Forums > Windsurfing Foiling

Wind increases 5 knots, who keeps the sail and switches to a smaller wing?

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Created by Sandman1221 > 9 months ago, 1 Dec 2020
LeeD
3939 posts
4 Dec 2020 7:47AM
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When wind increases 5 knots, you might consider windsurfing.

Sandman1221
2776 posts
4 Dec 2020 10:25AM
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LeeD said..
When wind increases 5 knots, you might consider windsurfing.


That is why I got the Goya Bolt 135, but when the wind increases it is usually in the 18-23 knot range and the Goya is for lightwind windsurfing, the board is so light and relatively large that the wind starts to pick it up off the water when I am in the water getting ready.

Sandman1221
2776 posts
4 Dec 2020 10:38AM
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ZeroVix said..
Paducah said..

Swindy said..
100euro, that's a rip off.



It may be the freight company rate by default in their shopping cart. I'd contact them directly. I used to get wings from Horue shipped by postal service for about 50euro, iirc. Took about a couple of weeks.

OTOH, getting a sail from France/Germany to the US can be absurdly expensive - 250 euro. There aren't that many brands distributed here.


Times are different. Since the beginning of 2020, international shipping rates have gone up a lot. Prior to 2020, I purchased items from Europe to USA and wasn't too bad. Now I got a few quotes for some goods (both located in France) and it is no longer feasible.

If Bruce & Brit don't have anything in the AFS, last resort is Andy with Wind NC. He used to carry some stuff. GL


I got my AFS foil from Andy, he no longer sells them. I just got something from Slovenia, about a 1 lb package, $14.50 US (DHL shipping company), got something from Poland recently too, less than 1lb package $18 US.

Wondering if AFS gives tours, would be cool to go there and buy a Foil and then fly back with it!

LeeD
3939 posts
4 Dec 2020 10:42AM
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Yeah, same problem I had all summer.
At least 25 days started with 4.7 and foil, wind comes up to "18-23", but I always carry an 85 liter board besides the big 100.
More than half my foiling days I have to switch to a windsurf board.

Sandman1221
2776 posts
4 Dec 2020 10:45AM
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michaelpaf said..
Sandman1221 said..
When the wind picks up 5 knots past the top end range for my sail, I have to either sit it out or rig a smaller sail. Thinking of getting a smaller front wing for my AFS foil (F700 versus F800), anyone doing that? Wonder if the sail will still be too big for the wind.


I don't want to define how many knots the wind needs to increase.
My standard Wing is the Slingshot Infinity 76.
I completed it with Infinity 65 Wing.

In our gusty conditions it can happen fastly that the wind increases a lot and then I would need to rig a smaller sail.
Depending on the sail I need to unrigg then also my previous sail. To much time lost.
To have to sails rigged to much stuff needed.
Have 1 Board, 2 masts (370 and 400), 1 boom, 3 sails from 3,7 to 5,6 and 90 kg driver weight.
The change of the wing is done in 2 minutes, rigging needs much more time and efforts.

Also the smaller wing make lot of fun in moves and jumping. So for me the perfect set up with a smaller wing instead of changing the sail.


thanks, very helpful

Sandman1221
2776 posts
4 Dec 2020 10:50AM
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segler said..
Hey Sand, yeah, I checked also. Sailworks has the F700s, but not the F700 anymore. Too bad. A thing to consider. The F700s provides more of a surface area gap from the F800. That might not be a bad thing, but you likely have to really pay attention to keep the F700s moving.

Several guys in Seattle got the AFS-85 all-carbon foils from Sailworks. They are keeping them....

Hey LeeD, what you described is what we used to call "hiding from the wind" in formula racing.


that F700s is "scary fast" according to the one review on it, and Dale said it was fast too, I like speed but the smaller surface area means a lot more work, or over powered conditions to get up, and a lot more attention when up.

Sandman1221
2776 posts
4 Dec 2020 10:57AM
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LeeD said..
Yeah, same problem I had all summer.
At least 25 days started with 4.7 and foil, wind comes up to "18-23", but I always carry an 85 liter board besides the big 100.
More than half my foiling days I have to switch to a windsurf board.


