In addition to announcing the 7m Glide, I just noticed that OR has more details on the carbon handles on their website. Both mini booms, and a full boom. Cant wait to try these.

oceanrodeo.com/products/glide-a-series?variant=41989100699802

re-posted from SUP zone: I lucked into trying an early proto. In general I am happy with the soft handles, not really all that interested in a boom or mini-boom ... but had a bit of a "holy moly" moment with the carbon handles. Such a positive connection, easy to move the wing to where it needs to be and hold it there, subtle shifts of power, transfers from hand to hand or holding with one hand ... kinda wow, way beyond my expectations.

More info:
Compression molded carbon wing handles.
Weight 111 grams
Super light, grippy, strong.

Has anyone ridden both Aluula Glide and D lab Unit to give an objective comparison?

Unit looks good and on the surface better value but inflation system in my Slick is inferior to any other inflatable object I have ever owned and I'm including Lilo mattress from the dollar store ??

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Ju_foil said..
Has anyone ridden both Aluula Glide and D lab Unit to give an objective comparison?

Unit looks good and on the surface better value but inflation system in my Slick is inferior to any other inflatable object I have ever owned and I'm including Lilo mattress from the dollar store ??

I've owned both.

OR has a mushier feel. D/Lab feels snappier. D/Lab better upwind. OR slightly lighter. OR will need the carbon handle option to match the D/Lab control, so cost of OR is going to be even higher by comparison.

You can literally see where the weight difference comes from. The D/Lab has leading edge abrasion patches the OR is missing.

The OR bladders are all single layer. Missing the industry standard doublers commonly used at internal areas prone to wear. Myself, and other locals, had bladder issues with ORs. No bladder issues on Units, they include the doublers.

The OR uses lighter 2x2 canopy. The D/Lab uses tougher 3x3 canopy. Heavier, but will last longer before it bags out.

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Ju_foil said..
Has anyone ridden both Aluula Glide and D lab Unit to give an objective comparison?

Unit looks good and on the surface better value but inflation system in my Slick is inferior to any other inflatable object I have ever owned and I'm including Lilo mattress from the dollar store ??

I owned both in 4M. The OR is 1 pound lighter than the D-Lab 3.5 vs 4.5.

The unit has much more grunt but what the OR gives up on the low end it makes up significantly on the high end.

The OR feel more refined in flight and works much better for me when over powered. Jibes feel more fluid
and its lightness is certainly felt. The Addition of the Carbon handles/boom will no doubt make it even more appealing but I Feel the cost will kill it's appeal for many.

The F-One Strike V2 4M will replace both for me and join my STrike V2 5.5M

Burchas and DWF thanks for the informed replies, very interesting

I've had the OR hybrid 5m and 2022 Unit 5m (non-aluula).

Agree, OR has better high-end and with the new handles will be the best wing available. Very smooth and fluid wing with superb range and feel.

Unit has incredible low-end but limited high-end. Handles are great. Inflation/deflation is inferior but I've forgotten about that and just enjoy the wing now. Canopy is insanely taut which makes it very crisp, reminds me of sailing a well-tuned Laser sailboat. I would describe it as an advanced wing.

If I were to get another wing I would probably stick with the standard 2022 Unit because it's 50% cheaper and basically as good.

are these going to be something available for individual purchase? I'd love to add mini booms to the front of my Mataor LTs. I'm destroying my knuckes rubbing on the strut while pushing through tacks and 360s

Got my handles from MacKite today and hope to have them on the water this weekend. They seem very nicely built - Super lightweight and a nice grippy surface texture on the grip area. The front and rear handles are identical and interchangeable.
the bag has a Velcro sticker for the size (32 cm) which I would take to imply multiple sizes? This is similar to how they mark sizes on the wing bags. I was only offered a single size option.

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Velocicraptor said..
Got my handles from MacKite today and hope to have them on the water this weekend. They seem very nicely built - Super lightweight and a nice grippy surface texture on the grip area. The front and rear handles are identical and interchangeable.
the bag has a Velcro sticker for the size (32 cm) which I would take to imply multiple sizes? This is similar to how they mark sizes on the wing bags. I was only offered a single size option.

