I'm 6'3", 100 kg. I wing in Lake Michigan which is fresh water and I'm usually wearing a 5/4 or 4/3 wetsuit and impact vest. So I am well over 105 kg with gear. I am currently using the 5'5" 105L Slingshot Wingcraft V2 which is a great board. I tried a friend's old 5'4" 95L Fanatic and I was able to get up on that quite easily using the stink bug in powered conditions. I liked that the board was narrower because I could actually straddle the board. I also liked the concave deck and how close to the foil I felt. My concern is that in Lake Michigan, the wind can suddenly shut off. So I'm looking for a board that I can straddle on and still sail it back to shore. I can gybe and do touch down foot swaps and on foil foot swaps about 50% of the time. Any specific board advice where I can still be comfortable getting back to shore when the wind dies but also get the benefits of a low volume board?

70-80L would be no problem to straddle back to shore.

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JakeDawg69 said..
My concern is that in Lake Michigan, the wind can suddenly shut off. So I'm looking for a board that I can straddle on and still sail it back to shore. I can gybe and do touch down foot swaps and on foil foot swaps about 50% of the time. Any specific board advice where I can still be comfortable getting back to shore when the wind dies but also get the benefits of a low volume board?

Hi Jake. I have a similar problem and goal. I sail on some lakes where the wind can quite suddenly crap out to sub 4 kts when I am a long way (0.5 to 2 nm) from my launch location. Paddling back either on my knees or flat prone, and towing the water drag of the sail-wing is something I try avoid.

My summary is that if you venture far from your launch location and cannot be sure to have enough wind to surface-sail the board back to base, then you need a floater board. And to have minimal swing-weight and aero drag you want a board design that is relatively thick but narrow (chunky) and one that allows for the feet and mast position to be relatively far forward. If you go for a semi-sinker then 90% vol vs weight is the minimum, and it needs ample rear buoyancy to surface sail in very light winds, and if you want to sit and sail it (straddle?), that'll only work if going close to directly downwind.

I got 3 boards to choose from. In a wetsuit and holding a large sail, my boards offer static buoyancy of either A. 100% (neutral), or B. 88% (sink to knees) or C. 76% (sink to waist). Board C is very stable when fully submerged, and maybe I can get up on foil the easiest on that board, but if the wind goes sub 5 kts, then it's a prone paddle home, so high risk to use in sketchy weather. Board B in 5-6 kts of wind can be surface sailed home, and in 4 kts of wind, I can squat-kneel on it, and sail back but very slowly, and in 3 kts or less wind it's also a prone paddle home. Board A can be sailed on the surface in as little as 1 kt of wind and when surface sailing it, my water speed is usually around wind speed in flat water, plus I can sail it upwind ok too, so this board is my no risk option.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown. Getting used to the 105L with all my gear. When the wind drops to the point where I can no longer balance on the board, I straddle the board (which is wide and stubby so it's a good groin stretch). It's a slow slog so I have to be careful that the waves and current are not working too hard against me. My goal now then must be to lose some weight and get a board that I can straddle comfortably.

Hey Jake,
I ride the 70L wingcraft V2, but I'm only 75-78 kg.
I've had the wind drop out on me too instead of straddling the board I bend my knees and put my legs up on the deck.

The V2's are wide and super short and yes it can be tough on lighter day but man they are good once up and riding

Grant

I don't like boards of any volume wider than 25" with some roundness to the deck edges. This makes them possible to straddle and easy to prone paddle.
However I do like some length. My main board is 5'10"*25" and 90L for a -5L setup. I can't surface sail this in less than 5kts (very choppy here).

My next board will likely be a light wind setup probably 7'*20" and 105-110L. Plus a true sinker of ~5'6"*24" and 70L or so.