Topics

31

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / SUP surfing with a wing anyone?

« on: July 15, 2020, 05:36:20 AM »

A friend of mine who does not foil is interested in trying a wing to get onto waves versus a paddle while using his 9'6" SUP board.  I told him I would give him some tips and he could use my wings.   I thought it might work but  figured someone out there has had some experience with this, good or bad.  Any tips would help even if that tip includes-  "Its not worth the effort".

32

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Water in wing bladder

« on: July 13, 2020, 04:53:31 AM »

I swear, if I had to choose between foiling good waves or winging.  Id choose winging!  Its a hoot!  Well, last nights session left me crawling up a particularly rocky portion of the more than beautiful Maine coast to get back to my car.  Deflated the wing and just pushed the board with wing on top.  Didn't take very long but in the process I forgot to reinsert the valve caps.  Yes, you guessed it.  Got about 1-3 cups of salt water in my bladder.  Having never done any sports with an inflatable bladder, I am wondering if there is a problem (and not with my brain) with getting salt water inside a bladder.  Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

33

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / How much pressure is too much pressure?

« on: June 23, 2020, 05:42:33 PM »

I'm relatively new to this wing foiling game but I'm hooked,  This shit is way too much fun and gets more fun every time I do it.  just starting to get my offside starts and runs.  Cant do switch stance yet but I hope to some day. 
The purpose of this thread is to ask the "long timers" just how closely they stick to the recommended pressures in their wings.  My homemade wing is of such large diameter that I probably do not need as much pressure and I also do not want to fully test my sewing skills.  My new wings say 8-10 psi max.  I live in Maine where the water tends to be very cold so if I put 10 psi in, once in the water it probably decrease to 8 upon cooling.  Should I go to 11 0r 12 psi and make sure I get it in the water quick(no hot sun).  Just curious.   I keep thinking there probably is a fairly wide safety margin between best pressures and boom pressures.  I would also imagine some of you have gone above the stated recommendations to gain additional stiffness and got away with it.  Thanks in advance.

34

Foil SUP / Short fuselage opinions

« on: March 30, 2020, 12:20:55 PM »

I am redesigning my fuselage.  More in line with the Axis foils set up except for it being full carbon ( old carbon fiber hockey stick filled with solid carbon).   Just curious. I’m wondering if making the fuse shorter will help with pumping.  Already planning on a smaller tail wing.  I’m pretty sure I’ll just have multiple tail wing mounts on the fuselage which will allow me some room for experimentation.  Thanks in advance
Stay well, be safe, Foil on!

35

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / DIY Kite Wings Anyone?

« on: November 11, 2019, 06:05:18 AM »

Just curious.  Anyone else out there trying?  I made one, which at 3.6 M is too small for the types of wind we get in Maine.  Currently making a 5M .  It is not easy!  Maybe I do it just to grow some neurons. Being such a new sport, I can see there being so many improvements to current gear in the not too distant future. 

36

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / DIY kite wing

« on: April 16, 2019, 05:14:22 AM »

I have many old kitesurfing kites and am plan on cutting them up to fabricate a kite wing based upon Duotone, Ozone, and or Naish kitewing types.  Any information to add to the current brain storm in my head would be appreciated.  That just looks like the perfect tool for Maine, where the beaches are few and the winds are many.

37

Foil SUP / possible E-foil project?

« on: March 08, 2019, 07:02:34 AM »

While at a second hand store the other day I picked up a working fishing trolling motor for $15.  I figured, what the heck?  It may give me enough thrust to at least get my big wing up and flying, its the right size, shape, ......?

Has anyone ever tried using an electric motor like this to create an e-foil?   Just have to figure out the control mechanism required to turn it on and off.  Possibly a cable or wire to a trigger in my hand.   

38

Foil SUP / Wing shaping and wing washout

« on: February 20, 2019, 12:34:01 PM »

Yes, I know, What the hell does this mean?
I am making a new wing(41"W x 9" cord) in hopes of downwinding and if I get good enough, some paddle assisted flatwater takeoffs.  As I sit here and ponder the wing segments glued to my anhedral form I can not help but wonder if I would benefit from having some washout at the wing tips.

What is washout, you ask?  Washout is when the wing tips are slightly twisted down to decrease the angle of incidence  when compared to the root of the wing.  If all wing segments are in the same angle of incidence, there is no washout. 
Washout is used in airplanes to decrease sudden stall in low speed situations. Though in the world of hydroplanes, there may be no benefit. 

I am wondering if anyone has ever taken the time to notice whether or not the angle of incidence of their wings root is identical to the angle of incidence of the wing tip.  To do this one would have to use a level and place it on the middle of an upturned wing exactly for and aft. Make it so the level reads level by altering the boards position.  The more difficult part is to place the level in an absolutely parallel position to the middle line of the wing, but this time near the wings tip(3"from tip)?)  Are the measurements level or does the level now angle up ever so slightly(down when surfing)?

