Forums > Wing Foiling General

Flow D Wing Parawing Thread

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Created by camerongraham > 9 months ago, 7 Jan 2025
hilly
WA, 7856 posts
24 Mar 2025 2:35PM
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Thatspec said..I can see (or feel) that I'll need to go back to the kite harness for serious upwind work. There is considerably more pull than with a wing or at least pull in a different way.


Yep feeling the same.

MidAtlanticFoil
818 posts
25 Mar 2025 1:12AM
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Dmitry has the best method of stowing the PW.

www.instagram.com/reel/DHlRJ6ZIHvo/?igsh=MXR2OXpjdHQxdTU0Nw==

Also, he outlines the three stages of taking out the trash:

www.instagram.com/reel/DHgmWsxI3J0/?igsh=NnRmYmcwZm1tYmpx

Each with easy on handed re-launch.

ArthurAlston
NSW, 241 posts
25 Mar 2025 2:51PM
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@foilrat is on fire

?si=H2dAlF9yyYjubf_J

JohnnyTsunami
136 posts
12 Apr 2025 1:11AM
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Has anyone had issues with these wings and had to tune them? I had a great session on a brm 4m and a 3m. My first two sessions were successful, basically not much to learn besides how to launch it and to jibe slow and how to NOT pump it when getting going.

Then my 4.2m flow came and in about as much wind as the previous sessions and it just is absolutely gutless, collapses, tried to dive into the water as much as it can. I think the bridles might be messed up somehow. No idea where to start with the things besides making sure all the lines are symmetrical.

hilly
WA, 7856 posts
12 Apr 2025 4:58AM
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JohnnyTsunami said..
Has anyone had issues with these wings and had to tune them? I had a great session on a brm 4m and a 3m. My first two sessions were successful, basically not much to learn besides how to launch it and to jibe slow and how to NOT pump it when getting going.

Then my 4.2m flow came and in about as much wind as the previous sessions and it just is absolutely gutless, collapses, tried to dive into the water as much as it can. I think the bridles might be messed up somehow. No idea where to start with the things besides making sure all the lines are symmetrical.


Send video and photos to Flow they will sort it out.

Powis
WA, 78 posts
12 Apr 2025 7:17AM
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Yes my friend had this issue with his 3m flow. Luckily I had a 3m to compare with. It had a tendency to constantly fly into the sand /water. His bridle arrangement was distinctly different to mine.

frappes
16 posts
15 Apr 2025 2:02AM
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Powis said..
Yes my friend had this issue with his 3m flow. Luckily I had a 3m to compare with. It had a tendency to constantly fly into the sand /water. His bridle arrangement was distinctly different to mine.



Do you have more details on the difference in bridle configuration? I am having the same problem but I thought it was a skill issue. I have been able to fight it while riding over the course of several sessions but it would be great to understand how to tune this thing to fly better! I definitely find it doesn't fly as well as the BRM in the wind speed sweet spot.

bigtone667
NSW, 1543 posts
15 Apr 2025 8:54AM
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Powis said..
Yes my friend had this issue with his 3m flow. Luckily I had a 3m to compare with. It had a tendency to constantly fly into the sand /water. His bridle arrangement was distinctly different to mine.


Interesting.... my 5.5 and 4.2 fly exactly the same and well. My 3m fly's quite differently and not well, and I have just assumed I did not have enough wind. I will have a closer look at the bridle setup.

Gorgo
VIC, 5097 posts
15 Apr 2025 11:32AM
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My 4.2m was a bugger to fly on the water, but it was user error, to an extent. I was trying to ride out from a sheltered beach to maximise my downwind room.

Turbulence and lulls and dead spots were killers for the D-Wing. Simply being in the lee of a big catamaran was enough for the wing to drop into the water.

Also problematic is with insufficient tension on the rear lines the wing doesn't steer and has no power.

Things improved greatly when I either moved to a different part of the beach in clear air, or stayed down and sit sailed well out into clearer wind.

