Short answer: for a rider around 80 kg (176 lb), a 6–7m wing covers 10–16 knots, a 5m covers 15–22, a 4m covers 20–28, and a 3–3.5m covers 28 and up. For the board, start at your bodyweight in kilograms plus 30–40 litres while you are learning — an 80 kg rider wants 110–120L — and come down from there as you improve.
Wing size against wind
One honest note before the table: North publishes its wing wind ranges as a chart image rather than as data we can read, so the numbers below are our advisor's sizing guide, not North's published figures. They are the same numbers the advisor on this site uses:
| Wing size | Wind (knots), rider ~80 kg / 176 lb |
|---|---|
| 6–7m | 10–16 |
| 5m | 15–22 |
| 4m | 20–28 |
| 3–3.5m | 28+ |
Move one step up if you are heavier or the water is choppy, one step down if you are lighter. A single wing should sit in the middle of your usual wind, not at its bottom edge — a wing that only just flies in your normal conditions is a wing you will not use. Two wings about 1.5m apart cover most spots.
Board volume against bodyweight
Volume, not length, is the number that matters on a foilboard, and the rule depends on which side of the flotation line you want to be:
- Floater (novice to intermediate — kneeling or standing starts, light wind): your bodyweight in kg + 30–40L. An 80 kg rider: 110–120L.
- Absolute beginner minimum: bodyweight in kg + ~20L. An 80 kg rider should not go below about 100L.
- Sinker (advanced): 25–30L below your bodyweight in kg.
- The zone to avoid: 10–20L below your bodyweight. A board that half-floats is less stable than one that sinks properly — pick a side.
North publishes rider weights per board size, which is the same rule expressed as a table. From the Seek Foil Board 2025 spec sheet:
| Size | Volume | Novice rider | Floater rider | Sinker rider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4'9 | 58L | — | under 132 lb | 183–194 lb |
| 4'11 | 68L | over 110 lb | under 154 lb | 205–216 lb |
| 5'1 | 78L | over 132 lb | under 176 lb | 227–238 lb |
| 5'3 | 88L | over 154 lb | under 198 lb | — |
| 5'5 | 98L | over 176 lb | under 220 lb | — |
| 5'7 | 108L | over 198 lb | under 243 lb | — |
| 5'9 | 118L | over 220 lb | under 265 lb | — |
| 5'11 | 138L | over 220 lb | under 309 lb | — |
The wider, more stable Seek Air 2024 runs bigger again — 110L for a novice under 176 lb, 124L for a novice under 198 lb — which is the board to look at if your first sessions are in genuinely light wind.
The rest of the first setup
Four more starting points, from the rules our advisor works to: a 55–72cm mast to keep falls shallow and reactions quick (85cm becomes the day-to-day standard once you are flying, and handles chop better); the biggest front wing you can get — the 1850 or 2200 class by weight, since the larger wing lifts earlier; the longest fuselage for pitch stability; and a bigger stabilizer for control. Smaller stabilizers are only faster, and speed is not what the first ten sessions need.
Every North Sonar mast, fuselage, stabilizer and front wing is interchangeable, so none of these are one-way decisions — the foil compatibility page has the full rules, including which stabilizer pairs with which front-wing series.
Honest limit: North does not publish a litre figure per wing size, and we will not invent one — the wing table above is our guide for a rider around 80 kg, and it is a starting point, not a specification. Board volume is also only half the stability story: width and thickness matter as much as litres for a first board, which is why two 78L boards can feel completely different under your knees. And skill moves these numbers faster than anything else on this page — riders routinely drop 20–30 litres within a season. Give the gear advisor your weight, your wind and how many sessions you have, and it will commit to a wing size and a board.
What to buy
As of this post: the Nova 2026 covers 3.5m to 7m at about $1,199–$1,469 and is the freeride wing most people start on. The Nova Pro 2026 runs 2.2m to 6.2m at about $1,199–$1,549, the Mode Pro 2026 about $1,047–$1,247, and the light-wind Loft Pro 2026 comes only in 6m, 7m and 8m at about $1,769–$1,899. On boards, the Seek 2025 is about $1,091–$1,137 and the Seek Air 2024 about $1,159–$1,379. The full range is in wings and foilboards.
One thing to know before you order: on North's Pro wings — Loft Pro, Nova Pro and Mode Pro — the handles or boom are sold separately. The standard Nova ships with a Griplock carbon boom already fitted.
FAQ
What size foil board do I need to learn on?
Your bodyweight in kilograms plus 30–40 litres. An 80 kg (176 lb) rider wants 110–120L; the absolute floor is about 100L. North's own chart agrees — it puts a 176 lb novice on the 98L or 108L Seek, and on the 110L Seek Air for light wind.
What size wing for 15 knots?
A 5m for a rider around 80 kg — 15 knots sits at the bottom of the 5m's 15–22 band and the top of the 6–7m's 10–16. If you are heavier, still learning, or on a small board, take the 6m.
Can I use one wing for everything?
One wing covers a narrower slice of wind than one kite does. A 5m handles 15–22 knots for an 80 kg rider, which is a real season at many spots — but two wings about 1.5m apart is the setup that stops you watching from the beach.