VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Does anyone use a skateboard for winging practice? I'm thinking about getting a longboard but does anyone have any recommendations? I haven't been on a skateboard in 40 years so have no idea what to get. I've seen a wing skate but don't really want to spend that much. https://www.mackiteboarding.com/wind-ca ... kateboard/

I've used a longboard and a little short one, short one was more fun unless you have a really large area and want to built up speed.
Tacks are much less scary than gybes.

grantmac wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 8:14 am I've used a longboard and a little short one, short one was more fun unless you have a really large area and want to built up speed.
Tacks are much less scary than gybes.

Thanks Grant, the main purpose would be to practice tacks. I have a small area in front of my house so maybe I'll try on a smaller board.

Big fan! It's surprisingly fun, you get going fast with not much wind...assuming smooth pavement, very little drag.
Great way to practice tacks, get the dance moves down, oddly it seems easier than gybes on the skateboard.
I have a surfskate (mine is landyachtz, carver is the big name). This means very trucks are designed to do short radius turns, which allows you to carve more -- you can move it without pushing on flat land, even uphill. Longboards are made for higher speed longer radius turns, which will work fine, but I'd recommend a surfskate.

Second benefit to either: pump tracks are great cross training, with fun at acceptable risk levels for old timers.

Be careful not to drag wing tips on pavement.

I did a brief attempt yesterday at clover...not really enough wind, but in about 4-5kt puffs can get going with my 6m. At 10kt would be lit!

juandesooka wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 8:48 am Big fan! It's surprisingly fun,

Thanks Juandesooka! I just checked out those surfskate brands, that looks like the way to go for wing practice. Carver even has a Kai Lenny board.
https://carverskateboards.com/carver-31 ... mplete-cx/

haha, I would buy one if even a tiny bit of that magic would rub off.
I don't think the board itself matters that much. The surfskate main feature is the trucks: front one has a different pin and is configured forward, I think for bigger turns, and the rear truck is much higher than front. The wheels are big and soft too.

I'm sure you can find a cheaper brand or a used one if you look around. Though the funny (sad) thing is how expensive winging and foiling gear is, the skateboard world seems relatively cheap. $250 gets you best available ... in foil land barely gets you a tshirt.

PS here's an example of pump track:

You definitely want something that can turn nice and tight, the longboard I've borrowed takes most of the clover point road width to turn.

I'd really like to try the surfskate.

A little sacrificial tape on the wing tips keeps things from getting damaged.