I do a lot of speeding here on the lake behind my house with Gong gear. Started out with aluminum mast, which ventilated already at 35kmh, then HM92 which almost completely stopped ventilation, and then I got the HM107. Front wings I use Ypra-S L 1000, Ypra-S M 800 and Ypra-S S 600. Handwings I use Neutra 4.5, Pulse 5.0, 6.0 and pulse DP Aramid 5.5. Stabs I use Veloce 40 pro. I use an extra 1.5 degree rake shim on top of the 1.5 built in rake of the HM107. The Ypra-SL I got up to 46kmh, but did not test it yet with HM107 and Pulse DP 5.5. The Ypra-SM so far I got up to 50kmh with HM107, Pulse DP 5.5 or Neutra 4.5 RH. Limit seems to be the foil, altough the Pulse DP gives a MUCH higher average speed and upwind angle. The Ypra SS so far I got up to 50kmh as well, with HM107, Pulse DP 5.5 or Neutra 4.5 RH. Its hard for me to get that one started, unless there is strong wind. But if there is strong wind, there also is a lot of chop and the Pulse DP 5.5 becomes a bit too hard too handle when close to 20kts wind. To be honest, the foils have improved a lot but they are still not full race foils. A guy I know has a Pulse DP 6.5, switched from Gong to Chubanga V3 and increased his average speed to 50kmh and topspeed to 58kmh instantly. The Gong stabs are also not that good when it comes to stability. They can be much more stable with a good winglet design or a 'shark fin', which translates to much more control at topspeed. Gong is planning to release a new foil soon, with round style fuselage. Probably monoblock or co-moulded fuse-frontwing for race model and aluminum fuselage section for the non-race models. Hopefully that will also increase the performance. :)
Great to hear about your experiences! I've noticed that at around 45 km/h with the HM 92 mast, there start to be occasional ventilations. I'm not sure if they are caused by the square-shaped fuselage, the flexing stabilizer, or the connections between the parts. Did you reach 50kmh with HM92 mast? Is there big difference between HM92 and 107? I would not like to buy 107 because I do not need so long in lake conditions. Now I use HM92 in freerace and waves. It's seems that the size of the front wing is not the only determining factor because, with strong wind and a flat water surface, I can reach close to 45 km/h with many foils: the Veloce H-L, Ypra Surf M, Ypra S-S, and Ypra XS. The smaller foils don't significantly change the situation. In my opinion, the Ypra Surf and Freestyle stabilizers are the most comfortable to ride because they are stable due to their stiffness. However, they are also slow in light wind conditions. I am also eagerly waiting for Gong's new race foils and curious about their price range. Gong likely has significant funds available for product development and a large market, so it would be great if they could bring stiff and fast foils to market at a reasonable price.
@@wingsurffi the HM107 is great, its a very slender mast and very very stiff. Quite impressive actually. The extra margin alows you to bank over the board more (hanging in the harness) without tip ventilation, and gives more control due to this. Also you have more margin on errors before you foil out. I much prefer the longer mast for freeracing, if they would have a 115cm mast I would have bought it.. It is faster as well, but not like +10kmh...at least I went from 46 ish to 50 with average 46, so +3 or +4kmh.
i got ypra s-M and DP5.5 too,my weight is 65kg,with HM 92 mast,so far i can only reach 35km/h,almost same as my fluid L(1475cm).i found the lift is to much for me when i ride the Ypra s ,maybe need a big shim too?
Wow thanks for the very detailed reply. I love this about creating content on youtube. I talk about a topic I don't know too much about and then the experts come and but great info in the comments! A lot to learn! Interesting to hear that the Pulse DP gives a much higher average speed! I didn't expect that!
Hey Claudio, thanks for mentioning me! Looks like you've had a great time at Defi and I'm looking forward to meeting you at the next one. When I had Gong gear 2 years ago and was only learning my fastest foil was Fluid MT 950 when I did 24 knots on old heavy carbon mast. When I got Ypra-SS a year later I couldn't beat that speed as the foil felt super unstable with high stall speed. Maybe I wasn't ready for it. Now (another year later) I'm on Duotone Carve 2.0 500 Dlab and just did 29.2 knots (2 sec) on 6m wing in about 12-18 knots and Vmax 30 knots! Keep that content coming. I'd love to see more videos from Defi 🙌
Hi Den. You're welcome! Looking forward to meeting you at Defi next year too! Interesting to hear yout your Ypra-S S experience. I am still super unsure whether to get the Veloce 36 or Veloce 40 stab with it. Also I am waiting for the HM107 mast to become available again as my current mast is just too thick for a fast foil. No really looking at other brands currently as I still like the Gong price point. Your speeds are great! I am an amateur when it comes to speed but looking forward to trying my best with faster gear.
