Interested in learning a wind sport/ wind-wing foiling

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Roland
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Joined: 05/20/2019 - 11:42
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Interested in learning a wind sport/ wind-wing foiling

The wind-wings that is the current popular thing, (or at least talked about thing) with SUP foilers has caught my interest.

I'm a former water guy, but nowadays I just SUP surf some and flat water paddle some. The surf foiling and downwind foiling has captured my interest most. My goal of destination surf or downwind foiling seems within my grasp but time will tell. I'm learning to foil behind a boat for now, with my 2 adult boys. I was thinking a wind wing could be nice addition to have on eastcoast and Gulf beach trips and fun at local lakes with the family.

Wind sports has always SEEMED too involved for me, cost, leaning curve, physically demanding... But now seeing all the wind-wings videos and finding this forum it seems that this wind sport may work to some degree even in Atlanta for me. Seeing 5m and even 7m wings coming into production and seeing some 10 knots and less foiling videos...

So I guess my question is, are there many days of 10-15 knot wind at local lakes Lanier or Oconee to give these wing-wing reasonable try.

I'm glad to have found this forum. Thanks for any feedback.

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Randy
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Re: Interested in learning a wind sport/ wind-wing foiling

Seems like you are on a good path. If you can catch and ride waves at coastal locations with a SUP - perhaps a SUP type foil would make sense. You would probably need to be able to do that before the wings would work for you. These things are so new (just now becoming available at shops) nobody really knows how well they will work. The videos are of world class athletes (and who knows how much editing had to be done). Whether the regular guy can make use of these things is unknown and unproven. I'm as intrigued as anyone with these things but it's pretty early in the game.

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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Roland
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Re: Interested in learning a wind sport/ wind-wing foiling

Thanks Randy for your feedback.

I do know a couple of guys (one my age and one older about 70) average skill guys on Maui that have been taking lessons with 3m Dutones and having beginner type success so I'm optimistic but I'm sure it won't be easy, at least not for me.
I like that some people post here when Van Pugh Park is good. I'm pretty sure I'll be giving this a go.

How do you guys monitor wind conditions at lake Lanier?

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webguy
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Re: Interested in learning a wind sport/ wind-wing foiling
roland.jacques wrote:

Thanks Randy for your feedback.

I do know a couple of guys (one my age and one older about 70) average skill guys on Maui that have been taking lessons with 3m Dutones and having beginner type success so I'm optimistic but I'm sure it won't be easy, at least not for me. I like that some people post here when Van Pugh Park is good. I'm pretty sure I'll be giving this a go.

How do you guys monitor wind conditions at lake Lanier?

Hi Roland. Welcome! Thanks for signing in and asking questions.

As Randy mentioned, most of the videos we've seen of wings is that they are being used in solid 15-20 mph which is uncommon here in the warm months. Most of our wind is September through April - wetsuit required. Also, our wind can be gusty which can make anything wind dependant more challenging than it might be at the coast. That's a big reason the kiting is difficult here (the guys that kite here generally are really good).

I'm guestimating that you'll need at least a 5m wing for the 15-20 range as we need that much area on a sail to foil and the sail will be more efficient. Also, as you are probably aware, it takes a lot more wind (or energy via pumping, etc) to get going than it takes to stay up on the foil. We really don't get a decent wind driven "swell" until winds are 15-25 in the main channel (which is one reason we congregate at Van Pugh so often)

I'd also suggest take another look at windfoiling. It's not that hard - good instructors are finding that people can give it a go very early in the windsurf learning curve. It will be more efficient and require a whole lot less wind to have a dependable day. Take a look at this:

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/sport/other/new-code-windfoiling-could-return-zealand-top-windsurfing

Lastly, check out the weather tab on the front page for some of the resources we use to keep an eye on potential windy days. As well, we are very good about sharing on the forum when we are thinking of going. Think of it more as a support group for wind starved folks than anything else. Biggrin Whatever you decide to do, share your journey with us - we all enjoy learning new things here.

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Roland
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Re: Interested in learning a wind sport/ wind-wing foiling

Thanks for the good info Webguy. September thru December seems like a good time to be learning how do this. I'm not dedicate enough to do anything in the water for the winter months.

I found this about the Duotone wings on a vendor's website.
2m² 22 - 35 knots
3m 20 - 30 knots
4m 14 - 22 knots
5m 10 - 17 knots
Learning how to pump the SUP onto a foil may be a good thing in light winds. (If possible)

I plain on waiting to see what Gong's version will be like. Price wise and to see if their 7 meter wing is going to be manageable. It might be worth waiting for, but waiting has never been much strong suite.

Just looking at some of the different brands comming out, the duel struts of the Signature wing looks like it could be easier to fly in gusty winds but who knows.

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webguy
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webguy
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Re: Interested in learning a wind sport/ wind-wing foiling
roland.jacques wrote:

Thanks for the good info Webguy. September thru December seems like a good time to be learning how do this. I'm not dedicate enough to do anything in the water for the winter months.

I found this about the Duotone wings on a vendor's website. 2m² 22 - 35 knots 3m 20 - 30 knots 4m 14 - 22 knots 5m 10 - 17 knots Learning how to pump the SUP onto a foil may be a good thing in light winds. (If possible)

I plain on waiting to see what Gong's version will be like. Price wise and to see if their 7 meter wing is going to be manageable. It might be worth waiting for, but waiting has never been much strong suite.

Just looking at some of the different brands comming out, the duel struts of the Signature wing looks like it could be easier to fly in gusty winds but who knows.

Side note: 1 knot = 1.15 mph since our forecasts and what we talk about for inland winds generally are mph. Knots are generally used for anything that involves salt water and airplanes. Don't ask me why - I wasn't invited to that meeting. Biggrin

Point of this is that the Duotone recs for the 5.0 in our terms become 12-20 which is 6.5-7.5 sail range for most of us in back and forth mode fin mode (foil is probably a meter less). I would imagine this also requires a big wing of 1500-2000 cm2. I think you'd want to see a decent amount of white caps in a coastal area for this to work. That's probably a couple of mph (there I go again...) less than what we've been spitballing here but that also may factor in the increased buoyancy of salt water which has a measurable effect on getting boards going.

My gut feeling is that a 7.0 is going to be big for a hand held wing - especially in gusts - trying to keep the tips out of the water, etc. But, since smarter people than me are involved in this, it'll be interesting to see what pans out.

I have long said that I can't understand why we've never seen SUPers do a long downwind on a really windy Lanier day. The swells would be fun to ride in my ignorant opinion. Fortunately for us, foils are now giving us windfoilers the opportunity (and it's a blast).

Here's a taste from a master of the craft, Casey Treichler on Lake Erie (these have been posted previously but always worth another look):


and
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Roland