Putting your leash on

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Wing

16 january 2020 3

As with many board sports, the use of a leash is essential. In wing foiling, two leashes are used: a wrist leash for the wing and, at your choice, an ankle leash or a belt leash for the board. It is important to check the condition of your leashes before each session to avoid any misfortune once on the water.

Properly fixing your leash is essential. This may seem like something insignificant but a loose leash can have serious consequences. A wing foiler who loses his board or his wing offshore will have a lot of trouble getting it back. In a strong wind that pushes your equipment away, it quickly becomes impossible to recover it without assistance. So follow these tips carefully when attaching your leashes.

Before getting in the water, attach your leashes as follows:

The leash of the board

The leash for your board can be an ankle or a belt leash, with either a coiled or a straight rope, depending on your preferences. In any case, this leash includes a cord that allows it to be attached to the board. Attention, by default, the knot of the cord is not 100% tight because some like to adjust it to the shortest. It is essential to tighten this knot firmly before using it. Once firmly tightened, it will not move.

To attach the cord of your leash to the board, a leash plug is located just behind the pad.

Good to know: note that the end of your leash (board side), which is made up of a wide strip of fabric and whose hook and loop allows it to be fixed and undone, has an essential function. This is called the rail saver. This piece prevents the cord or your leash from acting like a cutting wire on the rail of your board with as consequence a visit to your favorite ding fixer.

For the rail saver of your leash to be functional, the length of the cord must not exceed the deck of your board. The good way to do it is to pass the loop of the cord through the leash plug, so as to obtain two equal loops on each side of the metal bar. Then pass the hook and loop of the leash through those two loops. The lark’s head knot on the leash plug is not a good alternative to this technique because it lengthens the cord too much.

Ankle or belt leash for the board?

Please note that wing foiling with a classic leash (on the ankle) can become annoying as you move around on your board, especially during maneuvers. The leash tends to get stuck in your toes or between your legs. With the belt leash, since the cord is on your back, you just have to get it off your feet at the start, and then it will never bother you again. And because the rope starts from your belt, you can easily grab it because it’s within reach without having to bend: ideal to get back on the board in two seconds. Practical in the shore break for example.

If you use a harness and want to opt for a leash at waist level, we recommend the quick release leash (coiled or straight) which attaches to the leash line on the back of your harness. In addition, this leash allows a quick release in complicated situations.

Wing foiler: Melissa, GONG team rider, with a GONG Quick Release Leash.

The wing leash on your wrist

Then attach the wrist leash to your wing. This leash has been specially designed for wing foiling use. This leash is fixed without the cord, directly using the hook and loop on the attachment point located at the leading edge of the wing as below.

This leash is available in 2 sizes (5’5 and 8’0) and is ideal when you ride a wing. This leash is a “coiled” type leash to prevent the leash line from wrapping around your arms during maneuvers.

Wing foiler: Malo, GONG team rider, with a wrist leash GONG on a Droid UPE set with a GONG boom.

Important note:

When navigating, remember that in case of a problem, your leashes are your only lifelines to your gear. It is important to never overlook this point and to regularly check the condition of your leashes. If you ride frequently, we recommend that you change your leash at least once a year.

5'5 8'

Leash Coiled 6mm Wrist

The “coiled” wrist leash specifically designed for the Wing.

19,90€

XS S M L XL XXL

Leash Belt Coiled 7mm

The Belt coiled Leash for Foil Boards.

29,90€

XS S M L XL XXL

Leash Belt Perf 7mm

The Belt Leash for Foil Boards.

29,90€

5'5 7' 10'

Leash Coiled 6mm Ankle

Leash designed for Cruising and Racing, suitable for all boards’ sizes.

19,90€

3 comments

Sent by par Hookipa April 19, 2024

Effectivement, lors de la mise à l’eau difficile dans les vagues et les cailloux, mon pote avait ma wing en attendant que je passe la barre, je la récupère et là, erreur de débutant, excitation d’aller dans un spot de vagues où je n’ai pas navigué depuis 10 ans(Sapinus), bref une rafale et hop , pas le temps de fermer mon leash poignet. Du coup épreuve de natation pour récupérer la wing, mais trop rapide , donc sur le shore-break, dans les rochers….Surtout que c’était sa première sortie , à cette Neutra ! Mais pas de casse, heureusement. Par contre mon foil a pris cher dans les cailloux. Moralité : bien être concentré à ce que l’on fait, surtout dans les vagues, et importance du leash sans aucun doute.