Program
The best for wave riding in an accessible shape.
Presentation
The Lemon is both extreme in its dimensions and harmonious in its shape. One could say that everything “falls into place” on this board as its shape instinctively meets our needs without encountering any difficulties.
In 2023, we wanted to make this board even more efficient while keeping its ease of use. It was a long work of shaping in order to optimize the distribution of volumes with the addition of a bulb at the nose which allows to lower the deck plan for a more direct connection to your foil. This volume facilitates the phases before the flight and getting past the waves, but it also boosts the repop when hitting the water, leading you straight to the next trick. You can go for solid turns with extra confidence and on top of that, it just looks great…
The rails have been reworked. They are now more vertical with sharper edges to improve stability but also glide and take-off. We get out of the water more frankly. The board feels much lighter to the feet.
The ease with which you’ll find your bearings will be the most striking thing on the Lemon. This high performance board makes everything easier. You’ll progress like never before.
The new sizes perfectly meet everybody’s needs. Small volumes like the 35L for sinker boards fans. Instead of the 80L board, we now propose two sizes for more precision: a 75L and a 85L. With 9 sizes from 35L to 120L, everyone will find the perfect match with the Lemon.
A relatively thin nose to save weight and reduce inertia in curves and pumping. A pinched square tail that limits touchdowns. Narrower than in 2022 for more speed on the water, it offers sufficient width for pre-flight stability and when landing. All the volume is concentrated under your feet with up to 120L in a 5’4! However, the harmony of the shape is obvious to the eye and on the water it is a revelation.
The secret resides in its tail: it releases water without restraint. Directly inspired by the Lethal’s magic tail, the Lemon takes off 2 knots earlier. It is a considerable difference as you will no longer require such a big wing or wear yourself out pumping. The board is also more stable and pops harder.
This shape delivers extreme performance with its thin nose on a compact shape. This small board, ultra maneuverable, nevertheless keeps a comfortable volume to perform in the lighter conditions but also in the landings of tricks and capricious winds, without having to go for a splash.
In surfing, it is lively and fluid at the same time, aggressive and reassuring… The Lemon allows curves and moves that no other board accepts so easily. In long, fast waves, it’s pure carving, truly impressive. And you can easily get back on it to restart after a fall, which matters when you are in between big sets.
In jumps its a small and very lively board which has a comfortable landing surface. You can really nail every landing without fear of falling. A board that makes you feel confident without being bulky is definitely the best compromise.
The high performance of a short and sharp shape, but with a comfortable surface.
Shape
Even if the width has been further reduced, the comfort on the surface is improved to facilitate the transitions. This is the big plus of the Lemon 2023. More hull surface for more comfort in the learning phases.
Let’s first talk about its nose bulb which gives that little extra tolerance that changes everything. With this additional volume at the nose, we are obviously more stable when stationary. But we also have a real gain when sailing, especially when pearling or landing: the board pops up again immediately.
Adding volume to the nose allowed us to lower the deck plan at foot level for the same volume. This volume that has slipped at the nose allows you to be closer to the foil with a lower deck under your feet, and therefore have much more control and responsiveness. Here again, the gain is considerable.
Its very narrow outline (up to -2.5 cm compared to the 2022) also boosts take off and speed on the water. Once in the air, responsiveness is at its best with an instant rail to rail without any feeling of heaviness, but above all a unique ability to go for a lot of angle in the curves without touching the water.
Its very hydrodynamic kick tail allows it to embark “hidden volume”. Indeed, the tail is thick but with its magical glide it’s only positive. Unlike beveled tails, our Magic Tail promotes flow. The board glides much better before the flight. We don’t have this depression at the tail that sucks the board back. Remember that beveled tails were created to lift SUP foil boards. And keep in mind that the flight occurs before the wing board’s planing speed. A cut tail is not the most relevant choice for wing boards in regards to the take off. With our magic tail, we therefore gain in stability, on take off, on repop, and in approximate landings.
The facets on the rails allow you to fly without fearing a crushing blow at the slightest touchdown on a chop or in tight curves. Even smaller, they do their job with an 85 cm mast. The top rails are full to keep a flat deck closer to the outline and maximize lateral stability.
The edge to edge is wider than in 2022 by nearly 2 cm. Paradoxically, the narrower 2023 boards have more hull width than the 2022 which had a wider outline. With the facets being more vertical on the rails, we gain in performance and sharpness in the piloting. This shape makes it easier to get planing. Take-off is further improved.
The double concave under the nose coupled with the bulb and the narrow outline make the touchdowns totally harmless. Instead of braking, the Lemon will bounce off the water and immediately recover the flight. It’s really amazing when landing jumps or in the air when surfing. This absence of sanction pushes you to try tricks and will make you progress.
Finally, the rounded point nose develops the liveliness of a thin nose but brings some additional comfort, reinforced by the bulbous nose. The wide tail is pinched by two wingers at the level of the rear foot to release the board on takeoff and in curves.
