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February 09, 2024

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Come and try wing day gallery

We had heaps of fun on Sunday getting some wingers up on a board for the first time.

Below are some of the pictures from the day

              

February 28, 2023

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How to set a fixed length paddle to size

Setting a fixed lengh paddle to size is an easy job, but one that you want to get right as there is no going back once its cut!

Follow the below steps to cut and fix a paddle to lengh.

1. Choosing the length:

Generally flat water paddles will be set a little longer than wave paddles. This is due to flat water riders needing long smooth strokes to maintain speed while wave riders want short sharp powerful strokes to maximise acceleration.

The best way to find your paddle length is to use an adjustable paddle for a few sessions which lets you play and figure out what works for you.

Alternatively, as a rough guide, for wave riding we generally recommend total paddle length to be a persons height plus the length of a closed fist, while flat water is a persons height plus the length of and 2 closed fists.

2. Mark where to cut.

Remove the handle and measure the height that will sit above the paddle shaft. Mark out the total length you want the paddle to be set at on the shaft and remove the lenght of the handle. (Note: some paddles are cut at the blade end of the shaft)

We advise measuring twice and adding 1cm to the length before cutting - a too long paddle can be shortened, but once its cut short thats it!

3. Cut

We use a jig to ensure a 90 degree angle on the cut. Without a jig, this can be achieved by marking the shaft and cutting carefully with a sharp hacksaw.

Sand down the cut with fine sandpaper (watch out for carbon splinters).

Test fit the handle and re-measure the total lenght. Cut shorter if required.

4. Fixing

Once you have the right length set then handle needs to be set into place.

Try to remove all carbon dust from the area as this will reduce the sticking potential of the glue.

Ensure that you have the handle facing the right way - the recess for your fingers should be in line with the front of the blade.

For first fixing it is recommended to use hot glue. This will alow you to make adjustments later (by heating the paddle and popping off the handle). Be wary of leaving the paddle out on a hot day as this can melt the glue and the handle could pop off.

Once you are confident on the size you can use araldite to fix it perminantly.

6. Clean up

Remove any excess glue from around the handle with a sharp knife. 

You can then use a heat shrink wrap (or electrical tape for a more basic finish) to cover the gap left between the handle and shaft.

 

Your paddle is ready to go out and shred!

 

How to buy a second hand wing

Wing boarding is taking over the wind sports industry. With such a massive influx of new riders and a rapid development of gear there is a strong second-hand market. However, it pays to be wary when buying second hand wings. There are a few key issues to look out for.

Model & year

 

Wing boarding is a very new sport and there has been lots of research and development put into the equipment. This means that in general, most older model wings are simply not as good as a current model wing. They may be less powerful, less user friendly and/or more uncomfortable to use.

These older model wings should be avoided as they will actually slow your progression and make the learning process harder. 

As there is such a fast development in the equipment, not all wings are created equally. There are many different designs, in shape, handle type, materials etc.. It is always worth doing some research on a wing before you purchase it, there are plenty of resources online with reviews and guides to help make the decision. 

You should also pay attention to the brand of the wing and how common it is in your location. If lots of people are riding this brand it implies that spare parts and repairs may be easier to get than if it is a more unknown or unpopular brand.

 

Usage

Although wings look similar to kites, they tend to age much faster. With regular use a wing can lose its performance in just one season. This is partly due to pumping the wing when getting onto foil stretching the canopy material. In the store we call a well-used wing 'bagged out' as it begins to feel loose like a plastic bag.

While still usable, you need to be aware that a 'bagged out' wing will be much less efficient when making power through pumping. This means you will need more power (stronger wind) for a comparable wing size. If you are after a light wind wing, avoid anything well used as it will make getting on foil so much harder.

With experience you can feel how 'bagged' a wing is by pumping it when inflated. But as a general rule of thumb, a wing that has had regular usage over one season will produce less power, and a two-season old wing may be very inefficient to pump with.

Damage

Wings take a beating. Especially from beginners, freestylers and strong wind riders... You know what, wings take a beating from basically all riders!

It is very common to stick a foil tip through a wing, if you are lucky just through the canopy, if unlucky it may pierce the bladder also. 

When buying second hand always look for repairs. One or two small and/or professional repairs to the canopy may not have much impact on the wing's performance or lifespan. But multiple repairs may be because careless rider, or a particularly eventful crash, both of these can indicate performance issues.

