Is foiling the future of light wind windsurfing?

hilton08 · Joined: 02 Apr 2000 Posts: 505

Naish (Lift) and Sailworks (Flyer) also have foils specific sails coming for 2018 but all 3 brands seem to have a different idea about what a foil sail should be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSXLofl1fOI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO55CVdZ6OM

hilton08 · Joined: 02 Apr 2000 Posts: 505

The NP Flight looks like a typical race sail with 8 battens and 3 cams.
The Naish Lift looks like a soft wave sail with 3 1/2 battens and no cams.
The Sailworks Flyer falls in the middle, looking like a modern 4 batten wave sail but with a fuller foot and 2 cams.

http://www.sailworks.com/the-gear/sails/flyer.html

coachg · Joined: 10 Sep 2000 Posts: 3550

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

But did you notice the sail sizes of the foil rider's?
Chris on the orange/yelllow NP was on a 7.4 size sail, him 185 lbs and usinga Formula board.
And he needed to pump HARD, use his legs, ooch once planing, to get enough speed to plane the Formula board and lift onto the foil.
You were on 8.5 and slalom board, but did you have to pump hard and fully to get onto a plane.
Of course, a slalom board can't tour up to Collinsville as quickly as a Formula setup.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

I'd have used a small slalom board without planing if I were at Rio.....if I could get it to plane without hard pumping, over the 8.2 and wide slalom.
So, foils seem better at course slalom, just like kitesurf foiling.
Does everyone here care about heading upwind for 2 miles, then going downwind back to the launch? If that is a positive, then foils are good for that type of sailing.
As for speed, that is something else. Yes, Antoine can go pretty fast on his NP foils, but not as fast as he goes on his NP slalom kit.

brynkaufman2 · Joined: 10 Sep 2002 Posts: 383 Location: Kailua Oahu

westender · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 1288 Location: Portland / Gorge

The whisper is, foil crashes can be WAY more painful than windsurfing and I wouldn't survive anything worse than some of the WS crashes I've had. Enjoy.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Rig to be "underpowered" in windsurfing terms. You need to HAVE to pump onto a plane, then keep pumping and bearing off to shift load to backfoot to foil up, but not too high.
Tune your sail with max downhaul, even if you think it's too small ...in windsurfing terms. You need to be able to luff slightly, and control the pull of the sail, which is about 1/3 what you'd feel windsurfing.
You stilll need puffs of 10-11 to pump onto a plane and can stay there in a bit lighter breeze, and as you get better, a bit less wind is needed.
If you're crashing a bit in a straight line, change directions by tacking, not jibing, as it's easier, slower, and safer.
Booms should be much lower than even slalom, as feel is more important than your ability to hold the sail.
Initally, try foiling unhooked, especially reaching or downwind.
Mast base location slightly back from windsurfing on the same dimension boards.
Sail sizing about what you'd use for underpowerd freeriding, no more. That might mean 1.5 meters smaller than slalom, and 2-3 meters smaller than Formula.
Don't attempt high speeds on a reach, instead feather out a bit and control the height of the ride, about mid foil. and try to sustain it for long runs until you can ride comfortably.
Make sure there is enough depth of water along your entire sailing venue.

brynkaufman2 · Joined: 10 Sep 2002 Posts: 383 Location: Kailua Oahu

Thanks zirtaeb, great advice. I will revisit your comment again before I go out the first time.

Westender, I have to admit, I have never had a painful crash in Windsurfing. I had one close call when I foolishly tried to stay on the board with a big wave coming at me and not enough wind, but other than that all for all my spills I find myself landing in the water or on the sail and not injured.

I do mostly blasting and riding small to medium sized waves and do not try freestyle tricks or loops or high jumping, so perhaps that is why.

I do have some spills, my last WindSUP board was cracked from side-to-side when I came off a wave at high speed and the nose dug into the water, but I was fine.

Based on some experts recommending a helmet for windfoiling I did purchase one, so my hat will be replaced with a helmet and I already wear a vest that gives me padding and flotation.

I also watched all the courses at http://www.foil-academy.com/courses/wind-foil-academy

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

I suspect as more younger rider's try foiling, there will be more progression and less of a learning curve.
Around here, most foilers are in their '60's, in age. That time of life, any crash can be catastrophic, and from 3' high, at 25 mph, certainly so.
There are some 18 year old, who race Formula, Slalom, and do Freestyle, who seem to take foiling lightly, but have no qualms about lifting off within the first 20 feet, rising to full heights, and relaxingly scan the crowd with a big smile.