Forums > Stand Up Paddle Foiling

Can you Downwind on an eFoil??

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Created by paularity > 9 months ago, 27 Oct 2022
paularity
WA, 111 posts
27 Oct 2022 12:18PM
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Off the back of my previous 'True Glide' drone video, I've had a few riders shoot me through some questions about downwinding on my Fliteboard Ultra

Seems I should probably start doing this kind of raw run, ad-lib, tutorial style video format more regularly and get on the YouTube bandwagon haha!

Anyways, I've been getting amongst the wind swell downwind action for some time now in Perth and for the Seabreeze crowd I always get curious questions on the beach from the dingers / kiters / SUP foilers etc. about how an eFoil goes in the wind

This video is a long one at just shy of 30 minutes - but for anyone curious to know how a tiny, but heavy Fliteboard behaves in these conditions - I cover pretty much everything I know about how I set myself up for success

This session set-up:
Fliteboard Ultra Series 2.2 (4'2" 54L)
Foot Straps
75cm mast
1st run - Flow 1100 wing
2nd run - Flow 1100 S wing
Flow 245 stab with a 2 shim
FliteCell Sport (11kg)

Solo shot on Skydio 2+ with audio from Instamic Pro+

As always, any queries - shoot me a DM on Instagram @paularity_

juandesooka
615 posts
27 Oct 2022 1:45PM
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Didn't watch the whole video but x2 for efoil in wind swell, on lift with folding prop. Flat water efoil is boring...any swell is better. Can get decent unpowered rides.

Piros
QLD, 7211 posts
27 Oct 2022 5:33PM
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Mate watched the whole thing , that's really well done. Great commentary & making it look so easy downwind, to the punters watching it's harder than it looks. So what mic setup where you using and which follow-me drone setup. Sick vision.

eppo
WA, 9686 posts
27 Oct 2022 8:31PM
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Great footage Paul - awesome mate.

DavidJohn
VIC, 17569 posts
28 Oct 2022 12:05AM
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Great vid.. thanks

paularity
WA, 111 posts
28 Oct 2022 9:18AM
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Select to expand quote
Piros said..
Mate watched the whole thing , that's really well done. Great commentary & making it look so easy downwind, to the punters watching it's harder than it looks. So what mic setup where you using and which follow-me drone setup. Sick vision.


Cheers Rob

Yeah it is more geared towards the eFoil kook crowd, obviously a lot of rambling that is common knowledge to the watermen / wind sports crew on this forum

Skydio 2+ is the drone, which I've been using for quite some time now

Audio from the Instamic Pro+ with a necklace mount that I scrounged up on eBay

Then sync everything together in post

Just off the back of this video I went out for a downwind run in stellar conditions yesterday 24-28kn winds and there were some absolute bombs out there 1km offshore!

Nathan @foil_perth smoked me and was off and out of sight instantly once he paddled up his 899, but I was pretty keen to give the True Glide a proper go on a downwinder

I was on the Flow 900 and surprisingly managed 72 unpowered waves - averaging 76m for a total distance of 5km on a 19km run and I could feel I had some ribbon weed wrapped around my prop too!

I used only 40% of the battery, cracked 200m / ~28 second waves twice with 14 waves over 100 / ~13+ seconds with a top speed of 35kph

Pretty keen to see how far I can go unpowered now in the wind swell, especially since I've taken the time to feel how the board handles even on my smallest wing!

foilfondler
30 posts
30 Oct 2022 5:04AM
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Anyone making adapters for putting different foils on flight boards? They seem really nice, but I don't want to have to invest in new foils when I've got good ones already.

paularity
WA, 111 posts
30 Oct 2022 1:55PM
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foilfondler said..
Anyone making adapters for putting different foils on flight boards? They seem really nice, but I don't want to have to invest in new foils when I've got good ones already.


Not officially - probably wouldn't be that hard to MacGuyver something, but due to the fin and the offset wings I'm not sure how any other brands wings would fly...

And the reality is at $18k the expense of the Fliteboard is not in the wings

paularity
WA, 111 posts
3 Nov 2022 6:41AM
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Today I annihilated any previous true glide session I've had and the potential is real

Freshly lubricated the bearing of my propellor with lanolin oil prior

On this downwind run it wasn't even overly windy ranging from 17-20kn - but the bumps were pretty well stacked!

Me: 173cm / 73kg

Board Set-up: S2.2 Ultra w/ foot straps Flow 1100/245 w/ 3 shim

Session stats:
20.0km in 57 minutes 33% of a Sport FliteCell!
Average speed of 21.8kph Top speed of 36.1kph
8.4km 'true glide' unpowered riding! 115 waves averaging 73m distance
Longest wave was 263m over 38 seconds

This was my 7th consecutive day with wind swell conditions after mixing and matching wings and shims to try and dial in what works

Having the feedback of the telemetry in the new Flite app has helped visually with improving my riding skills over the last week

But yeah knocking out 42% of a run unpowered in conditions most people wouldn't even take an eFoil out in has completely changed my opinion of the free spinning propellor

I'll try and film another drone raw run tutorial soon if the conditions allow for it






BigSeppo
120 posts
5 Nov 2022 10:05PM
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I can't believe nobody has replied. EPIC stuff Paul!

I have been amazed at how a depowered Lift with folding prop and HA foil works so well connecting bumps. When I might come off foil I can just give it a little squirt on the throttle and get back on another bump.

I'm nowhere near at your level. But your stoke and your data are inspiring. Thx for sharing.

juandesooka
615 posts
6 Nov 2022 2:13PM
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Likewise big seppo, that's my MO too, had a really fun day in the swells today. Little power blips to connect when needed.

Paularity...impressive stats! Fast speeds from big drops still nervous....riding tentative...with the extra weight the Wipeouts are more intense.



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"Can you Downwind on an eFoil??" started by paularity