@@windaddict I don't know the current Gong kit but my smallest was Veloce S stab. Also I think you should go smaller only when you know that it's something that's slowing you down. You can't just jump on a tiny kit and think it will work as your bigger one but faster, it's more physically demanding and requires more skills which is only a matter of time spent on the water.
Hi Claudio, thank you for the mention, I did Defi last year when it was 45-50 knots of wind , loved it, I look forward to seeing you at next years Defi. Keep rocking it !!!
Interesting opening to the discussion, thank you! A small front wing on the Defi Wing is certainly beneficial if there's enough wind. However, for race-type driving, a small wing is not automatically good. You will notice with the Ypra S-S 600cm2 foil that it doesn't perform very well upwind. So, if there are upwind sections in a race, a small foil can easily lose to larger low volume HA foils. Without foot straps, you can ride a good foil easily at over 40 km/h. If the foil is bad, the mast or fuselage ventilates often, requiring more corrections, and foot straps can help save the situation better. Stabilizers have a big role also. Too large or thick, and you won't benefit from a small front wing. Too small or wrong angle and you won’t have enough front leg pressure. Riding with a small stabilizer/short fuselage and a heavy board is very unstable. Therefore, it's best to have as small and light a board as possible. I use veloce 40 or fluid 38 stab with ypra S-S and ypra XS with 47L/4kg board. With 80L /6.4kg board the combination is unstable for me. There are many factors to consider here. I have never ridden a long distance at high speed. My problem would likely be that I wouldn't be able to keep the wing closed enough with my back hand, even with a harness. And riding very close to ventilation while going crosswind with the harness hooked in is scary. I tend to drive too deep and loose the advantage of the small foil - half of the mast under water is huge drag.
Thank you so much for your long comment. I watched your videos a while ago, you certainly have much more experience than me when it comes to going fast. You are right, the Ypra-S is aimed at slalom (hence the S), i.e. cross wind. If you have upwind / downwind racing a higher aspect Ypra would be much better. Most races I have been at around here do slalom setups. The main one being Defi a slalom foil seemed to make sense for me. Also the slightly lower aspect of the Ypra-S should make it easier to take off and easier in jibes. Regarding stabs: I will get the Veloce-H 36 stab for my setup. It's very small, so will be interesting to see if it gives enough front foot pressure. Regarding fuselage: The tip-to-tip total length of the Gong foil (Ypra-S S + Veloce H 36 stab) is 74cm. Richard from the channel Speed Wingfoiling says 66-68cm is ideal for going fast. So it seems the Gong setup is very long (but the stab very small), so let's see how it works. Regarding heavy board: I have the Cruzader Diamond 5'8 (80L) now. With footstraps and leash it weighs 6 kg. Feels very nimble to me, but I am used to bigger boards. The Pro Gong rider Francesco Capuzzo used the Gong Racer board in size 70L at Defi Wing. He is very fast, so I don't think a "higher" volume like this is unusable for racing with a small foil.
@@windaddict I'm interested to hear how your new setup feels with the 80L board. New 2024 Veloce-H 36 might work well. They say it is a bit thicker and produce more front foot pressure. Old veloce H 40 worked fine with gongs new 1 degree fuselage but it might create more drag also. Big board isn't a problem; I personally just want stabilizer with more front foot pressure with bigger board, longer fuse would help also. For example, the Freestyle 37 and Ypra Surf 700cm² are nice all-around setup with a 47L board, but with heavy 80L board, I prefer the Freestyle 41 stab.
Hm, I wonder if I should get the Veloce-H 40 stab instead. If I want to use the Ypra-S S foil also in light wind racing below 14 knots (where I live, winds tend to be fairly light), I may have to use it with the Cruzader 7'0 board (122L) which is huge.
@@windaddict I haven't had the chance to test the new Veloce stabilizers, so I'm not sure how much the feel has changed with them. Personally, I might go for the Veloce H 40. However, it might be a good idea to ask Gong as well to see what they think?
Great Video !! Lots of nice tips..... anyway, gear is as important as skills... riding the mast out of the water, minimal pitch (flat foil), legs strengths, wing in the right spot, stamina, cold mind before gibing, etc etc
Thanks Fran! You are right. Cold mind before jibing is a good one! Ideally you do the foot switch before the jibe to exit with high speed, something I really need to practice.
