The long awaited slingwing V2's showed up and managed to score couple of sessions on the 5.4 and 4.0. (Disclaimer I am a SS dealer)
As many have tried or read about, the V1 was well built but a tad on the heavy side and the wing span was not the best for short arms, lack on concentration etc.
The V2 is a completely different beast. Much, much lighter in the hands, super smooth power delivery (not that crazy on/off power that some wings have) and consistent through the gybes.
reduced wing span, trailing edge mini battens, Y handles and harness line attachments it's all there and some. We have some decent looking winds coming next week and I'm looking forward to dialing in the 4.0 in the stronger stuff.
Because of the wind conditions I spent more time on the 5.4. First day was average of 11 knots and with good pumping technique could get it flying in around 12 or so. The 2nd day the wind had stronger puffs and it loved the 14/15 knot range.
Overall very impressed with the new wings and I noticed a lot less fatigue as well, cannot wait for more wind for more testing.
Are the handles closer together on the smaller wing? I have the 6.4 and my biggest complaint is the arm reach needed. Makes toe side up wind uncomfortable.
Select to expand quoteflkiter said..
Are the handles closer together on the smaller wing? I have the 6.4 and my biggest complaint is the arm reach needed. Makes toe side up wind uncomfortable.
No handle distance issue On either the 5.4 or 4.0. I'll measure to see if there is anything substantial?
The 4.0 does have one rear handle less on the strut.
Onyour 6.4 do you prefer to use the Y handle or the front handle on the strut? And what's your minimum wind needed?
I like the front handle. I was in 12-15 knots. I was on an Axis 1150 then gave that set up to a buddy to try and I went on a 4.2 F1 and a Axis 1000 and I was able to ride with no issues. I feel that the slingshot isn't a good low wind wing but will be a blast in the high winds. Was also the easiest wing I've used for 360's and tacks. I'll measure tomorrow the distance.
Select to expand quoteflkiter said..
I like the front handle. I was in 12-15 knots. I was on an Axis 1150 then gave that set up to a buddy to try and I went on a 4.2 F1 and a Axis 1000 and I was able to ride with no issues. I feel that the slingshot isn't a good low wind wing but will be a blast in the high winds. Was also the easiest wing I've used for 360's and tacks. I'll measure tomorrow the distance.
How much do you weigh?
i use the SS infinity 99 wing (2396 cm) for the lighter days and had no problem gliding in 11/12 knots with the 5.4.
170 lbs. Getting up wasn't the issue. Just the amount of distance of the handles wasn't comfortable. I gave it to a few of the riders and that was the first or only complaint I got back from them. Heading to the beach so I'll measure that handle distance today. It's very interesting how these wings can be so different and look so close in design for such a simple toy.
Select to expand quoteflkiter said..
170 lbs. Getting up wasn't the issue. Just the amount of distance of the handles wasn't comfortable. I gave it to a few of the riders and that was the first or only complaint I got back from them. Heading to the beach so I'll measure that handle distance today. It's very interesting how these wings can be so different and look so close in design for such a simple toy.
I demo'd a 6.4m today and loved it. Easiest wing I've used so far and I found it as comfortable to use as my smaller fone 5m. Unlike klkiter I think it is a great low wind wing. I'm short and the wingspan felt tiny, I didn't cat h any wing tips and there was alot of mush out there. It's weird, the reach for the handle is big, when you fall off and knee start you notice it, but when up and riding it's super comfy and it perhaps forces you into the correct holding position as it felt so balanced. Handles great, very light, luff great.. I had my best session yet. Beginner 75kgs..
BTW... I must have looked like a right numpty today. Onshore, high tide and the sea was a mess. Not the best to test a new large wing. My approach to give myself some distance from the beach was to prone paddle out over the bumps with the wing flying calming behind me with the leash gripped between my TEETH! It worked a treat although I must have looked a clown.. It did prove how calm the wing is when luffed..
Select to expand quoteIanInca said..flkiter said..
170 lbs. Getting up wasn't the issue. Just the amount of distance of the handles wasn't comfortable. I gave it to a few of the riders and that was the first or only complaint I got back from them. Heading to the beach so I'll measure that handle distance today. It's very interesting how these wings can be so different and look so close in design for such a simple toy.
