Wyatt, many people are not yet familiar with the basic principles of foiling. Can you briefly explain to newcomers what makes a beginner-friendly foil?
To get started, a foil should be as stable as possible. It is best to use a foil and board from the same brand, as these components have usually been developed together.
What factors influence how stable and easy a foil is to surf?
It's all about the interaction between the span, the length of the fuselage (the longitudinal member on which the two wings are mounted, ed.) and the profile. A larger span of the foil, for example, ensures that the board is more stable around the longitudinal axis. A longer fuselage has the same effect on the transverse axis, making it easier to stabilise the bow at a certain height and reducing the risk of the foil dropping or rising uncontrollably. Surfers looking for a foil for tricks and jumping, on the other hand, usually prefer short fuselages because the board then reacts more quickly to steering impulses.
What is your philosophy at Slingshot?
We try to design our foils to be as manoeuvre-oriented and user-friendly as possible. We do not go to extremes, but offer products that have a wide range of use. With large wings, you can fly stably even in very little wind and at low speeds. Such wings also convert the energy from pumping much more efficiently. I often notice that foilsurfers buy wings that are too small and supposedly faster and then just lie in the water.
Large wings often have the disadvantage that the lift can no longer be tamed in stronger winds...
Many wings on the market have this problem. The faster you go, the more you have to lean forwards to keep the tip of the board down at all. That's why our designer Tony Logosz has built in downforce through the design of the wingtips. The lift is produced in the centre of the wing at low speeds, with increasing downforce at the wingtips as speed increases. The foil regulates itself to a certain extent, allowing you to stay fully on the throttle without the risk of uncontrolled climb.
An affordable price is also important for newcomers. You then often inevitably end up with aluminium components. In your opinion, how big are the differences in performance?
I often still use aluminium masts for my foils myself - and have great fun with them. An aluminium mast is good for starting out and for jibing manoeuvres. It is crucial that you use the right aluminium, there are huge differences here. As soon as you want to jump or do other tricks, you will of course notice the advantages of the stiffer carbon.
Further information at https://slingshotsports.com/
Manuel Vogel
Editor surf
