Bee 7'8 - which foil to choose?

ao155

Hi Craig,
I just ordered the new Bee 7'8 and was wondering which foil to choose. I am 175cm, 65kg, experienced windsurfer, surfer and SUPer, just learning to use a 5m wing, but never foiled so far. I would mostly use the board for wingfoiling and windfoiling on the lakes in bavaria when the wind is too low for proper windsurfing. Which foil would you suggest as the best compromise for both winging and windsurfing, as well as learning vs. fun on the longterm?
Many thanks in advance for your guidance!
Andreas

craig

Hi Andreas,

As per the PM on Facebook - if you will be Wingfoiling more, then take the Aero 1750 for your weight, skills and wing size. For mainly windsurfing, I would go for either the Flow 1500 for mainly light winds, or the Flow 1000 for most conditions except super light winds. Ideally with foiling you should have 2 front wings for the biggest range possible. I think as a combo for both, probably the higher speed of the WS foil is better, but then you need a bigger size for winging - so if only one - then Flow 1500...?

ao155

Hi Craig,

Sorry, I didn't realize it was you on facebook :-D

Thanks for your advice! I will then start with the Aero High Aspect 1750/300 and AL750/800. In my understanding, it is not possible to mount a Flow wing on an Aero Mast and Fuselage, which means that I may need an additional Aero High Aspect 1250/250 once I get better in wingfoiling or for windfoiling, right? I'd like to avoid buying another full foil set, but rather just exchange the front (and back?) wing...

What windsurfing sail sizes do you recommend for the Bee 7'8 in light winds (3-4 bft)? Should a wave sails be enough to get on the foil, or would you rather suggest larger freerace sails?

Thanks,
Andreas

craig

ao155 Hi Andreas, no problem, lots of questions on different platforms, keeps us busy...besides "day time job" :-)

You can use the same mast for Winging and Windsurfing. That is the only part right now which is compatible unfortunately, although we are working on this for next generation. The 1250 would be a bit smaller for the Bee for winging, but for windfoiling will work quite nicely. As I said Bernd Flessner is using the Bee 7'8" with a 5.3 Hero and 6.2 Super Session and loving it...the bigger sails will work, but generally a smaller sail with a bit of active pumping is actually a lot nicer for foiling, unless you are a high performance foil board, which needs bigger sails.

ao155

Hi Craig,
sorry, just to make sure: can I mount the Flow Wings on the Aero Fuselage?
Thanks for your help!
Andreas

craig

Hi Andreas, no not at the moment - we are working on compatibility for next year, where the Flow wings will fit onto the Aero fuselages/will have the same fuselage fitting for Flow as Aero - but this will only be in Spring/Summer next year.

ao155

Hi Craig,
I hope you are doing well down in Cape Town!

One more question on the Bee 7'8:
I am looking for a boardbag for when I carry it on the roof occasionally, when inside the van is too packed like on holiday trips... Is there any particular boardbag from Fanatic/ION that would fit the boards shape and size quite well, so that it doesn't make so much noise on the roof? I saw a 2020 ION stubby boardbag with 238x78cm, but I can't get that one anymore and don't find a 2021 model that seems to fit size and shape of the Bee 7'8... any thoughts? Thanks!

Cheers from Munich,
Andreas

motogon

Interested in same set up too. I'm heavier, around 83-85 kg. Can I use Aero HA foils, say 1250 - 1750, for both wing and wind foiling?

craig

motogon Hi there, you can use them for sure for Winging, for windfoiling they are ok, obviously not quite as fast as the Flow windsurf wings, but plenty fast enough to just cruise around on. Generally as a guide, you can use much smaller wings for windfoiling than wingfoiling, as the sail generates way more lift and power than a wing.

craig

Hi Andreas

Thanks, back from Cape Town, they shut the beaches unfortunately, but had quite a few good wing days and some good windsurfing in December, now back in lockdown and snow..:-)

so according to the ION board bag finder info I have:

Bag should be the SUP/Wingfoil Core Stubby in size
8´10 x 31,5
270 x 80

Sounds a bit long obviously, but that is the best we can do for now.

motogon

craig Yes, I should add: my goal is maneuverable light wind cruising and small wave sailing. I assume for that purpose AERO HA foils would work.

craig

hi Motogon, that's fine yes!

ao155

Thanks Craig! Yes, lot's of snow now in Germany :-)
I took the Bee 7'8 for a paddle on Pilsensee today - obviously not what the board was designed for, but even that works ok and it was a nice workout ;-)
You and your team did a great job on the Bee, it is really a swiss army knife!

craig

Hi Andreas,

Brave man in 0°...:-) am still in quarantine here in Munich - yep that is a really fun board, glad to hear it works for you even on flat water! Good job to Sky!

ao155

Hi Craig,
I hope you‘re doing well!

So I finally got to wingfoil on the Bee when the wind was a bit lighter in between windsurfing sessions here in Ireland :-)
Around 14-16 knots, 5m wing, 1500 HA foil... and I enjoyed it a lot! It took me three sessions to really figure out how to pump, get on the foil quicky and control the height. Now I need to learn how to tack and jybe properly ;-)

While I am still improving on the Bee, I already wanted to get your thoughts about the next wingfoiling board on my learning journey. Would a sky wing 5‘4 make sense for my 65kg and mostly lightwind usage, or could I even go smaller? And should the 1500 HA foil still be able to cover most conditions, or would you suggest anything else for the future?

PS: I also took the Bee for SUP surfing on a small reefbreak the other day when the wind was off and it worked great! :-)

Thanks,
Andreas

craig

Hi Andreas,

all good here, glad to hear you liked the board, getting rave reviews from everyone! No, I think you should go smaller, I am alternating between the 75L/5'0" and 95L/5'4" at 78kg´s, 75L is fine for almost all days and you are much lighter so 5'0" should be fine. 1500 I can also use in almost all conditions unless it is super light wind, then I go to 2000...and once you can pump, you really don't need a big foil at all. Enjoy it!

steved

Hi Craig

I am a 75 kg 50 year old windsurfer who has done a bit of kitesurfing and tried windfoiling and kitefoiling last year for a few hours and managed to get up on the foil with both but certainly not yet stable or predicatble.

The Bee looks like the best board choice for me as you can use it for windfoil/wingfoil and normal SUP without foil ( for the kids in the waves)

What foil would you recomend for me for the Bee for windfoiling and wing foiling. I am not sure I wiill get into SUP foiling so much as our beaches are all very shallow. Ideally 1 foil for a beginner is what I am looking for ?

thanks

Steve

craig

Hi Steve, sounds good - well windfoiling and wingfoilng do need different size foils, at least at first (winging larger as the wings have less power than sails, windsurfing smaller due to sails drive) - with some experience you can ride the Bee with the Aero High Aspect 1500, for both sports. But I would get the 2000 High Aspect too, for lighter winds for Winging and also learning to SUP foil later perhaps.

smutje

...as a follow up to the above comments: any updates on the release date of the 2021 flow wings for wind foiling? Will they really be compatible with the current Aero fuselage? Would be great to just get different wings to be able to wind and wing foil with the Bee. Fantastic board by the way 😉

craig

hi there, should be getting those first Flow wings with the Aero connection approx mid to end of June, depending on your country? Glad you like the Bee, getting amazing feedback!