VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Can any of the intermediate to advanced foilers comment on board styles?

Has anyone looked at the SS foilboard lineup? I've got a Converter on order since I think that I will still want to ride a surfboard strapless/strapped and airline travel with both options. But I'm having second thoughts. I'm wondering if a surfboard shape is too much of a compromise over my other choice: the foil dedicated SS Hypermiler?

From what I can see: the Converter has no gybe strap option, a convex deck, no beveled rails, is a little long, and has the foil placement further forward than the Hypermiler. Will any of these matter during the first maybe 2 seasons of foiling? Is foiling so addictive that I won't even want to bother with the surfboard anymore?

I'll never race, so this is purely a freeride rig for me and maybe play in the outer swell at Chestermans. Could surfboard foiling have an advantage there?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

what site was the error on?

Lots of difference in opinions on optimal boards for foiling.

There's lots of people online who insist you need a purpose built carbon space rocket with three straps to be able to foil. (and for winning races, they may be right). But many others are riding strapless skim boards, paipos, even converted boogie boards. I ride an older kite surfboard with 4 holes drilled in it and it works fine -- so I am pretty clearly in the latter camp. Once you are up and riding, you may only touch down a few times a session, so I see the board mostly as a platform to stand on above the water.

Maybe board matters more if you are in extreme light wind (something you can stand on while working the kite) or if you are going really really fast, when catching an edge means big wipeout. In learning stage, there's pros and cons to board types, whether floaty is advantage or not, or if you want strap / hook inserts or not. But really it's not that crucial, as you can and will learn just fine on whatever you have, and learn to love it!

I am interested in a Converter too, for same reasons you mention. But prices are high ... for now I figure it'll be cheaper to pay the airline to take an extra board, until prices come down. Maybe next year. :-)

That's kind of the issue. I could just bolt it to an old surfboard. But, as an experienced foiler, if you had to buy a board today would it be a dedicated foilboard or surf/foil hybrid? Assume they are the same price.

smartang wrote:That's kind of the issue. I could just bolt it to an old surfboard. But, as an experienced foiler, if you had to buy a board today would it be a dedicated foilboard or surf/foil hybrid? Assume they are the same price.

Me, surf/foil hybrid. But that's because I am a surf-first kiter (recent experience notwithstanding) and I have travel hopes and want to travel as compact as possible with all the toys.

My frankenboard is flexed (before I got it), so it needs replacing. If I can find a 5'0" to 5'6" kitesurfboard for cheap, I'd either drill the holes, then plug them when surfing, or pay to have mast tracks installed pro. Either way it'll be a lot less than $1k+ for the converter.

No way I'd pay anywhere close to that for a dedicated foilboard if a junker frankenboard or a piece of plywood with a deckpad works just as well. However, others will have different opinions I'm sure. I haven't tried a dedicated foilboard. And while I am somewhat "experienced" now I may not be "high performance" enough to appreciate their benefits, dunno. I am not looking to go fast, just carve around.

As you proceed into intermediate stages and ride in waves as well as a beginner, you will be touching down to the water a lot. Falling when your foils come out of the water at the beginning and then when in the dynamic waves where the water level is changing and you must keep the board up and foils in, you will need a board with some flotation. I don't think you will be happy with an ironing board at the start. I would go for a surfboard style with some flotation. I lent my Carafino with little to medium flotation to a larger gentleman in La Ventana and he couldn't ride it due to the lack of flotation. He was an accomplished foiler as well. Go medium size for your board and if you are large then go large.

I'd say I'm well over 200lbs with a wetsuit on. But I don't really want this for light wind if that makes a difference.

I'm mostly looking to make the usual 15-30kn days more interesting and get out of the chop.

Looks like the best option at this point is just to sacrifice an old shortboard.

Thanks

Despite being a Slingshot dealer, I'm not a big fan of converter style boards for a few reasons:

1. I think an ideal foil board is shorter than a surfboard with more nose rocker and no tail rocker for better light wind starts. Also the foil board should be as stiff as possible to maximize feel of the foil as you don't deal with any chop once up on foil.

2. Aside from shape, flex and weight are two of the most important characteristics of a surfboard. I cannot imagine adding a reinforced track system in a surfboard effects either positively.

3. Lastly, and probably most practically for me personally, I switch between my surf and foil as the wind picks up/drops without having to land my kite and bring out my tools!

Slingshot and LP both make great dedicated foil boards or if you are handy with carpentry and fibreglass you can make your own much easier than a twin tip or surfboard!

All that being said once you are up on foil anything from reinforced surfboard to skate deck would work, but it is nice to reduce swingweight while freeriding, purling on touchdowns and drag during water starts!

I have a couple demo boards in Comox or can order a converter for anyone who thinks I am full of it!

Meant to add to my rant that although I wouldn't recommend the converter as a primary foilboard it could be an interesting option for someone looking for a travel specific surfboard and would bring their foil in case of really light wind. I have way more fun on a foil and 7m and could probably ride in lighter wind than with my surfboard and 14.5m

I'm working thru the beginner foiling stage with lots of touchdowns and time spent slogging on the surface. My Shinn El Stubbo foilboard ( convertable to a paipo style surfboard ) works really well for these situations, because it has nose scoop, flat tail rocker, and a decent amount of hull surface area.

I do not believe foilboard thickness/ displacement / volume is important for riding on the surface. Instead it's nose scoop to prevent pearling, and hull surface area providing lift as you move along the surface of the water. Do the math ( Archimedes' principle of buoyancy ), a stationary SS Hypermiler weighing 3.5 kg and displacing 24.5 liters can support a weight of 21 kg ( 54 lbs ), if the board is submerged. Any more than that and it's sinking. And if any portion of the board is above the water, it's not contributing any flotation.

Maybe that amount of buoyancy is very helpful during the few seconds when your board slows right down and stops, say during a tack. I'm still a long way from making surface tacks on my foilboard. But once you are moving across the water's surface, it's the hull area providing most of the lift, not the board's displacement.

And for the huge increase in durability of a thin wood-core glassed board, I'm very happy to forego a little stationary buoyancy.

And yes, El Norte - Greg is full of it too - full of good intent !!