Foils

Speed equals Lift

The FOIL allows water-sport enthusiasts the opportunity to exploit the conditions every day no matter what the foil discipline.

If you enjoy surfing you could learn to love foiling, you just have to change your perception of what and where is rideable. We all want perfect surfing conditions every time we head out of the house but this isn’t always the case.

Foiling delivers a smooth flow with the wave, like riding a longboard giving a connected intrinsic feeling whilst flying above the waters surface harnessing the oceans energy.

Choose your discipline by either hovering air born on a surfboard, stand up paddle board or ‘tow in’ using mechanical means.

Once you’ve mastered the basics and had your first foil flights literally surfing on a wing you’ll be addicted, the speed and float are incredible!

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Focus on Quality

Components 

The Hydrofoil is essentially made up of the following components:
  • Front wing and rear stabiliser wing
  • Fuselage 
  • A mast 
  • Bolts 
  • Fixing plate for connection to the board of choice.
Construction is based around two factors: weight and cost.
Foils will vary in price, the lighter options made from carbon usually being more expensive but offering better performance. Foil flight can be achieved with cheaper heavier foils but pumping and harnessing ocean energy is in some respects easier if the complete foil is lighter.However lighter foils can be twitchy for a beginner foiler so a heavier foil may feel more stable in flight.
Hybrid foils are the most popular featuring alloy and carbon components allowing all round performance if starting out on a budget. 
Your choice of hydrofoil is based around your usage and weight. Do you intend to SUP foil, surf foil or even kite foil.
These three options generate speed by different means as paddling a SUP with a paddle you can generate speed from the get go and get foiling on a generally wider more stable board.
Prone Surf Foil boards rely on you paddling and popping up onto the board on take off like with surfing and landing your foot placements right over the foil, this can get challenging.
Kite foiling is generally for those who have mastered kitesurfing and looking for a new challenge or light wind performance.
FRONT WING
Smaller riders can achieve flight with smaller front wings whereas larger riders may struggle to get lift out of the water with a smaller front wing. Therefore careful consideration before purchasing will save time and money. Front Wing sizes can vary and be interchanged with some brands so you can start with one wing and change as your skills improves no matter what board you are using.
REAR STABILIZER WING
The rear stab as its sometimes called helps clear up the turbulence the bigger front wing , mast and fuselage creates. bigger rear stabs offer more stability, carving and hold into big sweeping cutbacks. Smaller rear wings offer better up and down movement of the front wing and therefore pumping.
MASTS
Mast length is important as water depth at your chosen foiling spot will dictate how shallow you can ride without possibly damaging your equipment. Shorter masts allow easier rise and fall from the foil and therefore less aggressive wipeouts. Taller masts allow advanced riders a higher foiling line to avoid chop in surfing or down winding. General masts for surfing are between 55-75cm in length.
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Foil Hardware

In an ideal world you would use your foil and then not have to touch it until the next time you want to use it. However you need to acknowledge the importance of maintenance. Needless to say it’s very important, so that you can continue to progress and change the foil position and components. The hardware supplied with your foil will seize unless it is lubricated and protected against the salt water you could be using it in. Proper maintenance both before and after using your foil are essential steps in prolonging its life.

  • Rinsing the foil with fresh water after every use.
  • Disassemble and clean your foil regularly.
  • Sand lightly any rough edges of the front or rear wings to minimise vibration in flight. 
  • Before assembling, coat all areas of your foil and hardware that are touching each other with an anti corrosive compound  such as (Tef Gel ).

 

SHOP FOIL FIXINGS-  FOIL FIXINGS HARDWARE

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