Hi guys,
I have just received the sweetest looking Foil I have seen so far: a 2400 Armstrong Foil for Wingfoiling. I am now thinking about getting a smaller one to go with my Exocet Freefoil 132. Right now I am using a Slingshot Foil with Infinity 76 and I am very happy. None the less, the foil is limited and the build quality of the aluminium foil is nowhere near a carbon-foil. As I am 95kg and mainly foiling due to our low-wind area, a carbon foil is on the list.
Is there anyone who has some first-hand experience with the Armstrong foils on a windsurfer? The goal would be a 1550 with the 70cm fuselage and a 95cm mast.
Best regards,
David
Does Armstrong have a windsurf fuselage?
short fuselages are not great for windsurfing. Carbon looks cool, but unless super stiff, nothing gained. I saw the tech sheet for Slingshots new carbon mast. They claim its the stiffest mast in the industry. Pretty tech
Thanks for answering,
sure, carbon is not the answer to all the questions. But the aluminium parts are pretty limited. The Slingshot foil is not only heavy, the connection between the mast and the fuselage is a pretty poor design. The fuselage-mast connection of the Armstrong foil is a pretty clever thing. The longest fuselage they offer is 70cm, where the long Slingshot fuselage is 60cm, so I can't see the problem here first hand.
best regards,
David
With the front wing attached to the fuse its 100cm. Sorry for the confusion. Found the specs in the windsurf mag.
www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.windsurf.co.uk/test/slingshot-hoverglide-fwind-wizard-125-2019-test-review/&ved=2ahUKEwjJx6KGxqnlAhX9IDQIHScEBagQFjAFegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw0BuarHl1c-D2DLCQ8UmOuu
I agree there should be some consistancy/clarity with how manufacturers tell people the fuseledge length. They should say total length of fuse with wings mounted, of course this changes with different wings and depending on brands. But it seems most just tell you the length of the fuse without wings attached when you buy a foil.
Hi,
if I got it right, the long fuselage is even 78cm, so it is 8cm longer than the Armstrong one. But the fuselage length ist not the only possibility to tweak the stability of the foil. Another thing is that different profiles/airfoils and aspect-ratio have a big impact on the performance, so a given length of a fuselage is only a number.
Really no one that has tried an Armstrong foil in a windsurfer?
Awhile back I had a chat with Army Armstrong about his foils for wind foiling and he said he'd need to test the position of the wing and fuselage. That was awhile ago and I'm not sure if anything has moved forward on the wind foiling front since then?
Hi StevO,
well I just received the windfoil-fuselage from Armstrong. I will give it a shot with the big 2400 wing in light winds. If that is any good, I will order a HS1550 foil.
I was also wondering about the Armstrong Foil for windsurfing. I currently have a Naish WS1 which is about 1200cm and seems too small for our super light winds and boat chop on US East Coast. I would be curious to hear how that 1600 Armstrong is, otherwise I might go for the Slingshot 76 or 84. Board is Naish Hover. Thanks for any insight
PeterSS
I just bought a SS Infinity 76 for use on my Naish Hover 122. I was using the WS1 and was pretty proficient on it. I've been foiling for not quite two years and I'm 140 LBS. The normal position fort this wing SS is position B, middle position on the fuselage. This is how I set it up and I put it all the way back in the track. I had to have my weight too far forward to use the foot-straps. I did not bring the bolts to the beach which would have allowed me to try position A, so I took off the front foot straps. I kept the back one's to use as a kind of stomp pad. After a little getting used to, I liked this set up very much. I think strapless is the way to go given my style of foiling, more downwind and swell riding orientation. Still, I could drive it upwind very comfortably without straps. This foil has much more lift and stability than the WS1. As I said, I was quite comfortable on the WS1, but the SS Infinity 76 was a game changer for me. It has a significantly longer fuselage and wing width. This makes the ride more stable but does not seem to hamper the turning ability at all. The ability to keep on foil at much slower speeds allows more room for error on jibes while still staying on foil. The ability to go slower also helps to stay in the sweet spot on the swell to avoid nosediving or foiling out. I'm not that into speed, but when I try to push the speed limit on the SS-76 I feel much more stable than on the WS1. It comes with a 90cm mast which also makes things easier than the standard 70cm mast for the WS1. I also have the 71cm mast for the SS which I've use in some of our shallower spots. I've been out about 10 times on everything from 2.8 to 4.7 conditions. The only downsize as far as I am concerned is the weight. A bit hard for this 67 year old body to carry to the water, but not a deal breaker. I don't know if setting in position A would you to use the foot straps on the Hover or if that positions changes the characteristics of the ride at all.
Also, I am very interested in any input from someone who has tried the Armstrong foils for windsurfing. I bet they'd be sweet. I'll be needing something lighter for my old age.
A foil is a foil.
The only thing you need to watch is to center the front wing's coe to between your feet.
Every foil works.
A balanced foil works.
Just because YOU cannot make it work doesn't mean someone else needs to follow your example.
Maybe your foil wasn't "balanced"?
A mate sold his Armstrong when the front wing started to wobble, there is no fix for a worn fuselage to wing connection.
Hi guys - going back to this thread. I have the SS Infinity 76 and 84, and ride them on an SS 115 Freestyle. Curious about anyone using the Armstrong foils for wind, and any feedback. Looking for something lighter, stiffer, and with a better mechanical connection than the SS.
Mast apparently is stiff. Will accept all Moses surf wings (W1100, new 9500 and 7200). There will be windfoiling and wing foiling wings (fuselages) as well.
Here's one nice solution for having to put the track screws in and out. They're redesigned so the screws stay in the track and you just put the nuts on top of your foil track mount and tighten with a spanner.
AFAIK the Australian dealer is out of stock but you can get them sent from the US if you don't mind paying US $25 for air freight.
foilmount.com/collections/must-have-hydrofoil-conversion-accessories/wizard-hat
Just put two strips of closed cell soft foam in the bottom of the tracks, this holds the plates in position but allows them to be moved if required. Then it is just a matter of putting the foil on the board and installing the screws, no alignment needed.