The Hydrofoil Air Jibe w/Foot Stance Change & Downloop

[Kamikuza]

windmaker, if you have time, could you list who currently offers performance carbon foils where all you have to do is switch the front wing for varied riding styles and expectations? I'd like to see who currently does this and their price point for the full packages. Thanks.

I would say
AlpineFoil
Moses
Levitaz

All of theose are over the 200 USD price tag

Ketos
Zeeko
F-One
Taaroa
Manta foils
Radical
No time for research right now but I am sure a few others, Delta probably the only US brand that does.

Axis has a family of wing sizes (front and rear) too. Aluminum mast and fuselage though.

I've the 820 SUP wing (~1600cm2 IIRC), and the few times I've taken a GPS out with me, my moving average was over 15mph just over 22 mph for the max speed but I know I've been faster when I caught multiple waves at the beach this year

[Okkiteboarder]

I'm still seeing most of these interchangeable systems as aluminum components? What affordable options are out there that are carbon components where you can just order a few front wings and interchange for different conditions and preferences? Affordable may be the key word here, not for sure.

[windmaker]

You seemed sold on Delta, Not saying they don't make good carbon foils, never seen one, but with carbon comparison can be tricky as there can be many different types and quantity of carbon cloth used in the lay up.

Just like some brands may use 5% ordinary carbon just for the top skin, others may use 100% solid high modulus pre preg carbon. It happens a lot with boards and also bike frames were you can find a carbon frame for as little as %800 or as much as %6000. Not the same!

[Mossy 757]

You seemed sold on Delta, Not saying they don't make good carbon foils, never seen one, but with carbon comparison can be tricky as there can be many different types and quantity of carbon cloth used in the lay up.

Just like some brands may use 5% ordinary carbon just for the top skin, others may use 100% solid high modulus pre preg carbon. It happens a lot with boards and also bike frames were you can find a carbon frame for as little as %800 or as much as %6000. Not the same!

Nothing to worry about with the Delta products, quality is as good or better than the other best-in-class manufacturers on the market. They offer a couple of wing sizes, but ultimately it's worth a call to chat with them before making a purchasing decision because they'll be able to give you good info on which setup is right for your goals.

[tkaraszewski]

Actually making the foot switch after the jibe is less intimidating but technically harder than doing it before as you don't get as much support from the kite

The learning process for me was that I learned to only switch feet on port tack first. I'm naturally goofy-footed and so I ride poorly toeside/regularfoot. So, only changing feet on port tack let me avoid foot switches to regular/toeside (i'd switch to goofy/toeside or regular/heelside, which are both more comfortable for me). But I found it annoying having my riding be so asymmetrical, and was determined to learn to switch feet on both tacks either before, or after the turn. I'm not sure how exactly I decided to do the switch after the turn, but one thing I liked about it is that I can go straight into a turn without any "setup" time switching feet, and then switch feet later. This is nice if you're getting close to a reef, or weaving through a crowded spot or something.

Because I learned this way, I'm still fairly weak at riding on starboard, heelside (regularfoot) and switching feet to goofy before a gybe, since I've practiced that version of the maneuver the least, by far. I can do it, but it's not likely to be very graceful.

[Okkiteboarder]

You seemed sold on Delta, Not saying they don't make good carbon foils, never seen one, but with carbon comparison can be tricky as there can be many different types and quantity of carbon cloth used in the lay up.

Just like some brands may use 5% ordinary carbon just for the top skin, others may use 100% solid high modulus pre preg carbon. It happens a lot with boards and also bike frames were you can find a carbon frame for as little as %800 or as much as %6000. Not the same!

Thanks for some of that clarification. I just recently purchased the free ride setup of the Delta and I'm working on a project where they have allowed me to demo all the wings under my current setup. To this point, it seems so seamless to be able to spend a couple of hundred bucks to change out a carbon front wing and experience a whole new ride. I was happy with my investment, but I see it as a possible solution for a hydrofoil "quiver" without spending $2-3K for the setup. My past experience with the aluminum rides of course is the weight difference. Any further insight is much appreciated.

[HaylingBilly]

The move that got me from 75% to over 95% on my gybes was to perform the downloop one handed. As soon as you have switched feet, remove your back hand from the bar and start the downloop with your front hand. You can now use your backhand to help you balance through the healside carve of the gybe. Put your hand back on the bar after the carve as you lean back against the kite on your new tack.
If you are underpowered keep a slight upwind coarse as you swap feet and start the gybe, make the carve tight and let the kite dive through the wind window to keep line tension.
If overpowered bear off the wind slightly before the footswap and crank the kite around the downloop, keeping it up high, so you don't charge off downwind after it!
Practice in water that is warmish, but still requires a wetsuit to protect your shins

[tomtom]

I dont know why you praise downloop as some magical super cool move. For me while gibe it is zero difference if I downloop or just redirect kite to other side. Hard part is foot switch. Em I missing something?

[tegirinenashi]

...with carbon comparison can be tricky as there can be many different types and quantity of carbon cloth used in the lay up.

Just like some brands may use 5% ordinary carbon just for the top skin, others may use 100% solid high modulus pre preg carbon...

It would be nice if quality brands started to publish the standard 5kg torsion and twist test numbers. Otherwise, what differentiates, say, $600 Lift and $1000 Moses mast?

[windmaker]

...with carbon comparison can be tricky as there can be many different types and quantity of carbon cloth used in the lay up.

Just like some brands may use 5% ordinary carbon just for the top skin, others may use 100% solid high modulus pre preg carbon...

It would be nice if quality brands started to publish the standard 5kg torsion and twist test numbers. Otherwise, what differentiates, say, $600 Lift and $1000 Moses mast?

It's like making a chocolate cake. Different quality and proportions of ingredients equal in different results but they are all chocolate cakes.

I remember many years ago a French windsurfing magazine cut out some boards advertised as "carbon" to see what they were really made of , the result varied from 3 % to 60%. Legally they were all carbon...

Couple of hundred bucks for a Delta wing is a very good price. Are they selling direct to the customer? Many top Euro brands charge much more for a full prepreg carbon wing, 400 (510 cm2) to 700 euros for the larger 1800cm2 wings. To be honest I think that prepreg might be an overkill.