Best lift wing for Lake Tahoe downwind runs on liftx?

Downwind Foil
1

I’ve got a lift x up in Tahoe, and want to start downwinding on windy days. Need to get upwind as I live on the windy side. I’ve been eyeing the 150 hax and 180 hax, 150 seems solid but curious if I should consider Florence 130 instead? Will also get a downwind board and have a tow board but optimizing for the liftx with extra weight. Thanks!

I’ve ridden the 120ha and Florence 130. 120 definitely turned better but I hadn’t figured out how to pump or glide the lift x so couldn’t compare yet for my desired use case (you have to let go of the trigger fast!)

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Hi Kris. Welcome to the forum!

The 130 is super fun but I would recommend getting comfortable on the 150 first.

For learning to sup downwind the 180 will be great.

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I don’t know how good the conditions get on Tahoe but when I think about DW on a lake I’d imagine you’d be a lot better off on a foil over 1000 sqcm

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Thanks for the suggestions. I think I’m leaning 150 and/or 180. Will go 180 if I commit to the downwind board at the same time.

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As someone who spends a lot of time downwinding lakes - the 150 is the best all around foil for decent conditions. I use the 180 on small days and the 130/120 when it bigger. Im hoping to get conditions on Lake Erie to give the 91 a go soon.

Seneca Lake look like similar fetch to Tahoe (150 + 20x here):

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Thank @Eriefoiler, very helpful. This is a decent day right where I live but it gets even bigger occasionally (I am not Ozzie) https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPhV6HKgeHp/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

What board are you riding? I’m looking to get a downwind board and know the advice is to go longer which i should do. Thinking of the lift flycat 8’2 (115L) as my first board but also intrigued by the 7’2 (105L). I get some bigger lake waves breaking at my house that I also want to play around in close to shore. I’m 185lbs. Curious if you think either of these is a good choice and if it’s crazy for me to start with the 7’2?

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No problem @Kris - Those conditions look great! I could easily ride something like the 120 there.

Im on a early prototype of the Appletree downwind v2 here (7-7x18 100L), I weigh 180lbs atm for what its worth. Some thoughts on the board here if you’re interested: https://youtu.be/wLFzmuecZyE?si=6peI5oCE6OhBaA1F

I started on a 7-2 x 20 107L armstrong board, and currently also own a 8-11 x 17.5 108L armstrong that I dont use often - long and skinny is the easiest to paddle up if you have some balance, I’ve flat-watered the florence 110 on the 8-11 armstrong board.

In my experience that 105L would be doable for you, but I would go for the bigger model and save yourself the headache. Either way there gonna be a decent learning curve, but the liftx could be a great tool to learn to read and surf the bumps. I have a few friends that just learned to flatwater, but they still struggle to put down power in the waves - It just takes time!

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Thanks again for all the advice!

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