MHL Lift Hydrofoil Kitefoil Wobble

Hawaiis · **Joined:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:39 am **Posts:** 106

I have a Rush Randle Aluminum Hydrofoil board, it is heavy, so I bought the MHL Lift full Carbon Fiber, it is much lighter, but it is so wobbly, I wonder if this is normal for carbon fiber Hydrofoils?

here is the video:

http://www.vimeo.com/66880713

Tone · **Joined:** Tue Dec 23, 2003 2:34 pm **Posts:** 964

All that should matter is if it wobblea when on the water

Hawaiis · **Joined:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:39 am **Posts:** 106

It definitely translates to wobbling on the water, when the board lifts off the water, it starts to wiggle. The aluminum foil is much more rigid. I thought carbon fiber is suppose to be more rigid.

Tone · **Joined:** Tue Dec 23, 2003 2:34 pm **Posts:** 964

Then you have a problem. Get in touch with them and see what they say.

mdksniper · **Joined:** Tue Aug 19, 2008 3:23 pm **Posts:** 15

Just a curious side question. How much did the MHL Lift cost?

davesails7 · **Joined:** Sun Apr 01, 2007 7:36 pm **Posts:** 696

This is the only place I've seen them for sale ($1749):

http://shop.eastofmaui.com/LIFT-HYDROFOIL-2013-LIFT-HYDROFOIL-2013/

ChristoffM · **Posted:** Fri May 24, 2013 6:01 pm

Hi

I also have the MHL lift. If you put the board down tight, you should notice that it only flexes in a twist motion, not up and down or flexing from what I have noticed. The twist if there because the carbon holds stiffness mainly in the bending direction, but its not as good at countering the twist as a metal part. I have seen the Rush foil and was also curious about it and the difference is huge.

I ride the MHL in all kinds of conditions, and it handles good even with the twist flex. But I do get days when the wind is light, and the chop of the water of such a type that the hydrofoil suddenly drops to one side almost like stalling one side and it used to throw me off every time. VERY irritating! But I have learned how much to point upwind in those conditions and with faster response I can recover from it now. Most days it does not happen, but is some conditions is does.

I suspect it is caused by the flex, but it could be something else. It might just be me going too slow in too light wind and stalling the foil, but the way it drops to one side I think it is a stall induced by the flex of the MHL. I am going to try some metal foil hopefully soon and see if they have teh same sudden stall problem.

Its not a big problem. It only happens 1 out of 5 times I go out and only in light conditions with a certain water surface texture/current conditions. Most of the time the MHL rides so nicely.

MHL Lift Hydrofoil Kitefoil Wobble

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