Fanatic Sky Wing 2022 vision

Choice between Fanatic 2022 and Armstrong FG, should be based more on what foil you ride. Lift and Armstrong favor FG, while other brands favor Fanatic box location.

The Fanatic is going to be the better performing board at firing foils up earlier. It has more planing surface. Flat all the way across the board, like a windsurf race board. Maximum acceleration with minimum skill. Just sheet in and hold on. haha.

The big chines running full length on the Armstrong FG take away planing surface area. Let's not forget, windsurfers proved long ago, the widest board wins when it comes to acceleration. It's all about the planing area.

@Northy The 95L Fanatic does feel significantly smaller than the 110L Naish when up on foil and also when knee starting, shlogging etc. For my 75KG it's plenty buoyant/stable though. I'd actually prefer if it had 5 or so liters less volume by making it thinner....keeping the same length and width. The rails are indeed masively thick, which is probably more of a benefit for a heavier rider. That said, it is more wobbly in the water than the 110 Naish, so it's hard to say which is better for you.... the 95L or the next size up. I probably could have gone down to the 85L but wanted to keep things easy for me and have one board that also works in marginal conditions....maybe the 85L would have been fine, but it also wasn't available.

As DWF said...definitely a different design philosophy compared to the Armie FG. The FG probably requires more pumping, while the Fanatic has A LOT of flat planing surface covering the rear 3/4ths of the board.

One other note....in addition the the Kujira 980, I also tried it with my Naish 2000 foil. Surpisingly that worked fine since the foil tracks have been moved forward. I didn't use footstraps but it seemed like my feet were where the straps would be, with the foil mounted all the way forward.

Just weighed the new 95L on the bathroom scale (maybe not the most precise) at 14.6lbs. I think somebody had reported 15.4lbs for the older version.

Pretty expensive but high performance (I'm not positive but I think all models are short with a lot of volume and have a thick tail with no kick -- could be wrong about that):

www.mackiteboarding.com/2022-fanatic-sky-wing-team-edition-foilboard/

This is a little video of Sky talking about the new range.

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Hanns said..
This is a little video of Sky talking about the new range.

Funny! Sky said: "you can find all info on Fanatic website", but site still show only 2020-21 boards.

Official video is up on YouTube:

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CrWingDinger said..

DWF said..
...
The Fanatic is going to be the better performing board at firing foils up earlier. It has more planing surface. Flat all the way across the board, like a windsurf race board. Maximum acceleration with minimum skill. Just sheet in and hold on. haha.

...Let's not forget, windsurfers proved long ago, the widest board wins when it comes to acceleration. It's all about the planing area.

I'm not and expert on hydrodynamics, but it looks to me that planning and gliding to start on foil are different things.

Granted wide windsurf boards accelerate fast when planning, but SUP race boards with a tiny and weak human paddling compared to a powerful windsurf sail are long and narrow for maximum efficient.

I think starting on foil with a wing is closer to gliding than to planning, so if one should make a light wind king for winging I think it would be better to get concepts from SUP than from windsurf.

I think both approaches are valid,and being used nowadays.

If you look at Kalama's E3 downwind board,or KDmauis DW board (which he uses also as light wind wingfoil) you will see a very canoe shaped hull,with narrow width and pintail,lots of thickness.Problem is non planing hulls need some lenght to get any speed&glide so they are around 6feet.Which is long for wing foiling,too big an inertia moment.

For wingfoiling a modern HA foil a boxy,wide,flat shape seems to be more efficient in the lenghts most intermediate people ride,4.5 to 5.5 or so.
Like DW's boards,or what Johny Heineken rides.

Also the straight,wide tail is not very good for DW supfoil because they need to pump the board more to get up very quick in a chop.
For wingfoil or wave supfoil the straight tail works great.

