Foil bargains put to the test: GA Hybrid – just cheap, or actually good too?

A proper freeride foil

With its 1,050-square-centimetre front wing (other sizes are also available), the GA Hybrid sits roughly between the two foils from the system comparison in *surf 5* and isn’t aimed at race or freemove – but right in the middle: straight at the freeride bullseye. Whereas the 1400 Severne foil takes off almost from a standstill like a vertical take-off aircraft, the Hybrid needs a little more speed before take-off: From around 13 to 14 km/h – still below planing speed, mind you – it gets going even on a lake that’s almost as smooth as glass. It responds very readily to pumping. It then flies with a pleasantly full and stable feel. In the air, the Hybrid feels sporty without becoming twitchy, and relaxed without seeming boring.

It heels willingly to windward – though if you try to edge it to the absolute limit, you’ll get a gentle reminder in the form of a slight wobble in the cockpit. In normal freeride sailing, however, it remains delightfully straightforward: changing sail pressure? No problem. Tighter gybes? No problem. A 5.8 or a 7.0? Both work.

Also suitable for moderately wide boards

Even when it comes to lever forces, the foil remains easy to control thanks to its moderate wingspan, making it a great fit for narrower freerace and hybrid boards – though, of course, it’s ideally suited to a specialised, wide foil board. The Hybrid isn’t designed to be a high-mileage machine that guarantees an adrenaline rush, but rather an uncomplicated freerider that’s good at quite a lot of things. Jibing, for example. Even in light winds or if you get your timing wrong when shifting, the foil continues to steer quite stably and carries you through the turn for a long way – without the dreaded countersteering typical of temperamental race foils.

GA HYBRID 1050 – the specifications

surf – Conclusion

The GA Hybrid 1050 is an uncomplicated all-round foil with a slightly sporty feel. In other words, it’s a genuine freeride foil that lets you have loads of fun pretty quickly – whether you’re riding in a straight line or performing manoeuvres.