There are so many boards and sails out there. For 2021, Naish seems to be pairing their freeride boards and sails nicely. The parallel rails of the Galaxy make it very efficient, plus it's foil ready. And it's hard to beat the Lift lineup of sails. These 2 videos describe the gear well:
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Duotone has 2021 models out!!! I didn't kite much this season as I was busy learning windsurf wave foiling, but I'm thinking of getting a new kite for next year. THESE ARE TASTY!!! 1.) Two videos on the 2021 Neo SLS: 2.) And, two videos on the 2021 Dice:  It seems everybody is getting into wing foiling these days. Very cool to see a new sport taking off so quickly. I thought these videos were particularly good for beginners. Some of them were shared with me by friends, and some of them I found on my own. Hope it helps. 1.) This first one is by Ozone. I like how they cover everything from simple handling of the wing, to first runs on a paddle board, to pumping to get on foil. 2.) This second video is by fellow Youtuber, Kyle, from OK Kitboarder. I thought it does a great job of explaining the waterstart. 3.) This video by Horue gives lots of good views of transitions, and it's just plain FUN to watch! 4.) Some good stuff from Robby Naish on beginning. This is part 2. I found part 1 to be kinda boring, but you may want to look it up. 5.) REAL Watersports talks about the foil and board mostly, and then gets into the wing itself. Good beginner stuff.  In December of 2018, I wrote an article called Evolution of a Quiver (you may want to read it here before proceeding). In that article I discussed how board and sail quivers change over time and why this has significance for intermediate/advanced riders. Now, in September of 2020, it's time to update the discussion. You will recall from the 2018 article that, at the end of the 2018 season, I was mostly riding an 85 liter board while occasionally riding a 105 or 76, with sails from 5.7m to 2.9m. This has changed. The 2020 season has taken a turn. This year I am ONLY riding 85 liters for windsurfing. It's a one board windsurfing quiver, with smaller sail sizes now from 4.7m to 2.7m. But, I have added windsurf wave foiling to the mix. So my second board is a dedicated windsurf wave foiling board (you can learn about our Windsurf Wave Foiling experience here). I use this foiling board with the same sail quiver, 4.7m to 2.7m. This has also allowed me to reduce my boom quiver to a one-boom quiver of 125-175cm with adjustable harness lines. What is the significance? The net result is a smaller overall quiver with greater wind range. I now have a 2 board quiver instead of 3, with only 6 sails instead of 7, one boom instead of 2, and a wind range of 14-50mph instead of 17-45mph. Less total gear, more wind range, and much smaller sail sizes for greater maneuverability. I get more wave sessions with a big wave feel because of the wave foil, and I don't have to drive as far chasing bigger wind because the wave foil is as much fun in 15mph as windsurfing is in 40mph. Plus there is more room in my vehicle. The maneuverability achieved through smaller sail sizes is the greatest bonus. As you recall from my article and video series called Riding Smaller Wave Sails, there are many ways you can improve your ability to ride smaller sails. Once you learn to ride smaller sails you will experience the wave in a more surfy way as the sail interferes less with the wave ride. When you introduce the windsurf wave foil to your quiver, coupled with even smaller sails, you feel an even greater surfy-surfy experience. It's a double bonus!!! Don't be afraid to allow your quiver to change and evolve as you improve and as you discover what you love doing the most. Small sails give me a great sense of freedom. They allow me to experience the wave more intimately. They allow me to be so much more maneuverable. And the windsurf wave foil has increased that love and experience drastically. I can now enjoy the biggest rush of high wind riding on my windsurfing board and the epic feel of small wave surfing on my foil board, all with much less gear.  As many of you know, the only windsurfing boards that Lisa and I are riding this year are Fanatic. Fanatic has been our favorite brand since we began windsurfing. It's very cool to see old-school versions coming back as Fanatic celebrates its 40th Anniversary. I'M REALLY EXCITED! The Mosquito version of the Grip looks like the ultimate dynamic wave board. Here is what Fanatic has to say about it: My information and entertainment is FREE. Please click a few ads regularly to help me pay for this site so it may continue. Thank you very much! The Mamba comes back as a reincarnated Stubby. This is the board I would buy today if I needed a new board. Here is what Fanatic has to say about it: And, the Bee comes back as a very diverse foil board for windfoiling, SUP foiling, and wing foiling. Here is what Fanatic has to say about it: My information and entertainment is FREE. Please click a few ads regularly to help me pay for this site so it may continue. Thank you very much!  This video on the new Slingshot foil boards for windsurf foiling is really interesting. It's a very, very different approach to windsurf foiling compared to what Lisa and I are doing. The Slingshot approach is more foot strap oriented where the feet stay in one place for the whole session, while windsurf wave foiling (what Lisa and I are doing) is completely strapless and is all about constant foot movement as the wave changes, as lift from the foil changes, and as your objective changes. The new 90 liter Slingshot looks like a blast once you have become an accomplished rider. My information is FREE. Please click a few ads regularly to help me pay for this site so it may continue. Thank you very much! Here is the video:  |
AuthorEric L. Mihelbergel is an intermediate/advanced windsurfer, kiteboarder, and foiler living in the Great Lakes Region of New York State who enjoys sharing about windsports and fitness. Archives
August 2024
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