Asking for your expert-advice on using a parawing in order to do downwinders. I only have a 60L wingboard (at 72kg) which i use for all conditions winging (8-30 knots). I've been downwinding with the wing last weekend and found it to be a lot of fun. Only the wing was quite annoying when going with the waves. So my idea is to get a decently big parawing (4-5m^2) only to be used to get on foil in decent conditions (20 knots +). So no upwind riding. I'd consider myself a good wingfoiler and am especially used to pumping wing + board in low conditions. Would you say that
a) The idea sounds reasonable?
b) The learning path should be doable (learning to take off with a parawing on a small board)

Almost forgot: Obviously the reason for wanting to go this route is that i don't want to buy a second board right now due to space and monetary limitations.

Appreciate any hints!

Select to expand quote

zebras said..
Asking for your expert-advice on using a parawing in order to do downwinders. I only have a 60L wingboard (at 72kg) which i use for all conditions winging (8-30 knots). I've been downwinding with the wing last weekend and found it to be a lot of fun. Only the wing was quite annoying when going with the waves. So my idea is to get a decently big parawing (4-5m^2) only to be used to get on foil in decent conditions (20 knots +). So no upwind riding. I'd consider myself a good wingfoiler and am especially used to pumping wing + board in low conditions. Would you say that
a) The idea sounds reasonable?
b) The learning path should be doable (learning to take off with a parawing on a small board)

Almost forgot: Obviously the reason for wanting to go this route is that i don't want to buy a second board right now due to space and monetary limitations.

Appreciate any hints!

I am using an 85l board at 90kg with enough wind it is good. 20knots and 4m+ you will be fine. As you get better you will find it easier. If you can borrow a larger board for the first few sessions it will make the learning curve faster. Wind is your friend

Thanks for the reply! I guess could take my girlfriends 80L board for the first sessions in order to make life a bit easier :-) It's not especially long and narrow but the extra volume certainly won't hurt. But I'm taking from your answer that my goal is not completely of the wall.

What shape is your 60L wingboard? From everything I've seen online everyone is recommending a mid length, longer narrower than standard wingboard, as a minimum. Haven't seen much of people on short fat boards making it work.

If you know how to wing, you know how to parawing, it's quite easy.

Longer is better with boards, the parawings get overpowered quickly so if your on a board that takes more wind to get going you could be overpowered once on the foil. Long and narrow gets going earlier so less likely to be overpowered once foiling.

Don't bother with anything bigger than a 4 or 4.2, at your weight there won't be any swell when a 5mtr would work.

Select to expand quote

Youngbreezy said..
What shape is your 60L wingboard? From everything I've seen online everyone is recommending a mid length, longer narrower than standard wingboard, as a minimum. Haven't seen much of people on short fat boards making it work.

I'm using an F-One Rocket wing 5'0. It's not especially long and narrow I'm afraid. I know a ML board would be best but I really don't want to buy a new Board if it's not really necessary.

Select to expand quote

zebras said..

Youngbreezy said..
What shape is your 60L wingboard? From everything I've seen online everyone is recommending a mid length, longer narrower than standard wingboard, as a minimum. Haven't seen much of people on short fat boards making it work.

I'm using an F-One Rocket wing 5'0. It's not especially long and narrow I'm afraid. I know a ML board would be best but I really don't want to buy a new Board if it's not really necessary.

you can get away with that board for pw but you will be giving up the low end. Just wing if it's light and pw when you have plenty of wind and you will be fine.

Will say that you should definitely borrow a larger board to learn though.

I have been learning to parawing on my downwind board and finding it quite easy. I am now looking to move to my 5'10" carver and wondering if it's the right choice for my weight. It's 5''10"x 20 x 85L and I'm 105kgs so-20L. For winging I use this board for everything and can get going easily even in very light winds. Most of the info I've seen is saying parawing you want to go about equal volume to weight with a Midlength shape. Do you think-20L will be a bit too low for me? I'll mostly just use the 5'10" for parawing when it's solid wind 18 knots plus.

Anything is possible with enough wind Sveny gets up on total sinkers and he is 100kg+ www.instagram.com/p/DF9PMqhvnbA/

Select to expand quote

Youngbreezy said..
I have been learning to parawing on my downwind board and finding it quite easy. I am now looking to move to my 5'10" carver and wondering if it's the right choice for my weight. It's 5''10"x 20 x 85L and I'm 105kgs so-20L. For winging I use this board for everything and can get going easily even in very light winds. Most of the info I've seen is saying parawing you want to go about equal volume to weight with a Midlength shape. Do you think-20L will be a bit too low for me? I'll mostly just use the 5'10" for parawing when it's solid wind 18 knots plus.

I'm about 90kg and I use my 65L 5'6 with no issues! Similar shape to my 5'10 Carver. I could probably downsize to be honest.

I weigh 88kg and have three boards that I can use with my 5.1 BRM pw.

130l DW board for light wind conditions (10-15)

78l F One Mid length which is fun once its hitting 15mph gusts more consistently

and my 48l Omen Flux which I have not tried yet but I am now confident it will start to work around 18-20 with the 5m

I have a 3m on the way though and honestly I think I would rather ride a 3m on the 78l mid length vs riding the smaller flux. Small boards are fun but don't have much margin if the wind drops and require you to use a larger pw

Select to expand quote

zarb said..

Youngbreezy said..
I have been learning to parawing on my downwind board and finding it quite easy. I am now looking to move to my 5'10" carver and wondering if it's the right choice for my weight. It's 5''10"x 20 x 85L and I'm 105kgs so-20L. For winging I use this board for everything and can get going easily even in very light winds. Most of the info I've seen is saying parawing you want to go about equal volume to weight with a Midlength shape. Do you think-20L will be a bit too low for me? I'll mostly just use the 5'10" for parawing when it's solid wind 18 knots plus.

I'm about 90kg and I use my 65L 5'6 with no issues! Similar shape to my 5'10 Carver. I could probably downsize to be honest.

How much wind do you need to get going on this? What's size parawings and foils are you using?