Hi there. I have recently purchased a 6m Duotone Unit and am looking to purchase my first and possibly only board for Wing Foiling (according to wife), so I need to make it count. I was hoping to get a multi purpose board that would allow me to:
- put on fins and use it as a long board for surfing with my son(Prone or SUP) or if it's flat water have a SUP with on it with my daughters
- wack on a foil, when the wind picks up and inflate the wing and have a Wing Foil.
The are the 4 boards I'm considering
1. Starboard 8' Hypernut 4in1 - 133L
isthmussailboards.com/2021-starboard-sup-8-0-hyper-nut-starlite-foil-4-in-1.html
2. Fantatic 8'2" Bee - 140L
www.fanatic.com/sup/composite-boards/surf/bee
3. Naish S26 Hover Crossover - 140L
www.naishsurfing.com/product/hover-crossover/
4. JP 8'10 Foil Slate - 145L
jp-australia.com/p/foil-boards/foil-slate-f/
The big question is. How compromised are they for foiling?
Am I better off getting the Fanatic Sky SUP 6'11" and just Wing Foiling?
or are these cross over boards the same to Wing Foil with and worth being able to do multiple sports?
Has anyone Wing Foiled the boards above?
looking forward to your thoughts on these.
If you buy one, you will end up buying another dedicated board later on.
My advice is to work on lowering your partner's expectations.
Hi Bertman,
I nearly bought the JP wave slate but ended up getting the Smik Mongrel 8'8" which is very similar in dimensions to the JP. Haven't tried any of the others you mention. I think the other thing to consider is purpose. The Mongrel for me was always intended to be a sup foremost, and a board I could learn to wingding on plus teach others how to foil behind a boat. The name says it all. Its a cross bred thing. Not perfect at any 1 thing, but a good allrounder.
The foil track for the Mongrel is a fair way back on the board which suits pretty well for windfoiling, but it's not ideal for windwinging. You need to get going with your feet forward so your weight is balanced to the volume distribution of the board, and as you gain speed, you shuffle your feet backwards til you get over the centre of lift of the foil and then you're up and going. It's definitely not as efficient as a dedicated winging board.
Its an excellent SUP board for what I want it to do. It's a good Windfoil board. Great board for learning how to towfoil behind a boat. Not bad as a wingfoil board but there are many other dedicated boards that are much better. Being long and wide it's "sticky" on the water so won't release as quick as the dedicated wingfoil boards. It's width and volume means it's super stable and good to get you home if the wind dies.
When I go away for a weekend, it's the board that does everything I need it to do without carrying a truck load of gear (board, wetsuit, wing and a paddle). At home, I'd always choose my dedicated winging board.
While I can't say what would be perfect for you to do, I'd be inclined to buy one of these crossovers so you can do everything - Wingding, surf and sup (with the kids too). Then in a year's time, maybe work on the minister for finances to justify a dedicated board. It will also mean that you've probably improved and might want to get a board of less volume. Ensure the kids get to have lots of fun on the board as well. Then hand the crossover on to the kids as say that you now need something to replace it. 
I think Bigtone ^^^ is right.
If you think you'll get blocked on a second board, then I'd rethink what I suggest above if wingfoiling is going to be your thing.
If it is only for wingding I would buy a board around 6' that is for sup/wing only. These boards will have enough volume and be a stable platform to get you going.
I dont know much anything about the boards you have mentioned but as the name suggests they are a one board solution for multiple sports and consequently do most things ok but they are a compromise.
Select to expand quotejohndg said..
If it is only for wingding I would buy a board around 6' that is for sup/wing only. These boards will have enough volume and be a stable platform to get you going.
I dont know much anything about the boards you have mentioned but as the name suggests they are a one board solution for multiple sports and consequently do most things ok but they are a compromise.
+1
My first board was a crossover 120 L . I suppose if you live in a place that has good wind, a crossover can work. My experience was not being able to get on foil, due to my local spot having weaker winds. A dedicated wing board was way better for winging.
