So I tried to wing a prone board.

[Clamsmasher]

I put straps on an old 4’4” @ 40ish litres and took it out today. I had a choice of heaps of wind or semi smooth so I went smooth.

it didn’t go very well. I felt like the board was too corky to sinker start and I couldn’t get it planing on my knees...so I don’t know? Thinner, more shortboardish profile? Maybe just heaps of wind..any thoughts?

 

[radair]

I'm a rank beginner that doesn't know squat but i do know being overpowered is better than underpowered.

 

[juandesooka]

You see the rippers online doing this, but I've heard from from people I know who are not very good wingers that have supposedly made this work, and even strapless (not witnessed). I tried it once and it was a complete mystery, didn't seem even close. I can knee start my 5' 75L, that's as far as I have gotten with this. Sure would be nice to ride a prone foil though.

Some things I've heard, read, or thought about:

• if going sinker, go full sinker ... the deeper the board is, the more stable. Buddy said he's standing on it nipple deep. So you need to paddle out to deep water.
• you want lots of wind, need to be lit, at least until you're good at it.
• straps should help keep it in place
• once up, don't fall.

And I've seen other dudes doing some kinda half sinker thing where kneeling on board under water, then up to one foot, then both....complete mystery, trying this is beyond spastic.

Until I see some real life examples, I am sticking with ol' reliable 6.8 115L, then getting good at the 75L knee starter, then we'll see

 

[radair]

Check out Larry Foiler on YouTube. He has a couple of really good videos showing how he does it. He does them strapless, which must be significantly more difficult. In some of the comments he mentions that it took him a LOT of tries to get it dialed. I think the secret is to just keep trying and be prepared to get slapped down over and over. I'm determined to get it figured out some day. The camera angles on this one are excellent:

Here's another.

Found another by someone else. He's getting up off his knees and does it so fast it's hard to see:

 

[juandesooka]

<heavy sigh> ... I guess I have to devote some more time and effort to this, would be so rad to wing on a surf foil size board

one of the early videos on this was a windsurf pro freak. The 3rd one above is gunnar binasch, who is kitefoil racer, early wing adopter, dunno if in freak status, but definitely talented athlete. Don't know Larry Foiler, is he a regular joe, to give hopes to all us arrested intermediates?

 

[Hdip]

Nope. Larry Foilor is a sponsored Axis rider. Very good.

I did break a 31 L prone board free for about two seconds. Wind was over 25 mph that day. That is my only true attempt at wing foiling I’m sure it’s possible but it’s not easy.

Most guys don’t do it though. There has to be a reason. Even guys like radiculo and Mizo and titouan don’t do it all the time.

 

[Clamsmasher]

i think my main issue from the one attempt was the corkiness of my prone board, and lack of solid wind...I’ll save my energy for a lit day on flat water nexts time.

i really want it though...I love winging but having come from prone, the performance downgrade of even a very small SUP is a bit of a downer. They just don’t turn the same. Or pump.

 

[Kaser1]

Need more wind til you figure it out. I go on my SUP/wing board when I know its gonna be light. So I'm already standing, just waiting for a puff to work with. I've tried light wind on my sinker and it's no fun at all. I spent more time trying to get up than actually riding. And when you come off foil yer screwed, start all over.

Here's an overhead view of starting my small board, 5'3 40'ish L in some good low 20's wind.

 

[Clamsmasher]

Need more wind til you figure it out. I go on my SUP/wing board when I know its gonna be light. So I'm already standing, just waiting for a puff to work with. I've tried light wind on my sinker and it's no fun at all. I spent more time trying to get up than actually riding. And when you come off foil yer screwed, start all over.

Here's an overhead view of starting my small board, 5'3 40'ish L in some good low 20's wind.

Thanks Kaser.
How wide is your 5’3”? I have a couple of kneeboard blanks in the roof....I think I'll use one.

 

[Kaser1]

Thanks Kaser.
How wide is your 5’3”? I have a couple of kneeboard blanks in the roof....I think I'll use one.

It's 23" wide I'm pretty sure. I like the fact the tail is wide and not pulled in, it helps the low speed plaining and getting to your feet on the starts.

 

[Clamsmasher]

Thanks.