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Dumb Hydrofoil Questions...

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balugh
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Dumb Hydrofoil Questions...

Postby balugh » Sat Jun 07, 2014 3:59 pm

...I know nothing about foil boards though I've seen a couple of people riding them and they look pretty cool. But I do have a couple of dumb questions:

1) why is there only 1 foil? Other watercraft use multiple foils but foilboards seem to always have only a single foil...positioned roughly down the centre of the board.

2) why is the upright (or mast) so long?

Thanks

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Re: Dumb Hydrofoil Questions...

Postby cglazier » Sat Jun 07, 2014 4:19 pm

Hi Balugh

It is always most efficient to have one large wing rather than multiple smaller wings. A kiteboard or a windsurfer are the only watercraft where the rider can easily control pitch allowing the use of just one mast/wing assembl;y. A sailboat like the moth requires more foils for pitch stability. I zoomed past a moth yesterday.. we are significantly faster.

The length of the mast allows the rider to have a wider range of operation before either touching down or elevating too high and the foil leaving the water. For average water conditions the current height of just under 1 meter seems about right for most of us. Too short a mast would require greater skill and attention.

:wink: CG

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Re: Dumb Hydrofoil Questions...

Postby Peter_Frank » Sat Jun 07, 2014 7:01 pm

Exactly, Chris laid it out :thumb:

May I add, that it would not only require greater skill and attention if too short - it would definitely NOT be possible to ride (fast/foiling) at all, when there is chop waves.

Out today in about 10 knots (perfect power in a 10m2), and there was 1 meter chop waves.

Works great with a 100cm mast (like my Zeeko is), but much shorter would definitely not work in our waters, and will give brutal crashes and board touching the wave tops so slows down OR crashes :o

Furthermore, when you go upwind powered, the foil is tilted a lot - so the wing is not very deep, thus even worse when big chop.

BUT, the most amazing feel when hydrofoiling, is IMO that you wont feel the chop waves at all, you just blast through feeling nothing, and everything is totally silent - AMAZING :rollgrin:
The only situation where you can feel that there is "mess" under the surface, is when you f.ex cross a speedboats wake.
These waves are so messy, that although you can easily ride fluid through - you CAN feel this in your feet - something that "tickles" the foil wing so to speak :lol:
Experienced it again today, a couple of hours ago.

In other spots the water is much more "flat", especially if only 10 knots which is quite well powered for a foil, thus a shorter mast can easily be used.

So Chris is right, the mast seems to range from 80 to 100cm on those I know of, and seems to fit most conditions well, as average.

Actually, a much longer mast could be really fun, just to try to soar/drift/hover even higher above the water - a GREAT feeling :thumb:
But not as practical and most likely slower because of handling and stiffness issues...

8) PF

PS: That is definitely not dumb questions balugh.

PPS: Before you say I am full of bull, saying that you can ride 1m chop waves with only a 1m mast, let me explain - when the (max) waves are 1m, they are a bit "wider" and you can easily adjust yourself, so you avoid ventilation (air sucks down and you most often crash if the wing breaks free from the water), and smaller but also much more narrow chop is just "invisible", and good, as you would not be able to adjust pitch for these....

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Re: Dumb Hydrofoil Questions...

Postby SupaEZ » Sat Jun 07, 2014 8:57 pm

Can someone answer a couple more not so dumb and dumber questions
( I realize that only silly questions can win you an Alexrider prize :wink: )

1- Who is the youngest foilboard rider (with kite) at the moment ?
2- Is there a minimum body weight required to ride a foilboard (with kite) ?

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Re: Dumb Hydrofoil Questions...

Postby balugh » Sun Jun 08, 2014 7:06 am

Thanks guys...very informative although it's probably something I'll have to try sometime before I understand the nuances. The shallow waters of west Norfolk are probably not the best place though the ability to 'float' through chop would be much appreciated by my knees.

Supaez...I don't know about youngest but I think Steph Bridges' boys might be using foil boards now...so on the racing scene I think we'll see more and more.


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