I demo'd a 6.4m today and loved it. Easiest wing I've used so far and I found it as comfortable to use as my smaller fone 5m. Unlike klkiter I think it is a great low wind wing. I'm short and the wingspan felt tiny, I didn't cat h any wing tips and there was alot of mush out there. It's weird, the reach for the handle is big, when you fall off and knee start you notice it, but when up and riding it's super comfy and it perhaps forces you into the correct holding position as it felt so balanced. Handles great, very light, luff great.. I had my best session yet. Beginner 75kgs..
BTW... I must have looked like a right numpty today. Onshore, high tide and the sea was a mess. Not the best to test a new large wing. My approach to give myself some distance from the beach was to prone paddle out over the bumps with the wing flying calming behind me with the leash gripped between my TEETH! It worked a treat although I must have looked a clown.. It did prove how calm the wing is when luffed..
I am looking forward to trying the 6.4 next, I have been using the 5.4 in a complete spectrum of wind strengths lately and it's so balanced and I agree the wing tips is a huge improvement, very rarely do they ever catch.
I have not tested the Fone wing so cannot compare against it but I feel the it's light enough and yet a solid build enough to take some abuse.
Biggest plus is gybing, it stays perfectly balanced over head and ready to power back out of the carve through a light wind hole.
I'm looking forward to your comments about the 6.4. Maybe SS will introduce a 7.4 for the real light wind days. A number of different companies have 7.0s. Naish has a 7.2.
I've used both a Wasp and an Echo. Big differences between these two.
Please keep the videos coming.
I have been flying the 4.4 and 5.4 a bunch lately. I mostly use the Infinity 84 with 48cm stab and 29" mast(all the way forward) on an outwit 6'6". My previous wings have been Slingwing V1, F-One 5M and Gong V1 7m. I'm going to compare them to the F-One since thats the only other one that was in the same category of radness. My opinion is in early development and may seem biased towards the F-one because I only have a handful of sessions on the Slingshots and 100+ sessions on the F-One. That being said, I sold the F-one and committed to SS.
Weight- F-one is lighter but not very noticeable when flying to me.
Rigidity- Slingshot much stiffer although I'm still deciding whether or not this is a plus or minus. The Dihedral on the Swing keeps it more stable when luffed and when flying.
Power delivery- Swing is smoother when pumping up and more forgiving in transition. The Slingshot power can be turned on and off quickly which has been tricky. When pumping up to foil the Slingshot powerstroke seems shorter(although powerful) before it goes to nothing. The Swing was smooth through the whole stroke and more forgiving.
Handles - The Swing handles while flimsy worked fine and didn't hurt fingers or hands. Slingshot has different amount of handles on each size, so there is some trial and error to figure out which ones work. Slingshot handles are thicker and stiffer and so far not bothering me. I'm certain that they could have left off on the 5.4 the last 2 and the one in front that is turned 90 degrees. I also don't use the Y handles but they seem to play a role in the rigidity of the frame.
Wingtips - Slingshot is a boxy low aspect shape with chopped tips. This has been great with accidental wing tip drag. I can get into a more comfortable cruising/upwind position because of this. For initiating carving 360's this has been a little tricky because I really have to lean over to engage the tip in the water and when that happens much more drag comes all at one due to the tip being a large amount of wing. The F-one, I could just lightly drag and control easier through the carve.
Backwinging- The Slingshot with its ultra rigid frame is far superior when backwinding. The F-one gives me more of an unwelcome giftwrap than I am looking for. The slingshot can be leaned against much more predictably.
Transitions - F-one is smoother and more predictable due to the dihedral(I think). The SS is kind of all on or all off. I think that the ability to shut if off quickly will become a bonus as I get used to it but its a bit squirrely for now. The swingweight of the Slingshot seems much less therefore easier to spin or yah around. This is probably from the flat rigidness of the design. I think the rigid handles also help to initiate the rotation of the wing compared to the flimsy F-one handles which I twist and don't translate my wrist rotation to the wing.
Toeside- I am one of those weirdos that does not switch feet. Haters gonna hate. The placement of the Slingshot handles enables me to get in a much more comfortable toeside riding position than the F-one.
Upwind - My early impressions are that Slingshot is a clear winner in this category. I think that the short wingtips and the rigid compact frame work in unison to get the wing in a more upright position that I can lock out both of my elbows and lean against. I was using a lot more rear arm strength on the F-one to pinch upwind. I can jam upwind on my toeside equally as good with SS.
