Words by Gael Espeche
Wingsurfing has taken the watersports community by storm, and consequently, the development of a board to get the maximum potential for this sport has been key.
At the beginning, F-One’s Rocket Wing V1 boards were a great way to approach this new sport with a full bamboo construction for lightness and durability. Those larger volume boards were perfect to waterstart at the beginning.
But then F-One had to deliver boards that pushed the limits of easy take-off, and as a solution, came out with the Rocket Wing V2 boards which were wider and shorter with a wide tail outline to optimize the weight distribution. This has greatly improved the stability, maneuverability and portability of the boards. The sharp beveled rail profile is also a welcomed feature for faster take-off and forgiving touch downs.
Having a wider board like the Rocket Wing V2 helps greatly with stability for waterstarting, while the ability to ride a shorter board that’s the same volume will help any wingsurfer easily improve their riding and pumping abilities.
Since then, the search for the ultimate board for every wind condition has been on!
I personally started on a Rocket Wing V1 5’10 (90L) board and then in the summer of 2020, jumped straight to the Rocket Surf V2 4’6 (33L), which for me is a sinker board. It was an impressive step having only a third of the volume. The Rocket Surf V2 is a great board, but for my weight (65 kg/143 lbs) and the fact that I live in Florida, I needed at least 18 knots of wind to get the board flying above water.
So I headed to Cabarete, Dominican Republic, to get the right wind to test this sinker board! Check out the footage I got last year on the Rocket Surf 4’6 (33L), Phantom 1480 foil, 85cm Aluminum mast and Swing V1 6m:
Since the Rocket Wing V2 came out, the 4’8 (44L) has hit the spot in terms of being the board that I can ride in all conditions. It has the perfect volume for my weight and I feel like its the most stable sinker board to get me up and out fast enough after a heavy wipeout before the next set wave comes.
The Rocket Wing V2 4’8 is a bit bigger of a board than the Rocket Surf V2 4’6 but it remains super easy to travel with and very light, and in order to easily carry the board on the beach, there’s recessed handle on the back. The board has a full pad for comfort and has a twin track system on the bottom to connect with most foils. It also features a bamboo construction with a double layer on deck for added resistance.
Check out this session in Encuentro, DR with the Rocket Wing V2 4’8, Phantom 1080 foil, 85cm carbon mast and Strike 4.2:
When the wind is light (10-15 knots), I mount a Phantom 1480 on my Rocket Wing V2 4’8 and pump up a Strike 5.0. With that setup, I get the perfect glide for a nice session in Miami Beach, flying across glassy turquoise waters — the ocean becomes a giant aquarium where you can cruise along with turtles, dolphins, manatees and more.
In windier conditions (16-25 knots), I keep the same board (Rocket Wing V2 4’8) and switch to the Phantom 1080 with a Strike 4.2 and it becomes my ideal setup for some waves and jumping action! It’s worth mentioning that the Rocket Wing V2 4’8, 5’0 and 5’4 can all come with straps.
To sum up, for me, the Rocket Wing V2 4’8 is my ultimate all conditions wingfoil board. To find your all conditions Rocket Wing V2 size, I recommend you take your weight in lbs., multiply it by .453, and that is your base literage. If you are a beginner add 40 and that will give you your board volume in liters. If your skill level is intermediate, add 10 to your base rate, and if you are advanced, subtract 15 from your base to find the right volume in liters for the Rocket Wing V2 board that will suit you for all conditions.
Use this chart below to see what sizes and volumes are available:
