When I started SUP about 15 years ago it was a relatively new sport here in Bend and there was a very tight-knit SUP community of friends to paddle with and to learn with. The learning curve was very quick and the fun was huge. Now that I have been the only person with a wingboard winging around early season on local lakes I have missed that camaraderie. Once summer really arrives I’m sure I will find a welcoming group of people. I hear that most are on a foil – so it will be great to watch them fly!

For now, I have been reaching out to the team at Big Winds and to SUP friends who have added the wing to their quiver. Peggy King from Maui has been terrifically helpful. We met years ago at the few Ho’olaulea Maliko Run events I enjoyed and have stayed in touch across the ocean ever since. Peggy is one amazing force of life! The first article we shared was in April 2014: Pailolo Power! I also wrote about her back in July of 2014 – and as usual she had lots of good information to share.

In a recent e-mail I asked her about some winging basics. She offered some insight on leashes. You only need to fall once in the wind to realize what a life saver (literally) the leashes on board and wing are.

Peggy uses an 8-10’straight leash off the back of the board and a waist belt for the coiled wing leash(about 4’long). I had been using the wrist leash that came with my Freewing but wondered if there was a better solution. I still need to paddle back upwind and the wrist leash got in the way of paddling, and also I often found myself sort of tangled. (Beginner Blues).

Being in my 8th decade, I am particularly interested in any refinement that could reduce the chance of wear and tear or injury to joints etc. Peggy shared that she has known many people have hurt their shoulders using the wrist leash. In her experience she had a few close calls in the beginning.

Since I am “in the beginning” and may be for some time, I went to my go-to experts at Big Winds to learn more about leashes that attach to the waist. After looking over their many options, I selected the Armstrong A-Wing Ultimate Waist Leash.

(Cool video for a complete overview) This leash uses a non-chaffing bungee spectra rope, has a comfortable waist strap that won’t release, and there is a quick release just in case you get in trouble. The spectra bungee rope that Armstrong selected for this leash is super strong and won’t break or get stretched out like other wing leashes do.  Also this material does not chafe you when It wraps around your arm or side on transitions. There is also a quick release for safety:

No one wants to get tangled up in your board and wing leash.  The more I learn the more confident I feel.