Forums > Kitesurfing General

Wingsurfing with unidirectional kiteboard?

Reply
Created by Kit3kat > 9 months ago, 13 Jun 2020
Kit3kat
QLD, 139 posts
13 Jun 2020 12:20PM
Thumbs Up

had a break for about a year from kitesurfing as i was living in the desert for a bit. was gonna get myself a new bar and noted this new concept of wingsurfing.

looks pretty cool for traveling as it is so compact.
im 80kg 184cm and am thinking like a 6 or 7m wingsurf sail with my unidirectional (5 ft 3) kiteboard. is that possible? the board cannot carry my weight at all so id have to waterstart but it doesnt need much power to float once planing. its quite wide. not keen on foiling atm.

snalberski
WA, 857 posts
13 Jun 2020 12:49PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
Kit3kat said..
had a break for about a year from kitesurfing as i was living in the desert for a bit. was gonna get myself a new bar and noted this new concept of wingsurfing.

looks pretty cool for traveling as it is so compact.
im 80kg 184cm and am thinking like a 6 or 7m wingsurf sail with my unidirectional (5 ft 3) kiteboard. is that possible? the board cannot carry my weight at all so id have to waterstart but it doesnt need much power to float once planing. its quite wide. not keen on foiling atm.



I dont wingsurf but have observed several wingsurfers at my local, all of whom appear to be constantly and unchangeably struggling to get any speed or realization of power, even when using a huge board with a huge foil attached. I would be guessing when I say you would probably need 25knts+ for it to even work with a tt, even if you could work out a way to launch.

wishy
WA, 1501 posts
13 Jun 2020 1:09PM
Thumbs Up

If you want compact, why not get a Nobile splitboard and a foil kite. Then you just need a compact harness really.

Mark _australia
WA, 22090 posts
13 Jun 2020 1:51PM
Thumbs Up

Seems even expert wing people need a board that floats them - 50L about the smallest I've seen and thats tiny, most start on 100L or so.

Kite not compact enough?

billygreen
89 posts
13 Jun 2020 5:50PM
Thumbs Up

There's a video of guys trying this in cape Hatteras in hurricane strength winds doing a Downwinder and still wasn't enough

Kit3kat
QLD, 139 posts
13 Jun 2020 10:16PM
Thumbs Up

strange. coz in high winds a 7m kite will also get you easily downwind and youd presume a parked 6m is the same as a "held" 6m wingsurf kite.

cauncy
WA, 8407 posts
13 Jun 2020 8:39PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
Kit3kat said..
had a break for about a year from kitesurfing as i was living in the desert for a bit. was gonna get myself a new bar and noted this new concept of wingsurfing.

looks pretty cool for traveling as it is so compact.
im 80kg 184cm and am thinking like a 6 or 7m wingsurf sail with my unidirectional (5 ft 3) kiteboard. is that possible? the board cannot carry my weight at all so id have to waterstart but it doesnt need much power to float once planing. its quite wide. not keen on foiling atm.


Easier and cooler to move back to the desert

mazdon
1196 posts
13 Jun 2020 9:58PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
Kit3kat said..
strange. coz in high winds a 7m kite will also get you easily downwind and youd presume a parked 6m is the same as a "held" 6m wingsurf kite.


Not trying to be nasty, but you may need to google and read info on wind strength at say 25m above ground relative to ground/water level, and maybe also the physics around the power stroke of the sail

but good luck if you want to have a crack anyhow!

RAL INN
VIC, 2880 posts
14 Jun 2020 8:13AM
Thumbs Up

There are some videos of guys starting on sinkers but it's usually sitting or kneeling to start.
but definitely not a beginners choice.
kneeling and just buoyant would be minimum but for beginners a real floater is best.

johndg
WA, 206 posts
14 Jun 2020 1:39PM
Thumbs Up

Check out Alan Cadiz on YouTube. There are people riding surfboards now. I have have seen an instructional showing how to start by Alan. there are also people with the board underwater pumping it up onto the surface and then foiling. it can definitely be done but you may need to know what you are doing before you start. I would suggest beginning with a sup foilboard. Check of the sup forms under foiling.

Mistral Nick
QLD, 365 posts
15 Jun 2020 4:57PM
Thumbs Up

There's quite a big wingding community on the Goldie invariably on foil boards with enough volume to stand without sinking. Some are going in quite light 10-12 knots breezes. Actually thought Seebreeze was starting a new thread for that discipline.

Peahi
VIC, 1467 posts
15 Jun 2020 6:37PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
mazdon said..

Kit3kat said..
strange. coz in high winds a 7m kite will also get you easily downwind and youd presume a parked 6m is the same as a "held" 6m wingsurf kite.



Not trying to be nasty, but you may need to google and read info on wind strength at say 25m above ground relative to ground/water level, and maybe also the physics around the power stroke of the sail

but good luck if you want to have a crack anyhow!


