Search for a Location
  Clear Recents
Metro
South West
Central West
North West
  Surf Cameras
  Safety Bay Camera
Metro
North
Mid North
Illawarra
South Coast
Metro
West Coast
East Coast
Brisbane
Far North
Central Coast
Sunshine Coast
Gold Coast
Hobart
West Coast
North Coast
East Coast
Recent
Western Australia
New South Wales
Victoria
South Australia
Queensland
Northern Territory
Tasmania
  My Favourites
  Reverse Arrows
General
Gps & Speed Sailing
Wave Sailing
Foiling
Gear Reviews
Lost & Found
Windsurfing WA
Windsurfing NSW
Windsurfing QLD
Windsurfing Victoria
Windsurfing SA
Windsurfing Tasmania
General
Gear Reviews
Foiling
Newbies / Tips & Tricks
Lost & Found
Western Australia
New South Wales
Queensland
Victoria
South Australia
Tasmania
General
Foiling
Board Talk & Reviews
Wing Foiling
All
Windsurfing
Kitesurfing
Surfing
Longboarding
Stand Up Paddle
Wing Foiling
Sailing
  Active Topics
  Subscribed Topics
  Rules & Guidelines
Login
Lost My Details!
Join! (Its Free)
  Search for a Location
  Clear Recents
Metro
South West
Central West
North West
Surf Cameras
Safety Bay Camera
Metro
North
Mid North
Illawarra
South Coast
Metro
West Coast
East Coast
Brisbane
Far North
Central Coast
Sunshine Coast
Gold Coast
Hobart
West Coast
North Coast
East Coast
Recent
Western Australia
New South Wales
Victoria
South Australia
Queensland
Northern Territory
Tasmania
  My Favourites
  Reverse Arrows
All
Windsurfing
Kitesurfing
Surfing
Longboarding
Stand Up Paddle
Wing Foiling
Sailing
Active Topics
Subscribed Topics
Forum Rules
Login
Lost My Details!
Join! (Its Free)

Forums > Windsurfing Foiling

New to windfoiling - is mixing foil and board brands advisable?

Reply
Created by AoetearoaSailor 4 months ago, 27 Sep 2024
AoetearoaSailor
21 posts
27 Sep 2024 6:34AM
Thumbs Up

My first post on this forum! I've just taken up windfoiling and have a few hours practice time. Lots of horrendous crashes. Not really sure if I like it yet - there are rare moments when it feels good, but a lot of swearing in between.

I've bought a high quality used freeride foil with a large front wing - and am pairing it with a loan board of the same brand that is a good few years old.

I've seen a good deal on a used freeride foil board, but it is a different brand to my existing foil. Is it advisable to mix and match foil and board brands - or is it always best stick to one brand for the whole foil and board setup?

It looks like the relationship between foil / fin box postion, footstraps position and mast base position could be slightly different between these two brands - studying various photos online. Is this likely to be the case?

Cheers!

aeroegnr
1651 posts
27 Sep 2024 6:41AM
Thumbs Up

What are the brands of the foil and boards you are using, and also considering on getting? Chances are someone here has tried the combo you are looking into.

The biggest issue is boards that have a deep tuttle as some brands can play well with certain tuttle positions, but it isn't right for others. If the board has a foil track instead, it makes things a lot easier to adjust.

AoetearoaSailor
21 posts
27 Sep 2024 7:26AM
Thumbs Up

Both boards are deep tuttle.

The foil is GA Mach One carbon, currently on a brand-matching Tabou board.

The used board for sale is a Starboard Freeride 150.

jstone1
24 posts
27 Sep 2024 3:31PM
Thumbs Up

Welcome and good luck, keep up the practice as learning to fly calmly takes a little time. If you're coming from plenty of fin windsurf experience don't try to take off *too* aggressively and be fairly still (especially legs) when flying as everything is super sensitive. Sorry if you're already well into this stage, ignore me!

You using the 90cm fuselage I assume (?) as GA do a 75cm as well which will be v pitch sensitive if trying to windfoil.

