INFO: CAN WING FOIL COMPETE WITH KITE FOIL IN LIGHTWIND?

Many kite foil practitioners are now getting into wing foil. There are many reasons for this enthusiasm. It can be for the simplicity of the wing, to exploit new spots or quite simply to discover new sensations.

Just like kite foil, wing foil can, thanks to its foil, take advantage of marginal wind conditions. The wind ranges for exercising these 2 disciplines seem very similar but can wing foil compete with kite foil in the very lightwind conditions?

The game is played mainly at the waterstart.

The kite starts with a huge advantage in low range on the wing due to the length of its lines which allow it to be launched at high speed while you are still in waterstart position. An apparent wind is thus created even before being in motion. In a wing you have to pump vigorously with the wing and the board to get out of the water in light winds. A significant gust is required to convert these efforts into a flight.

The game is balanced in the irregular winds.

Such wind is not a handicap for wing foiling. A good gust may be enough to take off. In flight we can easily manage the big windfalls by pumping as on a surf foil. On a kite foil, windfalls are scary moments because the kite can crash with the difficulties that a relaunch of the kite can represent in light winds.

For those who are already experienced in wing foil, a rough sea can be beneficial in low wind ranges. The waves can be used to take off. You have to wait for the board to pass the crest of the wave to pump up and down vigorously, which lifts the board. You must then accentuate the movement by pulling on the front foot, and immediately push forward with the back foot to launch the foil. The characteristic gust of the back of the waves will help the few necessary pumping strokes to definitively launch the flight.

In conclusion

In a weak wind (less than 10 knots) but regular, the kite foil remains much more efficient. In irregular conditions but with a minimum of gusts (at least 12 knots) the wing foil can compete. Note however that kite foiling in light winds requires very fine handling. If relaunching a kite in 6 knots is a source of anxiety, managing drifting of the kite in the lightwind is not instinctive for you and your spots are complicated, it may be better to focus on wing foil. The low range will be slightly reduced but the possible hassles too.

Advisors: the GONG Team and GONG-GALAXY.