Hi guys,
Looking for your guidance on which foil is suitable for a 100kg beginner.
Looking for a cheap s/h option.
Need to figure out if I like it first before I spend for a better foil.
So I have a board now (thanks Mark).
Mark suggested the Infinity 76.
I read about them Infinities and I guess the 84 would work too.
Ah yes, it's a deep Tuttle box.
Not many advertised, so hoping I could get a few more recommendations here.
thanks
I learnt with an i76 and it was fine for that purpose. As soon as you get the hang of it, you'll want something more slippery / better glide / faster, and that's fine. At least then you'll know what you want to do in your more advanced foiling. eg, speed, light wind with big board and sails, waves / freeride, etc.
It good to learn on for how to get in and out of the water, bash on rocks, not slash your legs on sharp tips, etc. I'd have cut my foot off when learning if I was learning with the Patrik foil I use now.
Congrats Mate!
Tell us about the board, what is the length, width and volume. How far from the front tuttle bolt to the sail track, often that dimension is too large (north of 41") when converting older fin boards? That is not a deal breaker, fuse details can sort that, or you can add a sail track behind the original. What size and type of sails are you using? 6 meter or less wave sails will pair better with free ride foils like the Infinity, if you are 8 meter + with cambers you may do better with a used IQ or race foil.
A lot of us here used the SS infinity to get started successfully. I had the Infinity 76 at a similar weight, and it needed 15+ knots of wind to launch me, the 84 may be a better fit.
One more comment on the fuse, that is the main difference between windsurf and the other foil sports. Our fuses are longer with the front wing further in front of the foil mast. If you see a used big guy wing set up at a great price see if you can find a windsurf fuse separately.
Thanks !
It's an older formula board.
No idea on the volume. Seems big.
Other people started on it so I imagine it works.
I have 5.7 and 5.3 Wave sails.
The next size up is 7m freeride.
Will look for a longer fuse. Thanks
I guess it depends on your skills as to what way you can go. I went from the neil pryde pinkie straight to an IQ Foil, and now i run Phantom foils. You could try a severne redwing if you want something slow and free ridey or try the slingshot that others mentioned. There's got to be a few second hand options available cheap to get you into it.
Theres a guy selling a bunch of severne redwing foil gear on here from WA for cheap.
Did Mark relocate te foilbox?
the balance for pitch stability could be off with a redwing.(the back stab of the redwing can't be shimmed to compensate, right)
maybe a Starboard superflyer is an option.
great to learn on and back stab can be shimmed.
Did Mark relocate te foilbox?
the balance for pitch stability could be off with a redwing.(the back stab of the redwing can't be shimmed to compensate, right)
maybe a Starboard superflyer is an option.
great to learn on and back stab can be shimmed.
Mark reinforced the box. Don't think he moved it.
Will check the Superflyer, thanks.
Madlad, thanks not looking beyond the initial experience at the moment. If I find I like it, I'll start looking for the next level set.
Select to expand quoteMaddlad said..
Theres a guy selling a bunch of severne redwing foil gear on here from WA for cheap.
Could not find that advertisement...
Just bought an Infinity 76 set. Lucky 
So now to pair it to a sail. 5.7? 7m?
Now, Youtube instruction videos ??
Maybe also revisit how to dress deep cuts 
Yeeew! Getting things done!
Use that fuse in the position that puts the front wing furthest forward.
Put your sail all the way back in the track.
Remove the back straps. Until you are jumping, they are not needed.
The front straps are not necessary either. They are handy for carrying the gear, but they are a risk to your ankles until you learn to balance in roll. Half straps or a Bartlett release straps are a good call.
Bum a small scrap of deck pad about 6" by 6" from Mark and use it as a back foot locator. Cut holes for the bolts and put it over the Tuttle with the front edge about 3-4 inches forward of the front bolt. You want to feel that under your foot right when you are ready to take off.
Hang on to the boom when you crash. It keeps you away from the foil.
Your body goes where you look. Do not look down. Stare at the horizon.
Take that 5.7 out in a steady 15 knots. The two meter less sail thing comes later with skills and with a more efficient setup.
The biggest risks are at the edge of the water getting worked in waves, so start in flat water. Wear booties. A wetsuit with legs if you can. Helmet and impact vest make sense too.
Avoid water starting at first or at least don't kick.
I used a marker (wipes off with alcohol) to mark the rail of the board where the front wing sits so I could see where it was when water starting.
