Lost my front wing - how to reinstall

[Nielshm]

Unless you have a CNC grinder to make steel vacuum moulds I wouldn't go there. Making your own front wing close to the Taaroa wing is very hard. The front wing is the primary foil component and will make your beginner life hell if not exactly right.
I have now repaired my keel with new inserts, extra bolts and a carbon stringer. This sucker will never come off again! This leads to my best advise. NEVER EVER come close to ground. Just stay away as foiling is not a beach activity. It's an ocean sport. When returning to the beach I stop way out and slowly bodydrag in.

[Europ2]

Recently got the Taaroa Sword, was way over budget for me but had to have it.
I can't afford to loose a wing, so I'm making molds of the original, and will learn with my copies.
( 8 years kitesurfing, 0 with kite hydrofoil )

Think this is OK? Sort of like making copies of DVD for personal backup use only?

Unless you have a CNC grinder to make steel vacuum moulds I wouldn't go there. Making your own front wing close to the Taaroa wing is very hard. The front wing is the primary foil component and will make your beginner life hell if not exactly right.
I have now repaired my keel with new inserts, extra bolts and a carbon stringer. This sucker will never come off again! .

Nielshm, I don't quite agree with you. Sure, an alu mold is a must for post-curing as Mango C recently recalled it. However, whether you use the original foil as a mold stub or reprap your own designs for that use, the result will be excellent.... see Phezulu's example here:
http://kitefoil.forumactif.org/t2070-wi ... nt-plastic

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Edit: For any garage build, Franckite (the sword father) on the Kitefoil forum recomends not to bother with the lower part mould as the upper part works amazingly well on its own with a straight intrado providing that the leading edge is round.
This solution is perfect for a front wing as thin as the Sword's one and gives 'hassleless' outstanding results. 
Should this solution not match your speed expectations, it is not too late to make the front wing with top and bottom half.

With this shortcut, a bit of shimming might be necessary on the stabiliser though. Keep us posted as this might open a new way.

A lot of info and tips about foil making from moulds can also be found on Chris Middleton (CM and not MC ) "FastaFoil" Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/fastafoil
and https://www.facebook.com/fastafoil/post ... 5747640322 for the mast .strut.

The difference will come from your know-how in composites.
1 - how to make a decent mould (refered to as tooling) that won't twist too much
2 - how to prepare it (surface state + release agent)
2 - how to lay up, post cure and finish

The Sword is made up of pre-preg + post cured
The Alpine is made up of autoclaved pre-preg ensuring best possible results.
Pre-preg is way too expensive.

BAck to the topic, here is a wet layup solution for a price hardly higher than carbon + resin
http://kitefoil.forumactif.org/t2026-pr ... ous-presse
I can't google translate it but the picts are self-explanatory.
Lowest possible price with car windscreen post-cure and an approximative profile.

With garage infusion in a decent mold like Phezulu's + home made styrofoam oven for post cure, you can reach say 80 % of the pre-preg strength and rigidity at a 1/3 of the cost.

So Goofy, IMHO, if you're prepared to loose a bit of performance to gain absolute peace of mind
regarding possible groundings, go for it !
Still IMHO, I think many people have thought about this method to preserve their investment.
If you succeed, you will be the first of a long, long, list.

PS: As mast skin, Fastafoil use
- 2 layers of strong quadriaxial (1 layer of quadri 800g = 4 x 200g) infused with very fluid infusion resin. According to CM the result is rocksolid.
- 1 finish layer with 200g carbon

[wind_rider]

During a nosedive following the classic crashbomb i discovered that my front wing had pulled 3 the plugs clear out of the foil mast.....see Photos.
Havent pondered too much onhow this could hav happened but more dedicated in getting it back to flying mode.
I want to secure the 3 screws better and havre also decided to fix the wing permanently (and accepting it wong be transported by plane)
Any advice on how to do this?
Im obliged to simply drill through the bulb part and fix a longer screw with a nut on the other side but worry that I might reduce the strength.
Would be happy for some good advice. Thanks!

You need to use heli coils to fix that