It goes without saying that wind dinging is more similar to pole-dancing than kiting, even the yanking water starts look similar (maybe why surfers used to call them windwankers ).

I use a 7m surf style drifting kite in low 20's by maximizing the full wind window, something that you can really only do with a kite moving fast through the air.

I have also tried kiting in 12-13kn and prone surfboard say 45L, while you can get moving the drag of the board slows you down and its boring as bat**.

But let us know how you go, given you're so determined. I think the curiosity has got the better of all of us.

tightlines
WA, 3467 posts
15 Jun 2020 11:06PM
Thumbs Up

One time windsurfer, long time kiter, been winging for a year.
I can get going in around 10 knots and it becomes fun around 15 with a 5 mtr wing and a big foil.
I would not even consider a wing unless you want to use it with a foil.
Maybe, just maybe, if you have never kited or windsurfed etc you may get a little bit of enjoyment out of cruising around with a wing on an old school windsurfer with a dagger board, or a big Sup with a big fin, for a while.

Anything other than that you are not going to hold ground and it's going to be hard work.

billygreen
89 posts
16 Jun 2020 6:59AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
johndg said..
Check out Alan Cadiz on YouTube. There are people riding surfboards now. I have have seen an instructional showing how to start by Alan. there are also people with the board underwater pumping it up onto the surface and then foiling. it can definitely be done but you may need to know what you are doing before you start. I would suggest beginning with a sup foilboard. Check of the sup forms under foiling.


no one riding a surfboard sans foil champ

billygreen
89 posts
16 Jun 2020 6:59AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
johndg said..
Check out Alan Cadiz on YouTube. There are people riding surfboards now. I have have seen an instructional showing how to start by Alan. there are also people with the board underwater pumping it up onto the surface and then foiling. it can definitely be done but you may need to know what you are doing before you start. I would suggest beginning with a sup foilboard. Check of the sup forms under foiling.


no one riding a surfboard sans foil champ

BrendanRobb
WA, 70 posts
16 Jun 2020 11:17AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
tightlines said..
One time windsurfer, long time kiter, been winging for a year.
I can get going in around 10 knots and it becomes fun around 15 with a 5 mtr wing and a big foil.
I would not even consider a wing unless you want to use it with a foil.
Maybe, just maybe, if you have never kited or windsurfed etc you may get a little bit of enjoyment out of cruising around with a wing on an old school windsurfer with a dagger board, or a big Sup with a big fin, for a while.

Anything other than that you are not going to hold ground and it's going to be hard work.


hey tightlines, what size/type of board and foil setup do you have for winging it? cheers

Peahi
VIC, 1467 posts
16 Jun 2020 8:02PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
billygreen said..

johndg said..
Check out Alan Cadiz on YouTube. There are people riding surfboards now. I have have seen an instructional showing how to start by Alan. there are also people with the board underwater pumping it up onto the surface and then foiling. it can definitely be done but you may need to know what you are doing before you start. I would suggest beginning with a sup foilboard. Check of the sup forms under foiling.



no one riding a surfboard sans foil champ


thanks for saving me the time

tightlines
WA, 3467 posts
17 Jun 2020 1:08AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
BrendanRobb said..
tightlines said..
One time windsurfer, long time kiter, been winging for a year.
I can get going in around 10 knots and it becomes fun around 15 with a 5 mtr wing and a big foil.
I would not even consider a wing unless you want to use it with a foil.
Maybe, just maybe, if you have never kited or windsurfed etc you may get a little bit of enjoyment out of cruising around with a wing on an old school windsurfer with a dagger board, or a big Sup with a big fin, for a while.

Anything other than that you are not going to hold ground and it's going to be hard work.


hey tightlines, what size/type of board and foil setup do you have for winging it? cheers


I have 2 boards, both ONE brands

www.oneoceansports.com/foil-board-downwind-prone,

A 6'8 x 28 108.8ltr



and a 5'10 x 27.5 107ltr both were bought originally for sup foil surfing and downwinding (with a paddle)



I would love to have something a bit smaller but they work fine for now.

I have an Axis set up with a variety of wings, fuses and masts that I use for kiting, winging, surfing and downwind paddling.

For winging I mainly use the 1010 front wing for lighter wind and the 1000 when it gets a bit stronger and downwinding.

When it is very light and when I was first learning I was using the 1020 wing as well.
It gets up easiest and is nice and stable for learning gybes and foot switches etc.

For tailwings the 460 is the fastest and loosest but the 400 is what I learnt with and is a bit more stable.

I currently use 3.5 and 5 mtr F-One Swings as I am mainly interested in downwinding and wave riding and they are/were the lightest and most well behaved when just floating along depowered on the front handle.

