Downwinding, downwind boards and light wind winging
Author: Jon Mann
What is the hype all about? With the growth of SUP foil downwinding, there is a lot of buzz in the foil world around how versatile downwind boards are – defying all previously held theories and assumptions regarding swing weight and manoeuvrability.
In this post I am to give my thoughts on what I think makes a good downwind board, what makes a downwind board great for winging and considerations when choosing a DW board based on your own needs and requirements.
If you’re on this page and wondering what downding is, have a look at the downwinding page.
What is a downwind foil board?
A downwind foil board (typically a downwind sup foil board) is a foil board that is used to ride wind swell from A to B. The main things that characterises a downwind board are the dimension that allow them to easily get on foil in unbroken waves and wind swell. Downwind boards are typically long and narrow which enables them to easily gain speed and get on foil. Boards range from 6′ to 9′ long and can be anywhere between 18″ wide to 26″ wide.
Light wind winging
Since downwind boards are made to plane efficiently with little drag it comes as no surprise that more and more people are finding out that downwind boards make great light wind wind boards. The ability to generate speed with little effort means that you no longer need to size up to massive foils and wings in order to enjoy sessions in sub optimal conditions as once up, you generate enough apparent wind to keep foiling! The more efficient your foil is (and the faster), the greater this apparent wind and the more enjoyable these light wind sessions become!
So what size board do I need to start downwind foiling?
When choosing a board, be is a custom or a production board there are a number of factors to consider.
The first one is stability. The stability of the board is determined both by the length and the width of the board, longer and wider will make the board more stable. But, as we’ve already said, typical boards are long and narrow. The wider your board is the more ‘drag’ the board will have, as there will be a larger area. The next thing to consider is how long do you want your board to be? Longer boards definitely plane easier and allow you to paddle faster making getting on foil easier, but on the flip side a longer board has more swing weight and can be less fun to surf and pump.
When choosing a board it’s important to establish what your primary goal is, and to accept any resulting compromises. For example, someone with no prior SUP experience may want a more stable board. This means they may choose to go for a slightly wider board in order to allow them to develop SUP skills, despite it meaning that their board is maybe a little ‘draggier’. By going to narrow without the required skills, you run the risk of spending more time climbing back on your board then standing on it. This is the reason why some brands offer wider versions of their downwind boards in order to have more accessible options to beginner sup foilers.
Looking at my board, my main board is a 6’6″ x 21.5″ board. I went a bit shorter in order have a more surfy board, accepting the consequence that the board has a bit less glide on the water and would mean that I need to paddle a little bit harder to get on foil.
So what is a good downwind board? Or what makes a good downwind board?
Unfortunately this isn’t black or white and its hard to prescribe what is best without considering someones watersports background, foil level and general athleticism. However it is possible to define what makes a good downwind board:
- Stability: You need to have a board that you are comfortable standing on. For some people that is 18″ wide, for others is 26″ wide. Stability allows you to put power down when paddling, which then becomes forward speed. It’s worth testing boards to get a feel for what does and does not work for you.
- Volume: Tieing into stability, but worth its own bullet point. Ensure you have sufficient buoyancy that your board doesnt sink. For those luck enough to foil in board shorts 20-30litres above your bodyweight is a nice rule of thumb. For those (un)lucky enough to foil in 6mm wetsuits, don’t forget to account for the added weight of all that neoprene.
- Planing and release: As board designs begin to converge, most boards have a bottom shape that allows them to plane effectively as well as release well from the water. I won’t go into the details here, but if going for a custom its worth researching and comparing the various production boards on the market to evaluate what works. I will say a V shaped bottom or displacement hull (U shape) will allow the board to plane well, but will make it less stable (again, back to the compromises)
Hopefully this article has been somewhat useful in helping you understand what to look for in a downwind board. As always if you have any questions, feel free to reach out either by email or via instagram (@jon_.mann)!