You totally right. Foil is the most important BY FAR. When i WinDfoiled i used to have nearly same speed with no camber sailed as I do with cambered sails. I think when its 20knots+ its not that difficult to take off a 550cm frontwing High mast (95cm at leash) will help a lot ofc you are right. Keep going 👍
For short course racing, the most important thing is to *not* fall. Going fast is the second most important thing, but in 10 minute races, falling is more costly than sailing on a slower foil. Once you can not fall, you want to go as fast as possible, including getting a smaller/faster foil. We have had several pros enter our local races, and they are also using Levitaz and Mike's Lab foils in 500-600 sq cm sizes.
You are absolutely right. In long distance racing however it is all about speed. At the Defi you can probably fall in at every jibe mark and still make a decent placement if you are really fast and nail the start.
The Weymouth Speed week in October in the UK is a good place to try going fast. It has a 500m course with a GPS timing watch you wear and download each day. You can make as many runs as you like. I’m designing and building my own dedicated custom speed wingfoil boards foils and have also made a solid carbon speed wing. I’m using 500cm 365cm and 290 cm front foils.
I have spent a LOT of time on Gong kit. The YPRA-S L (1000cm2) will easily do 25 knots although it is actually a pretty big foil relatively. I mostly ride the YPRA-S MS (700cm2) and have 27 knots Vmax although in the right conditions it is capable of a lot more. The HM107 mast makes a huge difference being both fast but also a lot safer. I dont use the back strap and feel no need for it - most sailors going fast put their back foot off centre on the high side of the board and use it to control heel angle - many top sailors dont use it and if you watch the racing videos closely many dont use the back strap. The Gong Droid Aramid X is a great wing for going fast - it is a lot more user friendly than the Pulse DP and for me just as fast. Hope to do the Defi someday. I would add also it is often a mistake to go too small on the stab - it needs to match the FW - too small and will find the foil suddenly dives for no obvious reason at high speed - this is because the stab is overpowered and cant keep the FW angle of attack.
Thanks a lot for your insights. Very interesting! It confirms my suspicion that it was my thick HM86 mast that resulted in ventilation and limited my max speed. I'm getting an Ypra-S M (780cm2) for light winds now. Really excited about trying that one out. Yeah I got the Droid Aramid X in 5m² and really like it so far (but when overpowered it will pull on your harness A LOT). Have you tried the Pulse DP? How is it not userfriendly? Hard to get up on foil with it? Bad in maneuvers? Regarding stab: Gong (on the website) recommends the Veloce H 36 for the Ypra-S XS and S. But I've seen on Insta that their pro riders use Veloce H 40 instead sometimes even with small front wings so that seems to confirm your comment.
@@windaddict Hi. You will really enjoy the YPRA-S MS - for me it is the nicest foil in the range and super performance combined with relative ease of use. Yes I have the Pulse DP in 6.0m - I have to say it is a beast and you really need to undertstand it - it is definitely not the wing for everybody. Bizarre at rest it is quite difficult and certainly not the easiest to get going - it feels quite wooden and unforgiving and doesnt respond to pumping well as it is very rigid - however, once the air flow is attached it accelerates like cazy and develops a huge amount of pull - a decent harness (windsurf waist harness not wing harness) is essential and you really have to work very hard to tame it - it is very unforgiving and quite brutal when it gets powered up. On the plus side the drive is incredible and you are fully powered in relatively light wind, the upwind pointing angle is crazy (5 degrees more than all other wings) and it is very fast. On the downside it can easily overpower you if not 100% committed and it is challenging for gybing and tacking - it pushes down strongly if you sheet it out. For me at 80kg the 6.0 really is too big and I would prefer a 5.0 or 5.5 in most conditions. I have the Droid Aramid X in 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 which for me is nearly as good performance but much easier to handle. I also have the Droid aramid in 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5 and 6.0 - still great performance but far more forgiving and super easy to hadle. Personally I would like to try a Pulse with the 30% DP in the Team Series construction - I thinkl that would be a good compromise. We are lucky to have such great choices !
@@windaddict The Veloce H 40 stab is a great allround stab - a bit like the old V2 Fluid H 38 - Does everything really well and super forgiving and reliable. I went through a phase of using super small stabs (thinking less drag) but actually found they didnt work well as they easily got overpowred and the main wing lost angle of attack - you can hear this happening with lots of 'gurgling' at speed.
