Finding the perfect tail wing for your wing foiling rig is key to maximising your performance. It has a huge impact on your stability, speed, and manoeuvrability. In this blog, we’ll take a look at the key factors that you need to take into consideration when deciding on your tail wing to help you find the perfect option for you.
What Exactly Does A Tail Wing Do?
It’s important to understand what the function of a tail wing is in your rig before you can make an informed choice about what kind you want for yourself. In simple terms, a tail wing controls your pitch and roll stability. They counter the lifting force of the front wing to make sure the ride is stable. They can also have a major impact on your speed and riding style. As a general rule of thumb, bigger wings provide much more stability and ease of control in exchange for a loss in potential speed. Smaller wings do the opposite, making them much better in wing foiling for speed but harder to control.
What Type Of Wing Foiling Will You Be Doing?
The first major point of consideration before you select your tail wing is exactly what context you expect to be using it in. For example, if you’re just doing all-around wing foiling, then a medium-sized tail wing will offer solid performance in most situations, able to achieve good agility while also remaining stable. However, you might want to lean into a particular extreme. Surf foiling, for example, will have high demands in terms of manoeuvrability, so a smaller tail wing like the Pro 180 that can handle sharp turns will be preferable.
Take Your Level Of Ability Into Account
How experienced you are will have a big impact on how well you’re able to handle certain wing foiling rigs. Beginners should stick with components that focus on maximising stability, like the Freeride tail wing, which has a large surface area and stiff design to create the most stable ride possible. That will provide the best possible environment for developing your skills. On the other hand, experienced riders will have much more freedom of choice, as they will have developed the skills to handle more advanced rigs.
How Will Your Tail Wing Work With The Rest Of Your Rig?
A good wing foiling rig has a consistent vision behind its design. What exactly are you trying to achieve, and how are your chosen components working to realise that when you hit the water? Are you looking to maximise speed downwind, or make a manoeuvrability machine for wing surfing? Your tail wing is working as part of a team, so make sure it's a good fit.
Test And Tune Your Tail Wing Choice Over Time
The best way to settle on the perfect tail wing for your personal rig is untilately going to have firsthand experience. Everyone has their own unique needs, and what may be comfortable for most might not suit you as well. Find what works for you and stick with it.
If you need any more advice on choosing a tail wing or you have any questions about any of the tail wings we offer at Starboard Foils, then our team is ready to help. Just get in contact with us for advice from the experts today.