Repairs to the leading edge or strut tubes will almost always be associated with a pierced or broken bladder. You should be very careful when buying wings with bladder repairs, as this type of damage can be hard to fix and guarantee. A wing with a slow leak is not going to be any good to use on the water. When buying second hand wings, always inflate and leave it up for minimum of 30 minutes to ensure that it doesn't have a slow leak.

Summary

A golden rule is always: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Wings have value, if you see one being sold at a low price, it is very unlikely that the owner is selling it below its value, and much more likely that the wing is not worth much due to age, model type or damage and will hinder your development in the sport.

In a perfect world we would all be able to buy a new, current-model wing. But if you need to go second hand to meet the budget remember to work through the following points:

- Model & age 

- Model and brand popularity

- How well used it is

- Damage to the wing

- Bladder issues

 

local team rider Daniel Wingsurfing session

Dawson Avenue 

3.5 doutone unit 

20 knots 

 

August 08, 2021

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Wetsuits explained

When slecting a wetsuit it is easy to get overwealmed by the huge variety of options and the confusing details on each suits label. This article aims to give a little guideance on the areas you should be looking at when selecting a wetsuit (without getting into too much detail on specific material compositions).

Continue Reading →

How to trim a kite bar

When Kitesurfing it is very important that your kite bar is trimmed correctly to ensure that the kite remains under total control and flies in an efficient shape. This article is designed to give direction as to when you need to trim your lines, and how to do this.

There are two reasons to trim your bar:

Kite pulling to the side

The most common reason for a bar needing trim adjustment is that the kite pulls to one side when flying. This can be caused by a few things, but most usually due to a line stretch or shrinkage causing one steering line to be longer than the other which imputs a turn control even when the bar is in the neutral position.

Stretching or shrinking can happen to lines over time and weathering; through excessive repeated force on the line (e.g. looping the kite one direction repeatedly); or due to a incident such as a crash or tangle.

 

Adjusting angle of attack

When flying your kite, if you feel like it is backstalling when pulling the bar in or front stalling when pusing the bar away, it may be worth adjusting your line lenghts to ensure a better flying angle.

These issues are caused when your steering lines are to long (causing a frontstall) or too short (causing a backstall) relative to the flying lines.

This can be caused by line stretch or when purchasing a used bar which the previous owner has trimmed incorrectly, or for an unusual kite.

Image 1 - Rear (steering) lines are too short relative to front (flying) lines this causes the kite to fly angled open to the wind. This can result in excess power as the kite flys deeper in the wind window, this will often cause a backstall.

Image 2 - Rear (steering) lines are too long relative to front (flying) lines this causes the kite to fly angled closed to the wind. This can result in reduced power as the kite flies further upwind in the wind window, this often will cause a frontstall when depowering the bar.

Quick trim adjustments

Some bars and kites offer quick solutions to trim issues that can be performed on the beach while setting up.

For example cabrinha kites have three knot settings that the steering lines can connect up to on the wingtip, these are described as more and less power settings, but can esily be used to correct trim issues also.

Some bars such as the Cabrinha Overdrive also offer adjustments that can be made at the bar itself, adjusting the length of line at the connection between the control lines and the bar.

Check your gear's user manual for information on the quick trim adjustment settings available to you.

Image 3 - Arrows indicate where on the Cabrinha bar you can locate toggles to access the control line length adjustment setting.

 

How to check a bar's trim

Find a clear open space where you can roll out your lines to their full extent unobstructed.

With your lines rolled out and all 4 walked out (as you would when setting up the kite) connect the ends of the lines to a carabina or line connected to a post or other solid object.

With your lines connected at the same point on the post, return to your bar and ensure that the depower setting is fully extended (full power).

Image 4 - connecting your lines to post or solid object and tensioning at the bar (image from Cabrinha's ':01 CONTROL SYSTEMS' user manual)

Standing directly in line with the post, pull back hard and steady on the control bar by pulling straight back toward yourself.

Your control bar should be in line with your shoulders and should be straight and not at an angle.

All of the lines should have even tension under pressure. (I.e. no slack in the flying lines or steering lines).

 

Adjusting bar trim

If your lines need to be adjusted and the quick fix methods described above dont work or dont apply to your gear, line length can be adjusted at the line connectors (connections that run between the lines and pigtails on the kite).

Different length connectors can be bought to allow you to change the overall line length.

Alternatively, knots can be tied into the thick connectors (never tie a knot into the thin main lines) to make them shorter.

Once adjusted re-check your lines using the method outlined above, and you are ready to kite!

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