Windbot
508 posts
15 Apr 2025 10:53PM
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JohnnyTsunami said..
Has anyone had issues with these wings and had to tune them? I had a great session on a brm 4m and a 3m. My first two sessions were successful, basically not much to learn besides how to launch it and to jibe slow and how to NOT pump it when getting going.

Then my 4.2m flow came and in about as much wind as the previous sessions and it just is absolutely gutless, collapses, tried to dive into the water as much as it can. I think the bridles might be messed up somehow. No idea where to start with the things besides making sure all the lines are symmetrical.


Yes! I have the 4.2. I'm just learning and I suck but I found the wing a real struggle, it does not like flying high in the window in the power zone, instead it likes to settle downwind of me and pull me off the leeward side of the board. I also have a Gong Pulse 5.0 and Takoon 3.0 and both fly better, especially the Gong. Turning on the D-Wing feels really laggy. I'm looking for tuning tips to get this one sorted out. My buddy who is good and has a 4.2 D-Wing also he test flew mine and said it flew okay, but it didn't sound like it was as nice as his to fly as his own.

zarb
NSW, 690 posts
16 Apr 2025 2:06AM
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I've been playing on the Flow, the Ozone, and the BRM. The 4.2 Flow feels very strange... If it was my paraglider I'd describe the same feeling as when my lines are completely out of trim and the canopy is going parachutal.

Has anyone had a resolution from Flow and can share what the recommendation was? Is it a line section replacement, or is it moving the middle lines somewhere else on the bar?

Windbot
508 posts
16 Apr 2025 2:44AM
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zarb said..
I've been playing on the Flow, the Ozone, and the BRM. The 4.2 Flow feels very strange... If it was my paraglider I'd describe the same feeling as when my lines are completely out of trim and the canopy is going parachutal.

Has anyone had a resolution from Flow and can share what the recommendation was? Is it a line section replacement, or is it moving the middle lines somewhere else on the bar?


This sounds like similar to what I'm experiencing, thanks.

Szabi
WA, 9 posts
16 Apr 2025 11:31AM
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zarb said..
I've been playing on the Flow, the Ozone, and the BRM. The 4.2 Flow feels very strange... If it was my paraglider I'd describe the same feeling as when my lines are completely out of trim and the canopy is going parachutal.

Has anyone had a resolution from Flow and can share what the recommendation was? Is it a line section replacement or moving the middle lines somewhere else on the bar?


I sent back my 3m Flow because I couldn't go upwind with it, and Felipe lent me his one until the new batch arrives. Hopefully, it is an easy fix, but it's better to ask them.

pp4
31 posts
16 Apr 2025 11:55AM
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Szabi said..

zarb said..
I've been playing on the Flow, the Ozone, and the BRM. The 4.2 Flow feels very strange... If it was my paraglider I'd describe the same feeling as when my lines are completely out of trim and the canopy is going parachutal.

Has anyone had a resolution from Flow and can share what the recommendation was? Is it a line section replacement or moving the middle lines somewhere else on the bar?



I sent back my 3m Flow because I couldn't go upwind with it, and Felipe lent me his one until the new batch arrives. Hopefully, it is an easy fix, but it's better to ask them.


I have been riding the Ensis 3m for 2 months now, initially a though this is garbage, folding tips, not going upwind, no range, etc.
Now, I'm in love with the ensis parawing, it just requires proper technique, harness line and wind window understanding.
As an ex-kiter, this parawings must be handled as a two line kite, when positioned in the right part of the wind window they go upwind as a rocket.

Youngbreezy
WA, 1196 posts
19 Apr 2025 3:39PM
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I got to well and truly test out the top end of the 4.2m dwing the day before yesterday. Did a 12km downwinder (city beach to Sorrento, Perth metro area) wind averaging 30 knots with gusts a bit higher. I am 105kgs on 5'10x20x85L sunova carver and axis art v2 999 with skinny rear. Of the wind reading below ocean reef is the most accurate, Swanbourne a lot lower and Rottnest a bit higher.



Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to claim this is the comfortable wind range for the 4.2m but it was actually quite manageable and I ended up having an amazing run. I would have loved to have a smaller parawing but I only have the 4.2m and conditions were cranking so I had to make it work.
Whilst mounting the board I would be gripping the front lines, letting the wing depower. It was flapping like mad but would sit at about 11 o'clock and be quite stable and manageable. Getting to my feet without getting flung off was the hardest part. When I did get it right it was super easy to get up with a lot of pull in the wing. Getting on foil was basically instant. Just sheet in a bit and I was flying.
Once up and foiling moving downwind the pressure on the wing was a lot less. I could ride downwind fairly controlled, upwind or even a reach were not very possible but downwind fairly easy. The bumps were cranking so I didn't need to sail around much before tucking the wing away.
Interestingly Sveny foils was also out on the 4.2m that day. I am pretty sure he has smaller wings to use but was still on the 4.2m, he is 115kg though! My friend Sheps that I went with was on the 2.9m BRM. He wasn't able to finish the run because he couldn't control the wing very well with the lack of depower. He was also way over foiled with the massive bumps but he is a lot lighter at 65kg.
Cool to know that with the parawing if you're going downwind you can kind of put it up in anything. I can use my 4.2m down to about 15 knots on my downwind board and can still manage it in over 30. This will mean I can use it for everything here in Perth, at least when downwinding
Doing a proper downwind run in cranking bumps on my 5'10" carver was really my parawing dream come true. Absolutely epic.

Thatspec
440 posts
19 Apr 2025 7:09PM
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Good to know that 30 is survivable with a 4.2 but I doubt loading these things up that much does them any good. Already starting to wonder about longevity, line stretch etc. Over time a paraglider becomes slower as the front lines support the bulk of the weight and the rear lines shrink a bit. It's a good idea to stretch the C's and D's every year. Lines are so much shorter in a PW it may be unnecessary.

waveshredder
1 posts
23 Apr 2025 4:41AM
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I purchased the BRM 2.9 and 4.0 last August and have been flying them since. After seeing Gav's review of the Flow I purchased a 4.2 and 3.0. Both of them want to fly in the water unless actively twisting the bar to keep them up. Then, when I hit a gust, they fly over my head, etc. Obviously, the wings I received are not right. Has anyone had success in getting Flow to respond proactively?

eppo
WA, 9686 posts
23 Apr 2025 6:59AM
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waveshredder said..
I purchased the BRM 2.9 and 4.0 last August and have been flying them since. After seeing Gav's review of the Flow I purchased a 4.2 and 3.0. Both of them want to fly in the water unless actively twisting the bar to keep them up. Then, when I hit a gust, they fly over my head, etc. Obviously, the wings I received are not right. Has anyone had success in getting Flow to respond proactively?


have to admit now i'm finding the same on my new 3m. It's like the middle lines are not tuned properly from what i can see. You need to be very active on that bar hey . was on the beach next to someone with the new ozone para 3m.

So much more stable . trimming the bar works properly . site back on the back lines, comes up over head when you let it breathe.

the flow folds and parachutes . I flew foil kites from 1999 to 2007 . these bridles are not tuned properly.

hilly
WA, 7856 posts
23 Apr 2025 7:35AM
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I will get my 3m soon and compare it to my 4.2 which is very stable.

Youngbreezy
WA, 1196 posts
23 Apr 2025 8:26AM
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I think there's definitely something wrong with your wings guys. My 4.2m is really stable and easy to control. I would definitely get onto hassling flow about this one

foilthegreats
761 posts
23 Apr 2025 9:16AM
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Hopefully they have better QC for actual Paragliders lol

kook123
116 posts
23 Apr 2025 9:27AM
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troubles like this?

eppo
WA, 9686 posts
23 Apr 2025 10:20AM
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kook123 said..
troubles like this?




Yeh you can see the characteristics of the flow when he's trying to get up. Oh mr dave west when ya gybe pull on the back lines and turn . advice off a mate which i just tried on the beach.

