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2018 LF Thruster Foil

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tmcfarla
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Re: 2018 LF Thruster Foil

Postby tmcfarla » Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:05 pm

Kite-nut wrote:
Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:25 pm
liv2surf wrote:
Thu Apr 05, 2018 3:54 am
Interesting that in 2018 LF has the Impulse wings/foil (in collaboration with Cloud IX) and the Thruster wings (designed by Matt Wheeler). I currently ride original Liquid Force FF wings/foil in the waves. I am into riding real ocean waves and wondering which is the way to go. I was leaning towards Impulse .... but have started having second thoughts, Your thoughts?
I am in the same boat but also wondering how well the thruster would work as a wake foil as well. Has anyone ever tried the thruster as a wake foil?
I have used thruster on a Shinnster, which is quite low volume, but longer than a wakeskate. I think it would work fine on a wakeskate since it is stable at really low speed so the touchdowns are pretty gentle. Also, the thruster doesn’t crash if you breach a wingtip (you can ride with a wingtip out of the water easily), so in general there’s is less need for a good platform for touchdowns. Only thing you might worry about on a wakeskate is that you have enough flotation to keep it from sinking, but this applies to all aluminum foils.

While I’ve never used a proper surf foil like the impulse, I can’t imagine needing better low-speed lift than the thruster gives when kitesurfing. I have used the original foil fish once, and didn’t like it, but the thruster wings are quite good and live up to the promise of foiling at very slow speeds and still going fast when you want to. That said, I’m probably not keeping thruster because it has too much overlap with Lift 110, and I like that even more.

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Re: 2018 LF Thruster Foil

Postby Kitehume » Thu Apr 19, 2018 4:57 am

tmcfarla wrote:
Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:05 pm
Kite-nut wrote:
Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:25 pm
liv2surf wrote:
Thu Apr 05, 2018 3:54 am
Interesting that in 2018 LF has the Impulse wings/foil (in collaboration with Cloud IX) and the Thruster wings (designed by Matt Wheeler). I currently ride original Liquid Force FF wings/foil in the waves. I am into riding real ocean waves and wondering which is the way to go. I was leaning towards Impulse .... but have started having second thoughts, Your thoughts?
I am in the same boat but also wondering how well the thruster would work as a wake foil as well. Has anyone ever tried the thruster as a wake foil?
I have used thruster on a Shinnster, which is quite low volume, but longer than a wakeskate. I think it would work fine on a wakeskate since it is stable at really low speed so the touchdowns are pretty gentle. Also, the thruster doesn’t crash if you breach a wingtip (you can ride with a wingtip out of the water easily), so in general there’s is less need for a good platform for touchdowns. Only thing you might worry about on a wakeskate is that you have enough flotation to keep it from sinking, but this applies to all aluminum foils.

While I’ve never used a proper surf foil like the impulse, I can’t imagine needing better low-speed lift than the thruster gives when kitesurfing. I have used the original foil fish once, and didn’t like it, but the thruster wings are quite good and live up to the promise of foiling at very slow speeds and still going fast when you want to. That said, I’m probably not keeping thruster because it has too much overlap with Lift 110, and I like that even more.
Hi tmcfaria
I have the thruster and I am very happy with it.
Can you tell us why you like the Lift 110 more?
I am guessing because its lighter being carbon fibre.

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Thruster Foil on Carbon Fuselage

Postby Harri » Thu Apr 19, 2018 9:23 am

Does anyone have the carbon-setup and can share experiences? Carbon wings with the carbon fuselage?

tmcfarla
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Re: 2018 LF Thruster Foil

Postby tmcfarla » Thu Apr 19, 2018 1:41 pm

Kitehume wrote:
Thu Apr 19, 2018 4:57 am

Hi tmcfaria
I have the thruster and I am very happy with it.
Can you tell us why you like the Lift 110 more?
I am guessing because its lighter being carbon fibre.
First off, they are quite similar and both great foils.

Lift is easier to start in shallow water (probably directly because of weight), this makes a big difference at my local beach. I also found that the thruster didn’t have much roll stability (falling over heels or toes). This does make the thruster more agile, but I prefer the way the lift allows me to zone out a bit and not pay too much attention. Lift is a little bit more stable, thruster is a little bit more agile. Both have about the same low end and about the same top end. For me, price is about the same as I had LF mast and fuse on a long-term loan, so I’d have to buy those if I kept the thruster wings, that makes Lift an easy choice for me- same price and a slight preference for Lift. If I already owned LF mast and fuse, I’d save the money and just use thruster wings. Basically, if you have one, don’t buy the other, too much overlap. Hope that helps.

