Crossoverboards - glass half full, or half empty?
With this test and its results, you quickly end up in the depths of philosophy: if a board covers several areas of use, but none of them are really world champions, is the proverbial glass "half empty" or "half full"? Because one thing is clear: between pure wingsurfing, SUP or windsurfing specialists, none of these boards would win three gold medals. But one silver and two places in the upper midfield don't sound bad either, do they? And this much in advance: some crossover boards for wingsurfing and foiling are actually top in one discipline and complement this with really good suitability for another area of use. Instead of a somewhat exaggerated marketing slogan such as "4 in 1", "2 plus 1" would be more appropriate in many cases. Because while two disciplines are often well covered, the third is often only enough for a taster. However, this is not so much a disadvantage as an additional plus. Because if, for example, the wave SUP with good turning ability and good windsurfing suitability also offers the opportunity to at least try out wingfoiling - without inspiring the wing expert - this should perhaps be seen as an additional extra - as a "half-full" glass.
Crossoverboards for wingfoiling, SUPing and windsurf foiling - which size makes sense
Experienced wingfoilers ride boards with a volume of less than 90 litres and a length of just 1.50 metres; anything over 120 litres is already quite a big board for winging. For windsurf foiling and especially for SUPing in the waves, however, you need a little more length and volume. Especially if SUP surfing without a foil is on the wish list, this discipline defines the key data of a crossover board, which you then have to live with for the other disciplines. This is because: for a board to be paddled in the waves by non-professionals, a volume of at least 120 litres makes sense, the width should not be less than 75 centimetres and the minimum length for paddling in waves is 2.20 metres or more, for less experienced paddlers it can be 2.30 to 2.50 metres - lengths that now sound gigantic for windsurf foiling and even more so for wing foiling. Logically, the boards with the wave SUP option do not have the best starting conditions for use with sails or wings - but they are not the worst either...
In contrast to the fairly long SUP boards, crossover boards that focus on windsurfing foils or wing foils can easily break the magic two-metre mark - or at least scratch it. For this reason, you should make sure you know what your main focus is before buying: Wingfoiling, windsurf foiling or SUP?
Crossover boards - often the ideal windsurfing option for children
In general, many crossover boards are also perfect for windsurfing for children, as volumes of 120 to 150 litres are usually sufficient for light kids between 25 and 50 kilos to learn their first starts and manoeuvres such as turns and jibes. For this to be the case, however, the board also needs the option of mounting a centre fin in addition to the obligatory mast track for attaching the mast foot. This is important so that children can maintain their height in light winds; otherwise, cruising becomes an arduous task. If this is the case, these boards are often the ideal platform, as their compact dimensions mean that they turn well even when motorised with small sails.Tip: Crossoverboards that do not offer the option of mounting a centre fin can be fitted with additional external drift stoppers such as the Slingshot SUP Winder or the Add On Drift Stopper can be upgraded from Arrows.
Below we present crossover boards that offer multiple uses for wingsurfing, windsurf foiling, as a windsurf children's board and sometimes even for SUPing. In the individual descriptions, you can find out where the brands place their focus. This list is constantly being expanded. So feel free to click in from time to time!