Congrats dude! Theses handles are the best in class imo ( I tried a bunch on the recent AWSI show)

I asked them about different size handles, specifically to accommodate single handed riding. It didn't get much traction since they were pointing towards boom usage for that purposes. I think with enough people asking, they might bring something to the market for all those who still wants one floppy handle in the setup either the front or back.

I see these interchangeable handles as a great feature for me to fine tune the ride but it should be appealing for OR as a good selling point and another upsell option, for all my fellow gear heads, who has nothing better to do with their money.

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Ju_foil said..
Has anyone ridden both Aluula Glide and D lab Unit to give an objective comparison?

Unit looks good and on the surface better value but inflation system in my Slick is inferior to any other inflatable object I have ever owned and I'm including Lilo mattress from the dollar store ??

+1 for the terrible inflation system for Duotone. Love my Unit v2 but really wish they would go with something like the F-one system that has a similar "lock" feature to keep the hose attached but it also has a cap to keep sand out and a nice neoprene cover.


Wondering if Duotone will offer carbon handles for the unit at some point.

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gneve said..

Ju_foil said..
Has anyone ridden both Aluula Glide and D lab Unit to give an objective comparison?

Unit looks good and on the surface better value but inflation system in my Slick is inferior to any other inflatable object I have ever owned and I'm including Lilo mattress from the dollar store ??

+1 for the terrible inflation system for Duotone. Love my Unit v2 but really wish they would go with something like the F-one system that has a similar "lock" feature to keep the hose attached but it also has a cap to keep sand out and a nice neoprene cover.


Wondering if Duotone will offer carbon handles for the unit at some point.

+1 for the terrible inflation system for Duotone. The F-one is certainly superior imo but I find the OR
better in some aspects such faster deflation and easier to release pressure on the water if overpowered.

The only problem with the basic valve of the OR is that because the Allulah material is so strong and you can pump it to 12psi, it is difficult to turn the valve cap to deflate. Wish everyone would just use the F-One style valve. The hoses lock in and there is the push button deflate.

The duotone wings have amazing pumpability to get going. I think this is different than "low end." I find the low end is lacking on the duotones and I want to "ease the outhaul" in the wings and get more power. They handle being overpowered very well.
But folks say the opposite and the OR are better high end and worse low end? Do you mean pumping up on foil?
Never ridden the OR, but VERY interested in the new stuff. A contact said the handles are nice but not as locked in as duotone.

I'm afraid it's another case of "pay $2k to find out" sort of thing. Where can we test?

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burchas said..

gneve said..

Ju_foil said..
Has anyone ridden both Aluula Glide and D lab Unit to give an objective comparison?

Unit looks good and on the surface better value but inflation system in my Slick is inferior to any other inflatable object I have ever owned and I'm including Lilo mattress from the dollar store ??

+1 for the terrible inflation system for Duotone. Love my Unit v2 but really wish they would go with something like the F-one system that has a similar "lock" feature to keep the hose attached but it also has a cap to keep sand out and a nice neoprene cover.


Wondering if Duotone will offer carbon handles for the unit at some point.

+1 for the terrible inflation system for Duotone. The F-one is certainly superior imo but I find the OR
better in some aspects such faster deflation and easier to release pressure on the water if overpowered.

The valve system is why I'll never buy Doutone again. Their whole operation just feels "cheap". From not including the adaptor for their dumb valve to, the lack of a leash and the joke of a bag, it all screams "WE CUT CORNERS!" That's on the stuff I can see, who know what is going on in the thing i can't see.

Ocean Rodeo soft handles are garbage. I hope that the new "hard" handles will change the feeling of otherwise excellent wing. Great handles (soft or hard) should be standard on the most expensive wing on the market. Otherwise, you really question the value you get for what you pay for. I do.

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Goofcat said..

burchas said..

gneve said..

Ju_foil said..
Has anyone ridden both Aluula Glide and D lab Unit to give an objective comparison?

Unit looks good and on the surface better value but inflation system in my Slick is inferior to any other inflatable object I have ever owned and I'm including Lilo mattress from the dollar store ??

