Standup Zone Forum

The Foil Zone => Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP => Topic started by: Wetstuff on January 09, 2020, 01:49:42 PM

Title: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Wetstuff on January 09, 2020, 01:49:42 PM
I am starting a list. I know some may think of this as talking about tricycles on the 'Tour' forum but I am approaching this from the position of 'if I can attenuate one stage of a potential two-stage injury sequence' then this old body is ahead.  And the second part, as cheap as I am, I do not want to pay (and muscle) out/back a hardboard to someplace like the Dominican or Costa Rica. 

This first one is MANTA from New Zealand.  I see three that may be of direct interest: the '72' - '110' - '170'.  Thankfully, they name them in Liters.  The 72 liter is 150x50cm (4.9'x19.6") at 4.5kg (10lbs). The 110 liter is 160x70cm (5'x27") at 9kg (20lbs). The big one, the 170, is 225x78cm (8'x30") and 11kg (24lbs)

The 72 is presented as a Surf/kite foil board ... the 110 as SUP/wing foil board ... the 170 as SUP/wind (windsurfing to me) board. 

Tuttle box .. front foot straps (170 has those wide, side ones...' must be a windsurfing config).  To me, they look nice, not overly decorated.  But, are they reminding the owner he needs a pump by putting 'Inflatable' in large letters on the side?

Like anything item, you'll have to determine if the price represents a value to you.  The only way to discover shipping to the States was to go thru the checkout process.  I am not ready for that.  There is more to see.

They are: mantafoils.com

...there are more, please add what you find and/or comment on the prospective use of an inflatable.  I have zero experience, even with SUP.


Jim
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Dwight (DW) on January 09, 2020, 02:34:44 PM
My only worry is how the soft flexible inflatable affects the feel for the foil. Foiling is a finesse sport. You need delicate feel through your feet, for what the foil is doing to fly well. Sure a good foiler could deal with it long enough to make a YouTube promo video, but what about the kook trying to learn foiling. Does it add to the learning frustration
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: gone_foiling on January 09, 2020, 03:09:08 PM
I am with DW on this one. Also foot strap inserts seem way off to me, even for winging.
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: supkailua on January 09, 2020, 03:53:01 PM
I have used an inflatable SUP but not for foiling. I think the boards are hard enough for foiling. An inflatable is definitely on my might buy list for my next board and there are more coming out.

F-One has some nice ones at https://www.f-one.world/product/rocket-air-sup/.

(https://www.f-one.world/app/uploads/2019/05/rocket-air-sup76-650x650.png)

Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Dwight (DW) on January 09, 2020, 04:58:50 PM
Another thought....you have to master pumping the board onto foil. Without this critical skill, winging doesn’t work. You’ll be just like so many frustrated newbies needing massive wind to make it work.

Pumping the crap out of an inflatable board isn’t going to translate that pump energy to the foil below.
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: surfcowboy on January 09, 2020, 06:53:16 PM
I’ve owned 2 inflatable sup and I like them. But yes,I’m not sure they’d be stiff enough to transmit the pump either.

I’d 100% demand a demo or a super easy return policy. I think a soft top foil board is the jam.
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: supkailua on January 09, 2020, 07:20:33 PM
DW, these inflatables are 6'11', 7'6", and 7'11".

I ride the Slingshot Airstrike and Slingshot Outwit. They are both over 7' and I glide with the power from the Wing to get going. I don't normally pump the board to get up. I do pump the wing to get the board up to take off speed.

So my question to you is can you really pump a board that is this long, even if it is a hard board? If so I need to try it more.

Once in a while in really light winds I will do a pump against the wing with these boards, but I have to be up in the air first and then head down and up again. It does increase my speed, but it is not vigorous pumping. Just one pump most of the time, and again I have to have enough speed to come out of the water before I can do this pump.
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Wetstuff on January 10, 2020, 07:30:00 AM
Dwight's 'engineer processor' kicked in.. You can imagine what a camera pointed at the bottom of the inflato sees where the mast enters.  F-One, for example, wants good-money for these.  The should take one, flip it over, and show us what it looks like when the foil is jerked around. Then I thought that perhaps would be an easy negative demonstration, but maybe not; it may compare to a 180lb. body leveraging this joint standing in the air, off-water.

Damn, I don't want to be the 'Mikey' on this, but I sure would like to travel as a novice with a board I could foilSUP and/or Wing. I'll worry about being an expert in my next life.

Jim
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: biggins on January 10, 2020, 03:41:59 PM
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x82QBdluZ7Y

Not sure how to paste a video...

