We love learning new things here at WetnDry Boardsports and Wing Foiling is newest of the new. Trying out different setups, adjusting kit and testing out local spots we try and become as knowledgeable as possible in everything we do. This knowledge can then be passed on to you to help you get wing foiling as soon as possible. This time round Nathan tried the Duotone Echo 6m and the Fanatic 5’0 Sky Wing out in the ray, read on to find out how he got on.
Kit Setup
On arrival to the Chalkwell beach at about an hour before high tide the wind was up and down around 11-13mph with a fair few lulls, holes and a few gusts. I decided the 6m Duotone Echo would be my best bet as I could use the extra size to keep up on the foil during the lighter winds. I have also found that is difficult to get overpowered on the Echo 6m as you can completely kill the power of a wing by releasing the back hand or sheeting out. I am yet to try a small wing in consistent conditions, but I am impressed with how the larger sized Dutone Echos can be powered up and depowered at a moment notice.
As for the board I chose the Fanatic Sky Wing 5’0. I have previously Wing Foiled the 5’4” model but due to weighing only 65kgs and having a height of 5’8 I knew I could get away with the smaller board. I have found during my first few weeks of learning to wing foil that I prefer the shorter boards due to it not only being easier to get up on the foil but I feel I have better control once flying.
Due to the varied conditions and I opted for the Neilpryde Glide Surf Foil with the Large front wing and shorter fuselage. The large size front wing provides me with ample lift even during the lighter winds and as well as lots of control and stability. The shorter fuselage I find makes the whole foil easier to pump and more manoeuvrable. I was using the 65cm mast to give me plenty of pumping room and the ability to try keep high on the foil while attempting gybes and tacks.
Walk Out and Launching
Low Tide was 08:30 so I started my walk out at around 08:00 following the path out from Chalkwell beach. Compared to carrying Windsurfing equipment out to the ray Wing Foiling is a hell of lot easier, it can be done in one hit with either the Wing pumped up or you can walk out with the wing in its bag and pump up on the mud bank. Just be sure to keep an eye on the tide if you are pumping up out there.
I launched straight ahead of the path which takes you out to the ray. Launching here allows you to get out into deeper water quickly and easily. Obviously when using a foil on a longer mast you need to be conscious of the lower water sections but if you stay to the centre and the furthest side of the ray you should have no worries.
Tweaking Equipment
As I was using the new 5ft Fanatic Sky Wing, I spent the first few runs getting used to the new board. I noticed that the nose of my Sky Wing was rising to high and not sitting parallel with the water, requiring me to apply lots of front foot pressure to keep the foil from over foiling. I came back to the bank and adjusted the foil position within the board track, moving the foil right to the back of the board. This adjustment of no more than 3cms meant that even though I had not adjusted my stance at all, there was now move weight over the front of the foil and therefore driving the whole foil down. When a foil is setup correctly on the board, your board should be either parallel with the water or almost have the nose pointing down when foiling.
Blasting
Once I found my equipment to be setup correctly, I now focused on the task of really clicking with my new equipment and spending as much time as possible up on the foil. Condition where slightly up and down but this was good practice as I could get used to de-powering the rig as well as pumping the foil under foot to keep me up during the lighter winds. Pumping the Wing and Board is a skill that once practiced can get you foiling in the lightest of conditions. Pulling with both hands, pumping with the hips and adjusting your weight above the foil can force power into the Wing as well as giving you some lift underfoot. Combining Pumping the Wing as well as the Foil took a few tries to get the hang over but after about 10-15 minutes I could pump myself up onto the foil in very little wind.
I have been finding that I have also been moving my hand around the Duotone Echo’s boom more than I expected. When the winds are stronger and I feel to be over powered I slide both of my hands closer to the leading edge and shorten my grip. This is compared to when I feel locked in and want to keep on the power I move my hands slightly further away from the leading edge which seems to allow for the wind to keep in the wing and keep you accelerating.
As for tacks and gybes there is a fair bit still to be learnt but the feeling of flying above the water and turning into a gybe is a real thrill. For my first few attempts a Gybe seems to be lot easier. I find that I enjoy riding out of my gybes and not changing my stance so riding in a toe side position until I am ready to gybe again so I very rarely have to ride switch.
Conclusion
This was my first test of a smaller Fanatic Sky Wing Foil board and I found it to be a great feeling. Yes bigger boards are more stable for starting out and allow you to wobble a long a bit before foiling, but once up on the foil I feel the less board you have under-foot the better. As for the Duotone 6m Echo, I love it! Coming from a Windsurfing background I felt super comfortable using the Boom and I loved how much power the 6m can produce while still being controlled. For the Neilpryde Glide Surf Large Foil I found it very stable when flying and it had plenty of lift to keep me foiling through the lulls in the wind.
For more advice on Wing Foiling in Essex or Wing Foil Equpiment feel free to give us a call at the shop on 01268 569988 and we will always share our knowledge and help you get out foiling as soon as possible.
