. It didn't feel massively different on a wave or carving around to my much bigger Naish. The narrower outline was alot nicer but it didn't feel smaller and more nimble. I looked at the shape and the nose is fuller and underneath they chopped the volume either side of the foil box to aid prone take offs (white water pushing against a ridge) which meant that the board is actually nose heavy with volume.

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IanInca said..

eppo said..
Cool keep us updated on your findings. I'm same weight. I like the shape of those boards too and also dislike boxy looking boards.


how long you winged for and do you use the stink bud method?

Hi, around 18 months winging. When using my 85L I don't use stink bug. I had several sessions on a 55L prone board and used the stick bug which was pretty easy, I was surprised how easy it was. I tried the stink bug out of interest on my 85L and found it trickier as there was too much float..lol . I reckon stink bug on the 60L.

I think anyone that rides a square nose that gets a chance to ride a pointy nose (volume towards the back)maybe very surprised how how much smaller it feels on foil and how much more reactive it feels... Lol, don't shoot me down just my observations..

I'm lucky enough to have access to multiple boards even with similar volumes. I would rather choose square nose than pointy. It's so much easier to get on foil in rough water if wind becomes lighter and you don't want to change to larger wing. Also landing jumps is way better because you'll lose less speed and get back on foil right away. When in the air difference is fairly marginal

But it's maybe a good to note that I'm riding Armstrong foils (and one Axis) so my foil mast is typically far forward.

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Clamsmasha said..

IanInca said..

eppo said..
Cool keep us updated on your findings. I'm same weight. I like the shape of those boards too and also dislike boxy looking boards.


how long you winged for and do you use the stink bud method?

Hi, around 18 months winging. When using my 85L I don't use stink bug. I had several sessions on a 55L prone board and used the stick bug which was pretty easy, I was surprised how easy it was. I tried the stink bug out of interest on my 85L and found it trickier as there was too much float..lol . I reckon stink bug on the 60L.

I think anyone that rides a square nose that gets a chance to ride a pointy nose (volume towards the back)maybe very surprised how how much smaller it feels on foil and how much more reactive it feels... Lol, don't shoot me down just my observations..

It's not just the swing weight, but the wind pushes the small pointy boards around so much less.

I hadn't thought about that, good point..

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Siksvan said..

IanInca said..

eppo said..
Cool keep us updated on your findings. I'm same weight. I like the shape of those boards too and also dislike boxy looking boards.


how long you winged for and do you use the stink bud method?

Hi, around 18 months winging. When using my 85L I don't use stink bug. I had several sessions on a 55L prone board and used the stick bug which was pretty easy, I was surprised how easy it was. I tried the stink bug out of interest on my 85L and found it trickier as there was too much float..lol . I reckon stink bug on the 60L.

I think anyone that rides a square nose that gets a chance to ride a pointy nose (volume towards the back)maybe very surprised how how much smaller it feels on foil and how much more reactive it feels... Lol, don't shoot me down just my observations..

I'm lucky enough to have access to multiple boards even with similar volumes. I would rather choose square nose than pointy. It's so much easier to get on foil in rough water if wind becomes lighter and you don't want to change to larger wing. Also landing jumps is way better because you'll lose less speed and get back on foil right away. When in the air difference is fairly marginal

But it's maybe a good to note that I'm riding Armstrong foils (and one Axis) so my foil mast is typically far forward.

Possibly that could be the main benefit of a square board - if you jump.

I like downwinding and surfing with a wing and ride without straps.

Very interested to hear your observations. I have a 95l and a 38l KT 4'8" which I prone. I haven't tried it for winging yet but just for giggles I kneeled on it to simulate a wing start and it was quite easy so I'm going to give it a shot. I'm building a 50 to 60L board in February that's pretty boxy and 22"x 4'6" so I'm curious about the round nose.

of course the whole idea with a square nose is that you HAVE a round nose and saw a few inches off =square nose and therefore less swing weight for similar volume and performance. If you like a round nose then you could do a square one that would be shorter!

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JohnnyTsunami said..
Very interested to hear your observations. I have a 95l and a 38l KT 4'8" which I prone. I haven't tried it for winging yet but just for giggles I kneeled on it to simulate a wing start and it was quite easy so I'm going to give it a shot. I'm building a 50 to 60L board in February that's pretty boxy and 22"x 4'6" so I'm curious about the round nose.

of course the whole idea with a square nose is that you HAVE a round nose and saw a few inches off =square nose and therefore less swing weight for similar volume and performance. If you like a round nose then you could do a square one that would be shorter!

Lol..true, although it's more to do with where the volume is distributed. On the Naish it's very tail heavy... The nose area really gets very thin...

The post wasn't really square Vs pointy boards more what's the optimum size/volume compared to your weight for someone who's not Kai Lenny and the wrong side of 40!!

A bit above
A bit below

20L below

* Can you tell I've been out of the water for 4 weeks, COVID and then no wind..Bored!!!

I'm really keen to see how you go on the 60L when the wind is a little shifty. I'm adding a bigger board to my prone but want to go about the 55/60L semi sinker mark.

@IanInca - any results? Very curious about how it goes.

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Hi, I was waiting to have a good test before posting back. I decided to test in stages starting with the drop from 85L to 75L. I have had around 25 sessions on the 75.

* I sold the 85 after 3 sessions on the 75. The drop in width makes it feel great when carving hard and I couldn't stop smiling after the first few sessions, I loved it!!!. The overall feel is awesome. With a 6/4 mm (!!!!!) Wetsuit , gloves, boots etc . the board sinks a fair bit (I'm 49, 78kgs,strapless) Stink bug technique makes it very straight forward and no more difficult when conditions are challenging. It's taken 15 to 20 sessions to feel as comfortable on this board as the 85 but that's mainly to do with getting better at stink bug which I didn't do on the 85. Other observations..
*No harder in low wind
*Alot nicer sitting on the board (width)-nice to chill during a session!!
*Easier getting through shore break and handling in general
*Touch downs or heavy drops it's seems easier to cut under and through the water and then pop back again

Now I'm comfortable on the 75 I'm going to try the 60L.

Conditions from 10 knots to 35. Estuary, Ocean, waves, flat water and not interested in jumping.

I'll let you know how the 60L goes..

Btw, these Naish boards are bullet proof. I was heading up wind full speed motoring when I hit a random shallow ledge, I did a supreme superman impersonation... I made my way back to the board expecting to see the foil box in pieces. Nothing, not a mark, crack or anything. Result!!