Beginner who windsurfed long ago...I'm 140lbs/63kg riding a 97L board with a Lift Surf 250 V2 front and a Surf 38 V2 rear, 4m and 6m hand wings (and have a foil drive to help get some extra time on foil as I learn). I'm on inland flat water with not a ton of wind.
But...I am up and foiling and having a good time. The setup works but I spend plenty of time wondering what the next piece of gear should be...new smaller board, or new foils?
Especially with the foils, wondering which might be the best to support me learning how to pump (I'd like to eventually ride swell) without making too big a leap (e.g. Lift 200HA, or the 170HA - and what tail?). I have no interest in jumping/tricks, and imagine I'll be mowing the lawn for some time while also working on pumping as much as I can on flat water, and will make occasional trips to Hood River for some real wind...
On the board front, I am drawn to the Appleslice V2 70L. Right now, my 97L feels smallish when I climb on, then really big when I'm flying.
I can't swing all of the above right now, so am wondering whether a new board or foil first will make the most difference (and which ones)???
The board will probably make the largest difference. Just carrying it down the beach will be more enjoyable. So I'll say board. Hard to look past a lift 150x though. :) I wouldn't be mad at you if you went that way. Deals on used 170 ha's should also be widely available. So keep an eye out for those.
Select to expand quoteHdip said..
The board will probably make the largest difference. Just carrying it down the beach will be more enjoyable. So I'll say board. Hard to look past a lift 150x though. :) I wouldn't be mad at you if you went that way. Deals on used 170 ha's should also be widely available. So keep an eye out for those.
thanks... I hear great stuff about that 150x, but imagine that would be a stretch for my skills
Hard to gauge your skill level, which would definitely influence my advice here. It sounds like you are on the Lift Surf series, which isn't the greatest pumping foil. If pumping and gliding is your goal, then switch out the foil first. Without knowing your skill I can't say what foil you should switch to, but either way it should be higher aspect. I think switching within the Lift ecosystem makes most sense since you can reuse the mast, and their wings all carry some similar carryover ride characteristics.
I'm larger than you (about 80kg). Started on a 90L board (after my first couple sessions on a larger board) and the Lift 250 HA. I was comfortably mowing the lawn, gybing and doing some basic pumping on that setup. I wanted something faster, so I switched to the Lift 200 HA, which was better than the 250 in every respect, although it wasn't a dramatic improvement. After about a year on that setup, I switched to the Takuma 1095 and 1440 (still on 90L board), which was much more lively and fun - this was a dramatic improvement in terms of glide, pump and maneuverability.
Shortly thereafter, I sized down to a 60L board, which was also a dramatic improvement. Definitely harder to get up on - took several sessions to figure out new starting technique, and my low end was slightly worse. I literally never used the 90L after I sized down to the 60L board.
Whereas the foil was a dramatic improvement in terms of speed, glide and maneuverability, the board was a dramatic improvement in terms of responsiveness and "feel of the foil". The smaller board just feels sportier.
You also need to consider whether you are building a quiver and will keep the old gear for use in some conditions, or if you are selling and need something that will cover all conditions.
Select to expand quoteSpokeyDoke said..Hdip said..
The board will probably make the largest difference. Just carrying it down the beach will be more enjoyable. So I'll say board. Hard to look past a lift 150x though. :) I wouldn't be mad at you if you went that way. Deals on used 170 ha's should also be widely available. So keep an eye out for those.
thanks... I hear great stuff about that 150x, but imagine that would be a stretch for my skills
Well, just to show I don't know sh!t...the board I wanted is backordered for a few months, and the guy I talked to a Big Winds thought the Lift 150 HA X would actually be a good move, so I somewhat nervously went for it.
What a blast!...faster, and after a minute, much easier/predictable carving than the Surf 250 V2, just seemed more refined all around. I was using my foil drive, so we will have to see how much more work it is to get up with just the wind and a wing...
