Downwinding is about getting up early and staying up for kilometres. The gear is built around one job: turn small open-water bumps into glide.
Board
A long, narrow board paddles up to speed fastest. Choose 90–140 litres depending on your weight and skill; more volume is more stable while you learn.
Front wing
Look for a span of 1,000–1,400 mm and an aspect ratio above 10. These wings take off slowly enough to catch a bump and glide far enough to reach the next one.
Mast
An 85–95 cm mast gives room for chop and swell. Shorter masts are easier to learn on, but breach more in rough water.
