stehsegler said..
I think that thinking that Windsurfing is faster than winging comes from the fact that the majority of people winging are still at the beginner stage or at least are using stable foils with lots of lift. Smaller high aspect ratio foils can easily keep up with with the average windsurfer as far as speed is concerned. It's just that not a lot of people are using them yet.

At the Prince of Speed last year the fastest wings topped 27 knots, while the windsurfs were doing 43, and windfoils 35. All those in the hands of pro-level sailors. The gap might shrink at the top level, but the current wings do not seem very efficient means of locomotion.

Locally wings stand pretty much still compared to my slalom board, and my powered FSW passes them with no trouble. Posted tracks show them being most well below 20 knots. That might change, but the suspicion is that going 25-30 knots on a foil will always be something for the brave.

segler said..
Those guys in the video are great sailors. The funniest thing was that they were all wearing drysuits. In Florida!

Sure the air in that part of Florida can get down to a "cold" 60F with 63F water, but a drysuit? In those conditions I wear a 3/2 shorty and never get cold.

All that said, the nice thing about a drysuit is that you can "tune" the underlayers for your desired warmth.

Nah only one was in a drysuit. He's tall and thin.

Oh wait lol, the finner isn't. I didn't even realize that the winger does have something on that looks like a wetsuit. I've only noticed the windfoiler on a drysuit once, typically it's just wetsuits here.

duzzi said..

stehsegler said..
I think that thinking that Windsurfing is faster than winging comes from the fact that the majority of people winging are still at the beginner stage or at least are using stable foils with lots of lift. Smaller high aspect ratio foils can easily keep up with with the average windsurfer as far as speed is concerned. It's just that not a lot of people are using them yet.

At the Prince of Speed last year the fastest wings topped 27 knots, while the windsurfs were doing 43, and windfoils 35. All those in the hands of pro-level sailors. The gap might shrink at the top level, but the current wings do not seem very efficient means of locomotion.

Locally wings stand pretty much still compared to my slalom board, and my powered FSW passes them with no trouble. Posted tracks show them being most well below 20 knots. That might change, but the suspicion is that going 25-30 knots on a foil will always be something for the brave.

I think 35 has been achieved. but yes any foil above 25 is scary. Above 30 for the very few.