I am usually on a bay, if wind is out of North water is pretty flat up to 18 knots, same for East, but anything from the South kicks up 1-2+ foot waves, can windsurf the wave trough in, but rough ride out.

LeeD
3939 posts
4 Dec 2020 11:16AM
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I get up on my 600 sq.cm. foil almost the same as my 1220, if a gusts of 15 comes.
When gusts only surge to 12, the smaller foil only needs a couple more pumps.
With 5 meter sail.

Swindy
WA, 456 posts
4 Dec 2020 6:28PM
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Scary fast is relative to experience. When I first started 19-20kn was scary fast and usually ended in a big stack. That is now a comfortable cruising speed. It took a long time but I now have everything dialed in to how I feel most stable and it's a breeze. On the gtr up to 25kn is quite comfortable now but over that starts to get scary still. I'm just shy of 27 top speed on it now and I'm aiming for 30. I know the foil is capable of it but I'm not as yet.
As for needing to be overpowered to get up on a small wing, that's not true. I had the 550 wing for the gtr for a good few months before I plucked up the courage to use it. As long as you are nicely powered up, as Lee says it only takes a few more pumps to achieve enough board speed to lift. Because a small wing has a lot less drag it's easier to pump onto the plane. Once up I had no trouble maintaining flight and it was surprisingly easy to use. Gybing with it takes a bit of commitment because you have to maintain good speed to stay up. That is a work in progress.

Sandman1221
2776 posts
4 Dec 2020 11:27PM
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LeeD and Swindy, thanks, did not think about how the smaller wing would take less effort to get up due to less drag. Dale thought going from the F800 to the F700s was a fairly large step compared to the F700. Though I started out on the F800, which was certainly harder than a bigger SB or SS wing. But I am aiming for the 18-23 knot range for a smaller wing, do not get winds in the 30-35 knot range often. F700 seems a perfect match for 18-23.

segler
WA, 1656 posts
6 Dec 2020 12:21AM
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Keep trying for that F700 (not the s). It's a great wing for the windier conditions you mentioned. But watch out, it's quite lively. Fast, but not scary fast.

If I am foiling my AFS-2, I switch between F700 (779 cm2) and F800 (1120 cm2) depending on conditions. Sometimes I get lazy and just stick to my LP FRS (940 cm2), which is pretty much goldilocks most of the time. I weigh 195 lb and foil in the far east gorge.

Sandman1221
2776 posts
6 Dec 2020 1:54AM
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segler said..
Keep trying for that F700 (not the s). It's a great wing for the windier conditions you mentioned. But watch out, it's quite lively. Fast, but not scary fast.

If I am foiling my AFS-2, I switch between F700 (779 cm2) and F800 (1120 cm2) depending on conditions. Sometimes I get lazy and just stick to my LP FRS (940 cm2), which is pretty much goldilocks most of the time. I weigh 195 lb and foil in the far east gorge.


Thanks for the info. segler, is yours a F700a or F700? Looks like they found a F700a, the one that comes with the W85, the F700 came with the W95 and is 220 grams lighter, but is supposed to come out of the same mold as the F700a, both are 779 cm2. Will find out next week for sure.

Sandman1221
2776 posts
8 Dec 2020 3:37AM
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Update on AFS shipping costs, need to contact Antonin to get an accurate shipping rate for your location. Wing to me in Florida US is 60 euro and then I made the mistake of asking about a complete foil, it is 120 euro, so now I opened the possibility of getting their new foil with wings to cover my range. And the prices on the AFS website are "with VAT", on a complete foil that adds about 400 euro which comes off in the shopping cart when I select US for shipping!

Paducah
2785 posts
8 Dec 2020 8:49AM
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Sandman1221 said..
Update on AFS shipping costs, need to contact Antonin to get an accurate shipping rate for your location. Wing to me in Florida US is 60 euro and then I made the mistake of asking about a complete foil, it is 120 euro, so now I opened the possibility of getting their new foil with wings to cover my range. And the prices on the AFS website are "with VAT", on a complete foil that adds about 400 euro which comes off in the shopping cart when I select US for shipping!