Hovermode - When flagging out both of these wings are stable. I would say that the stiffness of the SS handle makes it more reactive to my inputs. This will take some getting used to but probably a plus in the end. The F-one flimsy handle with dihedral canopy keeps it really stable when flagged out, but the wingtips tend to catch the water more due to their longer length.
Overall, I am stoked on the Slingshot wings. I think that I will get used to the differences and embrace them. Now I just need a smaller/lighter board to start some hucking.
Send It!!!!
Select to expand quotebroVan said..
I have been flying the 4.4 and 5.4 a bunch lately. I mostly use the Infinity 84 with 48cm stab and 29" mast(all the way forward) on an outwit 6'6". My previous wings have been Slingwing V1, F-One 5M and Gong V1 7m. I'm going to compare them to the F-One since thats the only other one that was in the same category of radness. My opinion is in early development and may seem biased towards the F-one because I only have a handful of sessions on the Slingshots and 100+ sessions on the F-One. That being said, I sold the F-one and committed to SS.
Weight- F-one is lighter but not very noticeable when flying to me.
Rigidity- Slingshot much stiffer although I'm still deciding whether or not this is a plus or minus. The Dihedral on the Swing keeps it more stable when luffed and when flying.
Power delivery- Swing is smoother when pumping up and more forgiving in transition. The Slingshot power can be turned on and off quickly which has been tricky. When pumping up to foil the Slingshot powerstroke seems shorter(although powerful) before it goes to nothing. The Swing was smooth through the whole stroke and more forgiving.
Handles - The Swing handles while flimsy worked fine and didn't hurt fingers or hands. Slingshot has different amount of handles on each size, so there is some trial and error to figure out which ones work. Slingshot handles are thicker and stiffer and so far not bothering me. I'm certain that they could have left off on the 5.4 the last 2 and the one in front that is turned 90 degrees. I also don't use the Y handles but they seem to play a role in the rigidity of the frame.
Wingtips - Slingshot is a boxy low aspect shape with chopped tips. This has been great with accidental wing tip drag. I can get into a more comfortable cruising/upwind position because of this. For initiating carving 360's this has been a little tricky because I really have to lean over to engage the tip in the water and when that happens much more drag comes all at one due to the tip being a large amount of wing. The F-one, I could just lightly drag and control easier through the carve.
Backwinging- The Slingshot with its ultra rigid frame is far superior when backwinding. The F-one gives me more of an unwelcome giftwrap than I am looking for. The slingshot can be leaned against much more predictably.
Transitions - F-one is smoother and more predictable due to the dihedral(I think). The SS is kind of all on or all off. I think that the ability to shut if off quickly will become a bonus as I get used to it but its a bit squirrely for now. The swingweight of the Slingshot seems much less therefore easier to spin or yah around. This is probably from the flat rigidness of the design. I think the rigid handles also help to initiate the rotation of the wing compared to the flimsy F-one handles which I twist and don't translate my wrist rotation to the wing.
Toeside- I am one of those weirdos that does not switch feet. Haters gonna hate. The placement of the Slingshot handles enables me to get in a much more comfortable toeside riding position than the F-one.
Upwind - My early impressions are that Slingshot is a clear winner in this category. I think that the short wingtips and the rigid compact frame work in unison to get the wing in a more upright position that I can lock out both of my elbows and lean against. I was using a lot more rear arm strength on the F-one to pinch upwind. I can jam upwind on my toeside equally as good with SS.
Hovermode - When flagging out both of these wings are stable. I would say that the stiffness of the SS handle makes it more reactive to my inputs. This will take some getting used to but probably a plus in the end. The F-one flimsy handle with dihedral canopy keeps it really stable when flagged out, but the wingtips tend to catch the water more due to their longer length.
Overall, I am stoked on the Slingshot wings. I think that I will get used to the differences and embrace them. Now I just need a smaller/lighter board to start some hucking.
Send It!!!!
Fantastic report, great detail.
The area I foil has been a little slow on taking up winging (started to change though) so reading your experience between the two wings is good insight.
Not sure how much you weigh? but for my weight 90 kg/200 lbs I can really put some force down on that leading edge (I broke the handles off the V1 from pumping it) so I do enjoy a stiffer leading edge as it gives me a decent springboard feel when pumping.
