Topics

16

The Shape Shack / Downwinder Pintail Board Specs

« on: September 14, 2021, 08:51:25 AM »

Hello everyone,
Anybody make their own downwinder, pintail?  You know Da Kine. Those beautiful boards that Kalama is making and everyone is using in the gorge and in Hawaii.  I'm considering making one for downwinding and for just straight up SUP foiling.  Thinking of going long and narrow, 6'3" x 25".  Very thick!  Just wondered as to how stable they are and how narrow I could go. Just thought I'd put this out there in case anyone had ever used a board like this.  I'm growing tired of pulling 20-30 lbs of water behind me every time I SUP foil my 6' Fugly  (beveled tail), or my 5' 6" wing board.  I feel that more speed is going to make catching unbroken waves a hell of a lot easier.  Who knows, maybe I'll even have a bit of success with a flatwater start?  Keep dreaming!

17

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Straight tail Wingfoil board opinions

« on: June 24, 2021, 07:37:14 AM »

Just curious,  Anybody out there riding straight tail boards for winging .  How do you like them?  Just about to skin my next board and its shaped  to be a straight tail.    I was also curious, as my shape is approximately 100L,  does anybody have any experience SUP foiling on a straight tail?   Its always nice to be able to foil waves when the wind dies.  Thanks for any and all opinions. 

18

The Shape Shack / Recommended Tackifier

« on: June 16, 2021, 05:01:44 AM »

About ready to lay on some Carbon/Inegra cloth on a wing board and have never used a tackifier.  Could someone recommend a product! Thanks in advance!

19

The Shape Shack / Hot/Fill coat question

« on: June 04, 2021, 02:10:42 PM »

Don’t know why this comes up now after I’ve done countless Hot/Fill coats on boards and foils but it is.  Just pulled a foil from the vacuum bag while still a tiny bit soft and before trimming it decided to put the fill coat on immediately.  RR 2000, slow hardener cause that’s all I had, additive F, and for the he’ll of it threw in just a little bit of milled fibers.  I figured it just might thicken the resin just enough to prevent runs.  Ran a heat gun over the fresh coat and left it.  Can not notice any difference in clarity.  I must say it’s a hell of a lot easier than setting up my rotisserie machine to keep the wing rotating so gravity doesn’t mess with my hopefully smooth finish. So far, 1 hr, no runs.  I guessing this is some trick the guys who really know what’s going on do all the time.  Anybody else doing this by other methods?  Cab-o-sil, fumed silica....

20

The Shape Shack / WTB 10.5” Chinook Strong Box

« on: June 02, 2021, 06:50:46 AM »

I already have one, need 1 more.  Thanks!

21

Classifieds / WTB 10.5” Chinnook Strong Box

« on: June 02, 2021, 06:48:53 AM »

I already have one but need one more.  Thanks! 

22

The Shape Shack / Recommended Foil track boxes

« on: June 01, 2021, 05:40:50 PM »

I know I’ve seen this information somewhere but my search failed to find much of anything.  Simple question. What is the best , most durable 10.5” fin box that is commonly being used in foil boards?   Thanks in advance.

23

Classifieds / WTB- 4 M Duotone Echo, no boom required

« on: May 26, 2021, 03:31:35 PM »

Looking for one in functional condition.  I do not mind repairs or patches.

24

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Do foils have better or lesser upwind ability?

« on: April 04, 2021, 04:10:48 PM »

Just got back from a session on a recently iced out lake, 15-20+ mph wind, 5M V1 wasp. New foil being tested.  Never have I made so much ground to windward.  I can’t say my upwind technique had changed.  After a slow winter season, I would have expected it to get worse.  I’ve used V1 WASPs before, but not the 5M.  In only 7-9 tacks/jibes I was able to gain 3/4 mile upwind.  Unheard of for me.

My question being,  can foil design make that much difference in upwind ability? 
I’m stumped.  Could have just been some really good wind?

25

Foil SUP / Foil Flex, How much is too much?

« on: March 30, 2021, 07:32:39 AM »

Just finished building and testing my latest foil.   Decided to go with only 2 layers of 45 degree 6 oz S-glass.  Again, there is an internal carbon cord skeleton buried in polyurethane foam and, in high stress areas, a mixture of micro-balloons and milled fibers.  After testing for strength, I decided not to put the usual 1 layer of 3K carbon twill over the surface. 

This wing has amazing flex, no appreciable twist, just flex.   It rides so smooth it feels like I'm on a fully suspended mountain bike.  Even while testing it in boil ridden river current. 

