Second part of our windfoiling vs wingfoiling discussion, we have talked with Dean Peaple, owner of Core Adventure Sports in Texas, USA. Dean is also one of the initiators of the North Texas Foiling Facebook Group, which has an active and friendly community of foilers.
Dean has been windsurfing since 1984, windfoiling since 2017 and now winging since last year. You can also read his previous interview, where he gives precious windfoiling tips.
Here is another great interview, where Dean give his views on the wing thing.
Read also the other interviews with Simon Croft and Tez Palvenieks in our series "windfoil vs wingfoil"
What should I choose windfoiling or wingfoiling and why?
Hello Windfoil Zone, thanks again for the invite and talk about our favorite subject, all things foiling.
If finances allow choose both, this way you are covered. For me, the choice to windfoil or wingfoil depends on location, wind strength and water conditions.
I windsurfed for over 30 years before I began windfoiling and I am a big believer in dialling in the right equipment to ensure the maximum amount of fun every time you hit the water.
In the Spring of 2019, I watched the videos of the Slingshot and Duotone riders flying on wings and thought wow! that looks pretty cool. I received my first wing, the 4.2 Slingwing V1, and set about learning how to foil it. That summer the wind was super light in North Texas and I had to wait until late September before I got my first wing foiling rides and I was instantly hooked.
I still really enjoy being fully powered up wind foiling on a 4.0 and a small foil, as there are so many tricks to learn (duck gybes, boosting air, 360’s etc) I never get bored with it, we had a windy June and I wind foiled non-stop.
The wing foiling I call “airborne surfing”! we don’t have actual waves on lakes in Texas, just steep chop, and so wing foiling high up on the foil and cranking as hard as you can into the steep chop can be super exhilarating!
What is easiest to learn (for a windsurfer/from scratch)?
I think wing foiling is probably easier to learn the basics of getting up on the foil and getting the first initial glides, but last year the wing sizes were pretty small and it got a little frustrating having to wait for a good 18+ knot wind to keep practising. The new 2021 wings have changed all that and I am now flying in 11-12 knots with the Slingshot SlingWing V2 5.4 (and I am 90kg/200 lbs).
The amount of R&D gone into the new equipment is staggering, I have never seen such a fast amount of changes between all the brands, if you are thinking of starting winging, then go for it with the 2021 kit, you will progress very quickly.
When I learnt to wind foil, the foils were super difficult at first, and it was exhausting work, but again the new wind foils and boards have accelerated the learning curve.
Should I choose a hybrid board wing/wind or a dedicated wing board?
Good question, if you asked me that just 3-4 months ago I would definitely say go dedicated SUP/wing foil board, but some of the brands are each coming out with 3 in 1 boards for wing, SUP and wind foiling, I know you tend to compromise one thing for another but I’m big into being “equipment minimalistic” these days.
I drive to the beach with one wing board and one wind foil board, so if I go to the Texas coast having one board for all disciplines would be just the ticket. Just think, a morning glassy SUP foil session, followed by an afternoon on the wing or plugging in a sail and cranking a few turns in the swell would be a great day on the water!
I read a ton of different social pages and forums and it’s interesting to read how people can struggle with picking a board way too small for them and end up frustrated. Windsurfers and Wind Foilers tend to use bigger boards than say kiters use and so we are a bit more conservative (depending where you foil of course).
If I was in Maui, I am sure I would be on a tiny board because the conditions allow it, but on a mainland lake where the wind is super inconsistent, I prefer a bit more float of 120 -140 liters and longer rocker line.
What about wing range, how light wind can you go?
Again the 2021 equipment has already pushed the light wind limits to extremes. Just last week, I used a 5.4 wing in the same winds you would wind foil with a 5.8 to 8.5…that’s how much range it has.
I have read about rider’s wing foiling in 7-10 knots which is super light! Personally, I need a tiny bit more to pump the wings and get flying, but once in the air I can easily foil pump through 7-8 knots and reconnect with the next gust.
Watching the dock foilers and surf foilers that pump back through the swell to reconnect on waves is awesome! It proves that with some athletic ability and right equipment, pumping the foil wing is very efficient. You can literally keep flying as long as your legs and heart rate will allow you, ha!
Do you think wingfoiling will get more popular and what is the future of windsurfing/windfoiling then?
Yes, wing foiling will grow, and I predict it will become the fastest growing foiling discipline around the world. There will always be a ton of windsurfers and wind foilers that just choose that, but gradually windsurfers/foilers will begin to experiment with winging. Europe, Australia, East & West coast U.S. has already picked up on winging big time, so I am hoping to encourage more and more foilers in Texas to at least give it a go!
If you have limited time or space, winging can tick each box, I recently went to the beach with 2 wings, one board and one foil and spent 3.5 hours on the water covering 8-20+ knots, I had so much fun and quickly derigged to get back home before I was in too much trouble with the family…ha ha!
Thanks again Windfoil Zone, see you on the water!
Dean
Instagram# @Northtexasfoiling
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