Acker said..
First go on 3.5 Frigate v2 yesterday (after trying 4.0 a few weeks ago). At 85kg on F-One Freesurf 85 and Eagle 1090 I could comfortably get going in 16-17 gusting 20 knots. This was baffling as I ordered a 5.5 (which could therefore potentially get me going in 12 knots). Agree with that light wind video, have to put back hand at back of bar and sheet in, using slower cadence sweeping pump (punching elbows back). If sync that with slower board pump, it got up easier than my 4.0 v1 frigate.
Thinking technically quite a few riders could just about get away with one parawing if needed to - a 3.5 for everything as top end easily pushes over 30knots.
Btw, it's super fast. I got up to 22 knots on a reach with bigger slower foil setup - going to be phenomenal speed w smaller foils.
Follow-up session in lighter winds on 3.5 Frigate V2 yesterday (again with Freesurf carbon 85 and Eagle 1090) - got up in wind that was average 15knots gusting 17-18. I'm not finding issues with low-end; people should not get put off by these reports. It's a phenomenal parawing.
It's just technique - if don't sheet in with back hand then yes the parawing wants to stay forwards in wind window and it's hard to get up. But, if sheet in with back hand at back of bar, it keeps the parawing on a broad reach and you get surges of power and can pump bit more like a wing. Waiting 2-3 more weeks for 5.5 to arrive.