I've had a Starboard Freeride 125 and 150, the foil box, straps and mast track positions worked well Vs a "foil ready" non dedicated foil board. The position of the front wing between the straps when viewed from above is a nice all-round starter.

Have fun ;)

Mark _australia
WA, 22810 posts
27 Sep 2024 7:06PM
Thumbs Up

Are we to assume you are in NZ?

However just in case - if in WA and u were ringing shops today give me a PM

boardsurfr
WA, 2430 posts
27 Sep 2024 10:28PM
Thumbs Up

With tuttle mounts on windfoil boards, you problem you can encounter is that the position of the tuttle box relative to the footstraps and the back of the board can differ enough to create an unbalanced setup. Looking at images from Tabou and Starboard boards, that does not seem to be the case, though. The extra volume and length in the Starboard may make things a bit easier.

The tips from jstone1 are spot-on. Another thing to keep in mind is that some windsurf "reflexes" are totally the opposite of what you need to do when windfoiling. When windsurfing, we often sheet out in a gust; on the foil, that causes the nose to go up, and overfoiling, which can create "horrible crashes". Learning to instead sheet in to put pressure on the nose and keep it down can be hard, since you need to overcome muscle memory. Take-off is similar, but the other way around: to get planing on a windsurfer, you sheet in; with a foil, sheeting out a bit after picking up speed first can get you on the foil. Then, sheet in right away again to stop the rise. Initially, it's a good idea to even put the board back down onto the water after a very short flight. Then, extend the length of your flights. And if you crash, hold on to the boom - you can't fall on the foil when you're holding the boom.

Searoamer
NSW, 294 posts
28 Sep 2024 10:48AM
Thumbs Up

I have happily combined Starboard tuttle foils with Fanatic boards for years
play with mast base position - small changes make big differences

BSN101
WA, 2330 posts
28 Sep 2024 9:27AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
AoetearoaSailor said..
My first post on this forum! I've just taken up windfoiling and have a few hours practice time. Lots of horrendous crashes. Not really sure if I like it yet - there are rare moments when it feels good, but a lot of swearing in between.

I've bought a high quality used freeride foil with a large front wing - and am pairing it with a loan board of the same brand that is a good few years old.

I've seen a good deal on a used freeride foil board, but it is a different brand to my existing foil. Is it advisable to mix and match foil and board brands - or is it always best stick to one brand for the whole foil and board setup?

It looks like the relationship between foil / fin box postion, footstraps position and mast base position could be slightly different between these two brands - studying various photos online. Is this likely to be the case?

Cheers!


Stop the crashes. First 20 min just slap on the kit, when it comes up to fly put it straight back on the water. Next 20min ALLOW board to come up then put it back down on the water. Learn how to fly then slap at your choice not the kit dictating. Then increase your fly distance but always going down by your choice(not breach) before you get unstable. After 40-60 min you should be able to fly consistently and confidently and touch down before things go crazy. Continue to increase distance while being in control. I do this when I go out just to remember who's in control.

Paducah
2617 posts
28 Sep 2024 1:28PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
BSN101 said..
AoetearoaSailor said..
My first post on this forum! I've just taken up windfoiling and have a few hours practice time. Lots of horrendous crashes. Not really sure if I like it yet - there are rare moments when it feels good, but a lot of swearing in between.

I've bought a high quality used freeride foil with a large front wing - and am pairing it with a loan board of the same brand that is a good few years old.

I've seen a good deal on a used freeride foil board, but it is a different brand to my existing foil. Is it advisable to mix and match foil and board brands - or is it always best stick to one brand for the whole foil and board setup?

It looks like the relationship between foil / fin box postion, footstraps position and mast base position could be slightly different between these two brands - studying various photos online. Is this likely to be the case?

Cheers!


Stop the crashes. First 20 min just slap on the kit, when it comes up to fly put it straight back on the water. Next 20min ALLOW board to come up then put it back down on the water. Learn how to fly then slap at your choice not the kit dictating. Then increase your fly distance but always going down by your choice(not breach) before you get unstable. After 40-60 min you should be able to fly consistently and confidently and touch down before things go crazy. Continue to increase distance while being in control. I do this when I go out just to remember who's in control.


