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Hydrofoil suggestions for beginners?

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matth
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Re: Hydrofoil suggestions for beginners?

Postby matth » Sun May 09, 2021 11:34 pm

I just got back into foil after taking some time off because of shoulder surgery and then a freak accident 2 years ago when I tore my quad muscle pretty bad attempting my first jibes..
I will never use straps on a foil again, I only use a front hook now and it works great, I have no desire to jump. I picked up a Cabrinha Varial medium and I have to say I love it. It's exactly what I wanted ,early to plane, super steady, and not very fast...You can get them online for $599 right now which is a great deal. At your weight, the Varial small would be perfect.
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Re: Hydrofoil suggestions for beginners?

Postby Kamikuza » Mon May 10, 2021 12:35 am

Axis 680, 80cm 16mm mast, standard fuse, 370 rear.

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Re: Hydrofoil suggestions for beginners?

Postby kazi » Mon May 10, 2021 3:13 am

Neil Pryde Glide medium. Great first foil and beyond. Smooth and does everything well.

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Re: Hydrofoil suggestions for beginners?

Postby papasmerf » Mon May 10, 2021 5:16 am

Indulang wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 7:41 pm
Hello folks, I'm looking for foil suggestions for 10-18kts winds. I'm a competent TT rider and plan on using my existing LEI kites with the foil.

Thank you
i got a north sonar 1150/ 85cm mast and have been learning on it since last september and like it a lot,, a lot of bang for the buck. at your weight you might be ok on the 850 front wing but i suspect the 1150 would be fine, 300 cm is not that big of a jump size wise,, personally, i think i could keep using it for years.

there is something to be said for just buying the cheapest thing you can find from a finance point of view to learn on but if you really like foiling,, you will very quickly want something better and then you have to sort of relearn the new muscle memory for the new nicer set up plus the hassle of selling the old kit. i sort of regret borrowing a cheap set up for a few months,, i now feel like it held me substantially back. i think buy once/cry once and get used to one set up and keep it for a few years will put you on the right path. can't go wrong with moses or slingshot either depending on what is available in your area.

i learned on 3 struts, it was fine, alot of folks still use them but i quickly discovered the benefits of lighter kites for foiling. slingshot ufo's are sooooo nice.

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Re: Hydrofoil suggestions for beginners?

Postby Indulang » Mon May 10, 2021 6:09 am

Thank you all for the suggestions

I looked into Gong and came across this Allvator Freeride foil with 712cm2 wing area that they claim is beginner-friendly. Is it really beginner-friendly given my weight (64kg)?
https://www.gong-galaxy.com/en/product/ ... reeride-3/

Also, I'm curious how this Gong Allvator compares to F-one ic6. F-one foils are reasonably priced with our local dealer though not as cheap as the Gong ones.

Lastly how beneficial is it while learning to have extremely short 40-50cm masts?

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Re: Hydrofoil suggestions for beginners?

Postby lederhosen » Mon May 10, 2021 10:21 am

Indulang wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 6:09 am
Thank you all for the suggestions

I looked into Gong and came across this Allvator Freeride foil with 712cm2 wing area that they claim is beginner-friendly. Is it really beginner-friendly given my weight (64kg)?
https://www.gong-galaxy.com/en/product/ ... reeride-3/

Also, I'm curious how this Gong Allvator compares to F-one ic6. F-one foils are reasonably priced with our local dealer though not as cheap as the Gong ones.

Lastly how beneficial is it while learning to have extremely short 40-50cm masts?
The only benefit of a short mast is to be able to ride in shallow water. Dont bother getting a 50 cm mast, it is too short.

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Re: Hydrofoil suggestions for beginners?

Postby elguapo » Mon May 10, 2021 10:58 am

Indulang wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 8:34 pm
leeuwen wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 8:17 pm
Not sure what the exact question is?
Are you looking for gear suggestions? Or something else?

I use a Sabfoil/Moses 633. I think it’s generally considered one of the better carbon setups suitable for both beginner to advanced for a “reasonable” price (it is not cheap but none of the carbon setups are).
Yes, I'm looking for gear suggestions. That Sabfoil/Moses 633 seems to go for €1,490 without the board. Are there cheaper options?
get a gong full carbon..
https://www.gong-galaxy.com/en/category ... urfoil-en/

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Re: Hydrofoil suggestions for beginners?

Postby jumptheshark » Mon May 10, 2021 11:59 am

I suggest going aluminum at first. I’d go simple Gong with decent size wings. Something around 1000 cm2.if I were starting today I’d get a Gong.

It’s not difficult to sell a good entry level set up.

You will be stoked and have access to all the fun. If you’re into it you can then take your time researching what carbon set up makes sense for you if you and will likely downsize your board when upgrading to carbon.

Bang for your buck, full carbon Lift foils are hard to beat.
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Re: Hydrofoil suggestions for beginners?

Postby junebug » Mon May 10, 2021 3:56 pm

I learned on the Slingshot flight school masts. I hour on the 15in mast, a couple of hours on the 24in mast, a few hours on the 30in mast and I was good to go. I still flailed on a full size mast, but the porpoising was pretty much behind me by then and it was much less dangerous.

If your only background is twin tip, like mine was, I recommend starting on a short mast or two or three. They won't last you very long, but they will make the process much easier. You could skip the 15in one--that one is useless for anything but learning--and go straight to the 24in one, which you could use in shallow water.

The only downside of learning with a short mast system is that your friends who learned on a full-sized mast will call you a wuss. I personally am comfortable with that.
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junebug
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Re: Hydrofoil suggestions for beginners?

Postby junebug » Mon May 10, 2021 4:05 pm

junebug wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 3:56 pm
I learned on the Slingshot flight school masts. I hour on the 15in mast, a couple of hours on the 24in mast, a few hours on the 30in mast and I was good to go. I still flailed on a full size mast, but the porpoising was pretty much behind me by then and it was much less dangerous.

If your only background is twin tip, like mine was, I recommend starting on a short mast or two or three. They won't last you very long, but they will make the process much easier. You could skip the 15in one--that one is useless for anything but learning--and go straight to the 24in one, which you could use in shallow water.

The only downside of learning with a short mast system is that your friends who learned on a full-sized mast will call you a wuss. I personally am comfortable with that.
FWIW, just saw this on the used gear thread:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2409986


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