As a windsurfer the toe-side thing was completely foreign to me at first, but now I enjoy riding out of gybes toe-side or I will do the switch feet first.
Have you tried the 6.4 yet?
I am 81 Kilos 5'11"
Have not tried 6.4 yet but don't see a need at my weight for anything bigger than 5.4. The better I get, the smaller I want.
After two days of practicing with my 4.4 I had to bring it to the repair shop because the fronttube is about blow up.
Why?
Because I think the Slingwing has a construction flaw.
I'm a beginner and several times I had to pull the wing over my board because of dipping wingtips or while trying to bring it in the starting position.
My board is a 4in1 WindfoilSUP with a light antislip paint in front of the deckpad (I don't like wax there).
The seams of the fronttube have no protection patches like the wings of other brands, on the beach we compared that to Ozone, Duotone or Gong.
The thread of the seams has allready vanished at about 10cm of the seam.
So unprotected seams + antislip = damaged fronttube, eager to blow up when pumped with 10 psi.
The repair of the fronttube will be a 100+ ? repair.
So my advice to all beginners, that have a board with a rough deck surface:
Don't buy the Slingwing or be very careful not to harm the vulnerable seams.
Select to expand quotebroVan said..
I have been flying the 4.4 and 5.4 a bunch lately. I mostly use the Infinity 84 with 48cm stab and 29" mast(all the way forward) on an outwit 6'6". My previous wings have been Slingwing V1, F-One 5M and Gong V1 7m. I'm going to compare them to the F-One since thats the only other one that was in the same category of radness. My opinion is in early development and may seem biased towards the F-one because I only have a handful of sessions on the Slingshots and 100+ sessions on the F-One. That being said, I sold the F-one and committed to SS.
Weight- F-one is lighter but not very noticeable when flying to me.
Rigidity- Slingshot much stiffer although I'm still deciding whether or not this is a plus or minus. The Dihedral on the Swing keeps it more stable when luffed and when flying.
Power delivery- Swing is smoother when pumping up and more forgiving in transition. The Slingshot power can be turned on and off quickly which has been tricky. When pumping up to foil the Slingshot powerstroke seems shorter(although powerful) before it goes to nothing. The Swing was smooth through the whole stroke and more forgiving.
Handles - The Swing handles while flimsy worked fine and didn't hurt fingers or hands. Slingshot has different amount of handles on each size, so there is some trial and error to figure out which ones work. Slingshot handles are thicker and stiffer and so far not bothering me. I'm certain that they could have left off on the 5.4 the last 2 and the one in front that is turned 90 degrees. I also don't use the Y handles but they seem to play a role in the rigidity of the frame.
Wingtips - Slingshot is a boxy low aspect shape with chopped tips. This has been great with accidental wing tip drag. I can get into a more comfortable cruising/upwind position because of this. For initiating carving 360's this has been a little tricky because I really have to lean over to engage the tip in the water and when that happens much more drag comes all at one due to the tip being a large amount of wing. The F-one, I could just lightly drag and control easier through the carve.
Backwinging- The Slingshot with its ultra rigid frame is far superior when backwinding. The F-one gives me more of an unwelcome giftwrap than I am looking for. The slingshot can be leaned against much more predictably.
Transitions - F-one is smoother and more predictable due to the dihedral(I think). The SS is kind of all on or all off. I think that the ability to shut if off quickly will become a bonus as I get used to it but its a bit squirrely for now. The swingweight of the Slingshot seems much less therefore easier to spin or yah around. This is probably from the flat rigidness of the design. I think the rigid handles also help to initiate the rotation of the wing compared to the flimsy F-one handles which I twist and don't translate my wrist rotation to the wing.
Toeside- I am one of those weirdos that does not switch feet. Haters gonna hate. The placement of the Slingshot handles enables me to get in a much more comfortable toeside riding position than the F-one.
Upwind - My early impressions are that Slingshot is a clear winner in this category. I think that the short wingtips and the rigid compact frame work in unison to get the wing in a more upright position that I can lock out both of my elbows and lean against. I was using a lot more rear arm strength on the F-one to pinch upwind. I can jam upwind on my toeside equally as good with SS.
