SUP
Foiling
SUP foiling is one of the easiest forms of foiling to learn as stability on the board go hand in hand on a SUP. Beginner foilers usually get their first foil experience being either towed behind a boat whilst standing on the board or by a overhead cable. By allowing the rider to get their foot positioning correctly over the foil a boat or cable generates the speed needed for the hydrofoil to lift the person up on top of the board and out of the water. Straight line cable tows can manually adjust the speed of the rider.
Ideally you will want to be relatively proficient on a SUP board in all conditions : glassy, windy and choppy. The key attribute a FOIL SUP requires is enough volume to comfortably keep the rider stable on the waters surface. More volume aids in wave catching ability, speed of the board and allows for small mistakes to be easily corrected. Length and width work in different ways to normal SUP boards. Shorter length FOIL SUP boards will allow easier turning but put more emphasis on the paddlers athleticism to catch waves and bumps easily.Longer FOIL boards will allow more paddling speed and easier entry to waves, but bring more weight over the riders front foot and therefore less flight time on the foil.
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Foil Specific designs
Foil specific SUP boards are emerging from all the brands. These boards have purposely designed bottom shapes, rails and foot strap inserts to allow easier pop and release from the water surface onto the foil wings.Foot strap inserts help by giving your feet a datum specific position on the board so that you can create longer flight time and glide. By having versatility on where the foil is positioned on the underside of the board, bigger or smaller foil wings can be mounted so a variety of conditions and riders can be accommodated.
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SUP and Retro fitted designs
Retro fitting to an old SUP board might be a great option to get you started. You will want a board which you find easy to paddle on flat water and offers enough volume and width to keep you from tipping the board from rail to rail. A wider tail shape is desirable to help in stability and wave/bump catching. A track mount box or tuttle box will then have to be professionally installed. (depending on chosen foil mount)
Would you notice the difference between a foil specific board and an ordinary SUP ? ..not at first but as you progress the boards release & pop off the waters surface and onto the foil is easier.
Want advice on retro fitting ..! Hydrofoil parts and fitting