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Re: 2018 LF Thruster Foil

Postby butterfish » Tue May 01, 2018 4:09 am

tmcfarla wrote:
Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:05 pm
Kite-nut wrote:
Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:25 pm
liv2surf wrote:
Thu Apr 05, 2018 3:54 am
Interesting that in 2018 LF has the Impulse wings/foil (in collaboration with Cloud IX) and the Thruster wings (designed by Matt Wheeler). I currently ride original Liquid Force FF wings/foil in the waves. I am into riding real ocean waves and wondering which is the way to go. I was leaning towards Impulse .... but have started having second thoughts, Your thoughts?
I am in the same boat but also wondering how well the thruster would work as a wake foil as well. Has anyone ever tried the thruster as a wake foil?
I have used thruster on a Shinnster, which is quite low volume, but longer than a wakeskate. I think it would work fine on a wakeskate since it is stable at really low speed so the touchdowns are pretty gentle. Also, the thruster doesn’t crash if you breach a wingtip (you can ride with a wingtip out of the water easily), so in general there’s is less need for a good platform for touchdowns. Only thing you might worry about on a wakeskate is that you have enough flotation to keep it from sinking, but this applies to all aluminum foils.

While I’ve never used a proper surf foil like the impulse, I can’t imagine needing better low-speed lift than the thruster gives when kitesurfing. I have used the original foil fish once, and didn’t like it, but the thruster wings are quite good and live up to the promise of foiling at very slow speeds and still going fast when you want to. That said, I’m probably not keeping thruster because it has too much overlap with Lift 110, and I like that even more.
i would like to ride the thruster on a wakeskate too. has anybody an idea if it works? wakeskate is 9 marble Wood ply, 109x40cm, continious rocker, about 3,3kg. not sure if i buy the short 60cm mast, or if i cut down the Standard mast to 75cm. longer masts are not possible on my homespot because of shallow water. is there a Problem with corrosion if i cut the mast? i am also thinking to use the carbon parts (wings, fuselage) from liquid force. if all parts are changed to carbon the foil should then only have about 3000gramm with the 60cm mast. if only the wings are changed to carbon the 60cm foil Setup is about 3800gramm. by changing the fuselage to carbon you can save the most weight. so the foil would not be Floating with the wakeskate platform i guess.

has anybody an advice? anyone tried it before? 60cm or 75cm? is the 60cm mast Long enough to foil seriously and have fun on the water, or are there always touchdowns? corrosion? weight?

cheers

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Re: 2018 LF Thruster Foil

Postby RadDrDuke » Wed May 02, 2018 3:09 am

i foil in shallow water regularly and 60cm is great for starting but it truly is much more difficult than a 90cm as you touchdown and ventilate frequently

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Re: 2018 LF Thruster Foil

Postby revhed » Sat May 05, 2018 9:24 am

So reading reviews of said KBHF in French mag.
Board 3.4 kilos
Complete hydrofoil 4.9 kilos
TOTAL 8.3 kilos = 18.5 lbs :o
Sure hope it does not break for that heavy weight!
R H

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Re: 2018 LF Thruster Foil

Postby Eltreato » Sat May 05, 2018 3:16 pm

has anybody an advice? anyone tried it before? 60cm or 75cm? is the 60cm mast Long enough to foil seriously and have fun on the water, or are there always touchdowns? corrosion? weight?

cheers
I was pleasantly surprised with the 60cm mast after having learned on a 95cm mast. I use mine for shallow waters at low tide and let's me get going easily in waist instead of chest deep water, often this means a difference of 300m of bodydragging. Yes it's easier to ventilate but not asnoticeable as I had feared other than in big chop.

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Re: 2018 LF Thruster Foil

Postby that_kite_couple » Sat May 12, 2018 2:19 pm

Just had my first session on my LF thruster and must say i am super stoked. It is definetely the easiest foil. I have rode. Even compared to the the rocket fish that is aimed at begginer this thruster was a dream to ride.

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Re: 2018 LF Thruster Foil

Postby Kitehume » Sun May 13, 2018 10:19 am

that_kite_couple wrote:
Sat May 12, 2018 2:19 pm
Just had my first session on my LF thruster and must say i am super stoked. It is definetely the easiest foil. I have rode. Even compared to the the rocket fish that is aimed at begginer this thruster was a dream to ride.
6 months and plenty of sessions with mine too. Still having heaps of fun with it.


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