Hovermode - When flagging out both of these wings are stable. I would say that the stiffness of the SS handle makes it more reactive to my inputs. This will take some getting used to but probably a plus in the end. The F-one flimsy handle with dihedral canopy keeps it really stable when flagged out, but the wingtips tend to catch the water more due to their longer length.
Overall, I am stoked on the Slingshot wings. I think that I will get used to the differences and embrace them. Now I just need a smaller/lighter board to start some hucking.
Send It!!!!
BroVan, Awesome, and detailed post. Thanks!-red
Update regarding my chafed fronttube seams:
The damage isn't caused from handling the wing, but from carrying board and wing on and off the water. I carry the wing at the front handle and with the same hand in the board handle. This pushes the fronttube against the antislip paint at the nose of the board and chafes the seams.
Mind you if you use a Slingwing on a board with antislip paint on it like several wind/wing multipurpose boards have like JP Freefoil or Goya Air Bolt.
Select to expand quotedejavu said..
Thanks dejavu
Nice video from HKB, I got to test the 6.4 a few days ago, the wind was super light 5-13 knots with massive wind holes everywhere. I want to fly it a few more times and then I'll do a comparison video between the 5.4 and 6.4.
The one noticeable is the low end power and obviously being a 1m2 bigger it should have more grunt, the only downside is the weight and drag compared to the 5.4.
Think tomorrow we should have 12-15 or so, and I can do a side by side test.
CoreAS -- I'm looking forward to your review comparison.
Does the SS V2 have a slit between the front of the middle strut and the wing material to allow water to pass from one side to the other when the wing is upside down in the water?
Select to expand quotedejavu said..
CoreAS -- I'm looking forward to your review comparison.
Does the SS V2 have a slit between the front of the middle strut and the wing material to allow water to pass from one side to the other when the wing is upside down in the water?
Yes it has an opening in that area and I've never had an issue flipping the wings over when upside down. The V1 could be quite difficult to flip back sometimes.
Recently purchased and flew the 6.4 m2 V.2 . I like it as it's not very heavy. The video from hkb said approx 2 kgs. I was expecting to drag the wing tips in the water, as it's 50 larger than my original wing. But the new geometry that many wings are going to, works quite well. It's a stiff wing, which delivers power fast. This is what I needed for my local conditions.
Select to expand quotebroVan said..
I have been flying the 4.4 and 5.4 a bunch lately. I mostly use the Infinity 84 with 48cm stab and 29" mast(all the way forward) on an outwit 6'6". My previous wings have been Slingwing V1, F-One 5M and Gong V1 7m. I'm going to compare them to the F-One since thats the only other one that was in the same category of radness. My opinion is in early development and may seem biased towards the F-one because I only have a handful of sessions on the Slingshots and 100+ sessions on the F-One. That being said, I sold the F-one and committed to SS.
Weight- F-one is lighter but not very noticeable when flying to me.
Rigidity- Slingshot much stiffer although I'm still deciding whether or not this is a plus or minus. The Dihedral on the Swing keeps it more stable when luffed and when flying.
Power delivery- Swing is smoother when pumping up and more forgiving in transition. The Slingshot power can be turned on and off quickly which has been tricky. When pumping up to foil the Slingshot powerstroke seems shorter(although powerful) before it goes to nothing. The Swing was smooth through the whole stroke and more forgiving.
Handles - The Swing handles while flimsy worked fine and didn't hurt fingers or hands. Slingshot has different amount of handles on each size, so there is some trial and error to figure out which ones work. Slingshot handles are thicker and stiffer and so far not bothering me. I'm certain that they could have left off on the 5.4 the last 2 and the one in front that is turned 90 degrees. I also don't use the Y handles but they seem to play a role in the rigidity of the frame.
Wingtips - Slingshot is a boxy low aspect shape with chopped tips. This has been great with accidental wing tip drag. I can get into a more comfortable cruising/upwind position because of this. For initiating carving 360's this has been a little tricky because I really have to lean over to engage the tip in the water and when that happens much more drag comes all at one due to the tip being a large amount of wing. The F-one, I could just lightly drag and control easier through the carve.
Backwinging- The Slingshot with its ultra rigid frame is far superior when backwinding. The F-one gives me more of an unwelcome giftwrap than I am looking for. The slingshot can be leaned against much more predictably.
