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I've been pushing my limits of kitesurfing foiling last couple of years.

My new Armstrong Foils have allowed me to push harder in bigger waves and I finally had the break through session Jan 3rd 2018 at Hookipa and Lanes, Maui.

http://malolohawaii.com/products/Armstrong-foils

What I've learned.

• Beatings are inevitable and painful.
  Wind angle is key success.
  High lift wings work for me but they have to have good top end.
  Stiff Long mast 110cm critical in bigger surf.
  Surfers Hate This
  Windsurfers Hate this a little less but tolerate it. They don't seem to appreciate lapping them.
  Wear a helmet
  White water is not your friend

If you want a kite foiling lesson on Maui or any other exotic location hit me up.
Demos and sales of Armstrong Foils available on Maui by appointment.



[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/249993174[/vimeo]

Looking extremely good Kevin

You say "wear a helmet" - but you dont on the video ?
Or was that the day you learned that

But okay, for video maybe

Peter

Foils look nice!
Please comment on 2 front straps vs single strap for wave riding.
A leash is shown attached just below the knee. What are the torque forces like with a foilboard?
What is the benefit of the cut out nose on the the foilboards?

Never heard of Armstrong until this week when it’s all over Facebook. Where have you been ?

When the trend for surf is slower foils aka GoFoil, Takuma and short masts - you are promoting long masts and what appear to be higher aspect wings.

It looks like your foil is designed to be ridden at higher speeds, requiring external sources like a JetSki or kite to catch a wave ? Can they be paddled in prone or SUP ?

To me it looks a lot like..... a kite foil.

Otherwise nice riding !

Nice waves on the video! The ride looks like some high speed down-the-line kiting with a couple of timid backside turns. Did you try some frontside surfing with your long mast/high aspect wings?

On our wave spots in France, surfers and windsurfers accept you much better when you start to surf the way they surf, frontside at relatively slow speed. It's much more compatible with windsurfers, we can even drop in their wave and share it and they do the same (by respecting priorities, of course). Not tried with foils yet, my Spotz is too rapid for that, maybe a Spitfire would be more adapted.

I've met Armie a couple of times. He's definitely a water man and interesting individual. I've also looked at the sup foil which looks nice.

I tend to agree, a long mast would be awesome in big waves. I have a 90 cm and its real challenging in head high plus I have to ride the foil as low as possible or breaching and instant high speed smack downs occur,
I also agree that you need to go fast on bigger waves, As the wave size increases the speed of the wave does too. You need to equal and better the waves speed. To me big slow foils wont cut it on a big fast wave.

In the video you are foiling in between surfers while on the wave. In my opinion that is not cool! You are blasting along with a floating axe that could potentially kill someone in the water. Stay away from the surfers and use the foil to get to wave sections the surfers can reach.

PS cool wave riding,

You say "wear a helmet" - but you dont on the video ?
Or was that the day you learned that

You will fall forward and when the wave pushes the foil at you then it is a bit playing the odds whether the foil will hit you or not.

Some of my early sessions were with a helmet but on this one I felt more confident about how to avoid the situation.

irwe wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 19, 2018 2:41 pm

Foils look nice!
Please comment on 2 front straps vs single strap for wave riding.
A leash is shown attached just below the knee. What are the torque forces like with a foilboard?
What is the benefit of the cut out nose on the the foilboards?

The Y strap allows you to get heel on the rail and easier to hit the jibe foot switch smoothly.

Leash is easier to reach on the calf. Doesn't seem to hurt.

When the board touches down it feels very stable, kind of like a catamaran bow.

Jzh_perth wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 19, 2018 2:54 pm

Never heard of Armstrong until this week when it’s all over Facebook. Where have you been ?

When the trend for surf is slower foils aka GoFoil, Takuma and short masts - you are promoting long masts and what appear to be higher aspect wings.

It looks like your foil is designed to be ridden at higher speeds, requiring external sources like a JetSki or kite to catch a wave ? Can they be paddled in prone or SUP ?

To me it looks a lot like..... a kite foil.

Otherwise nice riding !

Armie has used a select few riders while he get the foils in production. The first production run is ready to ship so we are supporting his efforts now.

I'm mainly referring to larger waves. That works for kite surfing. Shorter mast are for Prone and Paddle. But in larger waves it will be a challenge to keep the foil from ventilating because the wave chop will feel like you are not high enough.

Actually the foil is medium aspect, high lift foil section with a pretty good top end. The 800 can be paddled or prone into surf but the lift won't happen until some speed has been generated.

plummet wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 19, 2018 7:23 pm

In the video you are foiling in between surfers while on the wave. In my opinion that is not cool! You are blasting along with a floating axe that could potentially kill someone in the water. Stay away from the surfers and use the foil to get to wave sections the surfers can reach.

Hookipa is a tight spot and there are life guards monitoring safety on the water. I've had meetings with the life guards and informed them that I was trying something new. It is impossible to not be around surfers at this spot. It is my responsibility to be safe and take care of the safety of all those in the water with me. That is my over riding goal in every session and every wave.

I think each person who wants to try this should try it alone and away from others and and learn their limits and limits of their equipment. All decisions should come from that. The beatings suck and hurt. I don't anticipate many people will be willing to pay the dues.