DIY Home Made wooden Hydrofoil fins

[Peter_Frank]

If you are sitting by the beach waiting for the wind to pick up and I offer you a $300 piece of foil that you can mount it to the twin tip and takes only 10 minutes to master, you will be going up wind like crazy. Would you buy it?

Maybe...

But I would feel utterly dissapointed almost cheated, when I came back the day after, to see that the other guys/girls where just blasting so much faster, so much higher, so much easier - on their directional foils
Almost like buying a cheap 1998 two lined kite in 2013, and discovering the day after, what others are using nowadays.

You are very right though - that if it could be made much stronger and tougher, it might be able to find a niche.

I just got the feeling, it is like the mutants - they dont really exist anymore either, as too many compromises for most likings

In my eyes, inventions are building new things that "push the envelope" and move the borders a lot

Then there will usually be very downgraded versions for us as the "public", true.

I could be proven wrong, but I honestly doubt that a TT hydrofoil will catch on...

The ideas and thoughts and testing is exiting though - as always

Peter

[zfennell]

I've got to be honest.
No one here is doing it the way i would.
Thankfully they have all made a lot more progress than me, so congrats to you all.

I seriously doubt any of the techno-weenies (myself included) would have endorsed an all wood hydro-foil.
meanwhile Hawaiis is skimming tropical waters on prototype #5 ?

it been fun to watch and if i cant help i'll just get out of their way.
good job kids.
-bill

[BWD]

It's the scale of kiting that makes it fun!
little need for sub-millimeter precision (for the most part),
no angst over putting large amounts of exotic composites into a new design, or worry about the theories and calculations to justify it,
start simple,
just do it!
Enjoy the empirical proof of garage builds.
If it doesn't work, try again...
I haven't started a foil project yet, but really appreciate the experience shared here.

[don pitcher]

Good discussion, but no dog-dodo on anyone, please.

Some people find surfboards fun, while others are annoyed by having to jibe them and don't have the time, skill, or patience to learn how to jibe so they use a twin tip.

I think the same is true with hydrofoils. Yes, there is a trade-off, but if the trade-off can be minimized thru continual development, then there will be a market for people that want to ride over the chop instead of thru it and have good lightwind ability, while not having to learn how to jibe or get wet every tack.

Now if I can find a cheap source on a streamlined aluminum extrusion. AC Awnings wants $285 for a 33" piece. But they don't have any in stock, so they have to get some from their supplier. Would be nice to know who their supplier is?

[windfreak74]

i think that homebuilding is about enjoying every nook and cranny!!
i think some challenges are worth the try.
i know squat about composites but am willing to learn how to lay them and perfect as i progress.
probably i will not have a pretty foils as the comercial ones but i will get tons o fun trying it!!
if you do it well enough and durable enough maybe even sell them but who cares!
it more fun learning than just buying it!
skills is something that you practice !
build it and it will rise!! foilstyle

[windfreak74]

Hey Billie,
Thanks for the comments!
Keep eating blues!! they are good for you!!
i created a low Budget 3 axis routing jig much like a CNC table.
the motors and the data procesor were subtituted by elbow grease powered by blueberry juice !
the router is a plunge router that control depth.
the profile where the router guides slide is the second axis. this make the airfoil profile.
thrid axis being the long stock that a can feed it leghtwise. its meter long so a can feed stock to make keel and wings.

[windfreak74]

ill keep posting as i keep building during saturday and sunday!
to get a good routing in the thin parts it better to use stock with an fiberglass layup on the bottom part so it wont shatter the wood in kickbacks when starting or going to too fast on the routing.
i used carbón but its not necesary. a thin 5 oz layer od fiberglas and epoxi does the job.
after is done sand rough edges and vaccum bag ready!

[windfreak74]

forgot to comment that everything was done with bamboo flooring Wood.
jig is 30 bucks worth of material the rest is trial and error.
please keep comments and ideas to improve the process.
all opinions are well worth listening.
Pedro

[windfreak74]

my first crappy vaccum bagged carbón wing to show the bottom of the routing stock.

[Bille]

Hey Billie,
Thanks for the comments!
Keep eating blues!! they are good for you!!
i created a low Budget 3 axis routing jig much like a CNC table.
the motors and the data procesor were subtituted by elbow grease powered by blueberry juice !
the router is a plunge router that control depth.
the profile where the router guides slide is the second axis. this make the airfoil profile.
thrid axis being the long stock that a can feed it leghtwise. its meter long so a can feed stock to make keel and wings.

NICE !!!
I Totally GET-IT now !!!!!

Thanks for your time and pictures : Bille

@ don -- OK , No more Dodo !