I'm getting the Ypra Slalom M (800cm2) not the MS (700cm2). Thanks a lot for your insights on the Pulse DP. Really sounds like it's not for me, as I wouldn't want to switch back and forth with "normal" wings and then get used to this crazy behavior again. With all the gear and insights you have, you should be doing review videos. So do you prefer the Droid Aramid X or the normal Droid Aramid? Aren't both supposed to be stiff wings? Is it really such a big difference? I have only the one Aramid X so far. I wonder whether I would like the non-X version better for future wings if it is so much more forgiving. Is the X version supposed to me more sturdy with that Spinnaker material? Funnily I just saw a Short from the brand Patrik today on youtube and they have a concept wing that allows you to add and remove the double profile with zips. Looked pretty neat.
@@windaddict Hi again. Apologies slow reply. Interesting question ! I would say personally I really like the Aramid X - its punchy, fast and very stable. Compared to the Aramid however it is more demanding - both physically (you really need to be using the harness effectivelly) but also the precision of trim (sheeting angle). When I use the standard Aramid it does feel more chilled and more forgiving. Dont get me wrong though both are awesome wings - my level has stepped up hugely since I started using then last spring. So lucky to have such refined kit to use. New V3 foils due this week - will let you have my review once I have tried them.👌
Great to hear! I now use a Garmin Forerunner 255 now but previously had a Samsung Galaxy Active2 Watch which stopped working. I am much happier with the Garmin.
Hey thanks for all the great insights, really helpful for my prep for next year. Where did you find the dates? I have been google searching and can’t find any info on 2025, please share a link 🙏🏾
This was part of the thank you email to participants from the Defi this year: Here the relevant part of the email text: "To conclude, we asked Philippe Bru to share his feelings about this 3rd edition. Here is his feedback below: "Wow! The little baby will grow up... 3 years of existence and already the Defi Wing, thus you, boasts of being the largest competition in the world. Excellent, right? Huge! A generous Tramontane on the rendezvous, just incredible, magnificent images, committed riders, lots of stories within the story. Congratulations. One day, we will be 1000 and more if you want 😉. The produced images have made a few rounds around the world, and we have recorded a few million views. Congratulations and thank you again. The future belongs to you, and for the youngest among you, you are the promising future... Our sincere apologies for our little "flop" regarding the proposed podium categories. In 2025, the proposals will be adapted and clarified with distinct age categories (Women 13-15 / 16-17 / 18-39 / 40+; Men 13-15 / 16-17 / 18-39 / 40-59 / 60+). Would that suit you? See you from Monday, May 26th to Wednesday, May 28th, 2025. The Defi Wing will open its run to 600 participants :-o " Take care Guys. Thks. Taquet. Bur."
Check out the Speed Wingfoiling channel talk about it: th-cam.com/video/lC2t1bpVuas/w-d-xo.html (Link also in the video description). He actually recommends short-ish fuselages. (I previously thought you want very long fuselages for high speeds for stability but that assumption was not correct it seems). Gong fuselages tend to be longer and I just use the standard Gong kit (Ypra-S foil with veloce-H stab on standard titanium fuse). It depends on how each brand designs the foil. Longer fuselage works with smaller stabs. Some of the Gong professional riders actually use their short freestyle fuselage stab combinations also for racing. This is because they do both disciplines and are used to that combo. So being comfortable with / used to your gear may be more important than fuselage length preconceptions.
Grear Video, thx! About Mast ventilation - it pisses me off about my HM86 mast it ventilates all the time! What mast were you riding, though that was ventilating? HM85? HM92? 105? Let us know! 😇
I used the HM86 mast!! Maybe it's really the thick mast that is the main problem. If I don't push high speed for a long time, I don't have a problem with it. One suspicion I have: I may not always be careful to not touch the mast (when carrying the board) and I have sunscreen on my hands. That is not ideal. Next time I should really clean the mast before any race with a microfibre cloth to make sure the surface is not greasy.
I have an 85HM now and it's like night and day. Does not ventilate. Is MUCH faster, easily 3-5km/h top speed more than tha HM86. 86 really only useful for sirus XL and bigger / slower foils.
![ILLSLICK X YOUNGOHM - We're The same [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yUJNkobYR0E/mqdefault.jpg)
I do a lot of speeding here on the lake behind my house with Gong gear.
Started out with aluminum mast, which ventilated already at 35kmh, then HM92 which almost completely stopped ventilation, and then I got the HM107.
Front wings I use Ypra-S L 1000, Ypra-S M 800 and Ypra-S S 600.
Handwings I use Neutra 4.5, Pulse 5.0, 6.0 and pulse DP Aramid 5.5.
Stabs I use Veloce 40 pro.
I use an extra 1.5 degree rake shim on top of the 1.5 built in rake of the HM107.
The Ypra-SL I got up to 46kmh, but did not test it yet with HM107 and Pulse DP 5.5.
