Light Wind Winging

[RichieFoiling]

Anyone doing a lot of light wind winging on a downwind style board? I recently got a downwind board and have been winging it a bunch but have been struggling with the jibe. On my 85L wing board I'm jibing no problem and working on tacks but when I switch to the big board I have a hard time. I feel like it is one part needing to figure out some sort of light wind jibe maneuver on the wing and one part the narrow and long board being a little harder to control in the turn. Anyone have any tips?

[Wingman]

@Hdip @dcj @Steamroller

[Hdip]

It's just harder to turn the big board around. Swing weight. Are you in the ocean or lake? Use whatever wind chop energy you can find to help turn around. Build speed before the turn if possible. Take your time on the turn.

I'm guessing you're using a big foil. So use the glide of that big foil to make the turn, repower the wing as you pump out of the turn to rebuild apparent wind. I'm half in Wingman's camp here that the big board doesn't add a ton of low end. The big foil is helping you more than anything in light wind. The big board can allow a smaller size hand wing, which can be nice.

[RichieFoiling]

@Hdip Thanks for the advice. I'm mostly winging at Cabrillo and use all the swell and wind chop I can to get it around but guess I just need to get used to the big board.

For me the big board is a huge advantage. Mostly like you said getting to use a smaller wing even when its light. I'm 200 lbs and to go out in 15 knots would mean I would need a 6 or 7 so when I take the big board I can use my 5 and be just fine. Ill be joining the Downwind SUP struggle bus soon so its nice to spend some time on foil on the board with the wing to just get used to it.

[Wingman]

I'm half in Wingman's camp here that the big board doesn't add a ton of low end. The big foil is helping you more than anything in light wind.

100%
My latest thoughts on this (and I was just talking to Greg from Omen about this yesterday) is that the downwind shape is a lie for SMALL boards. That’s why I wasn’t seeing any benefit from that shape in the 60-85 liter range. As the board gets smaller I think the main things that help a board get going are flat bottom, nose volume, and maybe most importantly a fat tail. My last board I made the tail even more narrow for harder turns in the surf and it destroyed the low end. I think that’s why so many people are enjoying the Omen.

But how can a fat tail be better when the DW board are all pin tails?

Because once you get to a 100L or more board, it’s possible people are having trouble getting speed due to drag. So it’s not so much that a DW board makes it easier to get on foil (because as we know from windsurfing flat and wide is early to plane), it’s more that the downwind board allows a BIG board to gain speed which some foils require prior to flight. And also like you said. Moving a big frictiony board would require a bigger hand wing.

However if you are good at pumping and on a big foil I would bet the actual low end difference in a 120L downwind board and a neutrally buoyant flat classic board is negligible.

[Hdip]

but guess I just need to get used to the big board.

That's the key right there. I blow my first few jibes every time I wing the DW board.

[Wingman]

Had one more thought @RichieFoiling. Is your foil in the right place? Seems like on a downwind board lots of potential for foil to be in the wrong spot and mess up the balance for turning.

[dat_foil_life]

@RichieFoiling What size is your bigger board full dimensions?

[dat_foil_life]

I’m 210lbs and ride a 6’7” x 20” 98L board. It works great for all wind conditions and since leadbetter in Santa Barbara is a light wind location I use it in 10-12mph winds all the time. I use a 1290 eagle as my large foil and most the time only have to go as big as a 7m hand wing even though I do have a 8m and will use that on occasion too. The board and foil jibe great in light wind but yes it’s a trick to get used to light winds. It’s not the same as steady 15-18mph winds.

[Wingman]

@RichieFoiling What size is your bigger board full dimensions?

Dang this dude signs up and figures out the mentions in his first post. Legend. @dat_foil_life