Hi all,
I wanted to share my experience with the Slingshot Freestyle series after encountering a serious issue, and then finding another rider who reported problems across multiple boards in the same line.
In my case, my Freestyle V2 (115L) suffered a foil box failure a few months ago while landing a back loop in flat water. I'm 78 kg and was using a Slingshot Phantasm foil with the wide mast. The foil box detached completely from the board (see photos) very unexpected, especially since I had used the V1 (115L) for much longer with hard jumps over almost two years without a single issue.
Shortly after, I heard from another rider on a Swiss foiling forum who experienced multiple issues:
- Rail problems on the V1 (see photos). He ended up using this board with the Slingshot Phantasm Jack Plate (Tuttle to Double US-Box).
- Delamination on the V2 (see last photo), with soft spots in other areas and visible bumps on the underside (see photos). He was offered a V1 as a replacement, but declined due to its known rail issues
It's frustrating because the boards ride incredibly well, but these recurring structural issues raise concerns about the overall build quality.
In my case, Slingshot Europe handled my warranty claim very quickly and sent a V2 replacement board, which I really appreciate. But the fact that this happened to other users (and now I'm worried about my Freestyle V3 (87L) which shares the same foil track design) makes me wonder if there's a broader issue.
Has anyone else experienced similar problems with Freestyle V1, V2 or V3 boards? Would be great to hear from others in the community.
You're doing back loops with a production board from china with mast tracks and you're surprised you had a failure?
Sound like you are at a level that you should be having a local builder make your boards to a higher spec.
This is why I started making my own boards after my green 105/V1 had a box that cracked.
I think there's a reason Sling Shot is no longer making wind foil boards.
Yes. custom board and the only tracks to have are Chinook 16" installed properly. Period
I think jumping on the Windfoil board is prone to damage (long fuselages and long masts). Pretty much all my damage to windfoil boards & foils has been a result of jumps.
BTW - What's the general consensus regarding twin track vs tuttle box? I assume tuttle box connection would be stronger?
Select to expand quoteGwarn said..
You're doing back loops with a production board from china with mast tracks and you're surprised you had a failure?
If it's marketed as a freestyle board it should cope with freestyle tricks.
Select to expand quoteGwarn said..
You're doing back loops with a production board from china with mast tracks and you're surprised you had a failure?
Sound like you are at a level that you should be having a local builder make your boards to a higher spec.
This is why I started making my own boards after my green 105/V1 had a box that cracked.
I think there's a reason Sling Shot is no longer making wind foil boards.
The reason unfortunately was because of a declining market for wind foiling and just like many other brands they have stopped R&D on wind foil boards.
Wake, kite, wing, and DW boards are a bigger piece of the pie.
I have owned four freestyle v1. I broke track when I snapped a fuse had it warranted. Otherwise all good. But I don't have the stones for jumping. One of my mates had a deck delam on his.
Select to expand quotePhilUK said..
If it's marketed as a freestyle board it should cope with freestyle tricks.
Agreed. If it's sold as a freestyle board, it should handle freestyle tricks. If not, the brand should be upfront, like Sabfoil is when they say 'not for jumping' in some of their products that are not designed for that. Slingshot doesn't give that impression, especially with all the jumping shown in their promo videos with Wyatt Miller.
So it's disappointing to hear that these boards may not hold up. I don't jump in every foiling session, but when the conditions are right, not being able to jump would be very frustrating.
Right now, I dedicate all my jumps to my FS 87L board, but I'm starting to realize that I might be pushing the limits of what it can handle. I'm even considering attaching a cord from the foil to the back footstrap , just in case the foil tracks fail (last time that happened, I got really lucky since the foil was barely hanging on by some fibers, and I nearly lost it) What do you think about the cord attached to the back footstrap as a backup solution?
Select to expand quoteEpigishmog said..
...What do you think about the cord attached to the back footstrap as a backup solution?
It was a thing back in the day when just about everyone was using a converted fin board for foiling.
Select to expand quoteEpigishmog said..PhilUK said..
If it's marketed as a freestyle board it should cope with freestyle tricks.
