Foilboards in waves

[Peter_Frank]

Hi - this has been posted in the main forum long time ago...

Would just comment here, as I think the BraCuru video looks awesome

I still can not see how the "waveriding" will feel or work, but I know several of my french friends who does it (and I believe the French are the most forward regarding foils today, right ?)

Lanzarote in November. Only one day out with a gopro and this is short video showing potential of wavefoiling in future:

PS: Nice to see that Toby has finally succeded getting UTube and Vimeo to work in this forum now, so you can click it fullscreen straight from the post, cool

Peter

[Bille]

FUN Way to start my day ; drinking my coffee and living vicariously through
a BraCuru video !!! Thanks for re-posting that Peter !!!!

...
...I know several of my french friends who does it (and I believe the French are the most forward regarding foils today, right ?)
...
Peter

French people appear to have a More than generous amount of Creativity ; from
what i've seen !!

Bille

[BraCuru]

Would just comment here, as I think the BraCuru video looks awesome
I still can not see how the "waveriding" will feel or work, but I know several of my french friends who does it

PF - I am really surprised that there are so little videos showing foiling the waves.
The topic you mentioned is dated in July when I asked:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2381354 and there is not too much to see so far.

I've got positive feelings about this subject, however no good chance to try it. Last Autumn in Poland was waveless. Even the Polish wave championship was cancelled. One week in Essaouira - no waves. I had only one average day to record fun in shorebreak at Famara Beach despite onshore waves
I hope that Gunnar might share more as he got knowledge, riding style, wave boards and lives at Fuerteventura. Please
NB. I will try to upload the full video from Lanzarote tomorrow.

[Peter_Frank]

BraCuru, I can see why it is not really "seen".

1. Those living for riding waves (like I do), will of course do it in waves too on a foil, but when we ride waves often, at the same time, there is not anything that looks "exciting" in any way with a foilboard, compared to waveriding on a waveboard.

2. Most wavespots have conditions with rocks or reefbreaks and difficult to get out/in, besides breaking and losing your foil, so often NOT suitable for foilboards whatsoever.

3. Those who almost ONLY ride foils, will do it yes (and some of the french guys do it !), but as it is in such early stages, it does not look good seen from the spectators view - so even those doing it, will hesitate to display a video they know looks boring and pointless to 99,9% of the viewers

(PS: I think everybody should DEFINITELY continue to display anything they got in waves, as this is a specific foil forum only in here, so it makes sense - and some are gonna be frontiers)


4. If you ride "both" and have no preferences, one over another, it is very very difficult to see any advantage whatsoever, with a foilboard compared to a waveboard, in waves.
And you can see loads of downsides and difficulties and missing aspects, when on the foil

5. Most foilboard riders are still "learning" more basic things, like tacking while foiling and other really difficult moves - so there are lots of awesome things to do for years, and you dont "seek" the wave aspect because of boredom, right away


Thats my take on why it is hardly happening at all.

I dont say it aint gonna happen - as everything is possible when new ground, and some day some might find the "holy grail" to what works and how to use it to an advantage instead - with a foilboard in waves.

PF

[plummet]

I really want a foilboard. But my location is littered with boulders that may just be under the surface. I'd smash the foil off and brake my ankles. Dammit I want one anyway!.

[airsurfer]

Advantages I see besides feeling thw power of the wave are
1. riding large ocean swells that dont always break especially in areas like south florida where the "waves" are typically crap sloppy choppy wind swell that closes out in 1 to 3 sec if youre lucky

2. Getting way upwind to catch better and more sets riding several sets down and getting back upwind in 1 tack

Anyway variety is great thing ill try anything behind a kite so I hope the options keep expanding

[BraCuru]

BraCuru, I can see why it is not really "seen".

Thanks P_T for apt summary. Agree with most except:
4. it is very very difficult to see any advantage whatsoever, with a foilboard compared to a waveboard, in waves.
You forgot about ability:
a) to ride waves in light winds. Scenario: wind 8-12kts, still good waves and a foiler might ride like crazy such conditions all day, being only watched by kite wave surfers.
b)

2. Getting way upwind to catch better and more sets riding several sets down and getting back upwind in 1 tack

It was remarkable to see faces of wave WS and KS riders in Essaouira spending 5/6 of their time trying to get upwind and watching me 50% time riding and learning in the waves

I dont say it aint gonna happen - as everything is possible when new ground, and some day some might find the "holy grail" to what works and how to use it to an advantage instead - with a foilboard in waves.

I feel the same way and hope it might happen sooner than we think.

BTW: A lit of bit more trials in the waves here:

[ronnie]

Current foil designs don't seem to correspond with riding waves, so it seems a bit premature to be writing off foils for waves as there are no foils designed for waves in existence yet.

Looking in my crystal ball, what seems to be needed is a foil that is a lot closer to the board and set more on the edge of the board, so it may be a twin foil or a quad, and possibly they will be mounted on a twintip type construction of a small directional board. Or it may be a board just as wide as your feet with one or two foils.
The board would need to lift above the small chop, but just enough that the board was often in contact with the top of the chop.

So the board would be ridden on the foil(s) on one side of the board and a bit on that edge of the board. The idea of a twintip type edge is to reduce the chatter from hitting the top of the small chop (when on the rail) and to give bite when it is in the water.

Its also going to be an advantage to have the feet as close to the foil(s) as possible for faster response.

Just chucking ideas in there as it just seems to me the current foil boards are nothing like a foil board would be if someone designed one for riding waves.

[Peter_Frank]

The thing is, we have NO idea what is about to come, and how it will end up (Foilboards in waves that is)

A good and exciting thing to see, follow, and feel from now on

I like that the foil is really "carried" with the wave, to a much greater extent than any surfboard can - as because of the low drag, it does not need the steep crest at all.

So for far out flat swells (OR steep) it should work particulary well.

(for small close waves in low water, it is obsolete of course)

What we dont know yet, is how fun it will get, and how much "action" you can obtain - as if you ride in 8 to 12 knots, you can not do any of the classic DTL riding, no matter what type of board.

So apart from going great upwind (like freeride raceboards also can, AND ride waves a bit too), I still can not see the advantage in waves.

Notice the "still" - as things might change, it is just not there yet (at all) IMO

But the only way to get there, is to continue doing it, and experimenting - so great BraCuru - I really like it

Peter

[SupaEZ]

What makes more sense in riding waves ? a foil kite or foil board ?
Maybe the 2 should combine their efforts and go all out

A board that doesn't touch the water and a kite that doesn't need a pump