Hello. First time posting here. Thanks for everyone on this community who can help me.
As described in the topic, I feel I need a lot of speed to takeoff and start flying compared to those "normal" videos I see on the youtube and everywhere of people pumping and flying with almost no wave. They seem to takeoff without any effort and I have started to think it's not learning curve related. Maybe hardware setup? I'm really frustrated.
My scenario: Im 65kgs/143 lbs and 1,71m/5,6inch tall. Im an experienced sup racer, medium at sup surfing and newbie on sup foiling. After almost 20 sessions foiling, I feel my foil does not take off easily. I have not got to fly more than 4 seconds or even pump and turn easily. Believe me that suddenly stalls to the water after 2 seconds.
My foil was bought on aliexpress to this supplier who told me they make foils for "gofoil". The Foil looks fantastic and its very lightweithed. The mast is 60cm/23inch. The costs was near 467 dollars.
es.aliexpress.com/item/32832517441.html
You can see some photos of my foil: photos.google.com/share/AF1QipM0kV-kk6yPYl6xkeW67V8Wq7c6LW2xLk2aHpp1oR6V8ARrQFLYcqDecuHddg_lZg?key=cFFrcy04UjZGbVZKVWI2d1N3NzEwYTk1Yml5czlR
It was installed by a shaper who did a good job on a Bonz Sup board 8,6 wich I feel really confortable when suping. In my opinion, it has been correctly situated. I attach some picture for your reference.
So, is anyone of you experiencing the same behavior? The idea of the foil was to enjoy surf with those smalle waves but the reality is I need the same wave height than a regular surf session without the foil. So, Why I need the foil?!!! :(
Can the angle of attack the problem of the foil? Thanks to anyone who can point me in the right direction. Sorry for my english, it's not my native language. Regards, from Barcelona.
Show a close up of the foil. From the pictures it looks like it has NO camber. It appears to be a thinner, knife edge shape.
Camber is the thickness of the foil. I was talking with a foil designer about whether SYMMETRIC foils would work (e.g. with less camber and NO flat side). He said - NO DICE for surfing. They could work for higher speed applications like Kiting or Windfoiling.
For effective slow speed take off the GoFoils are almost 2" thick. This thickness creates all the necessary lift at the lowest speeds.
I would say that that there is nothing wrong with the foil.
I would say angle of attack, the front wing base should be parallel with the bottom of the board roughly.
Stand with your back foot over or slightly back of the mast.
Kick the foil up as if on a skate board.
Cheers
Steve
It's definitely the foil. A mate of mine bought the same one. It's nowhere near thick enough in the front wing so you don't get any lift. The foil profile is similar to a kite foil not a Sup foil.
Hi there Z
I've got the same foil, and as RJK says - it's nothing like the thickness of a GoFoil or Naish. I can glide it OK surf-foiling, but had a useless experience SUPfoiling on it - just not enough lift with the extra weight above water. So my advice is bolt it on a surfboard and enjoy not having to worry about beating it into rocks - they are indestructible!
I have ridden that foil it works but lacks in slow speed lift . As you get better you learn to stomp on your back foot on take off it get the foil to bite. There is plenty of area in the foil but the design is pretty average. So you just need more speed to get it up and keep it going.
Thanks for all received answers. Wow, I was thinking I have been the only one who bought this foil.
As I expected, the foil design seems to be the problem. Tomorrow I'll take some closer photos and will post some of them.
Honestly, the price of those foils like takuma or gofoil is extremely expensive. Can someone of you recomend and "medium-quality" foil wich will takeoff slower?
I hope that all of us can enjoy supfoiling in a cheapper way
Again, thanks to everybody for this valuable info
Select to expand quotezrylux said..
Thanks for all received answers. Wow, I was thinking I have been the only one who bought this foil.
As I expected, the foil design seems to be the problem. Tomorrow I'll take some closer photos and will post some of them.
Honestly, the price of those foils like takuma or gofoil is extremely expensive. Can someone of you recomend and "medium-quality" foil wich will takeoff slower?
I hope that all of us can enjoy supfoiling in a cheapper way
Again, thanks to everybody for this valuable info
If you have anyone with some composite skills you could quite easily modify the wing to give it more lift, if I was still in aus I would have done it for you.
Select to expand quotezrylux said..
Honestly, the price of those foils like takuma or gofoil is extremely expensive. Can someone of you recomend and "medium-quality" foil wich will takeoff slower?
You can get a fake takuma off alibaba, aka "Ch-akuma". I don't know if it's an open design or if the factory is selling them out the back door, but they are identical to the name brand in all but the sticker.
But this is increasingly becoming a non-issue. The middle ground you're asking for seems to becoming filled by the market. Both the Naish Thrust and Slingshot H4/H2 are in the $1000US range. More entrants are filling the market with these mid range ones and soon there will also be cheap(er) lower-end knockoffs too that aren't alibaba risk level.
I'd love a GoFoil, but the price tag is way out of my reasonableness range for what should be a fun hobby side project. Maybe 3 years from now I'll buy a beat up used one. ;-)
I went a sling shot h4 due to mortgage/kids factor. I can't compare to the others as I haven't tried them but am finding it completely adequate/fun to learn on. Forums definitely advocate the go foil is wonderful but u do t need to shoot for the stars.
Eg One wouldn't buy a top of the range kite to learn on...so many are offered at a better price point that would more than admirably do the job into intermediate level skills...
....but, depends on your cash circumstances....
Just looked at the photos of the foil. My inexperienced observation was the board....looks like a more performance oriented sup that would need a bit more to get going regardless of foil....
Parallel rails and a forgiving volume was suggested when I was sourcing a craft to convert... starboard hypernut was then chosen.
But, I'm still learning the foil...so I'm really in no position to provide legitimate suggestions....