When you get more comfortable with where the wings are you can ease into water starting.
Once I clear the sail from the water, I slowly reach my back foot for the fuse near the back stab. That is my prep to water start mode. It locates the foil and works great for body dragging the last bit into the beach instead of running aground standing up.
The biggest challenge for most people is taming pitch. If you can windsurf you already have pitch control skills, they just are not sensitive enough yet. Time on the water is the only way.
The time on the water does not all have to be under sail. If you have access to a modest power boat or jet ski, spend time tow foiling. It isolates the foil riding skills. Wake parks and cable parks are useful and fun. Yes, with your formula board, don't worry how it looks because you are doing something cool that most people won't try so that is cool! Start on your belly going slow, work your way to your feet, then have the driver go. I still remember when pitch control finally clicked for me, it was behind the boat and suddenly I could start looking around and still fly level, my next session sailing after that was in control and playful!
Have fun! Stay safe! Keep us in the loop!
I've done a few training videos over the years...and added some from others to this playlist.Enjoy the journey Obelix! www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB6IE31HOsooGGme1-dUCawbXCrgySq
Select to expand quoteberowne said..
I've done a few training videos over the years...and added some from others to this playlist.Enjoy the journey Obelix! >
thanks, will be watching the videos for a few days
Thanks utcminusfour,
heaps of great advice. Will try to follow, but once the excitement takes over, one forgets everything
The back foot position in front of the box. In the center. The front foot over the front wing.
I Will leave waterstarting for later.
I can imagine getting it balanced is the biggest challenge.
Although, watching the racers flying around the gybe marks seems simple enough
Don't mind the formula board. It's very light and sems very comfortable for uphauling.
Don't know if I remember how. I am sure I have an uphaul rope somewhere
Thanks guys, now onto tge videos. One step at the time.
A slightly different take: If you have trouble getting the foil to fly or find it a frustration, don't hesitate to borrow, beg or steal an 84 or 99. Extra lift will make things easier at your weight - it's actually not extra lift but lift appropriate for you. If a 76 works for the 65-85kg crowd, scaling that up to fit you makes sense (just like bigger planes needing bigger wings). Yes, you can use the 76; there are pros using wings 40% of its size. But a bigger wing means taking off with less power and speed which makes life much easier and you more likely to have fun those first outings.
Btw, good luck! We are all excited for you. Don't hesitate to ask more questions as they come up.
Like utcminusfour said (among a lot of good advice) hang on to the boom almost at all costs. As long as you do, you and the foil stay on opposite sides of the board. It's only when you let go that allows the foil to flip.in your direction.
Cheers Paducah,
I thought the i84 would be perfect (appx 2000cm2), but one takes what's available.
The i76 should work with a bit of wind.
Not 100% ready. Need to hunt down 2 long bolts for the tuttle box. The current ones are too short.
Alen head, 10mm x 10cm - not your usual Bunning item.
Don't want to order online - will take too long to arrive.
With the Slingshot gear, you need to really take care and put some effort in to prevent corrosion. The fuselage is the worst for it. Clean and re-reapply lanolin (I used some Dubbin from the shoe cleaning box at home) on bolt threads a few times per season and before storing it for any time. Same care is also needed for the front end of the fuse where it goes into the front wing as it is a socket, unlike other brands. Leaving it all assembled between sessions is fine, but wash with fresh water whenever you can, and do the complete disassembly and clean / lanolin thing periodically, and at the same time check for fine cracks or things that might be about to fail. Best to find those on land than out in the water.
Big tip!! Never get oils of any sort on foil surfaces, even avoid on the mast if you can. The change in hydro-stickiness promotes cavitation and therefore crashes. That includes sunscreen.
Thanks,
It was well looked after so far. In a very good nick.
The seller told me to apply quality grease on the threads and holes.
Why is lanolin better than i.e. WD40?
Interesting about the wing surface and oil.
Lanolin was what was recommended to me when I started and it works well. I think it stays in place better and doesn't "creep/seep" out onto areas you don't want it, ie the foil itself.
Dubbin for shoes works just as well, as it's a similar waxy stuff. Only need tiny amounts, just coat the threads and on surfaces which might bind or corrode. It gets dirty over time so clean it out of bolt threads once a season and replace. I do the same at the end of summer.
Everyone probably has their own tricks for maintenance of foil hardware. I'm sure there are other ways and things people do. I just found the Slingshot mast and fuselage particularly corrosion prone.
