We put the Naish Hover Wing Foil Ascend Board through its paces for six months in a long term test. The board we tested had a volume of 72 liters. We towed it in all conditions. From the North Sea to the lake, it was used everywhere.
The board is available in ten different sizes from 42 to 142 liters.
On land
The Naish Hover Wing Foil Ascend Board has become wider and thinner. Naish has not followed the general trend of narrower and longer boards. The 72 l version is 5’1″ (154.9 cm) long, 61.7 cm wide and 10.2 cm high.
The outline resembles a slightly chubby, classic surfboard. However, some of the rails are almost parallel. They are fairly sharp and end in a sharp tear-off edge at the tail, which is relatively wide and straight. We have never seen a tail like this on any other board we have tested.
The underwater shape of the Naish Hover Wing Foil Ascend Board follows a classic pattern. The first third is dominated by a V with a double concave, which merges into a plan to the tail. Grip recesses are located both in the underwater hull and on the deck. The double US box is not quite as long as other manufacturers, but it is suitably positioned.
The deck is slightly concave and has a comfortable pad. There are inserts for all footstrap positions.
The Naish Hover Wing Foil Ascend is a vacuum sandwich construction of carbon wood. After more than half a year of constant use, we have nothing to complain about the construction. On the rails you can see the carbon under the clear coat.
The board still weighs 5.8 kg.
On the water
When we first saw the Naish Hover Wing Foil Ascend, we expected the board to be less dynamic due to its width. However, our knowledge was completely turned on its head. There is no sign of the width in terms of riding dynamics.
On the contrary, the wide shape is actually an advantage. By making the board wider and reducing the height accordingly, the board is very stable in the water when slogging. This is also immediately noticeable when getting on the board.
The shape also means that the board planes very early. The Naish Hover Wing Foil Ascend is one of the fastest planing boards in this volume class that we have tested so far. Touch downs and take offs are correspondingly fast. The board just glides on the water and provides a secure stability before it gently lifts off again. Thanks to this characteristic, the Naish also cuts a fine figure on the wave.
The board performs all standard maneuvers with solid safety without being sluggish. Due to its width, it is relatively forgiving when changing foot position, as there is enough room to the sides to compensate for a misstep.
In the air, the board is free and comfortable. When landing, the shape shows its advantages again. The board takes off immediately without disappearing under the surface. This is especially noticeable when doing 360s. The nose doesn’t dive immediately if you don’t land perfectly straight, but allows you to “cheat” the last few degrees of the turn on the surface. It is this nose that creates the big pop at take off.
Conclusion
The Naish Hover Wing Foil Ascend Board is a real early glider! The wide shape works perfectly. It feels at home in all conditions.
We can really recommend it for all levels. Beginners and intermediates will love the stability and planing. (Beginners should of course choose a board with more volume.) Freestylers will really enjoy the landing and take-off behavior of the board.
The Naish proved to be a durable companion during the long test period and did not show any weak points.
Due to its width, the board may hit the water a little earlier in a radical turn on a wave than other boards. However, for the majority of riders, this should be completely irrelevant.
