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Airush choptop 5’3” as a foil board

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Mikey
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Airush choptop 5’3” as a foil board

Postby Mikey » Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:03 pm

Ciao foilers,

I’m a bit into repurposing (read cheapskate ;) ) and have a choptop gathering dust (on another continent, so need to bring it back). How crap it would be on top of a zeeko spitfire XLW.

Obviously needs to be beefed up under the plate (I should be able to manage that).

It would be my entry to foiling project for the coming summer. My intention is to ride strapless.

Thanks I’m advance for the input!

Mike

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Peter_Frank
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Re: Airush choptop 5’3” as a foil board

Postby Peter_Frank » Sat Mar 03, 2018 4:29 pm

I just took at look at that (sweet) board :D

It will be PERFECT as a hydrofoil board, so just go for it !

Assume you havent learned yet - so start with straps, and remove them when learned, as no matter if you are the worlds best strapless waverider, you will need the strap(s) for starters, as a very different waterstart technique than a surfboard.

8) PF

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Re: Airush choptop 5’3” as a foil board

Postby TomW » Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:20 pm

Start with foothooks. Slingshot has some decent ones.

One front, one back

Mikey
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Re: Airush choptop 5’3” as a foil board

Postby Mikey » Sat Mar 03, 2018 11:37 pm

Thanks guys, sounds a goer!

Advice on using a spitfire xlw for learning?

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Re: Airush choptop 5’3” as a foil board

Postby Peter_Frank » Sun Mar 04, 2018 12:03 am

Mikey wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 11:37 pm
Thanks guys, sounds a goer!

Advice on using a spitfire xlw for learning?

It is a bit more front foot and pitch sensitive, so might delay the learning slightly - but it also got other advantages for learning, so I would think it is just fine with the xlw.

8) PF

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Re: Airush choptop 5’3” as a foil board

Postby borist » Sun Mar 04, 2018 6:09 am

Board is fine for learning. It will be a bit too big once you build skills but might stay useful for very ligh wind days
Spit with XLW wings is forgiving and should be beginner friendly.
I see a problem with having a floaty wide board with a heavy foil. Not exactly a good combo for beginner strapless foiler. You may have hard time with water starts

Mikey
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Re: Airush choptop 5’3” as a foil board

Postby Mikey » Mon Mar 05, 2018 8:24 pm

Thanks Borist,

I think I remember why, but could you refresh me on why heavy foil floaty board make it tough to start?

As I make my own boards (apart from this one) there have been some strange ones,including a 66 x 170cm monster directional (strapless). I have never found waterstating any of them difficult. Am I missing something?

As to pitch stability, understood! Would that not be offset somewhat by the natural back foot muscle
memory of the strapless surf board riding?

Thanks, Mike

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Re: Airush choptop 5’3” as a foil board

Postby Peter_Frank » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:42 pm

Mikey wrote:
Mon Mar 05, 2018 8:24 pm
Thanks Borist,

I think I remember why, but could you refresh me on why heavy foil floaty board make it tough to start?

As I make my own boards (apart from this one) there have been some strange ones,including a 66 x 170cm monster directional (strapless). I have never found waterstating any of them difficult. Am I missing something?

As to pitch stability, understood! Would that not be offset somewhat by the natural back foot muscle
memory of the strapless surf board riding?

Thanks, Mike

Hi Mike, yes you ARE missing something, you cant have had no idea about, so understandable.

Borist is quite right, you can not learn STRAPLESS on a heavy foil floaty board - almost impossible.

Reason is, on a waveboard no matter how big, even a wide malibu, you put your feet (heels actually) up on the board windward side, bearing off a bit, and push down, board tilts slightly and up and off you go - easy (when you can, takes some time to learn for newbees)

THIS WONT WORK ON A HYDROFOIL !!!

Why not ? Because, when you push down on the board with your feet/heels, the board will tilt the WRONG way now, to leeward instead, and you will maybe even cut yourself on the wing attacking you from below now :o
It tilts to leeward, because you (your body) will always have a slight pull downwind even with the kite up at 12 - but the mast far under the surface so a long lever, has so much sideways resistance it almost wont drift, but feel like it was glued to the bottom of the sea - so you will end up pushing the board downwind, but NOT the mast, so it tilts to leeward and you are in big trouble now.

Dont know if you got even more confused by this explanation, or it helped ?

The only way to start when not extremely experienced, is to put the board up on its side, and now put your feet on the board and get up before it drops down again.
With a heavy foil, it sinks much faster, really difficult when learning as you are too slow and have no idea about the timing yet.
Also, the big maybe wide board, will make the foil (mast) sink down even faster, also more difficult to get your feet up.

This is the reason why you should avoid learning strapless, no matter how good you are at strapless jumping and waveriding :naughty:

You can not compare a hydrofoil to any other board - the mast and wing will make it impossible to start like you are used to.

Regarding pitch sensivity - the advantage with a canard is, amongst others, that it is more lively, also meaning more pitch sensitive, but it will be learned, so most likely not a problem.

WHEN you have learned with straps (or hooks or whatever) and ride and start really consistent, you can ditch the straps and it will work in no time, as you got the timing right and only need to practice a bit keeping the board with one hand and get up FAST, before it drops.
Even the heavier foil is no problem, when you have learned, as your timing is just slightly changed but it will come in no time, even if you change back and fourth between heavy and light foils (this is how I know the difference myself)

The best thing is, that your volume board will be much easier and faster to learn on, and you will keep it (or get a new one same size) for marginal and light winds, even in medium winds (which is around 12 knots for a hydrofoil), a bigger board is most often the choice.

So just go with that board, and some kind of strap thing so your feet can keep the hydrofoil tilted for a long time, when learning, in order to make a waterstart :thumb:

8) PF

Mikey
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Posts: 182
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 2:35 pm
Kiting since: 2001
Local Beach: Northern Adriatic
East coast Australia
Favorite Beaches: One I can kite at (and my gear is with me)
Style: very unstylish!
Gear: PL twinskins / BRM Cloud2 17, D_1 13, D10
Home made boards (TTs, Low volume Kipuna style & 6'22 Simons style)
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 27 times
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Re: Airush choptop 5’3” as a foil board

Postby Mikey » Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:43 pm

Thanks Peter,

Perfectly clear! Make up some foot lockers and have a foiless run to get used them.

Thanks again!


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