Equipments
The set of footstraps is offered with the board. For 2023 we have reviewed the outline of our straps to further improve comfort. Developed for wing foiling, these straps with less cover do not bend when put on.
More rigid, they offer a more precise steering but are still as comfortable. There is less surface area on the feet so there is less risk of staying stuck in the straps or banging your foot on the edge of the strap when rushing into it. It also allows better leeward control (tip of the foot) and therefore a more natural attitude in wing foiling.
We have worked on every detail to improve your experience on the water.
The V-shaped footstraps perfectly center the foot on the front of the board. The position is thus more natural and allows direct and precise control in maneuvers.
For 2023, our SCS system launched on the HIPE is integrated on all our foil boards. It’s beautiful, efficient and above all it saves time you can spend on the water. With its 4 entries, the GONG double entry box facilitates the assembly and adjustment of the foil. Performance without the hassle. We leave the nuts and the screws on the plate, just insert the foil, screw and off we go! Setting up the foil is much faster and easier. It is the plug and play solution which facilitates adjustments! (inserts not supplied with the board).
A handle developed by our R&D and our ergonomics engineer has been integrated into our boards this year. We can better close our hands in it: a firmer and more comfortable grip. The depressurization screw is directly integrated into the handle.
It is placed on the hull to allow one-handed carrying. You can have the wing in the other hand to get past the whitewater or to get out of the water. And as we always do things seriously, the handle is placed in a block of hydrophobic PVC foam and covered with fiber.
The top-of-the-range 5mm thick integral pad provides maximum grip and comfort when sailing, while protecting the board from shocks. This year we have changed the grooving to provide even more comfort and more grip. This hard brush pad sublimates the board. This flat pad provides absolute comfort and a magical grip with more precision. This is obvious on long sessions: the feet are less tired.
Construction
These boards are equipped with our innovative technology called FSP Pro. The highest quality on the market.
This full PVC Carbon sandwich offers the best dynamism while preserving strength, at an incredible weight. It’s quite simply the ultimate in vacuum technology for customs, used as standard on our production models : the same tech as the one used on our prototypes made in our shape rooms in France.
FULL sandwich means that the entire board is covered with a layer of 3mm high density hydrophobic PVC foam. This includes the rails, which allows better resistance and perfect sealing in the event of an impact. Above all, the sandwich on the rails are essential to have a rigid board as they work as a solid frame when the board takes flex. The dynamism is really superior and the durability of the board is second to none. This tech is not adopted by all competing brands. What they call sandwich construction is often a simple PVC reinforcement under the feet (and sometimes on the hull). At GONG we do things as seriously as they can be, so in full sandwich.
The carbon fiber that completely covers the board boosts its performance. It is clearly much livelier. Its response time is ultra fast, it does not twist, you are in direct contact with the foil and the elements.
All the lamination steps of the high density sandwich and then of the fiber are carried out under vacuum. The board is under strong pressure, from 2 to 4 tonnes depending on the stage, to ensure flawless bonding of the layers. With the use of drains we optimize the amount of resin on the board leaving only the optimum. Your board is light and super compact. A durable board made to handle all the stresses of a board’s life, its construction also offers a sound basis for any future repairs. So your board will stay like new for years or decades with proper maintenance. This durability will make a lot of people happy from one owner to the next, and avoids polluting with “disposable” boards.
To implement this very complex technology, we need time. A board without a full sandwich is built in 6 to 8 hours. GONG full sandwich boards take 12 to 14 hours of work. You understand that all these steps lengthen the production circuit and are therefore a monumental investment in quality.
For 2023 we have replaced the classic US Boxes, which everyone uses but which were not originally designed for foiling, with our own US Double Entry GONG Boxes designed and tested by our design office for extreme use in foiling. These new boxes are specifically reinforced in areas of high stress and are molded with a high fiber content. Durability is increased tenfold. We are clearly on the best BOX on the market which corresponds exactly to our needs in terms of resistance and functionality. What could be simpler than aligning the 4 nuts with the 4 entrances and sliding the foil into the box? 3 turns with a screw tightener and it’s ready. It’s so easy that you’ll wonder how you could do it the old way for years hahaha.
The foil boxes are placed in a large PVC 80kg/m3 reinforcement thicker than the boxes. Without any risk of water infiltration in the EPS sandwich, even with an intense impact. This reinforcement is connected to the PVC sandwich of the deck with PVC slats to ensure the cohesion of the whole and to avoid any play in the reinforcements over the years. Everything is fitted with fiberglass reinforcements for tolerance and carbon to limit bending. The handle is also set in a waterproof PVC block.
Remember that the high density PVC blocks that house the boxes and the handle are in addition to the full PVC sandwich. The anchoring is absolutely perfect. Not to compare with a reinforcement simply held by layers of fiber. Our reinforcements take hold on a high thickness of rigid material that you would not be able to bend by hand for example, which you could if it was only layers of fibers.