The Ypra-SM so far I got up to 50kmh with HM107, Pulse DP 5.5 or Neutra 4.5 RH. Limit seems to be the foil, altough the Pulse DP gives a MUCH higher average speed and upwind angle.
The Ypra SS so far I got up to 50kmh as well, with HM107, Pulse DP 5.5 or Neutra 4.5 RH. Its hard for me to get that one started, unless there is strong wind. But if there is strong wind, there also is a lot of chop and the Pulse DP 5.5 becomes a bit too hard too handle when close to 20kts wind.
To be honest, the foils have improved a lot but they are still not full race foils.
A guy I know has a Pulse DP 6.5, switched from Gong to Chubanga V3 and increased his average speed to 50kmh and topspeed to 58kmh instantly.
The Gong stabs are also not that good when it comes to stability. They can be much more stable with a good winglet design or a 'shark fin', which translates to much more control at topspeed.
Gong is planning to release a new foil soon, with round style fuselage. Probably monoblock or co-moulded fuse-frontwing for race model and aluminum fuselage section for the non-race models. Hopefully that will also increase the performance. :)
Great to hear about your experiences! I've noticed that at around 45 km/h with the HM 92 mast, there start to be occasional ventilations. I'm not sure if they are caused by the square-shaped fuselage, the flexing stabilizer, or the connections between the parts. Did you reach 50kmh with HM92 mast? Is there big difference between HM92 and 107? I would not like to buy 107 because I do not need so long in lake conditions. Now I use HM92 in freerace and waves.
It's seems that the size of the front wing is not the only determining factor because, with strong wind and a flat water surface, I can reach close to 45 km/h with many foils: the Veloce H-L, Ypra Surf M, Ypra S-S, and Ypra XS. The smaller foils don't significantly change the situation. In my opinion, the Ypra Surf and Freestyle stabilizers are the most comfortable to ride because they are stable due to their stiffness. However, they are also slow in light wind conditions.
I am also eagerly waiting for Gong's new race foils and curious about their price range. Gong likely has significant funds available for product development and a large market, so it would be great if they could bring stiff and fast foils to market at a reasonable price.
@@wingsurffi the HM107 is great, its a very slender mast and very very stiff. Quite impressive actually. The extra margin alows you to bank over the board more (hanging in the harness) without tip ventilation, and gives more control due to this. Also you have more margin on errors before you foil out.
I much prefer the longer mast for freeracing, if they would have a 115cm mast I would have bought it..
It is faster as well, but not like +10kmh...at least I went from 46 ish to 50 with average 46, so +3 or +4kmh.
i got ypra s-M and DP5.5 too,my weight is 65kg,with HM 92 mast,so far i can only reach 35km/h,almost same as my fluid L(1475cm).i found the lift is to much for me when i ride the Ypra s ,maybe need a big shim too?
Wow thanks for the very detailed reply. I love this about creating content on youtube. I talk about a topic I don't know too much about and then the experts come and but great info in the comments! A lot to learn! Interesting to hear that the Pulse DP gives a much higher average speed! I didn't expect that!
Hey Claudio, thanks for mentioning me! Looks like you've had a great time at Defi and I'm looking forward to meeting you at the next one.
When I had Gong gear 2 years ago and was only learning my fastest foil was Fluid MT 950 when I did 24 knots on old heavy carbon mast. When I got Ypra-SS a year later I couldn't beat that speed as the foil felt super unstable with high stall speed. Maybe I wasn't ready for it.
Now (another year later) I'm on Duotone Carve 2.0 500 Dlab and just did 29.2 knots (2 sec) on 6m wing in about 12-18 knots and Vmax 30 knots!
Keep that content coming. I'd love to see more videos from Defi 🙌
Hi Den. You're welcome! Looking forward to meeting you at Defi next year too! Interesting to hear yout your Ypra-S S experience. I am still super unsure whether to get the Veloce 36 or Veloce 40 stab with it. Also I am waiting for the HM107 mast to become available again as my current mast is just too thick for a fast foil. No really looking at other brands currently as I still like the Gong price point. Your speeds are great! I am an amateur when it comes to speed but looking forward to trying my best with faster gear.
@@windaddict I don't know the current Gong kit but my smallest was Veloce S stab. Also I think you should go smaller only when you know that it's something that's slowing you down. You can't just jump on a tiny kit and think it will work as your bigger one but faster, it's more physically demanding and requires more skills which is only a matter of time spent on the water.
Hi Claudio, thank you for the mention, I did Defi last year when it was 45-50 knots of wind , loved it, I look forward to seeing you at next years Defi.
