Which size of foil is suitable for cold temperature seawater, bigger or smaller? How about for non cold/warmer seawater?
Pumping in cold water is significantly harder than warm water. I was just reading a post from an axis team rider that he can pump a setup for 20+ mins in the summer and barely can break 5 mins in winter. Same setup. Obviously the addition of a wetsuit also.
Here is a good thread on WHY, but yes, in cold water go bigger.
post from an axis team rider that he can pump a setup for 20+ mins in the summer and barely can break 5 mins in winter.
Here is the video
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I’ve noticed the same, even as my fitness running has improved from summer to winter, my longest duration pump foil has dropped from 11 minutes to 3.
That said, I’m not sure a bigger foil helps much. I think it’s more an increase in drag than a reduction in lift.
My water temps change pretty dramatically (70s in the summer, 40 in the winter) and I always noticed that I need a bigger foil in the winter too. Never knew if it was attributed to the water temp or the lower level of athleticism in the winter with additional gear, cold muscles, etc…
I always use a bigger foil in winter/cold water just to make life a little easier. Agility in a 5/4 wetsuit, boots, gloves and hood is WAY down. Everything is harder, so it’s the one mechanism I have to make things a little easier to compensate. No interest in struggling to get up when it’s freezing!
I think a lot of warm water guys realized this at the Crozon comp especially on the SUP. Not only was there minimal energy, but the colder water made it significantly harder to paddle stuff up.
I was on Code, and flatwatering the 860 in France felt a little harder than doing the 770 in Hawaii.