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rfh said..
Does anyone have experience or an opinion on the new 2022 sky wing boards vs the f-one rocket v2? I own a f-one rocket 105l and like it. Is the new design on the sky wing really make a noticeable difference with early planing and speed vs the rocket? Is it more stable? The boards seem to be heavier than the f-one, would that translate into a less nimble board? maybe the carbon would make a difference?
thx

I just sold my 105l rocket v2. I wouldn't have if it had foot inserts! I'm 77kg, fit surfer. I learned on this board with no lessons, highly recommended. No issues balancing except in zero wind and chop slogging could be hard.

I got my 2022 5'4" 95L fanatic board, put foot straps in the front and am super thrilled after one session. The board is only slightly harder to balance, slogging is easy, probably just as easy as the foot straps help a lot (also help with transitions and high speeds). I should have gone for the 5'2" or the 5'0" but those weren't available.
It's similar to the rocket, at low speeds just starting to pump the board "sucks" air and water in the tail audibly. However, once at a certain speed there is a clear point where it breaks free from the water. I'd say it's around 2/3rds the speed required to get on foil. I do feel this is a result of the square tail. I'm riding the axis ART 999.The board weighs a pound or two more on paper , but it feels lighter to ride. I think it's the more compact shape.
The handles are better, real SUP handles.

It's a keeper I'd recommend springing for the 5'2" prepreg carbon one if I had to do it again at my 77kg. I hope this will be my board for many years whenever there may be some slogging. I don't think I'd upgrade unless it was to save some more weight.

aside: my biggest thing I need to know regarding board volume is the minimum volume a person needs at a given weight to slog it standing up in 5knots and moderate chop. This would be someone's light wind board for places that have wind die suddenly and you might be a mile offshore, like what i face. Having no ability to try different sizes or return boards I have to be conservative but I'm at +18l and probably could have done +8l but who knows.

Ive got the 5'2 TE. I weigh 75 kg in my birthday suite and can sail it in 5knots with out sinking.The board gets going so easy its crazy. Using a axis 980 hps i can easy get going in 10knots with a 5m. Can get going much easier than my huge 2021 5'8. The board flys before it planes via vertical pumping of the foil. Flys much easier than the 5'8.

I did not think a small light board would make so much difference. Board floats through gybes, pumps, turns and takes off so much better.

Love the centre single front foot strap position, allows you to stand on centre toe or heal side much better than the 2 front foot straps in a V. Think this might be a forever board?

HI Wannafly I have a post with the same question same two boards hoping to try the Armstrong 5'8 next week and if I can get a hold of a Fanatic 5'4 will give that a go as well.will post if I do.

Hey Johnny Tsunami, I also have the Rocket V2 105 and was considered the Fanatic but I'm not keen on concave decks .
is the Deck a subtle or deep concave ?
cheers

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Gone to dark side said..
HI Wannafly I have a post with the same question same two boards hoping to try the Armstrong 5'8 next week and if I can get a hold of a Fanatic 5'4 will give that a go as well.will post if I do.

look forward to your feedback should you get the chance to try them both

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Britfoil360 said..
Hey Johnny Tsunami, I also have the Rocket V2 105 and was considered the Fanatic but I'm not keen on concave decks .
is the Deck a subtle or deep concave ?
cheers

the deck concave on the 2022 Sky Wings is reduced quite a bit compared to the v1 Sky Wing

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rgmacca said..

warwickl said..
My delima is should I keep my 95l Fanatic or go for a new mint green which is close to the same shape but maybe lighter.
Also to help my failing leg strength get a 105l mint green?
Maybe someone can help with techniques to go from kneeling to standing up with week legs in light wind..

Hi
im after same advice, my knees are shot, need replacements at some point in next few years.
After a good session I really suffer with the joints. tried a windsurfer water start but no success. Sea usually is choppy with swell. Love to have some of those flat water conditions you see on YouTube.

I am 76kg and for light wind I have a 135l x 7ft6in x 28.5in Naish board which provides a solid platform to stand up. In stronger wind it is the 95l Fanatic which is just ok that's why I am thinking the new 105l Fanatic.
Also now trying some leg exercises but not sure which exercises are best.