I've had 5 sessions now . and had a similar experience to Dave - less than impressed. Gonna keep at it just cause.

hilly
WA, 7856 posts
23 Apr 2025 1:29PM
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Youngbreezy said..
I think there's definitely something wrong with your wings guys. My 4.2m is really stable and easy to control. I would definitely get onto hassling flow about this one







I got an email back from Flow after my email to them enquiring about the stability issues and my 3m wing which arrives next week. Reply:
"We had one batch of D-Wings that had a recall due to a production error.


Your 3m wing is made at a different time and has no issues."

Good to see they are sorting this out. I am really happy with my 4.2 hoping the 3m flies as well

hilly
WA, 7856 posts
23 Apr 2025 1:32PM
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eppo said..

kook123 said..
troubles like this?





Yeh you can see the characteristics of the flow when he's trying to get up. Oh mr dave west when ya gybe pull on the back lines and turn . advice off a mate which i just tried on the beach.

I've had 5 sessions now . and had a similar experience to Dave - less than impressed. Gonna keep at it just cause.


You need solid 20 knots for the 3m to really test it.

eppo
WA, 9686 posts
23 Apr 2025 4:29PM
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hilly said..

Youngbreezy said..
I think there's definitely something wrong with your wings guys. My 4.2m is really stable and easy to control. I would definitely get onto hassling flow about this one








I got an email back from Flow after my email to them enquiring about the stability issues and my 3m wing which arrives next week. Reply:
"We had one batch of D-Wings that had a recall due to a production error.


Your 3m wing is made at a different time and has no issues."

Good to see they are sorting this out. I am really happy with my 4.2 hoping the 3m flies as well


Yeh apparently mine is part of that batch. So if you are wondering why it's doing weird things get in touch. They are currently redoing the batch in the factory now for distribution hopefully in the next two weeks. I just did a run - completed it but it was a wild bull ride lol.

AnyBoard
NSW, 371 posts
23 Apr 2025 10:06PM
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I had my first parawing session on a 3m flow in only 8 to 12 knots and the wing behaved quite well in the rare gusts and dropped when there was no wind as you would expect. I don't think it needs a lot of wind to fly.

I have now had 2 sessions on a 3m ozone and it is not that hard to learn and control at all if you have some solid winging and kiting behind you. Once up on foil it is a beautiful thing in my opinion and feels home pretty quick.

Eppo you will be away first session with a balanced parawing in the right conditions. The gybe are a little mystery and am only making some accidently.

JohnnyTsunami
136 posts
24 Apr 2025 12:13AM
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Flow said they had some bridle issues, not sure what their process is for getting me a working parawing after 3 months of waiting but I hope it's a fast one.

Windbot
508 posts
24 Apr 2025 12:42AM
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zarb said..
I've been playing on the Flow, the Ozone, and the BRM. The 4.2 Flow feels very strange... If it was my paraglider I'd describe the same feeling as when my lines are completely out of trim and the canopy is going parachutal.

Has anyone had a resolution from Flow and can share what the recommendation was? Is it a line section replacement, or is it moving the middle lines somewhere else on the bar?


I reached out to Flow with my parawing's order number and they confirmed mine wasn't one of the ones that had an issue. I also took it out again in higher and it flew much better, it likes to be powered. It's still not perfect, but it's way better when well powered. I have a fully mixed quiver of three parawings from three different brands so their sizing doesn't scale perfectly. What I found is that the Flow flies small for a 4.2 based on my other parawings, more like a 3.8.

gneve
125 posts
24 Apr 2025 1:27AM
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I just recently received my 4.2 Flow and while I don't have a ton of experience with parawings, it feels as if something is off. Just practicing on the beach, when the wing gets to the edge of the window, it has a strong tendency to continue to rotate and go leading edge down. No input on the bar seems to recover from this behavior. The only thing I can do is grab the trailing edge lines on the side to which I want to turn and give them a pull. I have reached out to Flow but have yet to hear back.



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"Flow D Wing Parawing Thread" started by camerongraham