Awalkspoiled forum posts in last 60 days

I'm the same size as you are and for a while used the IQFoil with an 85cm board and an 8.5. I needed 12kt to get the thing up with that setup but on a borrowed IQ board could fly in 10, rising when the board speed reached just over 5mph - so just before planing. I mostly used a Taaroa setup which flew earlier - right at 4mph board speed but became a handful in stronger wind. The IQ will handle a lot of speed which is about the only thing I liked about it.

However, lots of the olympic hopefuls as well as the US olympian Noah Lyons often sail on the same water (Tampa Bay) and they all seem to be able to pump up in 7kt, using a lot of back-foot to rock the board into the air. They're starting in the front strap and move into the back strap just as soon as the board shows any signs of life. They also foil-tack as a matter of routine.

FWIW I eventually sold the IQ stuff and replaced it with the Patrik AIO. That 900 cm wing rises much, much earlier than the IQ did,

As I understand it, the IQFoil Deep Tuttle box has a pretty short lifespan under racing conditions. I've heard four boards a year is about the minimum for a serious Olympic campaign. For recreational use it's plenty strong of course.

Liberty Harness ( the Drake equivalent looks fine too). Height is adjustable although I wear it pretty low, and you can use it in a "7" position like a waist harness or sit down into it like a seat for very strong wind or when you want to unload the rail.

nerdycross said..

bel29 said..
iQ is of course a good allround set up but is by now a bit dated. New foils have better, and more accessible performance, even without having to resort to the latest and greatest. For a more allround experience I would also favor a board in the current PWA range (85cm wide), which is still plenty wide for doing some up/down wind sailing but is much more manageable on a reach.

Just to say: while iQ is still a valid choice, there are other, and in my view, better options out there.

Well I've gone mad and ordered a Patrick aeon foil not a do it all foil but think it's going be fun trying to make it work as all rounder 😁

It's going to be a walk in the park. Even the AIO, which I have, is a huge upgrade in ease of use over the IQ stuff.