Save some of that VAT reduction for customs.

Sandman1221
2776 posts
8 Dec 2020 9:00AM
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Paducah said..

Sandman1221 said..
Update on AFS shipping costs, need to contact Antonin to get an accurate shipping rate for your location. Wing to me in Florida US is 60 euro and then I made the mistake of asking about a complete foil, it is 120 euro, so now I opened the possibility of getting their new foil with wings to cover my range. And the prices on the AFS website are "with VAT", on a complete foil that adds about 400 euro which comes off in the shopping cart when I select US for shipping!



Save some of that VAT reduction for customs.


Update, when I bought my Wind95 foil with F800 wing from Andy at Wind-NC.com for around $1800 US it was shipped directly to me from AFS in France, and I did not pay a customs fee, but it was shipped to my door, so the carrier (I think DHL) dealt with US customs.

Really?, I did not think of that, bought three different items over the internet from Europe but no customs charge, though they were all under $100 US. I now do see that "most" internet purchases shipped to the US for my own personal use and under $2000 are duty free. The new AFS 95 cm foil with wings is just under $2000 US depending on wing choice.
www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/internet-purchases

r3st0ck
14 posts
8 Dec 2020 3:22PM
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i changing wings and sails depending on windforce. from 12kts up to 17kts use of a smaller wing reduces uplift and i can still hold the sail, from 17 to 22kts i need to change the sailsize because a smaller wing would make the whole gear difficult to controll. its then less a problem of to much uplift as holding the sail (from a maneuver oriented sight)

Sandman1221
2776 posts
8 Dec 2020 10:56PM
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r3st0ck said..
i changing wings and sails depending on windforce. from 12kts up to 17kts use of a smaller wing reduces uplift and i can still hold the sail, from 17 to 22kts i need to change the sailsize because a smaller wing would make the whole gear difficult to controll. its then less a problem of to much uplift as holding the sail (from a maneuver oriented sight)


Well the AFS F700 wing-770 cm2 (not F700a that came stock with the 85 cm foil) is supposed to be good for 15 knots and above, so if I was on my F800 wing-1120 cm2 and 7.2 sail in 14-17 winds and the wind popped to 18-23 (which it does a lot) I would switch to the F700 wing and keep the 7.2 sail. I have used the 7.2 sail for windsurfing and for me its range was 18-23. So I know I can handle the 7.2 sail in subfoiling 18-23 wind, but once in the air I was thinking the significantly higher speed of the F700 wing would reduce wind pressure on the sail in-flight and so make it easier to handle in-flight compared to the slower F800 wing which creates more wind pressure on the sail in-flight.

Sandman1221
2776 posts
24 Dec 2020 9:50AM
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Got the AFS F700 wing today, cover included, DHL took care of everything and I did not have to pay anything for importing the wing!

Sandman1221
2776 posts
25 Dec 2020 8:54AM
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Had the perfect day today to test out the AFS F700 wing. Was 12-16 knots and 7.2 sail and F800 wing worked, but gusts started going to 18 and had to fly unhooked and my forearms were getting tired, so I switched from the F800 to F700 a lot less pressure on the sail and my forearms could feel the difference. Then it went to 18-22, rigged my 5.8, now I know what that sail is like in those conditions with the F800, so kept the F700 and one stab shim (forgot), and it was so easy compared to the F800. So F800 is my light wind wing (8-14), 15 and over and its the F700 from now on!

Thanks for all the advice!

Dcharlton
320 posts
27 Dec 2020 10:10AM
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I keep the sail and go to a smaller wing. 99 infinity wing for light wind then go to the H4 (space skate) when it picks up.

thedoor
2469 posts
27 Dec 2020 10:38AM
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Dcharlton said..
I keep the sail and go to a smaller wing. 99 infinity wing for light wind then go to the H4 (space skate) when it picks up.


Never tried the spaceskate. How does it compare to the infinity 76?