Brilliant advice - what I would say. A few things to add: The important thing to learn as he suggests is not so much how to fly but how to get the kit back on the water. It's easy to make it go up. The challenge is, especially when powered, making it go back down. You also may find more success without the back straps. Ten centimeters out of the water is out of the water. You don't get bonus points for having 70cm of mast showing. It looks good on youtube but you aren't there yet and neither are most of us. Lastly, try for a stance over the board. Foils are more reactive than a big, wide windsurfer. They can be turny like a sub 100 l. board. Be mindful of putting a lot of pressure on your heels until you are well comfortable on the foil. Yes, there is a time to do that but not when you are starting out.

John340
QLD, 3233 posts
29 Sep 2024 2:11AM
Thumbs Up

It really doesn't matter, provided you can achieve a balanced setup. Adjust your footstraps position so the front foil is between them. Your aim is to get even pressure on both legs when flying. Adjusting the sail mast base also helps. Forward to reduce front foot pressure. Back to increase front foot pressure. Shimming the stab does the same thing, but that's a little bit more complicated. Another good thing to do when learning is to remove your back strap. Don't be afraid to do the adjustments to get balanced flight, then time on water will improve your muscle memory.

thedoor
2404 posts
29 Sep 2024 12:26AM
Thumbs Up

I got this tip from Andy Brandt and it really seems to help beginners.

1) slog up wind
2) bear off to start to get speed and lift off
3) immediately head back up wind to kill off power

This allows individuals that haven't quite mastered the sail pumping needed to get up with smaller sails to still fly and not end up reaching and breach.

The only downside is that they may get stuck up wind and need to slog downwind

he describes it here

berowne
NSW, 1406 posts
29 Sep 2024 6:30PM
Thumbs Up

Hi AoetearoaSailor

Good luck on the journey, It is fun. My foiling experiences are mostly logged on seabreeze, starting with my first 20 or so sessions, including racing after just 13 attempts at foiling.

My best training tips are in this playlist on YT: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB6IE31HOsooGGme1-dUCawbXCrgySq

and an index of tips based on what you need at any given point... i hope:

Foil Racing - Index of All Technique Threads | Windsurfing Forums,
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Foiling/Foil-Racing-Index-of-All-Technique-Threads

AoetearoaSailor
21 posts
30 Sep 2024 9:15AM
Thumbs Up

Thanks ALL! Great to have some encouragement and useful advice here. I've gone for the Starboard freeride foil board, which I think will make things a little easier when I am able to pick it up in a few weeks. The current loan board I'm using seems to be more of a 'freerace' style board, which I think is a little tricky, but not impossible to use intially. The from foot strap feels too far outboard and slightly too far back, meaning I find I'm sometimes adopting this 'stilletto' front foot position to compensate. I even tried avoiding the troublesome front footstrap entirely and riding with both feet out the footstraps and placed more inboard, which seemed to work once I got used to the 'balancing-on-a-wet-wobbly-table' feeling.

I am improving with each session - I managed over 1km of sustained flight yesterday in ideal conditions. Weirdly, I find everything so much easier on starboard tack, which I find I'm doing longer more controlled flights on, rather than port tack, which I tend to wobble about and do massive crashes on. It must be something to do with dominant hand / foot, etc. When on the slapper, I absolutely hate chop-hopping on port tack, but love jumping on starboard, so there seems to be a bit of a theme here!

Advice about learning to come down under control is a good one. The inevitably competitive side of me means I have been focussing on reaching ever longer flights to exhaustion, so I really must work on finesse things more, rather than just heading for the horizon

elgreco111
11 posts
30 Sep 2024 4:33PM
Thumbs Up

Good for learning are the Videos by Sam Ross, clearly explained and very helpfull


Helped me a lot



Subscribe
Reply

Forums > Windsurfing Foiling


"New to windfoiling - is mixing foil and board brands advisable?" started by AoetearoaSailor