FEEDBACK: VELOCE HDW

Tom reflects on his learning journey in downwinders and his experience with the new Veloce HDW.

Downwinder: Malo, GONG team rider, with a NOTW EPS Pro.

Choosing the front wing

“A brief feedback on the Veloce HDW L after a dozen downwind sessions.

Some context first, then my thoughts at the end.

I started with the Sirus last season and quickly moved to the CurveH 3XL V2, which is a perfect combo with my Cruzader 7'0 XL for my 95kg.

Paddling up on flat water wasn’t an issue, so it was even easier on the bumps.

On the other hand, I was fairly restricted during flight, with inadequate glide and top speed for the conditions I typically encounter. I frequently had to pump hard and would end up stalling out of fatigue when the bumps didn’t connect seamlessly.

The orientation of my coastline is North-South, with the wind frequently coming from the SSW and bumps at a 30/45-degree angle. This means I have to ride diagonally (faster than the bumps) and often cut to the left from one bump to the next to avoid reaching the shore before my destination.

This required me to maintain a higher speed and have sufficient glide to perform the ideal transitions without exhausting myself.

That’s why I chose the Veloce HDW L.

To be honest, the staff advised the XL, but I opted for the L since it was available right away, unlike the XL.”

Taking off with the Veloce HDW L

“I somewhat regretted my choice at first, as takeoff was quite difficult early in the season, when I was not really in shape.

I eventually succeeded in achieving several flights after repeated attempts, but where the Curve H 3XL would consistently take off on any bump with 80% effort, I had to give 100% effort and rely on a steep bump to accelerate the Cruzader enough for the Veloce HDW L to take off.

Meanwhile, the profile and size of these two foils differ considerably.

That’s when I understood the importance of a specialized DW board and attempted to acquire the NOTW 8’3. A big thank you to Fred Gong for his assistance and the alternatives he suggested accommodating my last-minute needs. Unfortunately, no practical shipping solution to Perth was found, so I settled for a local second-hand board with a comparable shape and dimensions: 8’6 x 19 and 120L.

It made all the difference—I started taking off much more easily.”

Riding down the swell

“Once the takeoff is mastered, reaching the right speed is another key step, as there is a much greater difference between the relatively low takeoff speed and the much higher ideal speed (comparable to my Fluid H L) compared to my Curve H 3XL.

Once the speed is reached and with the right mast height, the freedom to choose the route is greatly enhanced. Connecting my bumps becomes simpler because we go faster, and the speed is more easily sustained even without pumping.

Riding the bumps diagonally is no longer an issue, except in extreme conditions. Below 30 knots and with bumps of 1.5 meters or more (verified swell buoy), it gets way too fast, and I get thrown off if I attempt to go diagonally.

I haven't tested the low-end range thoroughly yet, but at 20 knots, I felt completely comfortable and managed to link several kilometers of flights for the first time. Of course, I didn't have my GPS watch.

All in all, this size turned out to be perfect for me.

However, I also ordered a Veloce H XXL v3 for extremely light conditions, to try flatwater paddle-ups with it, and ultimately to allow me to reuse my Cruzader.

I will post my progress after a few sessions. The DW season here started in October and will end in March or April.”