Keep rocking it !!!
You're welcome. Looking forward to meeting you next year! I hope you keep posting content about going fast, I really enjoyed your videos!
Interesting opening to the discussion, thank you! A small front wing on the Defi Wing is certainly beneficial if there's enough wind. However, for race-type driving, a small wing is not automatically good. You will notice with the Ypra S-S 600cm2 foil that it doesn't perform very well upwind. So, if there are upwind sections in a race, a small foil can easily lose to larger low volume HA foils. Without foot straps, you can ride a good foil easily at over 40 km/h. If the foil is bad, the mast or fuselage ventilates often, requiring more corrections, and foot straps can help save the situation better. Stabilizers have a big role also. Too large or thick, and you won't benefit from a small front wing. Too small or wrong angle and you won’t have enough front leg pressure. Riding with a small stabilizer/short fuselage and a heavy board is very unstable. Therefore, it's best to have as small and light a board as possible. I use veloce 40 or fluid 38 stab with ypra S-S and ypra XS with 47L/4kg board. With 80L /6.4kg board the combination is unstable for me. There are many factors to consider here. I have never ridden a long distance at high speed. My problem would likely be that I wouldn't be able to keep the wing closed enough with my back hand, even with a harness. And riding very close to ventilation while going crosswind with the harness hooked in is scary. I tend to drive too deep and loose the advantage of the small foil - half of the mast under water is huge drag.
Thank you so much for your long comment. I watched your videos a while ago, you certainly have much more experience than me when it comes to going fast. You are right, the Ypra-S is aimed at slalom (hence the S), i.e. cross wind. If you have upwind / downwind racing a higher aspect Ypra would be much better. Most races I have been at around here do slalom setups. The main one being Defi a slalom foil seemed to make sense for me. Also the slightly lower aspect of the Ypra-S should make it easier to take off and easier in jibes. Regarding stabs: I will get the Veloce-H 36 stab for my setup. It's very small, so will be interesting to see if it gives enough front foot pressure. Regarding fuselage: The tip-to-tip total length of the Gong foil (Ypra-S S + Veloce H 36 stab) is 74cm. Richard from the channel Speed Wingfoiling says 66-68cm is ideal for going fast. So it seems the Gong setup is very long (but the stab very small), so let's see how it works. Regarding heavy board: I have the Cruzader Diamond 5'8 (80L) now. With footstraps and leash it weighs 6 kg. Feels very nimble to me, but I am used to bigger boards. The Pro Gong rider Francesco Capuzzo used the Gong Racer board in size 70L at Defi Wing. He is very fast, so I don't think a "higher" volume like this is unusable for racing with a small foil.
@@windaddict I'm interested to hear how your new setup feels with the 80L board. New 2024 Veloce-H 36 might work well. They say it is a bit thicker and produce more front foot pressure. Old veloce H 40 worked fine with gongs new 1 degree fuselage but it might create more drag also. Big board isn't a problem; I personally just want stabilizer with more front foot pressure with bigger board, longer fuse would help also. For example, the Freestyle 37 and Ypra Surf 700cm² are nice all-around setup with a 47L board, but with heavy 80L board, I prefer the Freestyle 41 stab.
Hm, I wonder if I should get the Veloce-H 40 stab instead. If I want to use the Ypra-S S foil also in light wind racing below 14 knots (where I live, winds tend to be fairly light), I may have to use it with the Cruzader 7'0 board (122L) which is huge.
@@windaddict I haven't had the chance to test the new Veloce stabilizers, so I'm not sure how much the feel has changed with them. Personally, I might go for the Veloce H 40. However, it might be a good idea to ask Gong as well to see what they think?
Great Video !! Lots of nice tips..... anyway, gear is as important as skills... riding the mast out of the water, minimal pitch (flat foil), legs strengths, wing in the right spot, stamina, cold mind before gibing, etc etc
Thanks Fran! You are right. Cold mind before jibing is a good one! Ideally you do the foot switch before the jibe to exit with high speed, something I really need to practice.
You totally right. Foil is the most important BY FAR.
When i WinDfoiled i used to have nearly same speed with no camber sailed as I do with cambered sails.
I think when its 20knots+ its not that difficult to take off a 550cm frontwing
High mast (95cm at leash) will help a lot ofc you are right.
Keep going 👍
Good to hear you have the same impression!
Great video very interesting thanks for sharing 👍
Thanks a lot Chris!
