I am hoping for some foil advice from the collective.
i am an experienced foiler with 6 years winging and wind foiling under my belt.
i have been riding North sf foils 680 and 930.
the 680 has been my go to for winging from 15 knots upwards.
i am going to start para wing this season and need some advice on a foil.
i am looking at an f4 orca but not sure what size. I am thinking 1050.
i am about 80 kgs and will be riding a 95 litre mid length.
any other suggestions welcome.
i
I'd go for the 800 as the Orcas have amazing low end and easy to get up on. I know learning parawing is likely easy on a big foil but the 800 isn't a small foil by any means. I parawing the 685 most of the time and yes I'm a light rider but honestly feel the 800 rather large at times and not as easy to edge when going upwind when well powered. One thing that makes parawinging harder than winging at first is controlling speed once up and riding. The 800 is so easy to get up on and is reasonably wide already. Going to the 1050 will be almost too wide and won't give you much more lift in my opinion; maybe more of a disadvantage. Unless you are much heavier rider and learning in very light conditions I wouldn't go the 1050. Hope this help. Great choice of foils btw!
Yeah, I second Sheps. If your keeping your North for a minute and the 930 ends up having better low-end than the 800, you could use that for the first few sessions as you get your bearings.
Now the tough call is going to be whether you add the 685 or the new 600:
f4foils.com/products/gp-orca?bg_ref=p7EWLsfpSy
Got similar background as you, windfoil and wingfoil for years, and some more kilos. (90kg). Gradually getting into parawing.
Using a Julitta 85l midlength, I had my first session with the 800. And since then I have used the 1050 just to get the "get up on foil" issue out of the way for a while.
For wingfoil I would not need the 1050 at all, 800 is more than enough.
Just arrived El Medano Tenerife, and will stay here for two weeks.
Have the 800 and 1050 Orca with me, and 635 and 850 Manta. Have brought wings for "just in case" but left the pump at home on purpose.
Looks like 3.0 pw and 800 tomorrow. And will give an update when I have had some back to back testing.
Have been on El Medano since Sunday, and have had 4 days on the water. The first days it was survival mode, for me, with 2.0 and 3.0. But the two last days I've had 3 good sessions on 4.3 hybrid, and a short one on 5.4.
Have so far only used the 800 Orca. Don't think I will touch the 1050, unless it is really light.
My pumping skills, and getting up on foil, is really at a beginner level. But the 800 have good low end. Yesterday it was 18-24 knots, and I didn't really have to work to get on foil.
And on foil the 800 is really forgiving and smooth. Goes upwind much faster than the 1050.
It is actually fun to sail upwind on it.
Gybes and foot switches usually goes well. I think for wingfoilers this comes quite easy. The downwind bit is now the real challenge.
Select to expand quoteBirkelandNOR150 said..
Have been on El Medano since Sunday, and have had 4 days on the water. The first days it was survival mode, for me, with 2.0 and 3.0. But the two last days I've had 3 good sessions on 4.3 hybrid, and a short one on 5.4.
Have so far only used the 800 Orca. Don't think I will touch the 1050, unless it is really light.
My pumping skills, and getting up on foil, is really at a beginner level. But the 800 have good low end. Yesterday it was 18-24 knots, and I didn't really have to work to get on foil.
And on foil the 800 is really forgiving and smooth. Goes upwind much faster than the 1050.
It is actually fun to sail upwind on it.
Gybes and foot switches usually goes well. I think for wingfoilers this comes quite easy. The downwind bit is now the real challenge.
Living the dream, looks fun!
