This is interesting Denise, and I remember having had the same discussion long time ago on the forum, but not many listened back then...
For most people, including me, the stabless normal wing is too lively and unstable and I lose the lovely carving and driving feel somewhat.
REALLY fun just for "doing it" though ha haa, a great experience
You write you dont think it works well for riding waves, why not? (although I agree)
Then we got the "not mortals" like Horst and Oyvind who just blasts along playing, soooo great!
A couple of comments:
Yes, using S (or "reflex") cambered wings would be the best choice I think.
It is a compromise between some lift and still stability (positive pitching moment coefficient), and the best part of it is, you can ride really fast at low AOA, or slow at higher AOA with low drag.
Another way to obtain the same stability, but with a lot more lift and performance, would be to have a really backswept wing with washout in the very tips.
It can also have a neutral or positive pitching moment, and more lift/camber and because of the vortex'es be very lifting compared to the lower efficiency S camber.
BUT, it will only work at lower speeds, as at higher speeds it will be draggy, because the wing ride at different AOA's throughout the wing when overall AOA is close to zero (= higher speed), so not a good solution I think
On the other hand, maybe when we are many who likes to ride around turning and hardly never ride fast, it might work too?
Regarding the dynamics, if everything else is equal (and only practical tests can reveal), the wing has to be positioned even further forward of the mast on a stabless, as you move both the wing COE forward when having neutral or positive pitching moment coefficient, but also the total COE will be moved even more forward, thus to have the same balance and effect of the mast, the wing has to be even more forward, compared to a regular hydrofoil.
Or easier to understand: When you remove your stab, you have to stand further back on your board, thus you should have the wing moved forward relative to the mast, if you should stand in the same place and have the same lever to the horizontal COE of the mast.
Thus, having the wing directly under the mast, wont be any good IMO, and the wing should as said be even further forward than on a stabilizer hydrofoil, for the same effect in turns and feel when going straight.
Has to be tested though, so some have to move the wings back and fourth a lot, in many different configurations, to find out what works - just like it has been done on "normal" kite hydrofoils the last 10 years.
Just a sidenote though, as moving it a tad forward and using a reflex profile (S camber) WILL work of course, so could be interesting to go further into this, because of simplicity
As you correctly compare Denise, we control the foil in a similar way to a computercontrolled instable fighter to some extent yes.
Also, being on a longer mast high over the wing, we actually GAIN some time to react, odd but true.
Center of gravity normal flight "self" stability from planes do not apply the same way in hydrofoils, but many other factors are the same.
Having said that, I still personally believe that super small stabs are the most efficient for getting a really lively foil, still having pleasant stability and driving feel in turns, but only my personal gut feel and experience from trying stabless a few times, and aerodynamics, even though the latter are not fully the same, agree.
The feel when riding stabless versus stabilizer can maybe somewhat be compared to riding a board without fins, versus one with fins?
Some like playing around on finless skimboards, others like the driving feel of the fins (I hate riding finless myself, but some love it)
That was some thoughts on this
Great you go this way Denise, testing what we know from planes, and see how much works or not, as the balance dynamics are so different, and it is all about FEEL and what we as humans like the best and our bodies can learn to master
Peter