For short course racing, the most important thing is to *not* fall. Going fast is the second most important thing, but in 10 minute races, falling is more costly than sailing on a slower foil. Once you can not fall, you want to go as fast as possible, including getting a smaller/faster foil. We have had several pros enter our local races, and they are also using Levitaz and Mike's Lab foils in 500-600 sq cm sizes.
You are absolutely right. In long distance racing however it is all about speed. At the Defi you can probably fall in at every jibe mark and still make a decent placement if you are really fast and nail the start.
i dont watch the hole video yet, but my abo you get!!!
Thanks Axel!
Thank you so much for these insights
Glad you like them!
The Weymouth Speed week in October in the UK is a good place to try going fast. It has a 500m course with a GPS timing watch you wear and download each day. You can make as many runs as you like. I’m designing and building my own dedicated custom speed wingfoil boards foils and have also made a solid carbon speed wing. I’m using 500cm 365cm and 290 cm front foils.
Wow I got so much respect for people who build their own boards or foils. Well done!
I have spent a LOT of time on Gong kit. The YPRA-S L (1000cm2) will easily do 25 knots although it is actually a pretty big foil relatively. I mostly ride the YPRA-S MS (700cm2) and have 27 knots Vmax although in the right conditions it is capable of a lot more. The HM107 mast makes a huge difference being both fast but also a lot safer. I dont use the back strap and feel no need for it - most sailors going fast put their back foot off centre on the high side of the board and use it to control heel angle - many top sailors dont use it and if you watch the racing videos closely many dont use the back strap. The Gong Droid Aramid X is a great wing for going fast - it is a lot more user friendly than the Pulse DP and for me just as fast. Hope to do the Defi someday. I would add also it is often a mistake to go too small on the stab - it needs to match the FW - too small and will find the foil suddenly dives for no obvious reason at high speed - this is because the stab is overpowered and cant keep the FW angle of attack.
Thanks a lot for your insights. Very interesting! It confirms my suspicion that it was my thick HM86 mast that resulted in ventilation and limited my max speed. I'm getting an Ypra-S M (780cm2) for light winds now. Really excited about trying that one out. Yeah I got the Droid Aramid X in 5m² and really like it so far (but when overpowered it will pull on your harness A LOT). Have you tried the Pulse DP? How is it not userfriendly? Hard to get up on foil with it? Bad in maneuvers? Regarding stab: Gong (on the website) recommends the Veloce H 36 for the Ypra-S XS and S. But I've seen on Insta that their pro riders use Veloce H 40 instead sometimes even with small front wings so that seems to confirm your comment.
@@windaddict Hi. You will really enjoy the YPRA-S MS - for me it is the nicest foil in the range and super performance combined with relative ease of use. Yes I have the Pulse DP in 6.0m - I have to say it is a beast and you really need to undertstand it - it is definitely not the wing for everybody. Bizarre at rest it is quite difficult and certainly not the easiest to get going - it feels quite wooden and unforgiving and doesnt respond to pumping well as it is very rigid - however, once the air flow is attached it accelerates like cazy and develops a huge amount of pull - a decent harness (windsurf waist harness not wing harness) is essential and you really have to work very hard to tame it - it is very unforgiving and quite brutal when it gets powered up. On the plus side the drive is incredible and you are fully powered in relatively light wind, the upwind pointing angle is crazy (5 degrees more than all other wings) and it is very fast. On the downside it can easily overpower you if not 100% committed and it is challenging for gybing and tacking - it pushes down strongly if you sheet it out. For me at 80kg the 6.0 really is too big and I would prefer a 5.0 or 5.5 in most conditions. I have the Droid Aramid X in 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 which for me is nearly as good performance but much easier to handle. I also have the Droid aramid in 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5 and 6.0 - still great performance but far more forgiving and super easy to hadle. Personally I would like to try a Pulse with the 30% DP in the Team Series construction - I thinkl that would be a good compromise. We are lucky to have such great choices !
@@windaddict The Veloce H 40 stab is a great allround stab - a bit like the old V2 Fluid H 38 - Does everything really well and super forgiving and reliable. I went through a phase of using super small stabs (thinking less drag) but actually found they didnt work well as they easily got overpowred and the main wing lost angle of attack - you can hear this happening with lots of 'gurgling' at speed.
I'm getting the Ypra Slalom M (800cm2) not the MS (700cm2). Thanks a lot for your insights on the Pulse DP. Really sounds like it's not for me, as I wouldn't want to switch back and forth with "normal" wings and then get used to this crazy behavior again. With all the gear and insights you have, you should be doing review videos. So do you prefer the Droid Aramid X or the normal Droid Aramid? Aren't both supposed to be stiff wings? Is it really such a big difference? I have only the one Aramid X so far. I wonder whether I would like the non-X version better for future wings if it is so much more forgiving. Is the X version supposed to me more sturdy with that Spinnaker material? Funnily I just saw a Short from the brand Patrik today on youtube and they have a concept wing that allows you to add and remove the double profile with zips. Looked pretty neat.
