Foil: Starboard Team Set, the complete kit with ride report

Photo: Stephan Gölnitz

With the "Team Set", Starboard offers a complete construction kit with several wings and two fuselages, but many different set-ups can also be built with the aluminium mast using a similar concept. It helps to know the function of the individual parts. Chief developer Tiesda You explains in a surf interview.

Add bookmark

Let's start with the most striking part.

The front wing is the "lifting point". The size of the front wing and the distance to the mast determine how early you take off. A larger wing takes off earlier, a smaller wing has less resistance and is faster - but needs more wind to get onto the foil. The further the wing is positioned in front of the mast (ed.: the mast of the foil) - this is the pivot point - the more power it gives: for early take-off and also for running upwind. A wing far forward is a bit like windsurfing with a centreboard. You can go really high but have a lot of power. But can you imagine riding downwind with a centreboard? Hardly possible, it's scary. That's the disadvantage of very large front wings.

Mysterious flying objects sighted. Tiesda You, Starboard Foil head developer, explains the function of the components (here at Walchensee with the latest 1000 race wing that makes Sebastian Kördel, among others, so fast).

Photo: Stephan Gölnitz Mysterious flying objects sighted. Tiesda You, Starboard Foil head developer, explains the function of the components (here at Walchensee with the latest 1000 race wing that makes Sebastian Kördel, among others, so fast).

Let's move on to the rear wing.

The main task of the tail wing is to lift the nose of the board. The tail wing pulls downwards in order to push the nose upwards (ed.: as with a rocker, around the pivot point, which is located at the mast-fuselage junction). Again, it's all about the size and distance to the pivot point. This does not change the angle of the front wing, which is a common misconception. The front wing always passes through the water at almost the same angle. The more the rear wing lifts the nose, the more you have to push against it from above.

Most read articles

This creates a balance of forces, but no movement?

Exactly, if there was a movement, it would go up and you would come out of the water. The tail swing is more of a constant force that pushes the nose up all the time. If it's too much, you have a hard fight to stop the board from rising. If it's too little, control becomes easier, but you have to work harder to keep the board up. You can choose a smaller wing with more angle or a larger wing with less angle.

How do you like this article?

What effect does the distance to the mast have?

Our race fuselage (ed.: fuselage: the long connecting rod on which the wings are mounted) is very long and we use a small wing with a high angle of attack, which gives a lot of power because of the long lever to the pivot point. With a shorter fuselage you get a livelier board, but then you need a bigger rear wing for the same stability.

So the fuselage also provides control?

That's a bit complicated. Some will say that a long fuselage is easier to ride because the foil reacts a little slower on its own, giving you more time to react. Others will say it is more difficult: because it reacts more slowly to your active equalising movements.

That leaves the mast.

Again, some riders will say a short mast is easier because you don't fall off as high when the wing comes out of the water. On the other hand, with a short mast you are more susceptible to waves and have less time to react when the board rises. The long mast offers advantages in swell and in jibes you don't touch down as quickly, which gives you a few seconds advantage in racing.

Photo: Stephan Gölnitz Starboard Foil in action on Lake Garda

From top performance to easy flying

Starboard's modular system offers almost infinite combination possibilities. We have already been able to ride the three most important set-ups and the brand new board.

Huge selection at Starboard: The Racefoil with carbon mast and wing size 800/330 fits perfectly with wide boards such as the new 144 foil, large slalom racers or formaboards and is currently certainly a benchmark in terms of upwind performance and planing - as our comparisons with the performance foils from NeilPryde and RRD have also indicated. The board is also stable and stays up for a long time in jibes. On the other hand, it is less agile straight ahead, but is perfectly trimmed for relaxed long strokes and harmonises perfectly with sails of seven square metres and significantly larger. The Racefoil is part of the Team Set and can be customised with the supplied smaller front wing and short fuselage.

In the aluminium series, the entry-level set comes with the largest wings (1100/500), with a shorter fuselage and 75 mm aluminium mast. It's called "Freeride" and that's exactly how it rides. In the brand new 122 foil board, this combination convinced us as easy to foil and powerful. The straps on the board are optimally positioned for fast freeride foiling, you can bob and turn normally, the slightly more stretched outline also absorbs abrupt crashes on downwind courses without any problems, the clearly upturned nose saves the situation and only brakes minimally and glides on well - where some stub boards go straight into the moose test. For us, it's perfect for learning and also as a freeride foil for experienced foilers. The mast length is also a good compromise between sufficient flying height and not too much drop height. The foil lifts early after a short glide and remains stable in the air through the jibe, where it retains lift for a long time. The sail sizes that harmonise best are probably between 6.0 and 7.5 square metres. For more speed, the "GT" is a good choice, with the same aluminium mast and an 800/330 wing set you are already planing fully before the set takes off. Lively and very agile on foot control, it is then incredibly fast, but requires more skill, more wind and will settle back onto the planing surface earlier in wind holes and in imperfect gybes.