Hi all,

I'm about to start winging. Only looking at light wind around 10 - 15 ish so I can get on the water when there's not enough wind to windfoil.

I weigh 80 kgs and am looking at getting a 5m wing and using it with my 90L Slingshot Wizard, and have options of using three foil wings, Fanatic Flows 1250 & 1000 and Fanatic Aero Free 800. I know I'll probably need the 1250 in light wind but my concern is that this won't be big enough for a 5m wing and 90L board. I have stabilizers 215, 250 & 300 I can also use. The 1250's very lifty though so it might work ?

Just wondering what people think about this combination for light wind. Will i need a bigger wind wing or foil wing ?

When I started coming from windfoiling (97L 80kg) duotone echo 5m axis 1050 HPS foil (1500cm area) on the ocean, I found I needed 15knts solid to comfortably get up on foil. You will probably need the mast right forward in the slingshot tracks and a bigger hand wing and foil if you want to get going in 10 knots. What is the biggest sail that you have for windfoiling?

Hi, with good technique, a board which is around your bodyweight, a decently big foil (around 1300 medium to high aspect modern profile) and a 5m not older than one year (lot of progress year to year), it is doable at your weight in those conditions. Having said that, learning in such low wind is quite challenging. For someone with no experience, provided you can't do anything about the wind, I would recommend a bigger setup. Since you mention you can windfoil, you should have an advantage there. Long story short, it's doable, but il will be challenging, IMHO. It also depends on the water, if it's flat it's easier but if it's really choppy you might be pushing the limit for a beginner.

Select to expand quote

mitxval said..
Hi, with good technique, a board which is around your bodyweight, a decently big foil (around 1300 medium to high aspect modern profile) and a 5m not older than one year (lot of progress year to year), it is doable at your weight in those conditions. Having said that, learning in such low wind is quite challenging. For someone with no experience, provided you can't do anything about the wind, I would recommend a bigger setup. Since you mention you can windfoil, you should have an advantage there. Long story short, it's doable, but il will be challenging, IMHO. It also depends on the water, if it's flat it's easier but if it's really choppy you might be pushing the limit for a beginner.

Thanks mate. I'll be on relatively flat water.
I might look at a 1400 low to mid aspect and a 5.5. Not sure yet.

Select to expand quote

lao shi said..
When I started coming from windfoiling (97L 80kg) duotone echo 5m axis 1050 HPS foil (1500cm area) on the ocean, I found I needed 15knts solid to comfortably get up on foil. You will probably need the mast right forward in the slingshot tracks and a bigger hand wing and foil if you want to get going in 10 knots. What is the biggest sail that you have for windfoiling?

Biggest sail for windfoiling at the moment is 3.7. Only been foiling in wind from 15kts.
Looks like I'm gonna need bigger gear.
Thx

Select to expand quote

Sambo # said..

mitxval said..
Hi, with good technique, a board which is around your bodyweight, a decently big foil (around 1300 medium to high aspect modern profile) and a 5m not older than one year (lot of progress year to year), it is doable at your weight in those conditions. Having said that, learning in such low wind is quite challenging. For someone with no experience, provided you can't do anything about the wind, I would recommend a bigger setup. Since you mention you can windfoil, you should have an advantage there. Long story short, it's doable, but il will be challenging, IMHO. It also depends on the water, if it's flat it's easier but if it's really choppy you might be pushing the limit for a beginner.

Thanks mate. I'll be on relatively flat water.
I might look at a 1400 low to mid aspect and a 5.5. Not sure yet.

Honestly, I would really recommend a wing bigger than 5m. I am a 72kg experienced rider and to get going in 10kn I use a 5.5m, but I am using a board below my body weight (55L).
A 5.5m or even a 6m would make your learning experience much easier and more rewarding. 90L in flat water and with windsurfing experience should be fine, even though beginners would usually stat with a much bigger board. As you mentioned, a slightly bigger foil would also help.

Select to expand quote

mitxval said..

Sambo # said..

mitxval said..
Hi, with good technique, a board which is around your bodyweight, a decently big foil (around 1300 medium to high aspect modern profile) and a 5m not older than one year (lot of progress year to year), it is doable at your weight in those conditions. Having said that, learning in such low wind is quite challenging. For someone with no experience, provided you can't do anything about the wind, I would recommend a bigger setup. Since you mention you can windfoil, you should have an advantage there. Long story short, it's doable, but il will be challenging, IMHO. It also depends on the water, if it's flat it's easier but if it's really choppy you might be pushing the limit for a beginner.

Thanks mate. I'll be on relatively flat water.
I might look at a 1400 low to mid aspect and a 5.5. Not sure yet.

Honestly, I would really recommend a wing bigger than 5m. I am a 72kg experienced rider and to get going in 10kn I use a 5.5m, but I am using a board below my body weight (55L).
A 5.5m or even a 6m would make your learning experience much easier and more rewarding. 90L in flat water and with windsurfing experience should be fine, even though beginners would usually stat with a much bigger board. As you mentioned, a slightly bigger foil would also help.

I've decided to get a 5m with good bottom end and a 1500 front wing. I can tune the 1500 with two other stabs I have, 215, and 300. Stock stab is 250 which I'll try first. I'm a pretty experienced wind foiler so I'm hoping that will help with starting on a 90L board. If not I'll need to get a bigger board.

Light wind success with smaller wings is quite dependant on fitness and a willingness to pump and pump and pump.
You can make life a lot easier by going bigger on the wing, a 6m Slick v3 or even a 6.5m will be a lot easier and more relaxing than pumping a 5m like a man possessed. Of course when your transitions get good enough that you never drop it you only need to pump it on once! I am not quite there yet but progress is being made.

Thanks all. I've decided that if the 5m and 1500 front wing is not enough I'll just get a bigger front wing.

Select to expand quote

Sambo # said..

mitxval said..
Hi, with good technique, a board which is around your bodyweight, a decently big foil (around 1300 medium to high aspect modern profile) and a 5m not older than one year (lot of progress year to year), it is doable at your weight in those conditions. Having said that, learning in such low wind is quite challenging. For someone with no experience, provided you can't do anything about the wind, I would recommend a bigger setup. Since you mention you can windfoil, you should have an advantage there. Long story short, it's doable, but il will be challenging, IMHO. It also depends on the water, if it's flat it's easier but if it's really choppy you might be pushing the limit for a beginner.

Thanks mate. I'll be on relatively flat water.
I might look at a 1400 low to mid aspect and a 5.5. Not sure yet.

Make that high aspect

Sambo werent you coming here for a bit of summer?
If you do, i have a really early flying 95L demo board you can have for a while to play on

Select to expand quote

Mark _australia said..
Sambo werent you coming here for a bit of summer?
If you do, i have a really early flying 95L demo board you can have for a while to play on

I was. Had to postpone trip till next year. Not working at the moment and it was either a budget trip west or buy more gear and stay here for the summer. Thanks for the board offer though.

As it turns out, as peeps have mentioned here, I need a 6m and 1500 or 1750. Got a Smik V2 6m and Aero HA 1750 on the way. Might need smaller front wing when I get things togeather. Bring on some light wind. Never thought I'd say that. New stoke for something I haven't tried. Not too much light stuff though. Need a balanced diet.