+1 for the terrible inflation system for Duotone. Love my Unit v2 but really wish they would go with something like the F-one system that has a similar "lock" feature to keep the hose attached but it also has a cap to keep sand out and a nice neoprene cover.


Wondering if Duotone will offer carbon handles for the unit at some point.

+1 for the terrible inflation system for Duotone. The F-one is certainly superior imo but I find the OR
better in some aspects such faster deflation and easier to release pressure on the water if overpowered.

The valve system is why I'll never buy Doutone again. Their whole operation just feels "cheap". From not including the adaptor for their dumb valve to, the lack of a leash and the joke of a bag, it all screams "WE CUT CORNERS!" That's on the stuff I can see, who know what is going on in the thing i can't see.

Everyone else gives you a leash and a valve. I'm terrified of losing that valve because they're hard to get a hold of. And if I buy two Duotone wings, I either have to swap the leash or buy another. The new bag is a little bit better. But now instead of being too small it's too big. Again, F-One makes a great bag and has a better and more universal valve. However, I do like the coiled Duotone leash. It's the only leash that doesn't hit me in the face or get wrapped around my neck.

Verdict is in - the handles are great. I've always known this wing had a precision that the handles were dampening or holding back. With the hard handles you really get a sense of the wings stiffness in handling and pumping. You can throw the wing around with a lot more precision and recover from a botched move easily because the power is so direct. The improvement is remarkable and I would venture to say the handles are a must-have for the wing. They pack up just fine although I would probably take them off if I were traveling with the wing so that they don't rub. They are extremely light and the wing luffs just as well as with the normal handles.
that said - there are some flaws. (1) There is absolutely no soft bumper or padding and I'm confident in saying that they will eventually ding my board. I might need to pad the ends with some adhesive foam. (2) more a matter of the wing design - but if the front handle were even 2" longer I think it would make 1 handed riding much better. You can 1 hand it if you are overpowered but it could be better. (3) the Glide rides really well at the top end of its range but I feel like these handles combined with the stiff construction make the top end a bit twitchy. Like to the point where I would worry about my shoulders if I were overpowered in gusty conditions. They improve the low end and pumping drastically but I might prefer the soft handles when overpowered. (4) I wish the front handle had a trigger grip (like the Takuma wing). You can half luff at the front of the handle, but the trigger grip would make it better. (5) I'm not sure they need to sell these in pairs. I haven't tried yet but I think I would see all of the improvement with just the front handle and a soft back handle. I don't think the precision or stiffness is needed on the rear handle
Anybody who has these handles know which direction is front and which is back? There is a fat end and a thin end and the instructions don't specify which direction they go. Maybe it doesn't matter?

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Velocicraptor said..
Verdict is in - the handles are great. I've always known this wing had a precision that the handles were dampening or holding back. With the hard handles you really get a sense of the wings stiffness in handling and pumping. You can throw the wing around with a lot more precision and recover from a botched move easily because the power is so direct. The improvement is remarkable and I would venture to say the handles are a must-have for the wing. They pack up just fine although I would probably take them off if I were traveling with the wing so that they don't rub. They are extremely light and the wing luffs just as well as with the normal handles.
that said - there are some flaws. (1) There is absolutely no soft bumper or padding and I'm confident in saying that they will eventually ding my board. I might need to pad the ends with some adhesive foam. (2) more a matter of the wing design - but if the front handle were even 2" longer I think it would make 1 handed riding much better. You can 1 hand it if you are overpowered but it could be better. (3) the Glide rides really well at the top end of its range but I feel like these handles combined with the stiff construction make the top end a bit twitchy. Like to the point where I would worry about my shoulders if I were overpowered in gusty conditions. They improve the low end and pumping drastically but I might prefer the soft handles when overpowered. (4) I wish the front handle had a trigger grip (like the Takuma wing). You can half luff at the front of the handle, but the trigger grip would make it better. (5) I'm not sure they need to sell these in pairs. I haven't tried yet but I think I would see all of the improvement with just the front handle and a soft back handle. I don't think the precision or stiffness is needed on the rear handle
Anybody who has these handles know which direction is front and which is back? There is a fat end and a thin end and the instructions don't specify which direction they go. Maybe it doesn't matter?

