Currently on Lift. Just purchase a 6-8 hydrocraft 90L from Matt. Will try to flat water 150 and 180 hax, but in the event I cannot get those up on the small SUP - any suggestions?
I’ve found the 180 to feel draggy through the water and hard to get it up to a decent planing speed - but maybe I need more of a porpoise style paddle/pump?
Might have access to Axis wings with a new mast I ordered.
If you’ve never before flat-water started, it is way way way harder than all the Instagram videos look. Your technique needs to be nearly perfect and you need to paddle way harder, faster, and longer than you think. And your foot position needs to be perfect, and the timing of your legs pumping with the paddling needs to be perfect. Generally, put on the biggest slowest foil you can find and get ready to put in some time.
I can flat water 150 and 180 on my 8-6 downwind board. Just wondering what specific wings might be good for a 6-8 sup (looking at axis)
Are you looking at getting a foil for downwinding or just flatware paddle ups? If you are aiming for downwinding, what conditions? I have paddled PNG, spitfire, ARTv2, surge, fireballs and tempo. They have all different strengths. PNGs are by far the easiest to get of the water, but slow and draggy, Spitfires are a bit harder to paddle up, but more maneuverable once up. Good when on waves with some energy. Bigger fireballs are easy to paddle up and has a lot of glide, but needs some practice to turn well due to the wide span. Surge kind of sits between the fireball and spitfire, bigger sizes are easy to paddle up and turns well. They can be a bit to slow for fast moving swell, but have a nice forward projection pumping. Tempos are fantastic once up, but need some speed to get going.
unless you are only doing flat water paddle ups, I would choose the foil based on the wave/swell size not the board size.
Thanks for the recommendations! I have a longer narrower board and smaller foil that I use for downwind already. The gear I’m looking for is to paddle up my 6-8 90L in flat water and still have decent pump / glide, and ride small waves. Sounds like the fireball or surge might be it. I like foils that project forward when pumping.
The fireball projects most forward of those two. The FB1250 is pretty easy to paddle up and are great for those light sea breeze days. I have tried surge 1150 and 1010. 1150 is super easy to paddle up, but felt a little draggy to me. Maybe the 1080 also is a good alternative.