A crossover board works just fine as a wing foil board. All you need is sufficient wind, a large enough foil (1800cm2 or bigger), and relatively low expectations.
You'll be able to get up on the foil, cruise along, do some gybes, try and glide on some bumps and small waves. That's all most people do no matter what gear they're on.
You might get stuck on the surface in very light winds, but that happens to most people. The swing weight of a longer heavier board is not so good for slashing around into waves, but not at all a problem carving a foiling gybe on a bump. The walk of shame with a big heavy board sucks.
I am now riding a 5'10" and have a hankering for a 5' board. The 5'10" works just fine for 90% of the time. I need more skills more than I need a shorter board. The main problem with my 7'8" crossover is I had to strap it on the roof or lay down all the seats. The 5'10" fits in the back seat. I took the 7'8" out for a few sessions recently and it was fun and easy to ride.
Owned a hypernut. It was a really nice board.
Wanted to have a board for myself for foiling and my son and family for windsurfing and supping.
But i sold it after 9 months or so...
The hypernut is 133L and heavy, 10kg+ thonl it was even 11 or 12kg! For supping and wave riding no problem. OK board for that.
Windsurfing is fine to. Planing not so. Its heavy to get it in windsurf planing. Cruising and learning, perfect.
Then windfoiling....Windfoil cruising=OK
To be honest...for windfoil cruising i got out of the water very early. Had a Naish 1800HA foil + 6.2 Blade and with 8-10kn it went up. Forget the footstrap positions. They suck for cruising. I had a Hypernut with 3 frontstrap positions. Use the middle one. Back straps are not in the right position. So use the one in the middle. Nice to start with and then move the back foot to a good strapless position.
Gybing is ok but due to the heavy weight harder to learn then a lighter smaller windfoil board. One thing i really liked on this board was that the dual mastbox for mounting the foil is not at the back of the board. Its positioned more foreward. This allows pumping. You can pump up the foil like you do with winging much better then with real windfoil board.
After 6months i wanted a smaller windfoil board...mainly for the reduced swingweight.
Then Winging...Wing = Wmha not so good
I also had a Naish Micro Hover 100. My first time wing experience was on that board. Could go around, learned holding and controlling the wing but that afternoon i didnt got up. The next afternoon i tried with the hypernut. Same conditions and worked with my first go. The volume (and stability) made it very easy. Fun thing was that next afternoon it worked on the 100l also...
Never winged on the hypernut again.
So it is possible to wing on a big board like a hypernut but you will go so much easier on a smaller wing board.
Currently have 2 foil boards. For very light winds i use a 128l JP X-Foil. Very light and volume. So when wind drops enough volume to float. Strapless windfoil cruising is ok also on that board. Big difference with the hypernut is the length (199 vs 235cm) and the weight (7.5 vs 10+kg). So much better then the hypernut.
Really like that x-foil. The foil is placed almost in the middle if the board. You also stand in the middle of the board. So not standing at the back and have a huge nose that results in swing.
For better winds i have a smaller wing board.
Hope this helps...
Wow! Thanks for all the useful responses from everyone. I only posted this this morning so wasnt expecting such a fast response. Really appreciate you all sharing your experiences and thoughts, they help a lot.
Generally, no.
Crossovers are okay for windfoiling but not winging. Even my 7'4" Hypernut which is on the extreme end of the design scale isn't small enough to wing well but isn't big enough to paddle well.
Hypernut is a very specific style of wave Sup - it actually 'surfs' incredibly well but isn't designed to be a paddling board as such. I've got a 2022 Hypernut 3 in 1 ordered, the lightest carbon construction. Not designed for windsurfing, just a regular surf version but with the new longer foil tracks and footstraps inserts (to suit foiling) added. I'm getting the 7'2 x 28 and hoping it will be a great entry level foil surf sup, good starter wing board for kids and friends and possibly even work as a downwind foil sup board. And of course an awesome surf sup with the quad fins.
