Wind wing foiling v. Windsurf foiling.

[noelh325901]

For those with who do both. Which do you feel allows for more rapid development in terms of getting a feel for riding a foil?

[NOVAAN]

If your already a windsurfer than you know how to manage a sail, mast and boom. The addition of a foil just adds one new thing. Most guys here are flying the first day. If your new to wind sports, than it might be easier to learn wing foiling. Mostly because of the ease of set up and weight of the wing. I don't wing yet. That said the pump and go is so much easier than rigging a sail, that I going to give it a try if we get water in the lake. The "winger's" here are getting really good.

[dllee]

Wingdinging is like kiteboarding a big board without the hassle of 20 meter lines.

[dllee]

Conditions is everything.
In steady 12, allaire easy.
In 2-20, a struggle for all.

[d0uglass]

My first foiling experience was windfoiling, and I found it not too hard. I got up almost instantly and it just took me a few sessions to be flying steadily. Foiling jibes took longer, but I've got 'em now.

As for the handheld wing: I don't own one but I've used my buddy's several times, both on a longboard with a daggerboard and on buddy's 6'6" 140 liter foilboard.

As a windsurfer, it was quite easy to use the wing on the the longboard with the daggerboard, although the wind has to be pretty strong to "feel" the forces and responsiveness of the wing. In light wind it's just awkward like you're standing and trying to fold a fitted sheet- easy to drift downwind. With a windsurf sail you can tack your way back to shore through light and gusty offshore winds, but I wouldn't dare go out with the wing unless the wind was steady and sideshore / onshore.

Using the wing with the little foilboard was quite challenging, even already knowing how to windfoil, but it IS fun, and if the wind is steady and strong enough you can get the feel of it reasonably quickly. It's just not as efficient as with the windsurf sail- needs more wind to work properly, and doesn't get the speeds and upwind angles. If I was a millionaire I would buy one to fool around with, but not worth it for me now since I already have the windfoil kit.

[kevinkan]

i'm closing the efficiency gap between wind foiling and wing dinging. however, I still think i get going earlier w/ a sail. I find pitch control much simpler w/ the wing ding. I'm also using a huge 2400cm2 foil wing dinging, and only ~1500cm2 wind foiling... I have used the ~2kcm2 wing for both also.

different experiences, and both are fun. I wind foiled for about a year before trying the wing ding, so I already had some foil knowledge.

If you really want to get a feel for the foil as easily as possible, tow behind a boat or jetski if that option is available to you.

[dllee]

Watched 200 lb Kev wingfoil all around on 4 meter wing while 2 freestyles of lighter weight slog/barely plane on sails around 4.8 to 5.2.
G/f solid planing on 6.0, so wind was in the 13-20 range.
I spent 150 days in '01 at Alameda learning to kite. Got maybe 7 good days and 20 really holey days.
Lucky I also went to Berkeley and Marina Bay for 30 more good days.
Messing around with Robert's Duo Wing, sure reminds me of kiteboarding.

[kevinkan]

was wondering what she was on... good to know. was quite a bit windier earlier and really perfect conditions for the 4m wing. my legs were getting tired by the time i saw her... i was falling all over the place.

[dllee]

Ist jibe, yes, then you got better and better linking several. Plus, you got upwind easily on what would be 6.0 windsurf wind.

[LUCARO]