Hello brains trust. So I'm foiling comfortably. Front footstraps on, no rear, though will add these shortly. I have only a 5m wing right now, so am planning on adding a 4m for stronger conditions shortly.
My key question is about front foils. I am using an AXIS set up and have a 1800cm2 front wing on which gets me flying really quickly and has great lift. I am thinking of adding something faster, more high performance, whilst recognising I'm still a newbie who can't land a gybe as yet.
Any advice on what to add to my quiver?
Far from being part of the brains trust, just a beginner but my recent experience may be interesting to you. I am 53 and weigh 76-78kg.
Been winging since November. Started with armstrong cf2400 and a duotone unit 5m after trying a friend's gear for a few sessions. I had also bought a 2nd hand naish wingsurfer v1 (4m) last year to try with my SUP.
I have been quite happy with my setup and I have been sailing pretty much every day in Elwood. Unit 5m + cf2400 comfortably covering 12-18knots and overpowered but still safe up 25kn with even bigger gusts, 4m naish for 16-25kn.
A few weeks ago, I felt ready for a faster/smaller foil and was gonna buy an hs1850 and then an hs1250 further down the track....but I decided to get the hs1250 first. Going down from 2400 to 1250 cm2 might sound too big a drop but it wasn't. On my first session getting up on foil was so easy with 17-18kn of wind. It is noticeably faster but very user friendly. With my so-so pumping skills, my current range with the hs1250 and unit 5m is 14-15 knots (referring to BOM readings)... 17-18 knots with naish 4m.
I have now settled on a two-foil quiver: cf2400 for really light days around 12 knots and for practicing transitions, hs1250 for 15kn+. My next purchase will be a 3-3.5 m wing to replace the naish 4m and that should be enough for the rest of the year...or so I say to the minister for finance.
So, I would recommend the equivalent of the hs1250 in axis range as your next foil with a fast stab and a sub 4m wing.
Select to expand quotebhc said..
Far from being part of the brains trust, just a beginner but my recent experience may be interesting to you. I am 53 and weigh 76-78kg.
Been winging since November. Started with armstrong cf2400 and a duotone unit 5m after trying a friend's gear for a few sessions. I had also bought a 2nd hand naish wingsurfer v1 (4m) last year to try with my SUP.
I have been quite happy with my setup and I have been sailing pretty much every day in Elwood. Unit 5m + cf2400 comfortably covering 12-18knots and overpowered but still safe up 25kn with even bigger gusts, 4m naish for 16-25kn.
A few weeks ago, I felt ready for a faster/smaller foil and was gonna buy an hs1850 and then an hs1250 further down the track....but I decided to get the hs1250 first. Going down from 2400 to 1250 cm2 might sound too big a drop but it wasn't. On my first session getting up on foil was so easy with 17-18kn of wind. It is noticeably faster but very user friendly. With my so-so pumping skills, my current range with the hs1250 and unit 5m is 14-15 knots (referring to BOM readings)... 17-18 knots with naish 4m.
I have now settled on a two-foil quiver: cf2400 for really light days around 12 knots and for practicing transitions, hs1250 for 15kn+. My next purchase will be a 3-3.5 m wing to replace the naish 4m and that should be enough for the rest of the year...or so I say to the minister for finance.
So, I would recommend the equivalent of the hs1250 in axis range as your next foil with a fast stab and a sub 4m wing.
Thanks, really interesting.
I'm 50, weight 79kg, so very similar. I'm finding the 5m good in 12 to 18, though really more power than I need at about 18. Above that I feel like I need smaller. I don't think I'll be a really high wind foiler, will get back on my windsurfing gear when its blowy.
Interesting that you've gone from 2400 to 1250. Given I'm on 1800, maybe I should look at around 1000.
Couple of friends, 70-72 kg, wingfoil with 850 sq cm front wings, and also use the smallest wings of anyone, even in 8-15 mph breezes. Z foils and 5 meter wings.