  Funny thing happened yesterday .  While loading it back on my truck a 40 mph gust picked of the whole rig and slammed it onto the parking lot pavement.   I mean, really slammed it.  I was shocked.  If you ever picked up my 6 ft Fugly, you'd agree with me, Its a PIG.  It weighs far too much.  All this weight came down right on 1 wing of my new foil.  Miraculously, I watch as the wing bent like a fishing pole and sprang that board right back into the air. That's when the board damage occurred.  My only reaction at that point.  A thumbs up.  Yep!  Its all I could think of doing.  I was just so amazed that the wing did not snap.  Its only 3" cord length and 1/4" thick at that point.  All there was for damage was a compression crease on one side which has since been repaired.  The board on the other hand did not fair as well.  Ill be chopping those front corners off anyway.  Just sooner than I had anticipated.

So, how flexy is too flexy?  I hope to play around with this parameter a bit more.  Just wondered if anyone had any real world input.    Ill try to post a video to indicate just how flexible this foil is. 


Cheers!

26

Foil SUP / Shits and giggles/River wave foiling

« on: January 19, 2021, 10:22:57 AM »

Never has this wave come up so often.  It only lasts a few days to a week at a time but always gives me the chance to test new designs.   Sorry if the you tube link does not work.  It’s been a while and I always forget just what to do every time I try to post.


https://youtu.be/dbFsS8Tot8M

27

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Which type of foil makes tacking easier?

« on: October 07, 2020, 08:56:12 AM »

I have less than a handful of successful tacks behind me but was curious whether or not a large, thick lower aspect wing is any better or worse than a thin, high aspect wing.  Just want to better my chances going forward.  I have used both and do not seem to have any greater success with one over the other.

28

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / first experience on a production foil

« on: September 04, 2020, 07:31:03 AM »

I'm really not sure where to post this but since my whole foiling attention is now on winging, I thought it might as well be here.  As some of you  know, I live in Maine.  Northern Maine to be more specific.  Foiling here is very much in its infancy even though this is my third year of appreciating its many joys.  Its even harder to believe that the only foils I have ever flown have been of my own creation.  Well that all changed last night when a future foiling/wingfoiling buddy brought his new Naish Hover 95l board(damn is that thing light)and his 1650 foil set up.  No wind, so we decided to continue his training behind my boat in hopes of getting him accustomed to his new rig.  Getting towed behind the boat on his Naish rig opened my eyes to the variance in foil design.  The Naish 1650 definitely was fun to fly and also very agile but I could not get over the fact that its top end speed was very, I mean very,  noticeable.  I could barely apply enough front foot pressure to keep that wing from breaching at higher(17-20 mph?).  This is entirely new to me except for the very first foils I made.  Upon looking and measuring the washout, It seemed like the Naish foil had maybe .5 degree or so.  This being my only explanation.  My last 3 wings offer none of this excess lift at even 20-25 mph, the limit of my little outboard.   While the Naish foil offered great low speed glide, its upper end speed seemed hemmed in and a lot less forgiving.  Is this normal for most production wings at higher speeds?  I just feel that wingfoing needs a foil that will allow great lift at lower speeds and not too much lift at higher speeds.   Still working on my next 52" wide +/- ultra high aspect wingfoiling wing experiment in hopes that these questions may be answered.  Until then I will enjoy the wings I have made, even more-so now.

29

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / F-one Swing Boom ideas anyone?

« on: August 18, 2020, 05:15:48 AM »

Just did a relatively long search of the forum posts and am still wondering if anybody has been able to affix a length of carbon fiber to a F-one swing so that it is firm and rigid.  The handles on the Swing are so flimsy so I feel I will need to make some sort of frame out of foam blocks or carbon fiber.  I've only used the 6M and feel the handles are not quite right in their position.  I have an extendable carbon paddle shaft which would be perfect.  Just wondering.  Thanks in advance.

30

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Twisted wings anyone?

« on: August 14, 2020, 05:20:50 AM »

I have a Gong Wing 7M that has a definite twist in the last wing segments on one side.  Almost 5 degrees.  Having made my own wings, I can understand how easy it is to get the angles correct and symmetrical.  I'm really not sure if one side is twisted down or the other side is twisted up.  It does make certain maneuvers like tacking a little hard on one side versus the other side.  The wing just doesn't want to roll over very easily.  I've emailed Gong Galaxy but have yet to receive a response.  Has anyone else noticed this when viewing their inflated wing on the flat ground and does it really make a difference?  I will try to post a pic, but don't count on it since I usually struggle with that sort of thing.  Thanks all