I've just ordered a set from Real. I'm probably going to sell one of the two and add the boom to the quiver. Like you said, the front handle is the most important one, especially while directing the wing overhead on tacks, although the entry into tacks is effected a bit by latency in back handle sloppiness. Also pumping the rear handle in really light conditions would be helped by stiffness, but the boom would take care of that. Can't wait either way!

good tip on the overpowered situation. I'm nursing a tweaked front shoulder!

The exact same conclusions I came to above. Almost like he read my review.

Tried the new carbon handles on the 5m today. They are great. No need for a boom as there is plenty of area to grab during transitions. They are super light and pack up easily.

I also gave the 5M a go with the carbon handles. Conditions were flat water with gusty 10-22mph range. Super impressed. Super snug fit. A tiny bit of creaking sounds every once in a while. Comfy handles.good diameter size. Also thin enough that gloves shouldn't be a problem.
Much easier to grab the handles during transitions and get power back in a hurry (think heelside tacks).

I suspect that Ocean Rodeo will put rubber pads on the front edge of the handles and boom as other manufacturers have done. I've used a carbon boom on some of my wings (retrofitted) and it does ding the board. The Duotone booms don"t ding my board since the boom is padded all the way so contact with the board is not a problem.

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dejavu said..
I suspect that Ocean Rodeo will put rubber pads on the front edge of the handles and boom as other manufacturers have done. I've used a carbon boom on some of my wings (retrofitted) and it does ding the board. The Duotone booms don"t ding my board since the boom is padded all the way so contact with the board is not a problem.

My first session in tame conditions, I was able to stink bug start without the handles touching the board, but it may be different in hectic conditions. Wild wipeouts are the main concern I guess. I've considered adding some thin closed cell foam to certain areas on the handles, but I'm going to hold off for now. I have a sheet of one sided adhesive foam thats around 2-3mm thick that is used for custom fitting snowboard boots that might work well.

Just remembered this backwind maneuver I pulled off with the carbon handles, by mistake. I went for a downwind Heineken gybe, but for some reason bailed on the turn halfway through and reverted back to my heel-side tack. The wing was sort of overhead behind me when this happened and I ended up with the wing backwinded, with the strut across my shoulders and hands holding the carbon handles almost like a weightlifter ready for a squat with a barbell. I was flustered for a second to find myself powered up from behind, not at all expecting it, but the firm handles gave me the confidence to turn downwind slightly and flip the wing back over my head. I'll try to do that intentionally next time

Has anyone gotten a straight answer on which direction the handles are supposed to face - or whether it even matters? The handles are not symmetrical, and there is a bigger more supported end and a smaller end. The instructions don't specify the direction.

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Velocicraptor said..
Has anyone gotten a straight answer on which direction the handles are supposed to face - or whether it even matters? The handles are not symmetrical, and there is a bigger more supported end and a smaller end. The instructions don't specify the direction.

I was wondering the same thing, but I would say put the wider end of the handle on the end you think is receiving the most force/torque. For me thats the front of the front handle and the back of the back handle.

Select to expand quote

Velocicraptor said..
Verdict is in - the handles are great. I've always known this wing had a precision that the handles were dampening or holding back. With the hard handles you really get a sense of the wings stiffness in handling and pumping. You can throw the wing around with a lot more precision and recover from a botched move easily because the power is so direct. The improvement is remarkable and I would venture to say the handles are a must-have for the wing. They pack up just fine although I would probably take them off if I were traveling with the wing so that they don't rub. They are extremely light and the wing luffs just as well as with the normal handles.
that said - there are some flaws. (1) There is absolutely no soft bumper or padding and I'm confident in saying that they will eventually ding my board. I might need to pad the ends with some adhesive foam. (2) more a matter of the wing design - but if the front handle were even 2" longer I think it would make 1 handed riding much better. You can 1 hand it if you are overpowered but it could be better. (3) the Glide rides really well at the top end of its range but I feel like these handles combined with the stiff construction make the top end a bit twitchy. Like to the point where I would worry about my shoulders if I were overpowered in gusty conditions. They improve the low end and pumping drastically but I might prefer the soft handles when overpowered. (4) I wish the front handle had a trigger grip (like the Takuma wing). You can half luff at the front of the handle, but the trigger grip would make it better. (5) I'm not sure they need to sell these in pairs. I haven't tried yet but I think I would see all of the improvement with just the front handle and a soft back handle. I don't think the precision or stiffness is needed on the rear handle
Anybody who has these handles know which direction is front and which is back? There is a fat end and a thin end and the instructions don't specify which direction they go. Maybe it doesn't matter?