Seems like for getting started and traveling it could work. Probably not great for pumping but never tried.
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: steamroller on January 13, 2020, 02:14:36 AM
these Mantafoil boards are badass...they work!...really...you guys that know. me know that Uliboards and specifically the "Steamroller" model wrote the book on inflatable surf and SUP boards...i spent 15 years on inflatable SUPs so i KNOW inflatable surfboards...Uliboards. com is no more but the technology lives on...im not sponsored by Mantafoils or a team guy or anything like that...i bought my prone board from them retail because i wanted to take my foilnonna motorcycle to the beach...

down the line the board is SOLID under my feet...no flex no wobble...pumping back out for a 2 for 1 i can feel.a.litle flex so i have to be smooth and have a bit.of rythm to the pump....i cant stomp the hell.out of it like im riding.my carbon board..
but hell im.built.like a 240 lb bowling  ball...the board is way thicker than my carbon board so it takes aboit 3 waves to get used to the feeling  of being a little further from the foil...the real advantage is PADDLING...that sucker will catch anything and can compete with the longboards when paddling back out to the lineup

ive only tried the prone board not the SUP...if anybody has an inflatable SUPfoil out in southern California  or oahu...i love to check it out some time

here's some videos i made just for S and  gs


https://youtu.be/jF5DE2K9-8o

https://youtu.be/thEMT9SyK-8

https://youtu.be/aL2NKnmzy0c

https://youtu.be/ARXYbM2NIIo

Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Wetstuff on January 13, 2020, 06:26:31 AM
Thanks, for the input Roller.  Seeing is still believing.  I suspect you're one who could get it to flex! ..you obviously make it back out without a paddle.

Supporting Dwight, ...on the latest progression podcast https://soundcloud.com/progressionproject. the guest, Eric Christensen, agreed that (not a perfect quote) "any flex is bad". He said he was able to feel 1/4".   

It is difficult.  Do we get paralyzed in that old trap...' Perfection is the enemy of the good.'?...  Especially those of us who never do deep bottom turns and, rather than off-the-lips, do little roller coasters along the face ..if caught.

An interesting line of inflatables is -not from- but called INDIANA.  Gunnar Biniasch from Canary Is. Did the design work and added a lot of the right hardware bits. It looks like good kit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs4kL5--Nik


Jim
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Wetstuff on January 13, 2020, 07:42:05 AM
Here is a backup comment to F-One Rocket Air video supkailua posted.  I asked our Swedish friend about flex.

"The rocket board is a great learning board when you get better you will probably want to get a smaller hard board but to start with the Rocket air i really nice.  it pumps fine :)"

Mvh
Arild Kristiansen
Surfskolan Varberg


....the emoji added here?!


Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Wetstuff on January 13, 2020, 08:00:45 AM
More from the Indiana board designer, Gunnar Biniasch, in reply to my question about flex.

"What makes the Indiana Inflatable Boards different to the others currently on the market, including the kiteboard, is that they do not flex in front of the box. This makes them perform almost as well as the Hard boards on the water, and just like a hard board when flying.  It took a lot of testing and experimenting to get to this level of stiffness.  A year ago I would not have believed that we could get them this stiff."

Jim
 
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Wetstuff on January 13, 2020, 11:47:43 AM
Pics of the Indiana 'Wing' board.  Notable: 6" thick.

Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: surfcowboy on January 13, 2020, 07:11:06 PM
Ok, so who’s first to get s foil, wing, and board into an XL suitcase and beat the airlines.

If Steamroller can’t bend it, it’d be hard as a rock for me. If I wore swim fins he could use me as a paddle.  ;D
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Wetstuff on January 14, 2020, 05:56:20 AM
Our new Swedish friend -who seems unfazed by coldwater- ping'd me this morning...

"I Was using a 5`8 rocket air yesterday and it was fine to pump it. :)"


Jim
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Admin on January 17, 2020, 02:55:30 AM
Hi Wet,

Check out this vid of the Rocket Air.  Man, do I love drone video!  These are very tempting for travel.  I wonder about a concept where the stance and foil mount area could be rigid material and the rest inflatable. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YksD7rcovio
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Wetstuff on January 17, 2020, 06:14:01 AM
He is clearly not in distress...   F-One seems a great choice in the category. It is a strong brand. They are priced well. I'd probably buy one if they had footstrap provisions ...and in another color other than Robbie Yellow.

Jim
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: surfcowboy on January 17, 2020, 07:59:02 AM
Admin, that’s a great idea. 3’ of platform would give you all you need.