Obviously won't perform as a wing board like my 70L 4'9 but with about 116L volume and longer waterline should work just fine as an entry level wing board for family.
Hi there Bertman.
I've had a few Crossover boards because I liked the idea of only having to take one board on holidays and be able to try various foiling disciplines. Wing, Wind, Sup foiling as well as regular Sup surfing.
I've had a
Fanatic Sky 6'11" Windsurf edition. (3 in 1)
Good for learning Winging and Sup foiling, but sail mast track and foil mast are too close together, making it super twitchy for Wind Foiling. Not designed to sup with fins.
Naish Hover Crossover 7'6" 120 lt. (4 in 1) - see comments below
RRD 5'10" Pocket Rocket 122lts (3 in 1) - see comments below
My experience tells me that the biggest issue you'll have is combining is a board that is suitable for regular supping (on fins) with a board that will also be good for Wing dinging.
The Naish Hover 7'6" 120 lt,
I learnt to wing on, but as a sup it was too small for me to use comfortably. I'm 85 kg's and usually sup on an 8'10" Sunova. The Naish was fine once on the wave, but really hard to balance between waves (unless it was really glassy). The bigger Naish may solve this issue, but it would be getting way too big for winging IMO.
When I put a foil under it, it would ride nose high, because it had a rocker designed to allow it to work as a sup. I got around this for winging by putting a small 'wedge' under the foil mast base which made it fly level.
By sliding the foil mast all the way forward in the tracks, it reduced the effective length (and swing weight) of the board once flying, making it fun to ride and easy to learn on, even though it would have still looked huge to those watching. I learnt to gybe and ride toe side on this board no problem and it was easy to slog back on if the wind dropped.
However, once I knew it was not suitable for supping (on fins), I was carrying extra board length for no purpose, so I sold it, but don't regret having it.
The best crossover I've had is the RRD Pocket Rocket. It's only 5'10" so it's nice and compact for winging and has track mounts well place for the ding. It also has a Tuttle box right near the tail for Wind foiling, which allows a good distance between sail mast and foil mast, compared to the Fanatic Sky Sup Windsurf Edition. I think it will be ok for sup foiling too (see vid below), but obviously it doesn't cover Supping on fins in its disciplines.
Thanks for all the helpful comments and the time you put into writing them, especially Bondalucci. They help a lot. For now I am using an inflatable SUP from BCF with some Duotone Driftstoppers attached to it and having fun out on the water with my Duotone 6m Unit.
I'm really enjoying my fully inflatable setup that allows me to go anywhere, even with the whole family. I can use the iSUP when there's no wind and get out for a Wing Surf when the wind picks up. Coming from Wind surfing this is awesome and I'm getting more use out of it than I ever did with my wind surfer.
Once I'm feeling more confident on the water and mastering the Wing, and turning well, I will look at getting the Fanatic 6"11' Sky SUP with an Axis foil and get into the full Wing Foiling.
Who knows what revolutionary product will come out in the next 6 months.
Well I was going to say at the start of your post. Go for a board something as close to 7ft length. The length does Ok for SUP too.
Agree with Gorgo comments too. Have fun!
I started on the Naish Crossover 120L. I would count on buying a second board when you start gybing. To be honest, when I get on the Crossover now when I'm teaching my kid, I do not understand how I even got that thing flying. There's no comparison. Think 1972 Cadillac Sedan Deville versus a Modern Off Road Motorcycle.
Don't get me wrong - the Crossover is a great board. I still use it for stand up foiling - super stable and still wingable / foilable.
I wonder what you guys think about this crossover board? 2021 JP australia Freefoil 105? It's 190cm x 65. Ton of footstrap options and super long 14inch double track.. Also pretty flat bottom and sharp edge in the tail.
