I believe wood is cheaper and easier for DIYer to make a beginner hydrofoil.
It will not win races against high end composite foils, but performance wise is comparable to most commercially available beginner foils. Rigidity is the problem I have with wood. If I can make it rigid, I will be able to use thinner wood and more performance. The joints are very critical to make the foil rigid. The biggest problem I face is the connection between the strut and fuselage. It is the weakest point on my wood foil. I am still looking at making the joint stronger.