Your the second person i know who has mentioned this. I would like to hear your theory on what real life motion would have a mounted handle, damage a board.
Personally i think its completely improbable, all factors involved.

Select to expand quote

Velocicraptor said..
Verdict is in - the handles are great. I've always known this wing had a precision that the handles were dampening or holding back. With the hard handles you really get a sense of the wings stiffness in handling and pumping. You can throw the wing around with a lot more precision and recover from a botched move easily because the power is so direct. The improvement is remarkable and I would venture to say the handles are a must-have for the wing. They pack up just fine although I would probably take them off if I were traveling with the wing so that they don't rub. They are extremely light and the wing luffs just as well as with the normal handles.
that said - there are some flaws. (1) There is absolutely no soft bumper or padding and I'm confident in saying that they will eventually ding my board. I might need to pad the ends with some adhesive foam. (2) more a matter of the wing design - but if the front handle were even 2" longer I think it would make 1 handed riding much better. You can 1 hand it if you are overpowered but it could be better. (3) the Glide rides really well at the top end of its range but I feel like these handles combined with the stiff construction make the top end a bit twitchy. Like to the point where I would worry about my shoulders if I were overpowered in gusty conditions. They improve the low end and pumping drastically but I might prefer the soft handles when overpowered. (4) I wish the front handle had a trigger grip (like the Takuma wing). You can half luff at the front of the handle, but the trigger grip would make it better. (5) I'm not sure they need to sell these in pairs. I haven't tried yet but I think I would see all of the improvement with just the front handle and a soft back handle. I don't think the precision or stiffness is needed on the rear handle
Anybody who has these handles know which direction is front and which is back? There is a fat end and a thin end and the instructions don't specify which direction they go. Maybe it doesn't matter?

Your the second person i know who has mentioned this. I would like to hear your theory on what real life motion would have a mounted handle, damage a board.
Personally i think its completely improbable, all factors involved.

Select to expand quote

martyman said..

Velocicraptor said..
Verdict is in - the handles are great. I've always known this wing had a precision that the handles were dampening or holding back. With the hard handles you really get a sense of the wings stiffness in handling and pumping. You can throw the wing around with a lot more precision and recover from a botched move easily because the power is so direct. The improvement is remarkable and I would venture to say the handles are a must-have for the wing. They pack up just fine although I would probably take them off if I were traveling with the wing so that they don't rub. They are extremely light and the wing luffs just as well as with the normal handles.
that said - there are some flaws. (1) There is absolutely no soft bumper or padding and I'm confident in saying that they will eventually ding my board. I might need to pad the ends with some adhesive foam. (2) more a matter of the wing design - but if the front handle were even 2" longer I think it would make 1 handed riding much better. You can 1 hand it if you are overpowered but it could be better. (3) the Glide rides really well at the top end of its range but I feel like these handles combined with the stiff construction make the top end a bit twitchy. Like to the point where I would worry about my shoulders if I were overpowered in gusty conditions. They improve the low end and pumping drastically but I might prefer the soft handles when overpowered. (4) I wish the front handle had a trigger grip (like the Takuma wing). You can half luff at the front of the handle, but the trigger grip would make it better. (5) I'm not sure they need to sell these in pairs. I haven't tried yet but I think I would see all of the improvement with just the front handle and a soft back handle. I don't think the precision or stiffness is needed on the rear handle
Anybody who has these handles know which direction is front and which is back? There is a fat end and a thin end and the instructions don't specify which direction they go. Maybe it doesn't matter?

Your the second person i know who has mentioned this. I would like to hear your theory on what real life motion would have a mounted handle, damage a board.
Personally i think its completely improbable, all factors involved.

