Windsurf foiling
- tempy
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Foil Board experiments
I have posted about my experiments with finding the optimum board for windsurf foiling.
For some context:
1. Tried it for the first time Feb 2018 in Laventana at Wyatt and Tyson's on Slingshot Wizard 125.
2. Came back and bought Keith's Slingshot foil and Roberts 28 flapper.
3. Quickly ditched the Roberts - just too big - and used the Power box adaptor on my Fanatic Skate 109 l. That was awesome, but hard to gybe because of the narrower tail.
4. Skate needed some tail reinforcement - thanks Murray Fin Works!
5. Looked at the Roberts again and wondered what would happen if I chopped 2 feet off the nose. Didn't have to ask Dave twice - and he did a great job. I could now use a tuttle head rather than the single bolt Powerbox.
6. Frankenfoil flew awesome once I made some adjustments - switching the fuselage to push the wing 2 inches further forward was the ticket and I didn't feel any loss of stability.
7. Gybes are easier with the wide board. It is about 100 l and is super stable and short - 6'6'' or so.
8. The tuttle started showing some stress (see pics below), so MFW is reinforcing the deck including filling in the cutouts for more strength (see pic). Can't wait to try it this weekend.
9. Interestingly, the Starboard 2020 lineup looks similair in shape and dimension to my Roberts now:
https://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Win ... Foil-Board
For some context:
1. Tried it for the first time Feb 2018 in Laventana at Wyatt and Tyson's on Slingshot Wizard 125.
2. Came back and bought Keith's Slingshot foil and Roberts 28 flapper.
3. Quickly ditched the Roberts - just too big - and used the Power box adaptor on my Fanatic Skate 109 l. That was awesome, but hard to gybe because of the narrower tail.
4. Skate needed some tail reinforcement - thanks Murray Fin Works!
5. Looked at the Roberts again and wondered what would happen if I chopped 2 feet off the nose. Didn't have to ask Dave twice - and he did a great job. I could now use a tuttle head rather than the single bolt Powerbox.
6. Frankenfoil flew awesome once I made some adjustments - switching the fuselage to push the wing 2 inches further forward was the ticket and I didn't feel any loss of stability.
7. Gybes are easier with the wide board. It is about 100 l and is super stable and short - 6'6'' or so.
8. The tuttle started showing some stress (see pics below), so MFW is reinforcing the deck including filling in the cutouts for more strength (see pic). Can't wait to try it this weekend.
9. Interestingly, the Starboard 2020 lineup looks similair in shape and dimension to my Roberts now:
https://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Win ... Foil-Board
- tempy
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Dave asked for more posts, so here is another!
I had no foil board this weekend and took the opportunity to try some others.
Tweezer let me try his Starboard 125 (?) setup and his new Flyer 4.5. First comments were that it felt like driving a Cadillac compared to my Frankenfoil. Super smooth and "luxurious" and "easy".
However, had less direct "feel" for the foil, and that led to some delayed reactions to rising / falling.
Gybing was easier on the Starboard kit and I pretty much foiled through my first one, but that was a bit of a fluke. it is not easy! Tweezer just makes it look easy.
I then had a chance to try a 7'4" Hypernut with the Slingshot Infinity 76 (Thanks Eric from Port Townsend).
It was super easy to fly except had you pushing fairly hard to keep the nose down. Dave, I think it is the "shim" issue you had. The Hypernut has a lot of tail rocker and the foil is angled away from the deck, down. I told Eric I would put him in touch with you and you could give him your Hypernut advice.
Hypernut handled a lot like the Fanatic Skate did - similair dimensions as well. Also, tougher to gybe with the narrowing tail.
Take aways:
I really like the way my Roberts Frankenboard flies.
I think the Starboard is too "big" for me and if you look at their 2020 models they look to be more "squat" than the present ones.
I think keeping width through the tail is key to stability, and unless you are doing tricks, having outboard straps is also more stable.
What are the optimum dimensions?
I guess it also depends on how light you want to get out in. I don't want another set of foil sails. My Zeta 5.8 is my biggest and I would rather put a bigger wing on than have another rig.
Also, I don't uphaul and just "climb the mast" in light winds. That makes a difference.
Slingshot 2020 also has a number of new designs and a Wizard 103 as well.
For now, I am happy tinkering with the shape / sizes and focusing on just trying to get out there more.
I welcome any other comments.
If you can foil, you are welcome to try my setup at NN. It is not a good setup to learn, so you need some skill.
I had no foil board this weekend and took the opportunity to try some others.
Tweezer let me try his Starboard 125 (?) setup and his new Flyer 4.5. First comments were that it felt like driving a Cadillac compared to my Frankenfoil. Super smooth and "luxurious" and "easy".
However, had less direct "feel" for the foil, and that led to some delayed reactions to rising / falling.
Gybing was easier on the Starboard kit and I pretty much foiled through my first one, but that was a bit of a fluke. it is not easy! Tweezer just makes it look easy.
I then had a chance to try a 7'4" Hypernut with the Slingshot Infinity 76 (Thanks Eric from Port Townsend).