Mort67
TAS, 423 posts
29 Dec 2020 9:19AM
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wrt the original question, I would look at both sail and foil change for higher winds. For a 5 knots increase though, I'd go a smaller sail size to make handling more comfortable on whatever foil I was on.
I have an NP Glide and picked up the Small and Medium size Wings 2nd hand to go with the Large I have learnt on. I like the Small in 4.2m conditions (like the video below), the Medium on 4.7-5.7m wavesails and now only use the Large with a 6.8m Foil Sail for lighter conditions.
On the day of the video, forecast was for 15 knots, but turned out to be 20+ (screenshot) and I didn't take my smallest 4.2m sail, so hung onto the 4.7m, Small Wing
Turned out to be fun, but a little hectic.








Sandman1221
2776 posts
29 Dec 2020 11:11PM
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Cool, thanks for the info. and video, now that I have a smaller wing can experiment! Your run looked pretty stable compared to some of mine on my biggest wing, had a habit of windsurfing overpowered, need to unlearn that for foiling.

segler
WA, 1656 posts
30 Dec 2020 12:57AM
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That's a great video. It shows a lot.

So, everybody, if you are using a GoPro 5 or newer, how about turning on the GPS, then editing in a speedometer and/or track right on the screen, so we can see your on-water speeds in real time.

Mort67
TAS, 423 posts
31 Dec 2020 7:31AM
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Sandman1221 said..
Cool, thanks for the info. and video, now that I have a smaller wing can experiment! Your run looked pretty stable compared to some of mine on my biggest wing, had a habit of windsurfing overpowered, need to unlearn that for foiling.


I only got the smaller wings recently and have foiled in similar conditions with the Large, but the extra lift makes the swell harder to manage. The smaller wing tends to drive through the swell on the the way out and less sensitive lift when riding the swell (and subsequent crashes).

Segler, that was the first use of a GoPro 7 silver, straight out of the box (half the price of the new Black models). Will investigate the GPS capability.
Cheers, Mort.
Happy New Year everyone

Dcharlton
320 posts
3 Jan 2021 7:05AM
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thedoor said..

Dcharlton said..
I keep the sail and go to a smaller wing. 99 infinity wing for light wind then go to the H4 (space skate) when it picks up.



Never tried the spaceskate. How does it compare to the infinity 76?


I used the 84 then went to the 99 so I can't compare to the i76. My impression of the H4 is the darn thing really loves to turn and it's very tough to overfoil the thing when the wind picks up. Very playful, very agile. Likely not nearly as stable as i76 given the span is only around 65cm. I just really enjoy foiling on this thing.

I'll try swapping out the 76 with my friend the next time we get out so I can compare. I use it with the SS Wizard 125, it's just so darn fun however, I'm reluctant to try swapping out the i76.

BTW: I've only heard really good reviews for the i76, I've just not yet tried it.

DC

powersloshin
NSW, 1836 posts
3 Jan 2021 10:16AM
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I go for a bigger wing before rigging a bigger sail when I am underpowered, but if I am overpowered I prefer to rig a smaller sail first. Probably because I use freeride gear and need to improve my skills.

Sandman1221
2776 posts
25 Jan 2021 12:12PM
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Was out and forecast was for increasing wind in afternoon, wind was picking up so went with my 7.2 and F700 wing, but after 10 min. it dropped back down and stayed there, so put on my F800 wing and was flying again. Nice to have the option to switch wings, instead of derigging/rigging a different sail.

thedoor
2469 posts
25 Jan 2021 1:17PM
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Sandman1221 said..
Was out and forecast was for increasing wind in afternoon, wind was picking up so went with my 7.2 and F700 wing, but after 10 min. it dropped back down and stayed there, so put on my F800 wing and was flying again. Nice to have the option to switch wings, instead of derigging/rigging a different sail.


Yeah. I had a similar but reverse experience today. Initially on 6.5m and Infinity 76 wing, then as wind picked came in a switched down to infinity 65



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"Wind increases 5 knots, who keeps the sail and switches to a smaller wing?" started by Sandman1221