Is it possible to kite a surf-foil?

[liv2surf]

There is at least one very lightweight surf/SUP foil expert (13 year old Finn Spencer @ just over 50 lbs). He has just recently started to learn to kitesurf. He might be able to use the XLW canard foil to catch waves and see how it performs? It's not designed for the purpose, but maybe it will work?

That would be interesting to see!

I have yet to find any info about canards and sup foils -- what I want to know is if there's some design or performance reason they aren't being used, or simply that no one's yet tried.

A friend and I are going to do some experimenting this fall with DIY wings, see if we can set up a cheap working SUP foil. This will start with experiments in the wake behind the boat, then into surf later. First will try just using larger lower aspect kite wings. Then the same wings but in canard set up (as they should give significantly more lift reversed). Then make some bigger wings, out of g10 and out of wood/fibreglass/carbon. Hack around and see what works. Or maybe I'll come into some play money and buy one of the chinese knock off's.

Besides being able to optimize the size for a) foiling on the face of a wave and b) with a kite, another benefit I see of DIY SUP foil wings is there might be a chance to make them lighter. Ugh, why do they have to weigh so much. Couldn't they somehow be shaped out of foam and glassed with carbon/epoxy so they are light and strong. Maybe the attachment to fuse is the challenge. I dunno.

[OzBungy]

I recently purchased a surf foil. The main aim was to try to aggressively hit wind swell and do lots of carving turns

The designer says the foil gets going in a couple of knots less wind than his freeride foil so I am hoping to get a touch better light wind performance without buying a new kite.

I have only had two sessions on it so far, and those sessions were the first after a 3 month lay off (surfer's ear surgery). I was using a 5m kite, mainly to experiment with underpowered riding.

From the first turn I was carving every little bump in sight. I could push into them as hard as I wanted.

The wind was around 20 knots but dropped down to under 15 knots. The TT and surfboard riders on 10-12m kites could not ride. During the lulls I could not water start but it took only small puff to lift me up on the board. Once there I was off and riding.

So, on a couple of hours experience I would call it a massive success. I am very happy with the result.

https://www.jshapes.com/collections/foi ... ruzer-foil

[revhed]

I hated foils for the last few years while riding my LF Fun Foil.

That is because that draggy, heavy, discontinued P O S is just that.
Do yourself a favor and fly a "real R+Ded " set up to feel the "H20 slice and glide effect".
R H

[norcom]

I hated foils for the last few years while riding my LF Fun Foil.

That is because that draggy, heavy, discontinued P O S is just that.
Do yourself a favor and fly a "real R+Ded " set up to feel the "H20 slice and glide effect".
R H

I did. I have a Slingshot Ghost Whisper (aka Moses). It's much faster and slices through water. I actually started liking foils because of it. But now that I'm riding the Takuma copy, I haven't even bothered to rig the Ghost Whisper because the slow speed is actually more fun for the style of riding I enjoy. I'm also enjoying the short mast a lot more because I feel closer to the wave, which is my preference.

[Jzh_perth]

Which mast do you use Norcom ? I bought 60 & 70

[gbrungra]

I wish slingshot would sell a SUP sized front wing to swap onto the hoverglide. It would go great with the shorter flight school masts.

[airsail]

I am looking at the new Naish thrust foil, seems you can build any wing/fuselage/ mast combination. Anyone ridden one?

Naish Thrust

[norcom]

Which mast do you use Norcom ? I bought 60 & 70

I'm using the 60cm. It's a bit low when catching larger surf (waist high for me) but it's not bad.

[norcom]

Speaking of the new Naish surf foil. Checkout the plate mount, it looks identical to the Takuma. I think these could be the same design and the Takuma's just an open concept like the Chinese seller confirmed. Yes, some Chinese companies actually do invest in their own designs so they can resell them later to people who are interested in branding them and reselling as their own. Takuma Concept website doesn't have any details on who/what they are. Which makes me think they just branded a Chinese foil but I may be wrong. Not sure how much Naish actually did of the design. They basically copied the LF FunFoil as their first foil. They seem to source the cheapest $h1t, brand it and mark up the price. I have some of their windsurf gear and their SUP and the quality is pretty janky.

Also, Slingshot is making a SUP/surf foils as well. I believe the wings may be mounted on the Hoverglide models but not 100% certain. I haven't seen them available online yet but some people on the Aussie forum have them.

[juandesooka]

Speaking of the new Naish surf foil. Checkout the plate mount, it looks identical to the Takuma. I think these could be the same design and the Takuma's just an open concept like the Chinese seller confirmed. Yes, some Chinese companies actually do invest in their own designs so they can resell them later to people who are interested in branding them and reselling as their own. Takuma Concept website doesn't have any details on who/what they are. Which makes me think they just branded a Chinese foil but I may be wrong. Not sure how much Naish actually did of the design. They basically copied the LF FunFoil as their first foil. They seem to source the cheapest $h1t, brand it and mark up the price. I have some of their windsurf gear and their SUP and the quality is pretty janky.

Also, Slingshot is making a SUP/surf foils as well. I believe the wings may be mounted on the Hoverglide models but not 100% certain. I haven't seen them available online yet but some people on the Aussie forum have them.

Interesting. Reminds me of realizing that the factory in China making the BWS bars was also making about 5-6 other brands, with the components largely identical other than branding. And much the same with kites, so I'm told.

Curious what's the deal with the side mounted rear wing? That's looks like a new twist. And I wonder what the attachment is for front wing? Looks like only a couple inches for bolts?