BritWindfoiler said..
Winging looks fun on fat groundswells, and I can see the appeal for these conditions. Where I sail it's mostly flat/chop in foiling windranges, then windswell for windsurfing when it's 20kts+. Then again I love windfoiling in the groundswell on the odd occasion we get it.
I reckon windfoiling is just a harder sport in general, from gybing to wave-riding. People going winging are foil-gybing after a couple of sessions, but like CoreAS says - will that get boring in non-wave conditions because it's too easy and it's quite slow? Will, like in windsurfing, the good sailors be pushed to wave-only higher wind conditions and skip lower wind flat summer days?
I've been windfoiling a year, but still love flat water for freestyle. There are so many moves to learn in 12-15kts. Even just foiling out of a gybe with speed is still a great feeling.
Also, kit-wise a lot have been windfoiling on slalom/race type kit, which isn't going to be great on a wave, so people go over to winging. However, it's like saying windsurf wavesailing is rubbish when you've only tried it on a slalom board!
As ever, being able to do different sports in different conditions is going to be an advantage.
I agree, the groundswell is a major factor!
The days I do take a wing out and the wind is up and down like a rollercoaster my wind foiling buddies that don't wing are constantly moving.
Inland winging on a lake its it can be 8 gusting 20 so if you weigh north of 90 kg/200 lbs you have to wait longer for that gust line. Once up on the gust I can pump the wing/board and foil pretty much through any wind hole.
I don't like to carry crazy amount of kit, just makes decision making difficult! so wind foiling its 4.5, 5.0 (I'll throw in the 5.8 on super fluky days) and for winging I'll take a 4.0, 5.4.
There is sometimes an over lap between some sail sizes and wings and so I will select based on wind direction (how far the wind line is), water state and that afternoons forecast.
