Lately, Nate Scheu’s been getting tons of watertime on the Strike CWC 6m. Since he’s also spent quite a while on the Swing V1 6m and Strike 5m, we caught up with him to ask some questions about how F-One’s wing models compare.
What were your first impressions of the Strike CWC 6m straight out of the bag?
It looks smaller than I expected for a 6m wing and the two additional struts are an interesting design.
What were your first impressions of the CWC 6m on the water?
It feels light, has excellent low-end power delivery, no fluttering and I didn’t have to concentrate on keeping the wingtips out of the water. I couldn’t help but to think I was so stoked to have received one just in time for our light wind summer season.
What makes the Strike CWC 6m different from the Strike 5m?
The Strike CWC 6m has three struts and more surface area so it develops more power and it’s easier to ride in light winds — below 15mph, for a rider of my weight at 160 lbs. or 72 kgs. It would also be better for heavier riders in 10-20 mph winds.
What makes the Strike CWC different from the Swing V1 6m?
The Strike CWC 6m has three struts, a noticeably shorter wingspan, a more dihedral shape to the leading edge, soft mini battens, and more canopy tension than the Swing V1 6m which helps eliminate flutter. The Strike CWC has two handles on the curved center strut, which together with the leading edge is more tapered towards the ends when compared to the Swing V1 6m.
Performance wise, how does the Strike CWC 6m compare to the Strike 5m?
The 6m CWC has more low-end power for light wind days which makes it easier to get on foil and ride through lulls. It rides very similarly to the 5m Strike especially in regards to wingtip water clearance. Since the wingspan of the 6m and 5m Strike is very similar, they both feel very similar during jibes, tacks, jumping, etc…
How does the CWC 6m compare to the Swing V1 6m in terms of performance?
The Strike CWC 6m feels more responsive in the power delivery and balanced better through the newer, longer handles which let’s you fine tune your hand position and makes it feel like less pull through your arms and hands while riding. It is much easier to roll the wing overhead during tacks compared to the Swing V1 6m. Jibes, tacks, back winding, 360 carves and duck jibes are all easier on the Strike CWC 6m due to the shorter wingspan and tighter canopy. It also feels like there is less drag while riding when holding the leading edge handle on the CWC 6m Strike.
What is the lightest wind you’ve flown the CWC 6m in and how does that compare to the lightest wind you have flown the Swing V1 6m in?
I’ve been able to ride both the Strike CWC 6m and Swing V1 6m in winds around 8mph but it takes less work to get up on foil and stay on foil with the Strike CWC 6m. I’ve actually got up and riding in around 8mph with the Strike CWC 6m and kept riding in winds as low as 6mph using the Phantom 1480 hydrofoil. I might be able to take off in even less wind with the Gravity 2200 hydrofoil which has the lowest take-off speed in the F-One range.
Tell us about the Touch Control? Have you had any issues hitting the wingtips on the water? How does this compare to your experience with the Swing V1 6m?
So far, the only time I touch the wingtips on the water with the Strike CWC 6m is when I do it on purpose or wipe out. On the Swing V1 6m I have to adjust how I pump or hold the wing during take-off and riding so the wingtips don’t touch the water. The wingtips on the Strike CWC 6m are more tapered than on the Swing V1 6m, and it feels like they deflect off the water easier with the Strike CWC 6m.
Who would you say the CWC wings are for?
I believe the new Strike CWC wing range would be perfect for anyone interested in learning or riding in light wind conditions below 15mph up to around 20mph depending on weight. It will also work very well for heavier riders who might need a little extra power from their wing, especially in the bigger sizes coming soon.
Anything else we should know about the CWC Strike 6m?
There will be 3 sizes in the Strike CWC range consisting of 6m, 7m, and 8m so it could be possible to start wingfoiling in winds lighter than we ever thought possible!
