Forums > Stand Up Paddle Foiling

Starboard Foils

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Created by crakas > 9 months ago, 22 May 2016
AlexF
532 posts
9 Jun 2016 6:02AM
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Shouldn't have foils for SUPs have bigger front wings like for windsurfing?
The increased lift would avoid to pump them like kangaroos.
Will the Aguera Gofoil get bigger wings or do they use the existing kite wings?
Alex

colas
5364 posts
9 Jun 2016 2:21PM
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There exist many kind of foils for kites. Some target beginners, low speed, races, ...
Some can even be adapter by changing the angle of attack of the stabilizer (the Gong one for instance).

So I guess some existing kite foils could be used for SUPs, dunno about the Aguera

In my opinion - armchair specialist here, never tried a foil - pumping is quite mandatory, as your speed increases once out of the water, if you use a foil with enough lift to take off without pumping, it will have too much lift with the speed after takeoff meaning drag and/or stalling by piercing the surface. Could be an option for beginners, though.

Smash1
NSW, 826 posts
9 Jun 2016 5:27PM
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I tried the foil option below. I didn't get any lift at all. Any advice as to what I'm doing wrong? Should I try the shinny side up method?


Piros
QLD, 7212 posts
9 Jun 2016 6:59PM
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Select to expand quote
AlexF said..
Shouldn't have foils for SUPs have bigger front wings like for windsurfing?
The increased lift would avoid to pump them like kangaroos.
Will the Aguera Gofoil get bigger wings or do they use the existing kite wings?
Alex




What you are talking about is high and low aspect on the foils. A bigger wider foil is low aspect (front to back measurement not let to right) This is more a beginners type foil , easy to ride but slower and more drag. So a bigger low aspect foil is slower. A higher aspect foil (smaller measurement front to back) will be faster and less pumping required when you run out of wave energy but it is harder to ride and has a much smaller sweet spot to keep it up. The trick with foils is not to ride all the way up but half way and that is an art.

So to answer your question AlexF no bigger is not better. The waves the Starby boys are riding are tiny gutless waves that's why they are pumping. I'm sure you will see a video in the next few weeks of guys Sup Foiling on clean larger waves with no pumping , we just need the right conditions. I'm working hard on it and I'm sure plenty of others world wide are as well....Watch this space

AlexF
532 posts
9 Jun 2016 9:34PM
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For sure i watch this space ...

I also watched all the frenchy spaces that discuss the windsurf foiling quite excessively.
The verdict there is:
The kitefoils (even using larger beginner wings) with their smaller wings produce not enough lift for windfoiling, because
a) the board/sail weight is higher than with a kiteboard
b) the sail does not deliver an upward lift, reducing rider weight, like a kite does

So for windfoiling there are dedicated wings now, having spans of 75 - 80 cm and areas of 800 - 900 sqcm.
E. g. the Ketos foil used for windfoiling with the biggest kitewing is rated as soso for lifting up early compared to dedicated windfoil wings. With higher speeds it works fine and is fast.

The foils used for SUP need to lift the board and the rider (no sail though), you got no upwind lift (or try using your paddel as a helicopter rotor), you can't produce speed like with a sail/kite, you won't reach speeds (usually) that limit larger wings like in kite/windfoiling.
The Videos of Naish and Starboard on the GoFoil show, that keeping the lift and the board in the air is the main issue in SUPfoiling.
The AHD Sealion Wings also uses the foil with huge wings designed for windfoiling and i can't see any turning/control problems in their videos SUPfoiling.

So my conclusion so far is, that higher lift windfoils would be better for SUPfoiling than the kitefoils.
I wonder if Alex Aguera is developping such a pair of larger wings for his GoFoil, that could then also be used for windfoiling.
To my mind the small foil Naish is offering now with its SUP is a not a good solution. I wouldn't buy that, but look for a windfoil like the Mantafoil with its high aspect wing (76cm span, 780 sqcm area)

Alex



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"Starboard Foils" started by crakas