by adam2 » Sat Oct 24, 2020 2:11 pm
Hi Rich, here's the long answer. I did indeed get going and had some really fun reaches. I will definitely wing easterlies again. I am just using my Wizard 125L and it is great for learning. I have my 84cm Infinity in C position, on my Tuttle Wizard. I could probably get flying a bit sooner if my Wizard had tracks instead of Tuttle. I removed the footstraps and replaced them with straps made from old seatbelts so they don't get in the way winging, I can stand right on them if needed. It makes a huge difference and they work as handles for my walks of shame. Hopefully they still work for windfoiling. Winging is pretty easy, but I am having difficulties staying upwind, largely because I am often underpowered taking the 5 out in conditions that are a bit too light, also because I am only surface jibing, no tacks yet. As a windfoiler I can't wrap my head around flying tacks yet. I feel like a 5m wing is like a 4m sail for windfoiling in terms of power. Slogging is a ticket downwind imo. If I were doing it again, at 185lbs I probably should have bought a 6m or even 7m instead of a 5m as I just keep getting lightwind days and am more keen to wing than windfoil. A 4/6 or 5/7 quiver would cover a huge range here. Winging likely won't replace lightwind windfoiling for me, but I see a ton of potential for strong northwesterlies in the spring and hope to get some big downwinders going.