North Sonar DW Front Wings

The North Sonar DW Front Wings are a dedicated downwind foil wing series from North, built for open-ocean swell riding, flatwater pumping, dock starts, and SUP paddle-up sessions. Introduced as part of North's Sonar foil platform, the DW series was debuted by team rider Marley Franco at the Triple Crown Challenge in Hawaii, a 70-mile downwind race. The line is available in four sizes — DW 750, DW 900, DW 1100, and DW 1400 — each sharing the same high-aspect, low-profile planform shape with North's anti-ventilation wing tips. All sizes use a High Modulus Carbon Prepreg layup paired with titanium hardware, prioritizing stiffness and direct energy transfer through each pump stroke.

The defining trait of the DW series is its combination of high lift at low board speeds with stable, controllable lift at high speeds. The thin, low-drag profile is designed to let riders catch and stay connected to fast-moving swell without the excess lift that makes a foil difficult to manage at pace.

• Construction: High Modulus Carbon Prepreg
• Hardware: Titanium screws
• DW 900 — Actual area: 900 cm² (projected 890 cm²)
• DW 900 — Wingspan: 1080 mm
• DW 900 — Aspect ratio: 13.0
• DW 900 — Weight: 1750 g
• DW 1100 — Actual area: 1100 cm² (projected 1085 cm²)
• DW 1100 — Wingspan: 1150 mm
• DW 1100 — Aspect ratio: 12.0
• DW 1100 — Weight: 1800 g
• DW 1400 — Actual area: 1400 cm² (projected 1380 cm²)
• DW 1400 — Wingspan: 1250 mm
• DW 1400 — Aspect ratio: 11.2
• Recommended stabilizers: North Glide Series S192 or S142
• Includes: Front wing, protective cover, Screw Pack D (M8x25mm)

The DW series targets riders focused on downwind foiling and long-distance ocean runs. Smaller sizes like the DW 900 suit lighter riders or experienced foilers paddling into faster, steeper swell where a compact, higher-aspect-ratio wing provides the speed and responsiveness needed. The DW 1100 occupies the middle ground, offering earlier lift for moderate conditions and a wider range of rider weights. The DW 1400, with the largest area and longest wingspan in the series, is oriented toward heavier riders, lighter wind days, or smaller swell where extra lift at low speed makes takeoffs considerably easier.

All three sizes share the same design philosophy: generate enough lift to get on foil quickly through pumping or paddle-up, then maintain efficient, low-drag flight at the high ground speeds required to stay on open-ocean bumps. Riders progressing from wing foiling or kite foiling into dedicated downwind work will find the larger DW 1100 and DW 1400 more forgiving, while committed downwind paddlers will gravitate toward the DW 900 for its tighter turning radius and higher glide ratio.

Within North's Sonar front wing range, the DW series sits alongside several purpose-built families: the MA v2 for multi-discipline mid-aspect riding, the SF for surf-focused foiling, the HA for high-aspect freeride and freerace use, and the P series for dedicated pump foiling. The DW line is North's only series engineered specifically for downwind and SUP disciplines, filling a gap that the broader HA or MA wings were not optimized for.

Riders cross-shopping downwind-specific front wings will find the DW series competing with options like the Armstrong DW series and the Axis DW range, both of which occupy a similar high-aspect, downwind-dedicated niche. North recommends pairing any DW front wing with their Glide Series S192 or S142 stabilizer rather than the standard Sonar stabilizers, as the Glide stabs use a thinner section and higher aspect ratio tuned to complement the DW wings' low-drag characteristics.