Even just a botched stinkbug start in gusty or choppy conditions could slam the front handle onto the deck of the board. The handles also have pretty sharp corners on them so a blow from the corner wouldn't even have to be very hard to concentrate enough force to ding a board. I've used the handles for probably 4 sessions now and I have already made contact with the board several times and while I haven't dinged my board yet, I think it's almost inevitable. Certainly not far fetched.

Select to expand quote

martyman said..

Velocicraptor said..
Verdict is in - the handles are great. I've always known this wing had a precision that the handles were dampening or holding back. With the hard handles you really get a sense of the wings stiffness in handling and pumping. You can throw the wing around with a lot more precision and recover from a botched move easily because the power is so direct. The improvement is remarkable and I would venture to say the handles are a must-have for the wing. They pack up just fine although I would probably take them off if I were traveling with the wing so that they don't rub. They are extremely light and the wing luffs just as well as with the normal handles.
that said - there are some flaws. (1) There is absolutely no soft bumper or padding and I'm confident in saying that they will eventually ding my board. I might need to pad the ends with some adhesive foam. (2) more a matter of the wing design - but if the front handle were even 2" longer I think it would make 1 handed riding much better. You can 1 hand it if you are overpowered but it could be better. (3) the Glide rides really well at the top end of its range but I feel like these handles combined with the stiff construction make the top end a bit twitchy. Like to the point where I would worry about my shoulders if I were overpowered in gusty conditions. They improve the low end and pumping drastically but I might prefer the soft handles when overpowered. (4) I wish the front handle had a trigger grip (like the Takuma wing). You can half luff at the front of the handle, but the trigger grip would make it better. (5) I'm not sure they need to sell these in pairs. I haven't tried yet but I think I would see all of the improvement with just the front handle and a soft back handle. I don't think the precision or stiffness is needed on the rear handle
Anybody who has these handles know which direction is front and which is back? There is a fat end and a thin end and the instructions don't specify which direction they go. Maybe it doesn't matter?

Your the second person i know who has mentioned this. I would like to hear your theory on what real life motion would have a mounted handle, damage a board.
Personally i think its completely improbable, all factors involved.

I've damaged a semi-rigid handle on a board, I'm sure a similar motion with a rigid handle could damage the board.

Select to expand quote

Grantmac said..

martyman said..

Velocicraptor said..
Verdict is in - the handles are great. I've always known this wing had a precision that the handles were dampening or holding back. With the hard handles you really get a sense of the wings stiffness in handling and pumping. You can throw the wing around with a lot more precision and recover from a botched move easily because the power is so direct. The improvement is remarkable and I would venture to say the handles are a must-have for the wing. They pack up just fine although I would probably take them off if I were traveling with the wing so that they don't rub. They are extremely light and the wing luffs just as well as with the normal handles.
that said - there are some flaws. (1) There is absolutely no soft bumper or padding and I'm confident in saying that they will eventually ding my board. I might need to pad the ends with some adhesive foam. (2) more a matter of the wing design - but if the front handle were even 2" longer I think it would make 1 handed riding much better. You can 1 hand it if you are overpowered but it could be better. (3) the Glide rides really well at the top end of its range but I feel like these handles combined with the stiff construction make the top end a bit twitchy. Like to the point where I would worry about my shoulders if I were overpowered in gusty conditions. They improve the low end and pumping drastically but I might prefer the soft handles when overpowered. (4) I wish the front handle had a trigger grip (like the Takuma wing). You can half luff at the front of the handle, but the trigger grip would make it better. (5) I'm not sure they need to sell these in pairs. I haven't tried yet but I think I would see all of the improvement with just the front handle and a soft back handle. I don't think the precision or stiffness is needed on the rear handle
Anybody who has these handles know which direction is front and which is back? There is a fat end and a thin end and the instructions don't specify which direction they go. Maybe it doesn't matter?

Your the second person i know who has mentioned this. I would like to hear your theory on what real life motion would have a mounted handle, damage a board.
Personally i think its completely improbable, all factors involved.

I've damaged a semi-rigid handle on a board, I'm sure a similar motion with a rigid handle could damage the board.

With a wing? What wing? The biomechamics of it seem so entirely improbable it's not even worth contemplating...in my mind anyways.