Transitions - F-one is smoother and more predictable due to the dihedral(I think). The SS is kind of all on or all off. I think that the ability to shut if off quickly will become a bonus as I get used to it but its a bit squirrely for now. The swingweight of the Slingshot seems much less therefore easier to spin or yah around. This is probably from the flat rigidness of the design. I think the rigid handles also help to initiate the rotation of the wing compared to the flimsy F-one handles which I twist and don't translate my wrist rotation to the wing.
Toeside- I am one of those weirdos that does not switch feet. Haters gonna hate. The placement of the Slingshot handles enables me to get in a much more comfortable toeside riding position than the F-one.
Upwind - My early impressions are that Slingshot is a clear winner in this category. I think that the short wingtips and the rigid compact frame work in unison to get the wing in a more upright position that I can lock out both of my elbows and lean against. I was using a lot more rear arm strength on the F-one to pinch upwind. I can jam upwind on my toeside equally as good with SS.
Hovermode - When flagging out both of these wings are stable. I would say that the stiffness of the SS handle makes it more reactive to my inputs. This will take some getting used to but probably a plus in the end. The F-one flimsy handle with dihedral canopy keeps it really stable when flagged out, but the wingtips tend to catch the water more due to their longer length.
Overall, I am stoked on the Slingshot wings. I think that I will get used to the differences and embrace them. Now I just need a smaller/lighter board to start some hucking.
Send It!!!!
Brovan, what position do you have your mast for the 84 wing, A or B? And which fuselage length?
Here's a comparison of three wings, one of which is the SS V2.
Personally, I think the reviewer is a little biased towards Armstrong products -- maybe I'm wrong?
Select to expand quotePacey said..broVan said..
I have been flying the 4.4 and 5.4 a bunch lately. I mostly use the Infinity 84 with 48cm stab and 29" mast(all the way forward) on an outwit 6'6". My previous wings have been Slingwing V1, F-One 5M and Gong V1 7m. I'm going to compare them to the F-One since thats the only other one that was in the same category of radness. My opinion is in early development and may seem biased towards the F-one because I only have a handful of sessions on the Slingshots and 100+ sessions on the F-One. That being said, I sold the F-one and committed to SS.
Weight- F-one is lighter but not very noticeable when flying to me.
Rigidity- Slingshot much stiffer although I'm still deciding whether or not this is a plus or minus. The Dihedral on the Swing keeps it more stable when luffed and when flying.
Power delivery- Swing is smoother when pumping up and more forgiving in transition. The Slingshot power can be turned on and off quickly which has been tricky. When pumping up to foil the Slingshot powerstroke seems shorter(although powerful) before it goes to nothing. The Swing was smooth through the whole stroke and more forgiving.
Handles - The Swing handles while flimsy worked fine and didn't hurt fingers or hands. Slingshot has different amount of handles on each size, so there is some trial and error to figure out which ones work. Slingshot handles are thicker and stiffer and so far not bothering me. I'm certain that they could have left off on the 5.4 the last 2 and the one in front that is turned 90 degrees. I also don't use the Y handles but they seem to play a role in the rigidity of the frame.
Wingtips - Slingshot is a boxy low aspect shape with chopped tips. This has been great with accidental wing tip drag. I can get into a more comfortable cruising/upwind position because of this. For initiating carving 360's this has been a little tricky because I really have to lean over to engage the tip in the water and when that happens much more drag comes all at one due to the tip being a large amount of wing. The F-one, I could just lightly drag and control easier through the carve.
Backwinging- The Slingshot with its ultra rigid frame is far superior when backwinding. The F-one gives me more of an unwelcome giftwrap than I am looking for. The slingshot can be leaned against much more predictably.
Transitions - F-one is smoother and more predictable due to the dihedral(I think). The SS is kind of all on or all off. I think that the ability to shut if off quickly will become a bonus as I get used to it but its a bit squirrely for now. The swingweight of the Slingshot seems much less therefore easier to spin or yah around. This is probably from the flat rigidness of the design. I think the rigid handles also help to initiate the rotation of the wing compared to the flimsy F-one handles which I twist and don't translate my wrist rotation to the wing.
Toeside- I am one of those weirdos that does not switch feet. Haters gonna hate. The placement of the Slingshot handles enables me to get in a much more comfortable toeside riding position than the F-one.
