Cabrinha Swift

The notion that the Cabrinha Swift sits at the forefront of the next evolution in wingfoiling is likely not an understatement. This board has paved the way as the first of its kind, no compromises, wing-specific, lighter wind board design. Cabrinha have produced a balanced yet agile board that one can use to extract the highest performance from the furthest reaches of marginal conditions.

Internally, a PVC reinforced deck and double stringers achieve optimal rigidity and response, and the full carbon construction ensures the Swift can take a beating in all but the fiercest shorebreaks and contributes to a high-quality feel. A well-balanced handle and brushed carbon finish that proves valuable in hiding wear and tear round off a well thought through package.
The long and narrow design builds upon knowledge from the emerging downwind SUP industry to produce a next generation wing board which both planes exceedingly early and remains nimble under the feet. A number of unique features stand this board apart from downwind-specific shapes and offer excellent balance when getting up on foil. The most obvious feature is the striking volume distribution. The bulbous nose and tail and recessed deck lead to an initially impressively balanced board both in the pitch and roll axes, even when ridden close to, or a little under, a rider’s weight. Once tracking, stability is amplified by a defined V in the front half of the board and a relatively aggressive rocker which keeps the nose above fierce chop.

The Swift excels in light and shifty wind where extra dependability to get foiling quickly is paramount. Despite the rocker, it planes early due to a large flat section across the back half of the board. Combined with the narrow hull design, this enables rapid acceleration towards planing speed in the lightest breezes and the pulled-in tail reduces drag allowing efficient launch onto foil and less likelihood of touchdowns when carving hard. Stronger wind remains a breeze as sizing is relatively short for such a narrow design (starting at 5’8) allowing a relatively low windage profile and so remaining comfortable and controllable.

In the waves, this board is a joy to ride and feels half the size it looks out of the water. The foil box has been pushed very far forward meaning the rider ends up standing relatively centrally, hiding much of the volume out of sight which instantly enables one to throw it around with ease on the face. Though the thickness is bound to somewhat disconnect the feel of the foil in the feet, the recessed deck serves to maintain control and establishes a locked-in sensation when an offset stance is set which lends itself to hardcore strapless shredding.

Though the Swift is well balanced for such a narrow shape, a wider platform such as the Cabrinha Code has much more forgiving roll characteristics for learning. Instead the Swift ideally serves as a one-board quiver in the smaller sizes for confident riders, or as an additional lightwind board to complement a sinker setup.

Cabrinha have done an excellent job of developing the versatility of wingfoiling. More than anything, the Swift expands the range of fun in any conditions, increasing the performance that can be strained out of marginal slop whilst remaining comfortable and balanced.