Agreed. If it's sold as a freestyle board, it should handle freestyle tricks. If not, the brand should be upfront, like Sabfoil is when they say 'not for jumping' in some of their products that are not designed for that. Slingshot doesn't give that impression, especially with all the jumping shown in their promo videos with Wyatt Miller.
So it's disappointing to hear that these boards may not hold up. I don't jump in every foiling session, but when the conditions are right, not being able to jump would be very frustrating.
Right now, I dedicate all my jumps to my FS 87L board, but I'm starting to realize that I might be pushing the limits of what it can handle. I'm even considering attaching a cord from the foil to the back footstrap , just in case the foil tracks fail (last time that happened, I got really lucky since the foil was barely hanging on by some fibers, and I nearly lost it) What do you think about the cord attached to the back footstrap as a backup solution?
Yea peace of mind dropping a complete foil to the deep blue would be
Not a Freestyle but on my slingshot levitator 150 the tracks har been crusched by the track-nuts.
The foil has felt lose in the tracks so I tightened them. Later I saw that the bolts had not come lose, it was the track that got flattened.
The fuse to mast connection on the SS i99 system is also crap. Changed to stainless bolts and tefgel after te original bolts broke off. Luckily the i99 foil, fuse and backwing was foloating behind me after the crash.
I should have claimed warranty.......
Noticed my new V4 90L wizard was made in Taiwan instead of China. Better quality?. IDK, but never had an issuse with the 114 V3. Everything is still solid (No jumping though).
I've had1 v1 115 and 87 and 2 v2s 115 +1 87 without and problems that were not self inflicted. They stand up just fine to my freestyle.
They exited the windsurf market due to lack of sales as this segment is DEAD.
Are slingshot boards single skin construction not sandwich like a windsurfing board?
First photos looks like you broke the tracks and the skin departed with them... that must have been a very hard hit or there was prior damage.
The v1 boards have a different construction with a much larger block of high density foam in the tail encasing the tracks and tuttle box; quite robust but heavy, but with the mast track too far forward.
I'm hoping they don't have a problem because I love my late version freestyle and there won't be any replacements available 
Just some light dents so far due to my own errors, but I'm still working up the nerve to really send it on jumps
I always use a tether from the base of the foil attached to the back straps. Cheap insurance.
It also looks like you were using the slingshot t-nuts which focus the forces on a small area of the tracks. I am using longer rectangular t-nuts machined from bar stock which spread the load over a much longer area as well as have more metal around the threads to minimize the chances of cracking in the thin areas.
Select to expand quoteHydrosurf said..
Are slingshot boards single skin construction not sandwich like a windsurfing board?
fairly confident that they are sandwich in high load areas and single skin in others
This is the core of the V1 wizard
this was the box that cracked on mine,
The picture is after I cut it in half on a band saw
Yup they dropped all that later to get the weight down. Bottom is not sandwich anymore but it has that massive stringer for load distribution
deciding to get a freestyle myself as the deals are good. v1 vs v2 would be the question.. what would you get?
V1 has much more robust foil mount including a tuttle box, but has shorter foil tracks, no handle and mast track quite far forward.
V2 is a little lighter and has longer foil tracks; not sure if it has the handle or relocated mast tracks
V3 is lighter still, but quite robust. Has the long foil tracks, handle, and relocated mast track.
Relocated mast track is a must for me since I prefer the mast base further back than is possible is on the v1 your preferences may be different.
Select to expand quotejdfoils said..
First photos looks like you broke the tracks and the skin departed with them... that must have been a very hard hit or there was prior damage.
The v1 boards have a different construction with a much larger block of high density foam in the tail encasing the tracks and tuttle box; quite robust but heavy, but with the mast track too far forward.
There was no damage to the board beforehand (at least that I'm aware of, unless jumping over several sessions weakened the tracks little by little). I have to say that I jumped a lot with this board, and I bought it only six months before the track failure.
The tracks failed this time during a backloop landing. It didn't feel like a particularly hard impact, but maybe the landing was a bit sideways, not totally flat, so that could've added some extra force. Still, I definitely wasn't expecting the tracks to give out like that. At first, the foil was still hanging on by a few fibers from the skin, so I was lucky I had time to grab it before dropping deep into the sea.
