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Hi!!

Basically, anyone here went from the foil fish/rocket foil to the happy foil, or changed the low aspect wings to the mid aspect wings? I'd like to know:
- If they're much difficult to ride and gybe than the low aspect wings.
- If they're much faster, as in a completely different league.
- How's the low end on light winds.
- If the mid aspect tail wing can be used with the low aspect wing, and if there's any benefit to it.

The reason for this is because I'm already progressing with my foil fish setup and can basically stay foiling 95% of the time going both upwind and downwind, and would like to upgrade my gear a bit. I'm also doing some gybes, with very low amount of success per try, so I don't wanna change to the other wings if this will make it more difficult to keep practicing and improving this aspect.

Thank you!!

I have gone from the stock wings to the Stringyfoil wings like the ones Greg from Boardriding Maui uses in his vids. I am likely not as good as you but can tell you this based on my limited experience:
-They seem no more difficult to ride, if anything slightly easier, with less pitching. I don't jibe yet but stuck my first toeside transitions on them
-Definitely faster but not terrifyingly fast, a nice freeride speed for sure, I am not left wanting more speed.
-They don't get you up at quite as low a speed, the stock wings are very good for that. I find a quick pump or two of the board though helps get them up quick in low wind.

I know one, Peter, who has made this exact switch, and my take on this is, based on what I see when we ride, and have ridden it myself (but not the low AR one):

No they are not more difficult to ride, but you need a tad more speed in jibes of course, but not much difference really, compared to other foil brands.
They are faster yes, I wont call it a different league, but you are not in doubt.
Low end almost the same, but require you have technique to get up foiling so the apparent wind and lift kicks in more than on the low aspect wing.
I dont know what you mean by mid aspect tail wing (stabiliser), but if it is smaller then yes, it can be used with the low aspect wing and it will be more lively in general and in turns - this can be a benefit but also a disadvantage if you prefer stability over livelyness

Here he is out in the spring with the Happy Foil (when water was cold) an awesome day, wind around 11 knots



PF

No way is that wind 11 knots, that's 17+ knots. He's boosting decent and the kite is whipping fast and the kite on the beach is flapping too

Not that it really matters either way in this case, there's just way too many BS light wind claims on this forum it drives me crazy

RadDrDuke wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 17, 2017 2:41 am

No way is that wind 11 knots, that's 17+ knots. He's boosting decent and the kite is whipping fast and the kite on the beach is flapping too

Not that it really matters either way in this case, there's just way too many BS light wind claims on this forum it drives me crazy

lol

Let me guess -- you aren't a foiler?

junebug wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 17, 2017 3:27 am

RadDrDuke wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 17, 2017 2:41 am

No way is that wind 11 knots, that's 17+ knots. He's boosting decent and the kite is whipping fast and the kite on the beach is flapping too

Not that it really matters either way in this case, there's just way too many BS light wind claims on this forum it drives me crazy

lol

Let me guess -- you aren't a foiler?

Ha haa, you are right junebug, typical comment from a non foiler

They don't understand that for a good rider just under average weight short lines in cooler spring weather, 11 knots (with a 12 m2) is NOT light wind

Later we both made an error 10 minutes apart, and had to drift a mile to land (we were on a narrow small sand bank "island" out in the middle with perfectly smooth wind), as relaunch was totally impossible in this wind with "normal" kites, but every foiler knows this
When we came to solid ground again, we relaunched and rode on

If it was 17 knots I would be on max a 6 m2 and relaunch easy

We don't have to convince others, it is their loss they don't get it and do it

Related, it is funny thinking about how many who also called the 6 knots riding for BS not that long ago, and today everyone knows it is possible

PF

I started with Foil Fish then bought a HoverGlide, and have ridden an Access 5.0.

HG likes to cruise at a higher speed. Low speed riding is possible but its stall is more aggressively nose up and slightly higher speed than the LF. It's also more work to go edge to edge and really wants to go in a straight line.

Very short ride on the Access; felt that it rolled easier than the HG and had about the same low to cruising speed range as the HG . . .

So it depends on the wing. Higher AR like to go faster, no surprise there. You'll notice when you downloop and gybe that it's a lot easier to ride out the board speed you generate and just carve it upwind again.

I'm going for a lower AR wing again. I'm more interested in playing in waves and carving around than I am in speed . . .

I foil, I'm not arguing you can't ride in 11 knots, that's just not 11 knots. Again, Not that it matters, sorry for hijacking the thread.

Once you can foil on the Liquid Force you can ride most hydrofoils. Higher performance foils are really not a lot more difficult.

The LF foil is an entry level product that does the job and then most people will want to graduate to something with better performance. But don't just upgrade the wing, be sure to upgrade the fuselage, mast, and board too. Otherwise you are just putting a new front tire on your tricycle while all the other kids have moved on to bicycles. (OK that's probably too harsh an analogy but I'm just trying to make a point.. in a lighthearted way.)

CG

I think the core of the question is - "besides all the cool features of a new foil am I going to miss something?"
My answer to that is "yes, you will". You'll be missing lowend, cruising at low speeds in lightest of the winds. You'll be missing those slow, lazy transitions. If you don't race I don't think that top speed and fast transitions would compensate for that loss.
It feels really weird - you can get a smoother, prettier, lighter foil and it won't perform as good for lightwind. The "Harrier VTOL jet" transition from pure reflecting water down to actually flying is a weird sensation. I personally am keeping an eye on larger Liftfoils wings which might do the job.