Hi folks, i am seeking your advice for choosing the right time to switch to a smaller foil board. i was an experienced windfoiler( weight 76kg) and started wingfoiling this year. After 10 days of wing foil practicing with my old slingshot wizard 114 i mastered my first wing foil jibes and i love it!
i have now purchased a slingshot Wingcraft 90 liters wing board. Am i ready to switch to a smaller board or should i keep practicing with my older bigger board?
Thanks for your help
Juergen
You learned to jibe in 10 days, so sounds like you are a competent waterman, what do you want to do. Guys with +10 liter boards at my local spot can easily wing back when the wind drops and they get up on foil easily when the wind is really light, whereas nitwits like me have to wing back on their knees and it's harder to get up in really light wind (me: board vol = weight), that said it looks like I have way more mobility, carving, on the water and that is what I really enjoy, it's kind of like do yo want to drive Monte Carlo in a Gran Torino or a Mini
At 76kgs and doing what you are doing I'd be aiming for a board -10 litres to -15 liners before too long. I'm 70kgs and went from learner board to an 80kg board for about six weeks and thought I'd keep it for light wind days after I went to a 60kg board. With 60kg board I use it for everything, even light wind days. -10 to -15 board will float as soon as you have some forward movement, as little as 8 knots on a 6m wing with the right foil and technique. With stink bug to get onto your knees you will stand just like before. Only downside is getting balanced but comes pretty easy with stink bug. The 60 kg board is way easier to pump and seems to release really well too, not to mention it feels so much better when up. I'm resisting to go to a true sinker as I like to have just one board. I'm intermediate rider at best. Really don't need the 80kg any more. 80kg board was ok for light days when learning but I think you'll progress faster on the smaller board once being on the 80kg board for a short while. Just my experience anyway.