Just curious, as I have always made my wings with no washout.   I would love to hear from those more knowledgable in aerodynamics and hydrodynamics. My guess is most wings have no washout and I will just have to experiment or, more probably, stick with what I know.

39

Foil SUP / Anyone with experience with bi-concave wings?

« on: January 22, 2019, 05:21:28 AM »

You know Da Kine.  There is a slight amount of double barrel concave on either side of the fuselage.  At the present time I cant seem to recall which companies produce such wings but Slingshot and Signature wings come to mind.  I up here in Maine and do not get to see any production wings in person.  The only production wing I have met in person is the Naish Thrust.   If any body has any experience riding this wing design and can compare it to non-bi-concave wings I would love to hear all about it.    Thank in advance!

40

Foil SUP / Changing cord to thickness ratios from wing root to wing tip

« on: January 21, 2019, 08:28:03 AM »

There has got to be someone out there who has information regarding this topic.   I am in the process of making a very large( 42" wide) downwind wing for my measly 155 lb body weight.   I also hope this wing will allow me to flatwater SUP start, eventually.  I have often wondered if decreasing the cord:thickeness ratio starting from wing root and decreasing towards wing tip would help with regards to increasing maneuverability of these XL wings.  Not sure if I want to go there.  For example, Wing root- NACA 4416 down to wing tip, NACA 4414.  Just a thought.  maybe it would lessen the outer wing torque against your feet?  Just wondereing.

41

Foil SUP / Dry Land Training

« on: November 14, 2018, 07:12:55 AM »

Dragged the old unicycle out of the shed since the gales of November have pretty much destroyed our surf opportunities. Not to mention having to kill some time one afternoon.  I was absolutely amazed how similar riding a unicycle is relative to foiling.  The whole upper body turning thing is practically identical though more pronounced on a unicycle, unless of course you are Austin Kalama.  His upper body swinging motions are just about the same.  I just hope it translates to better foiling technique while I wait for better conditions.

42

Foil SUP / Inserts for foot straps?

« on: October 16, 2018, 01:24:38 PM »

Having never put foot straps on a board, I was wondering what all the foot strap guys use for inserts into the board.  I was going to use stainless T-nuts but figured you guys would have a better alternative.  Thanks, in advance.

43

Foil SUP / A little is a lot

« on: October 08, 2018, 06:22:46 AM »

I'm not really sure who said this first with regards to foiling but find it to be the perfect  descriptive phrase for foiling. .  Dave Kalama comes to mind though it could have been a number of other early adopters of this addictive sport.  Finally finished my 6' x 29" Fugly and other than the need to move my tuttle back 3" , it worked quite well.   
    Now to get to my point.  Over the years I have spent a considerable amount of time reviewing the research having to do with surface skin drag reduction on hulls moving through water.  Anything from polymer infusion, air bubble infusion, super hydrophobic surfaces, riblets of varying size and texture, Earl Pedersons "Jet Bottoms",  Jick Mebane "Jick Bottoms"  and various other methods. 

    My hypothesis being that if we could lessen the surface skin drag by only a small amount we may be able to create a board that lifts free of the surface that much sooner and with greater ease.  To do this I used the same carbon fiber tow strips to create a rippled surface that would decrease the laminar flow, adding a slight bit of "confusion to the water, thereby decreasing the drag coefficient.  Of course, this is not easy, having to vacuum bag the glass over these strips to maintain the ribbed and pleasurable feeling.  Well, it got done and with a bit of cabinet scraping of the valleys there is a noticeable ripple to the bottom of my board. 

     Now, I have only tried this board once and on a very big day which is not ideal at my experience level but here is what I found.  Maybe Kalama type Fuglys do this automatically, but compared to my 7' 4" Simmons inspired SUP, this board got up to speed and flying almost immediately. Of course, I have no control group to compare with but I was impressed.  Maybe it's the Placebo Effect but at least I'm satisfied with the fact that all this work trying to texture the hull did not slow it down any.  It is going to take some getting used to but so far so good.   

     I definitely would appreciate any one else's experience or knowledge pertaining to the subject of "Skin Drag Reduction"  But I will continue with the notion that in all aspects of foiling--------------------A Little is a Lot!

   

44

Foil SUP / Foot strap placement?

« on: September 25, 2018, 04:24:52 AM »

I have read past posts regarding this topic but none give specifics.  Having never put straps on a board, I am wondering how far off center to put the mounting nuts.  Just thought I'd ask before I do this.  I know where my feet are going but am curious as to how much to the toe side of the stringer they will be attached.  Thanks in advance.

45

Foil SUP / Stability of Kalama type "Fugly" boards witout mast and foil

« on: August 04, 2018, 06:14:09 AM »

Anybody ever get on one of these fugly  boards without the mast and foil?  It appears to me that they would be somewhat unstable with the least amount of foam at the rails.  Without the  stabilizing aspect of the long "keel" I would imagine that they are tricky to balance on.