It was super easy to fly except had you pushing fairly hard to keep the nose down. Dave, I think it is the "shim" issue you had. The Hypernut has a lot of tail rocker and the foil is angled away from the deck, down. I told Eric I would put him in touch with you and you could give him your Hypernut advice.
Hypernut handled a lot like the Fanatic Skate did - similair dimensions as well. Also, tougher to gybe with the narrowing tail.
Take aways:
I really like the way my Roberts Frankenboard flies.
I think the Starboard is too "big" for me and if you look at their 2020 models they look to be more "squat" than the present ones.
I think keeping width through the tail is key to stability, and unless you are doing tricks, having outboard straps is also more stable.
What are the optimum dimensions?
I guess it also depends on how light you want to get out in. I don't want another set of foil sails. My Zeta 5.8 is my biggest and I would rather put a bigger wing on than have another rig.
Also, I don't uphaul and just "climb the mast" in light winds. That makes a difference.
Slingshot 2020 also has a number of new designs and a Wizard 103 as well.
For now, I am happy tinkering with the shape / sizes and focusing on just trying to get out there more.
I welcome any other comments.
If you can foil, you are welcome to try my setup at NN. It is not a good setup to learn, so you need some skill.
- tempy
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You have probably all seen this before, but if not, here is Wyatt explaining why you would use position B or C (and A) on the switch fuselage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXA2vC2o91g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXA2vC2o91g
- tempy
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I picked up an Infinity 84 from a buddy last week.
Wow. Low end grunt with my Zeta 5.8 is impressive. Running it on position C on the Slingshot and the setup is balanced and it rises in next to no wind.
I was foiling in 8-10 knots.
Super stable and "lazy" surfing feel.
My jibes on the H2 are coming along now such that I am happy I never bought the Infinity 76 to replace it.
The 84 gives me the low end I need, the H2 gives me 12 - 20-ish and the H3 and H5 are awesome in higher winds.
Wow. Low end grunt with my Zeta 5.8 is impressive. Running it on position C on the Slingshot and the setup is balanced and it rises in next to no wind.
I was foiling in 8-10 knots.
Super stable and "lazy" surfing feel.
My jibes on the H2 are coming along now such that I am happy I never bought the Infinity 76 to replace it.
The 84 gives me the low end I need, the H2 gives me 12 - 20-ish and the H3 and H5 are awesome in higher winds.
- AJSpencer
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Hey Tempy,tempy wrote:I picked up an Infinity 84 from a buddy last week.
Wow. Low end grunt with my Zeta 5.8 is impressive. Running it on position C on the Slingshot and the setup is balanced and it rises in next to no wind.
I was foiling in 8-10 knots.
Super stable and "lazy" surfing feel.
My jibes on the H2 are coming along now such that I am happy I never bought the Infinity 76 to replace it.
The 84 gives me the low end I need, the H2 gives me 12 - 20-ish and the H3 and H5 are awesome in higher winds.
Do you keep the rear wing with the tips pointed up? I read somewhere it should point down when in position C, which is what I had it as today, but think it may have been keeping me down. I’ll try tips up next time and maybe position B. I also saw a picture of A B and C all with the rear wing with tips up, so maybe I just read the wrong thing.
Also, I read to start with mast base all the way aft. Found I was constantly way forward to keep from rounding up so moved it forward but was too tired at that point to make a decision whether it was an improvement or not.
Had a brief glimpse of the foiling speed today and man that was fun!
The 42cm rear wing always has to have its tips point up regardless of a,b, or c position. The 48's always have to point down.AJSpencer wrote:Hey Tempy,tempy wrote:I picked up an Infinity 84 from a buddy last week.
Wow. Low end grunt with my Zeta 5.8 is impressive. Running it on position C on the Slingshot and the setup is balanced and it rises in next to no wind.
I was foiling in 8-10 knots.
Super stable and "lazy" surfing feel.
My jibes on the H2 are coming along now such that I am happy I never bought the Infinity 76 to replace it.
The 84 gives me the low end I need, the H2 gives me 12 - 20-ish and the H3 and H5 are awesome in higher winds.
Do you keep the rear wing with the tips pointed up? I read somewhere it should point down when in position C, which is what I had it as today, but think it may have been keeping me down. I’ll try tips up next time and maybe position B. I also saw a picture of A B and C all with the rear wing with tips up, so maybe I just read the wrong thing.
Also, I read to start with mast base all the way aft. Found I was constantly way forward to keep from rounding up so moved it forward but was too tired at that point to make a decision whether it was an improvement or not.
Had a brief glimpse of the foiling speed today and man that was fun!
- AJSpencer
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Hmm will have to measure tomorrow. Got this
https://www.windance.com/Slingshot-Fwin ... -84/47071/
from Windance, doesn’t day width of rear wing in write up. Pic shows it mounted up, so will do that next time!
https://www.windance.com/Slingshot-Fwin ... -84/47071/
from Windance, doesn’t day width of rear wing in write up. Pic shows it mounted up, so will do that next time!