For Whom?
You must have a sufficient skill level:
Either you have a background in Windsurfing, which helps a lot to handle the Wing.
Or you know how to fly a Foil incredibly well.
Or you have a significant number of hours of Wing flying.
Either way, the Lemon is demanding.
With bigger volumes it is easy, but if you take a volume adapted to your weight, kneeling in the chop will not be easy. So, you also need to be in good physical condition to be agile.
This is clearly the Board for anyone who wants to go for the maximum potential of the wing, whatever the spot and the program.
For What?
The Lemon is the nimblest Board with a Wing. All the useful material on the Board is between your feet and above the Foil. It’s hyper-responsive and playful. It really feels great to have everything right at your fingertips. The control at high speed and in turns is fantastic.
Ideal for going fast, perfect for surfing and jumping, this is the 100% high performance Board.
What Size?
The Lemon is the ultimate Wing Board.
You can gain enough volume to float, in the order of your weight + 10 = volume.
Example: I weigh 80kg + 10 = 90L to float. This means that with a 5’0 I’ll be alright, provided I have a good wing level.
You can also under-liter it because the Lemon is wide enough to be stable. So, if you have a great level and want maximum responsiveness, you can switch to negative volumes. Up to your weight – 10 = volume you can go on your knees while leaning the Wing on the water. Below this volume you will have to do waterstarts while sinking the Board: it’s very technical, very physical, and you lose the lower half of your wind range. With each fall, you have to start all over again… Not very fun, and a very questionable performance gain.
In SUPfoil, you must absolutely have a positive volume balance. Your weight plus the Board’s weight must be less than the Board’s volume.
Quiver Partners?
The Lemon is self-sufficient on a Wing. There is no need to add another Board.
If you are greedy, a possible addition to your Wing is to have another Lemon for strong winds.
In this case, you can have a Lemon in your size, for buoyancy. And another one two sizes smaller.
And in this case, you can then have a little Lemon for strong wind and a buoyant Flint for light because it takes off earlier.
But this is ultra-luxury…
The Lemon is made for a very advanced Wing, and will be perfect with the Kitefoil to perform under 10 knots. The Wing is not at its best under 10 knots. A Catch with a 10m2 Strutless and a set of smaller, fiery Foil Wings: the best Quiver of almost nothing to add.
And when there is really nothing, your Quiver will suffer from the absence of a Surfboard or two. Whether it’s classic or SUP surfing, you’ll need to continue your adventures in windless waves.
And don’t forget the Surf Foil. It’s the magic combo with the Wing. When one doesn’t work, the other is awesome. Because even on ultra-flat you can work the dock starts. You will have a physical condition of a god!!
The Wings are the same, you will need a shorter Mast.
What Foil Wings?
In general, we recommend the same assembly as in SurFoil.
Beginners will have the fastest progression with an XL Front Wing (whatever their size between 50kg and 100kg) and a 45cm Surf Stab.
If you are shy, start with a Classic XL Wing.
If you are talented, start with an XL Pro Clear Wing.
For the Tenderfoots:
In the Classic range: super easy and efficient Front Wings for low speeds:
- M for 50kg -> 65kg and all wind strengths.
- L for 65kg -> 75kg and all wind strengths.
- XL for 75kg -> 100kg and all wind strengths.
- XXL for the 100kg -> 120kg and wind less than 15 knots.
For the Pros:
In the Pro Clear range (ex Pro 2019): high performance Front Wings and 5 knots faster than the Classic:
- M for the 50kg -> 75kg and wind over 15 knots.
- L for 65kg -> 85kg and wind over 15 knots.
- XL for the 75kg -> 100kg and all wind strengths, or for the lightweights in light wind.
- XXL for the 100kg -> 120kg and wind less than 15 knots.
The size of the Front Wing determines the speed/port ratio. The smaller the Front Wing, the faster you will go but it will be uncomfortable at low speeds.
The Stabs play a major role. They determine the stability of the Foil and help the lift, but at the expense of the maximum speed of the Foil.
Surf Stabs are slower than Kite Stabs, but are much more buoyant, and therefore effective at low speeds.
Which Foil Mast?
Except when launching, you will have everything to gain with a long Mast.
More length = more margin = easier = more performance.
In contrast to Kitefoiling, with a wing you don’t have much opposition to it because it pulls gently. So, you don’t put a lot of wind angle to the Mast. So, mastering a big Mast with a Wing is not a problem.
And as the Boards used are much bigger than in Kitesurfing, the inertia is more important. So, your Foil is less squirrely. Everything is more mellow. So, don’t be afraid of a long Mast.
In the chop, in the transitions, in the soft, a long Mast will be ten times more pleasant.
Of course, the must is the Monobloc 100. Absolutely magical. But the aluminum 90 is great too.
Foil Positioning?
For GONG Foils, place the Top Plate at the rear third of the US rails.
The further you move it forward, the more it raises the Board. The further you move it backwards, the more the nose of the Board pearls.
Be careful not to move it too far forward. We often tend not to let the rear foot work, especially when we come from Kitefoil. However, moving the Foil back a little will force more weight on the back foot and gives a more harmonious attitude and reduces effort.
How long should my Paddle be?
If you want to use the Lemon in SUPfoil, you will need a Paddle that’s between your actual height and -10cm.
Which Leash?
Take a 6′ of 7mm minimum diameter.
Check its condition before each session and change it every year. It’s your life jacket.
Strap or Strapless?
Riding strapless is sexy because it makes you feel free. But quite honestly you’ll have less performance…
So, it’s up to you to see if sensation prevails over performance. On a Lemon, we’re clearly going to miss 90% of its potential without straps.
With straps, you’ll have much more control and much less risk of having the Foil flipping under your feet. In the waves, it’s obvious, you gain a lot with straps. You can recuperate from some crazy situations just by pulling up your feet.
Put your straps in a central position (3rd hole) for the front, and the same goes for the back strap if you’re still riding that one.
If you want to be able to get the back foot out for transitions and surfing, put the back strap on the first hole.
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