Upwind - My early impressions are that Slingshot is a clear winner in this category. I think that the short wingtips and the rigid compact frame work in unison to get the wing in a more upright position that I can lock out both of my elbows and lean against. I was using a lot more rear arm strength on the F-one to pinch upwind. I can jam upwind on my toeside equally as good with SS.
Hovermode - When flagging out both of these wings are stable. I would say that the stiffness of the SS handle makes it more reactive to my inputs. This will take some getting used to but probably a plus in the end. The F-one flimsy handle with dihedral canopy keeps it really stable when flagged out, but the wingtips tend to catch the water more due to their longer length.
Overall, I am stoked on the Slingshot wings. I think that I will get used to the differences and embrace them. Now I just need a smaller/lighter board to start some hucking.
Send It!!!!
Brovan, what position do you have your mast for the 84 wing, A or B? And which fuselage length?
I have been using the B position on the switch fuse (normal short length). I recently swapped out the 48 stab for the 42 and am loving the speed and maneuverability. So, a really fun and easy set up is I84 wing with b position and 42cm stab. I can get up on a 10 mph puff with this and the 5.4 Slingwing. The other day it was windier than normal and I put on the I76 with everything else the same. This was super fun and way more carvy and rippable. Seems like a bunch of people overlook the I76 but I really love this wing. It is a great mix of stability and carviness. I spent a bunch of time kiting on it in the last 2 years and am excited to wing more on it. I did have to work a bit harder to get onto foil than with the 84. Oh, and my Gong Hipe 5'3" just shipped!!!!! I think the I76 will be more fun on the shorter smaller Gong board.
also been riding the i76 and loving it. i'm actually using the whole windsurf fuselage/wing assembly: i76, B, long fuse, 42 rear. Lift is quite far forward even in B compared to the i99/B/short fuse/48 rear. The difference feels like 30cm+
Riding it all the way back as far as it will go on a Sky Wing 5'4" and my front foot is in front of the footstrap plugs almost at the end of the pad. Real front foot oriented ride, but also makes my board feel really short having my foot that far forward. Fast and turny with pretty good glide. I ride the i99 setup middle to all the way forward in the tracks and my front foot is on the footstrap plugs but is still not as front foot oriented of a ride.
Need to try i76 in A w/ the short fuse and 42 rear.
sunsetsailboards -- why not set up the i76 in A position on the long fuselage? I found this worked best for me with my Wizard 125. I found it was too front foot oriented in B position. On my Levitator 150 I put have the i76 in B position on the fuse and the foil's mast set all the way to the rear in the track -- works well.
I have a 6' Moon Buddy board for winging so I'll try the i76 in position B right at the back of the track to begin with. If it's too front foot heavy then I'll move the foil wing to position A and maybe move it a little forward in the track and see how it works.
Footage from yesterday (2nd session on the 6.4) wind strength was perfect for this size wing at my 90kg weight.
Afternoon started 8-13 so I used the infinity 99 wing with 42 rear (position B, long fuse, 90cm mast) the foil whipped up pretty good with some pumping. The 6.4 settles down really well, feels solid in your hands.
The biggest difference I find between the 5.4 and the 6.4 is, the back hand on the 6.4 I use the first back handle, on the 5.4 I use the 2nd back handle. If the wind is super light moving to the 2nd back handle on the 6.4 and pumping it hard it gives you some stump pulling power, its incredible lift.
The wind filled in pretty sweet with average wind speed around 13-16 so I switched out to the infinity 84 wing and kept position B etc, that was plenty of power and made gybing much easier. The 5.4 is easier to pump and does feel lighter and of course the 6.4 is bigger, more powerful so naturally it pulls you up on the foil with less effort.
3.5 hours later I was getting cramp and was whooped, very happy with the performance of this wing and it ticks all the boxes.
for my weight 90kg/200lbs on a floaty board, fresh water, gusty winds with either i99 or i84 foil:
6.4 for 8-15 knots
5.4 for 12-20 knots
Thanks for the feedback. I also have a similar 6.4 m2 wing but still getting used to it. Today I was out in lite winds. It wasn't a day to write home about. One of the biggest differences between the Slingwing and the Naish Wing is there are significantly less handles along the boom. At first I struggled amgetting my rear arm back to the hand hold when popping up, but realized today the second front cross handle and second front boom handle make good grips for starting out, especially in lite wind where keeping the wing high is important.