Our technology is truly the ultimate in board construction. Durable, efficient, repairable, we can count on one hand the number of brands able to offer a total PVC sandwich on a big scale production of wing boards. GONG is the leader!
At GONG, our boards are the highest quality. Our low prices can only be explained by our direct sales model, eliminating margins. If by misfortune you break them, they can be repaired from A to Z with the components we keep in stock for your favorite repairer.
3D View
Your benefits are clear:
1. An efficient shape created by the wing foil world champions.
2. A design at the cutting edge of R&D and ahead of its time.
3. A proven construction on thousands of boards.
4. A “Full Options” finish at a crazy price.
5. A light, solid board with one of the best technos on the market!!!
6. An incredible price that can only be explained by our direct relationship with you.
7. A simple maintenance and easy repairs because we have all components in stock.
We recommend to complete this board with our bag luxe.
PAREY (verified owner) –
Feedback lemon 4’6, 65L
Depuis quelques semaines, j’ai pu utiliser ma Lemon 4’6, en remplacement de ma Lethal 4’10 80L 2022.
Après plusieurs essais de la Lethal 4’6 2022, je voulais avoir le même volume avec une meilleure stabilité et plus de volume sur le nose. C’est exactement ce que j’ai trouvé avec cette Lemon.
A l’arrêt, les nouveaux rails, le bulbe sur le nose et la répartition du volume sur tout la longueur permet vraiment de mieux tenir à genoux et d’avoir une très bonne glisse au départ. En vol, c’est un régal dans ses petites tailles.
Le nouveau pad est super agréable et les nouveaux box us, c’est le top, un sacré gain de temps !!
En bref, c’est vraiment une très bonne planche et en plus ce bleu est ?.
NICOLAS T (verified owner) –
Reçu lemon 4’9 après bcp d’hésitation pour la 4’7. Je viens des lethal 5’3 puis 4’10 2021 et leur seul gros defaut surtout pour la 4’10 etait sa grosse instabilité dans tous les axes et surtout longitudinal, physique dans les grosses condi et quand il faut vite repartir entre les sets. Je revais de ce bulbe à l’avant. Et voici fait! Le shape de la lemon est parxait pour mes attentes, a bientot 50 ans 75 kg chercher la radicalité des perits volumes est une fausse piste sachant que je recherche que le surf. La 4’7 me faisait douter pour le light en HA.
Top finitions, qualité peinture me paraissant plus resistante, le pad est bluffant de grip ( je ride strapless), la stabilité juste ce qu’il faut, maniabilité forcément démente, les rails a double entrée un bonheur… un vrai total game changer! Decollage super rapide avec pumping facile grace au bulbe (sur veloce ha testé). Donc le graal du shape et un poids ultraliggt!! Que du très très bon. J’ai trouvé ma board à tout faire. Bravo!!
Eric –
Lemon 4.9 reçue aujourd’hui et testée dans la foulée… toutes les qualités de la lemon, mais en mieux, bien mieux !?
Antoine –
J’ai apprécié les petits volumes en 2022, mais je cherchais plus de stabilité en passant de lethal 2022 à Lemon 2022, je n’ai pas été dessus. J’ai donc de nouveau fait confiance pour la toute nouvelle Lemon 2023 qui semblait radicalement différentes sous pleins de points. Une nouvelle fois, j’ai bien fais d’écouter l’équipe qui est vraiment de très bon conseil. On sent que derrière ils connaissent le matériel qu’ils vendent, c’est assez rare de nos jours, surtout lorsqu’on a pas envie de se tromper sur le choix. Je n’ai pas été déçu ? Je voulais rester sur une board dont le volume était quasiment l’équivalent de mon poids de corps. Ici la 4.6 pour 65 litres. Le bulbe est une sacrée nouveauté, on sent clairement son intérêt, ça pousse pas d’eau, ça aide à la relance, on enfourne que très peu et on semble gagner de la stabilité. Le pad est au top, il agrippe au top en plus d’en jeter carrément ?J’ai remarqué que les rails étaient plus durs, on le sent vraiment quand on est en phase de start et que l’on souhaite s’extraire de conditions compliquées. Bref déjà que j’étais conquis par le modèle 2022, ce cru 2023 est une vraie petite bombe
Titouan –
Cette nouvelle Lemon est vraiment incroyable, pour avoir eu les Lemon 2021 et 2022, ce nouveau shape est game changer!! Ca décolle hyper tôt, c’est stable au décollage malgré une faible largeur qui permet d’attaquer fort en wave-riding ou en race. Le bulbe sur le nose est vraiment top, en plus d’être jolie, il empêche le nose de planter lors des re-plaques en freestyle et facilite le passage des mousses dans le shore-break. Le nouveau pad grip vraiment bien c’est hyper confort et toutes les finitions ont vraiment step-up, pour moi il y a que du positif sur cette évolution ! ?