@@windaddict Hi again. Apologies slow reply. Interesting question ! I would say personally I really like the Aramid X - its punchy, fast and very stable. Compared to the Aramid however it is more demanding - both physically (you really need to be using the harness effectivelly) but also the precision of trim (sheeting angle). When I use the standard Aramid it does feel more chilled and more forgiving. Dont get me wrong though both are awesome wings - my level has stepped up hugely since I started using then last spring. So lucky to have such refined kit to use. New V3 foils due this week - will let you have my review once I have tried them.👌
Great video - just started doing some races - so fun - can I ask - what watch do you use to record things?
Great to hear! I now use a Garmin Forerunner 255 now but previously had a Samsung Galaxy Active2 Watch which stopped working. I am much happier with the Garmin.
Great insights! Ty
My pleasure!
Nice video man, hoping to do defi wing 2025! Agree there is so little information out there about gear and basically none on tuning.
Thank you! If you come, will see you at Defi Wing next year!
Hey thanks for all the great insights, really helpful for my prep for next year. Where did you find the dates? I have been google searching and can’t find any info on 2025, please share a link 🙏🏾
This was part of the thank you email to participants from the Defi this year: Here the relevant part of the email text:
"To conclude, we asked Philippe Bru to share his feelings about this 3rd edition. Here is his feedback below:
"Wow! The little baby will grow up... 3 years of existence and already the Defi Wing, thus you, boasts of being the largest competition in the world. Excellent, right? Huge! A generous Tramontane on the rendezvous, just incredible, magnificent images, committed riders, lots of stories within the story. Congratulations. One day, we will be 1000 and more if you want 😉. The produced images have made a few rounds around the world, and we have recorded a few million views. Congratulations and thank you again. The future belongs to you, and for the youngest among you, you are the promising future... Our sincere apologies for our little "flop" regarding the proposed podium categories. In 2025, the proposals will be adapted and clarified with distinct age categories (Women 13-15 / 16-17 / 18-39 / 40+; Men 13-15 / 16-17 / 18-39 / 40-59 / 60+). Would that suit you?
See you from Monday, May 26th to Wednesday, May 28th, 2025. The Defi Wing will open its run to 600 participants :-o "
Take care Guys. Thks.
Taquet. Bur."
@@windaddict wicked! Thanks a million, I will see you there 💪🏾
Id love to here opinions on fuselage length for speed winging/racing
Check out the Speed Wingfoiling channel talk about it:
th-cam.com/video/lC2t1bpVuas/w-d-xo.html
(Link also in the video description).
He actually recommends short-ish fuselages. (I previously thought you want very long fuselages for high speeds for stability but that assumption was not correct it seems). Gong fuselages tend to be longer and I just use the standard Gong kit (Ypra-S foil with veloce-H stab on standard titanium fuse). It depends on how each brand designs the foil. Longer fuselage works with smaller stabs.
Some of the Gong professional riders actually use their short freestyle fuselage stab combinations also for racing. This is because they do both disciplines and are used to that combo. So being comfortable with / used to your gear may be more important than fuselage length preconceptions.
Grear Video, thx! About Mast ventilation - it pisses me off about my HM86 mast it ventilates all the time! What mast were you riding, though that was ventilating? HM85? HM92? 105? Let us know! 😇
I used the HM86 mast!! Maybe it's really the thick mast that is the main problem. If I don't push high speed for a long time, I don't have a problem with it. One suspicion I have: I may not always be careful to not touch the mast (when carrying the board) and I have sunscreen on my hands. That is not ideal. Next time I should really clean the mast before any race with a microfibre cloth to make sure the surface is not greasy.
I have an 85HM now and it's like night and day. Does not ventilate. Is MUCH faster, easily 3-5km/h top speed more than tha HM86. 86 really only useful for sirus XL and bigger / slower foils.
@@hiltithedrill Wow good to know!! Thanks for sharing. It's a shame that we need several masts. They don't come cheap
What was wind speed? I’m heard that they having most of fun in the range 12-18 knots 😅 with biggest foil 750cm2
Wind speed at the Defi Wing? That was anywhere between 15 and 40 knots depending on the day and time
How long are the fuses?
The Gong fuselage? 16cm
I've been saying defi as defy. Is that wrong? Haha
Haha, I think so. After all it's a French event