Though I already think my travel rig will be a prone board. This would make SUP easy.
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Admin on January 18, 2020, 04:12:45 AM
Admin, that’s a great idea. 3’ of platform would give you all you need.

This hybrid inflatable concept could work in a number of configurations, none of which would be limited to Tuttle.  In fact, it could provide a much more reliable foil mounting platform than laminated rigid boards and would allow full fore/aft foil adjustability and would allow multiple footstrap positions in pre-threaded M6 inserts for those who choose straps.  Of those, I have a design in mind that will work really well.  Ultimate portability with very few performance compromises when surface bound and potentially numerous advantages over fully rigid boards when on the foil.  It could also be a modular system offering multiple size/volume options per single rigid stance/foil/footstrap platform.  Due to its simplicity it could be inexpensive at top quality.  It could be an amazing way for new foilers to progress down through board sizes.  Experienced riders could have a quiver of board sizes in their Frunk with a single rigid platform or you could carry 3 or 4 board sizes with you on airlines in a normal, light check-on bag.  You could have your wing board, SUP board, surfboard, etc with you at all times with one foiling platform.  Show up and Blow up

The same design could be extended as a huge improvement to all inflatables for all watersports including the non-foiling flavors. 
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: surfcowboy on January 19, 2020, 03:32:55 PM
Admin, the efoil guys are on it.

http://www.cabratec.com/

Dig that inflatable efoil.
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Quickbeam on January 19, 2020, 11:10:17 PM
Admin, the efoil guys are on it.

http://www.cabratec.com/

Dig that inflatable efoil.


Has anyone here tried one of these efoils? If so, what were your impressions?
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Admin on January 20, 2020, 01:29:42 AM
Admin, the efoil guys are on it.

http://www.cabratec.com/

Holy crap!  I had pictured it with a narrower board slot but otherwise identical.  A mod on this design would be an outstanding travel option for Winging.  The deck plate could be be whatever size you wanted.  Thanks for the post!
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Wetstuff on January 20, 2020, 06:54:07 AM
Boss,  I've been sniffing around the 'inflatable' contractor scene...  This may be the source of the one Cowboy posted.

https://ucsports.en.alibaba.com/product/62017944029-808188002/Hot_Inflatable_Foi_Board_Hydrofoil_Surfboard_Inflatable_Paddle_hydrofoil_efoil_Boards_for_E_Foil_5ft_8ft.html?spm=a2700.icbuShop.33511.13.5b7c52ebUHiAwO


Jim
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Admin on January 20, 2020, 08:51:47 AM
Boss,  I've been sniffing around the 'inflatable' contractor scene...  This may be the source of the one Cowboy posted.

https://ucsports.en.alibaba.com/product/62017944029-808188002/Hot_Inflatable_Foi_Board_Hydrofoil_Surfboard_Inflatable_Paddle_hydrofoil_efoil_Boards_for_E_Foil_5ft_8ft.html?spm=a2700.icbuShop.33511.13.5b7c52ebUHiAwO


Jim

You are right Jim.  There it is!  Check out this one from the same factory.  They aren't doing much in the styling department and it loos like they are focused on electric but that general concept could be used to make some really nice inflatables for winging. 

(https://sc01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1obpjbEvrK1RjSspcq6zzSXXan/Hot-Inflatable-Foi-Board-Hydrofoil-Surfboard-Inflatable.jpg)
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: surfcowboy on January 20, 2020, 09:00:32 PM
Admin, I had the same thought. Buy the inflatable part and make your own insert. It’d be pretty easy and if you did it right it could be super light. Some carbon tubing and a couple of sandwich deck plates and you’d have a serious travel rig. Imagine a large suitcase with your wing and sup foil rigs in it. 3 piece paddle and boom.
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: Admin on January 21, 2020, 03:22:52 AM
I'll be stoked to see what you build!
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: supmmmm on January 30, 2020, 01:47:06 PM
There was a very impressive rider down in DR last month. He was kiting but - his board if we can call it that resembled one of them brown McDonald’s eat in trays which he bolted onto his foil. Dude ripped once get got it going 😉
Title: Re: Inflatable foil boards..
Post by: MLB on February 01, 2020, 07:20:52 PM
My only worry is how the soft flexible inflatable affects the feel for the foil. Foiling is a finesse sport. You need delicate feel through your feet, for what the foil is doing to fly well. Sure a good foiler could deal with it long enough to make a YouTube promo video, but what about the kook trying to learn foiling. Does it add to the learning frustration

When a 20 psi board is fully inflated it's hard to tell that it's not a hard board.  They are not "soft" or especially flexible (cheapest ones at 15psi may be). 
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