BrendanRobb
WA, 70 posts
17 Jun 2020 7:27AM
Thumbs Up

thanks tightlines!

billygreen
89 posts
17 Jun 2020 7:51AM
Thumbs Up

Seems like everyone has missed the point on OP's question.

It was in relation to wing foiling a small board WITHOUT a foil. Says he is not keen on foiling ATM.

says he wants to use his 5 3 kite surfboard with the wing. there is a big difference between a nuggety sub 5' wing foil board with foil attached and a 5 3 kite surfboard with no foil. personally i find it hard to believe that it is possible without a foil on a board that small.

tightlines
WA, 3467 posts
17 Jun 2020 9:08AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
billygreen said..
Seems like everyone has missed the point on OP's question.

It was in relation to wing foiling a small board WITHOUT a foil. Says he is not keen on foiling ATM.

says he wants to use his 5 3 kite surfboard with the wing. there is a big difference between a nuggety sub 5' wing foil board with foil attached and a 5 3 kite surfboard with no foil. personally i find it hard to believe that it is possible without a foil on a board that small.


Yeah. sorry I did hijack the thread a bit in that second post but you're right, if you read my first reply that is pretty much exactly what I said, it is not going to happen.

"I would not even consider a wing unless you want to use it with a foil."

If anyone even wanted to try, it would have to be on a big SUP at least and would be as boring as plus hard work.

The more drag you have from your board the harder it is to hang onto the wing.

edham
12 posts
6 Sep 2020 9:59PM
Thumbs Up

I've had a go with a 5m wing and a 6'0 fish (without a foil). I struggled to get going in about 25 knots other than a few short runs in the shallows.
while I struggled, others have got the hang.

I can't post links as I'm a new user but Nathan Van Vueren is doing it on a kite surfboard (with foot straps) - search for this YouTube vid: "Will this become a new sport? WING SURFING WITH A KITE BOARD @ BIG BAY SOUTH AFRICA"

Abel Lago is doing it on a twin tip kiteboard. Search for "Wing Twintip "Wing evolution from wingfoil with a Twintip Kitesurf board"
Difficult but not impossible.

Kamikuza
QLD, 6493 posts
8 Sep 2020 8:08PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
Kit3kat said..
had a break for about a year from kitesurfing as i was living in the desert for a bit. was gonna get myself a new bar and noted this new concept of wingsurfing.

looks pretty cool for traveling as it is so compact.
im 80kg 184cm and am thinking like a 6 or 7m wingsurf sail with my unidirectional (5 ft 3) kiteboard. is that possible? the board cannot carry my weight at all so id have to waterstart but it doesnt need much power to float once planing. its quite wide. not keen on foiling atm.


Someone's been doing it for almost 20 years...

LeeD
3939 posts
2 Oct 2020 5:39AM
Thumbs Up

Yeah, my dream is to use my 5.2 wing with one of my midsize surfboards in 12-20 mph wind. Carve the 2' windswells and power back upwind...no foil.

Gorgo
VIC, 4911 posts
2 Oct 2020 12:35PM
Thumbs Up

Winging not kitesurfing with short lines and it's not really windsurfing.

Kite lines give you access to a huge window and apparent wind. The window gives you access to wind gradient and the kite naturally positions itself in the ideal place and attitude to get loads of power. A wing has a tiny window, no wind gradient and the slightest movement of the wing can dump power. Those things make it easy to ride with no harness. Bear off just a little and all the load on your arms is gone.

A windsurfer has much more length in the mast and the leverage from the attachment to the deck.

There's a video somewhere of a guy winging on a surfboard in 50 knots. It looked a bit sketchy in terms of the poor control he had.I went out in 40 knots the other day on a SUP foil and it was a bit of a disaster. The wind would pick up the board and send it tumbling down the beach. Riding with the wing and the foil was ok.

I plan to improve my skills and get out with the wing on a 155cm kite foiling board. I think that would be fun in stupid strong winds.

CH3MTR4IL5
WA, 747 posts
2 Oct 2020 8:28PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
Kit3kat said..
had a break for about a year from kitesurfing as i was living in the desert for a bit. was gonna get myself a new bar and noted this new concept of wingsurfing.

looks pretty cool for traveling as it is so compact.
im 80kg 184cm and am thinking like a 6 or 7m wingsurf sail with my unidirectional (5 ft 3) kiteboard. is that possible? the board cannot carry my weight at all so id have to waterstart but it doesnt need much power to float once planing. its quite wide. not keen on foiling atm.


If you want compact then having to carry around a 5ft 3 board seems like it defeats that goal? Peak4 + twintip? Or peak4 + 37" skimboard will come in under 5kg and 90cm. Or as mentioned, splitboard and whole lot will fit in carry on?



Subscribe
Reply

Forums > Kitesurfing General


"Wingsurfing with unidirectional kiteboard?" started by Kit3kat