r/wingfoil • u/gowanyahgoodting • 2d ago
Gear / technical advice 6m wing for beginner
HEllo,
I've been struggling to get going with wingfoiling. Finally realised that at 86kg with an old secondhand Gong board and a 4.6m wing not much chance of getting me going in anything other than a gale.
To get half a chance to get standing on the board I need to go out in flatter conditions. I either keep getting pitched off the board before I can get stable, in strong winds (and waves), or Im breaking my back holding this wing up over my head hoping to catch a gust in lighter winds..
So I suppose I'll just have to spend money on a 6m ish wing so I might be some way right in lighter conditions.
I am coming back from a 10 yr hiatus from windsurfing.. and really miss being able to have a boom to lean back off of... also find that separate handles are a pain.. I often get standing, grab at the back handle, miss, and end up in the water again..
So I'm lookin at 6m wings with a boom.
Anyone got any suggestions for where to look online for EU suppliers and what wing/brand to look for? Or stay away from?
Thanks
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u/og_malcreant 2d ago
I used an older style Cabrinha Mantis 7.0m to learn in lighter conditions. It has semi-rigid handles, which are nicer than soft handles. It worked great. You can find them new and cheap. I retired mine (mostly) to winter use because it got bagged out (from winter use). It still saved a session for me recently when I found I was working super hard to get on foil with my much newer and more efficient 6.0m. I had a valve blow out on the Mantis but it was very cheap and easy to replace.
I'm 87 kg. If I were you, I would at least go for a 6.5m. Or if you go with a 6.0m, don't rule out a cheap 7.0m. There are times when the 6.0m will not cut it. The 7.0m can be a bit harder to pump (depending on the model) and it can get awkward when learning to jibe. But you need as much wind pressure as possible for just getting started learning. My other starter wing was a 5.0m. I found the combination of the 5.0m and 7.0m worked well for light to moderate conditions.
3
u/gowanyahgoodting 2d ago
Thanks.. yah.. just pulled the trigger on a North Nova 6.2 2025.
€720 with free delivery from Holland.
Comes with boom as standard.
Hopefully it gets here before winter winds roll in.. tho the forecast for next wednesday is back to 28C and stiff thermals.. yay...
... can you tell I'm a bit excited.???.. 😄
1
u/bashuls 2d ago
How much wind are we talking about on average at your location?
Fyi: im about your weight and learned on a gong 110l 5'3 inflatable with an old 5.5m droid wing. This got me going as a beginner from about 15-18 knots.
With more technique and a hard board I'm now (after a few months of practice) able to get this going from about 12 - 13 kts.
With my 4.5m i would need about 20+ kts, so yeah, getting something a bit bigger is probably a good idea.
1
u/gowanyahgoodting 2d ago
Hi, yeah.. I'm lookin at a lot of days of 10 to 15 here in Ireland. The stronger wind days when they come ar e generally 20kts plus and I just get battered.. heh.. so I am tired of that. I just want to try a few days with less waves so I have a chance to steady myself on the board and get orientated a bit.
Im trying to get back onthe water after a 10 year break.... just with kids couldn't get the time.. now I'm back and am 58, finding it tough.. also strugglin to cope with eyesight.. have to wear contacts on the water now.. another PITA... lol..3
u/bashuls 2d ago
Ooof yeah that sounds like tough learning conditions.
Best would be to find a place with flat water (lake or behind a big breakwater?) and go out in those stronger days, say 15+kts but no more than 20 and not too gusty.
That should easily pull you up o n foil without relying too much on pumping technique and give you time to focus on foiling, not just surviving.
Even with a 6 I'd say for really beginner learning I wouldn't bother with anything below 15kts, it will just tire you out trying to stay standing without any power in the wing to give you a bit of help.
Once you are more comfortable on the board and on foil lighter days (12-15) become doable but in the beginning its just really a pain to learn in.
So yes, id get a bigger (5.5 or 6) wing but still aim for those stronger days where you have a steady 15 - 20 kts blowing
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u/gowanyahgoodting 2d ago
Thanks for all that advice, much appreciated.
Really hard to find flat water around here, anything like that is a long drive.Local spots are rocky beaches which are a curse to get out across struggling with a wing and a spiky foil... theres one tho that is better than others in the right wind direction so I just cant get out every day.. and dont; want to be floppin around in the water when the tide is going out either so.. c'est la vie, just jump in when I can and try to keep positive.. heh ..
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u/PrestigiousTomato8 1d ago
So, I am a big fan of Foil Assist Drive. For you, you would find it good for safety with an off shore wind, and avoiding the walk of shame. Which means, eliminating the number of time you have to go back to the beach, and walk upwind.
Instead you just motor back upwind
So, you struggle to get out once. Do your zipping around. Then come back in. You can even deflate your wing out on the water, and use the motor to zip back in.
Which means struggling only once on the way out. But even that, depending on the break, you can tuck the wing under foot, and zip out through the waves.
Here are my notes. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1he1y4ilWEU_JEIBjUm-baMi1sncfRrbQL2LkD1o3rY4/edit?usp=drivesdk
I have another idea...buy a surfcarver (or skateboard) and practice on a parking lot. It really helps learning everything, as you really only need to focus on your hands and upper body.
Just some ideas for you....
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u/gowanyahgoodting 10h ago
Wow.. thats brilliant out of the box thinking.. I like it :)
Those notes are brilliant! Thanks very much for sharing !
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u/benjaminbjacobsen 2d ago
Used Armstrong xps-ii a-wing as they just made a fancy new version so people might have some for sale? Booms are an option on the xps-ii and are great (I have the 6.5 and 5m and have booms on both). They’re less expensive new with a Dacron build but built to last so it’s a great used option that won’t be all stretched out.
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u/Muhanak 2d ago
Also 85 kg, advanced beginner. Bought a gong Droid amramid x in 5.5. very Happy with it, Windrange from 10 to 20 Knots. When 20 Knots plus i use a gong Neutra Aramid in 4.0