Le Doigt Wing/Downwind Foilboards: Steeve Fleury presents his signature board from Indiana Paddle & Surf Co.

In the new world of downwind boards, here’s one that’s turning heads! The ‘Le Doigt Wing/Downwind Foilboards’ is an ultra-stylish board designed by Steeve Fleury, the multi-disciplinary rider from Indiana Paddle & Surf Co. More compact than a traditional downwind board, the Le Doigt is a perfect compromise between wing use in the light wind and SUP foil riding, from committed downwind to flatwater. So, to tell you more about it, who better than Steeve Fleury himself? Available in three sizes from 6’0 to 6’10, he also gives us his recommendations for making your choice.

Hi Steeve! We wanted to talk to you about your signature boards at Indiana. So tell us all about it, how did the creation of these boards come about?

Well, that’s a long story, but to cut a long story short, I’d say that I always have specific needs and that we talk a lot with my sponsors to find out what’s possible and what isn’t. For this board, we wanted to design something that would meet our specific needs. For this board, we wanted to design something compact that would maximise the conditions we encounter on the spots we ride.

How do you feel about this board?

Super, I’m really happy to be up in the air and see it under my feet. It allows me to exploit conditions that I couldn’t have imagined in the past. So even more time above the water and less time at work 🙂

What programme are they designed for? Wingfoil, waveriding, downwind, flatwater paddling…?

They’re made for everything you mentioned. It’s really a crossover that allows you to maximise the conditions you encounter and extend your practice.

Can you tell us about the shape of these boards?

Well, that’s easy, as we wanted a SUP foil board, we had to keep some volume, then we worked on the placement of this to create the most compact package possible.

What are the specific design elements?

I’d say the placement of the volume, the work on the hull to maximise speed, the shape of the tail and the concave deck for better handling and a direct return of the sensations.

In terms of construction, what are they made of?

These are carbon sandwich boards, which ensures maximum rigidity and solidity at a controlled weight.

They’re quite long boards, available from 6’0 to 6’10. What are your recommendations for choosing a board size?

They’re still compact boards, which means you’re going to have to define your expectations and know your limits before choosing, but I could say this:

• The 6’0 is a more accessible board for the wing, which can still be used in SUP foil, wave foil and dw, but is reserved for an advanced level: wing (easy), sup flat & wave (advanced), DW (pro), etc.
• The 6’4 will be aimed more at the SUPfoil side: wing (easy), SUP flat, wave and DW (advanced).
• The 6’10, finally, is a version for larger riders who want a board that’s more fun to ride.

I’m bound to mention the highly original look of these boards! What inspired you to come up with the graphics and colours?

In my definition of surfing, I’ve always seen the board as a sculpture that allows you to reach gliding paradise 🙂 I was lucky enough to see windsurfing in the 80s with lots of custom shapes and crazy designs. Later, with mass production, the designs became closer to those of racing cars and that made the object more bland for me.

So the colours are reminiscent of the golden era of shapers and the lines refer to the swell lines and mountains that surround us. On the underside, there’s a symbol designed to watch over you during your foilistic adventures.

Finally, a word about your Signature Frontwing ‘Le Doigt’?

It’s a wing that’s perfect for intermediate and advanced sailors. This kite is dedicated to lake conditions for DW, pump, SUP, wing and even sea prone. It’s a carver’s kite with a low range that allows you to trust it when learning DW.

Thank you very much Steeve for your answers!

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