Messages

31

Foil SUP / Re: Another revelation about the Barricuda style Kalama board!

« on: June 07, 2023, 10:42:57 AM »

I'm almost a month in and I've been exclusively surfing the barracuda in all conditions.  Balance on the board is pretty much nailed now, but does take constant focus.

After about a dozen sessions, I decided to take my old "barndoor" style foil SUP out for a spin.  I could absolutely not believe how hard it was to catch waves.   Its so slow I took it right back in and traded out again.  I'll never use it again I reckon.

I've ridden everything from tiny tiny tiny non-breaking waves (the only limit here is when it gets this small it gets shallow too).  To big fast long period (not huge like Beasho).  Catching waves super early is really fun.   This board catches waves.

Riding and pumping works fine and honestly the board is light enough that it all works well.  I can feel the size, but you get used to it quickly.

And I've been winging the board as well.  For wing on the lighter side or gusty, its really really nice.  Never worry about getting up on foil.   When the wind is stronger or more consistent, there's no benefit and its much more fun to be on a small board.

32

Random / Re: Magicseaweed - so long and thanks

« on: June 07, 2023, 10:34:08 AM »

I'm so spoiled by this view.  every single thing I could want in one place.  Surf-Forecast comes somewhat close, but is missing tide display and you need to hover to see primary, secondary, tertiary swell.  And a small point - first light is what matters to me not sunrise...

33

Random / Re: Vision Pro

« on: June 07, 2023, 10:31:08 AM »

The apple car will be absolutely amazing IF it ever arrives.  That's the thing.  Apple would never launch it unless it is - that's core to the engineering culture there.  They've been screwing around with the project for 10 years now and I bet we'll never see it.  But if we do, I'm confident it will be jaw-dropping

34

Foil SUP / Re: Day 1 downwind training, questions and Barracuda impressions.

« on: May 21, 2023, 12:39:15 AM »

I have to say, light wing winging on the barracuda is AMAZING.  So much fun

35

Classifieds / Re: Axis ART 999 & 899

« on: May 12, 2023, 12:50:48 PM »

sorry to pollute a for sale thread.  I have and love the 899, someone should buy this.  I found it superior to a number of other options in a similar size/lift.  What has replaced it in your quiver if you don't mind me asking?

36

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: Wing Foil in the Lightest Winds Possible With a Downwind Board

« on: May 12, 2023, 12:49:34 PM »

getting good at switch stance comes faster than you think.  Getting good at pumping switch stance might take a little longer.  I'm still back foot pumping instead of front foot pumping my board when switch stance, which works ok, but not nearly as well.  Same with active foot-switches while foiling.  At first it seems nearly impossible to avoid an explosion, but then it clicks.   Go a few more sessions and check in and I bet you'll have it figured out.

37

Foil SUP / Re: Day 1 downwind training, questions and Barracuda impressions.

« on: May 11, 2023, 09:24:48 PM »

I have the same board and am figuring it out at the same time.

My initial observation is that the balance point of the board fore-aft when floating and at low speeds is well ahead of where you need to be when foiling.  The bumps in the deck pad seem to be in the right spot for my feet with my foil mounted center of the boxes.  But if I put my feet there at slow speeds, it sinks the tail.  So I need to get paddling slightly split stance with my back foot forward and slide it back when there is enough speed to engage the foil.

38

Foil SUP / Re: Another revelation about the Barricuda style Kalama board!

« on: May 10, 2023, 01:02:16 PM »

Bumping this thread to get the conversation back going.

I became the proud owner last night of one of Dave's production models - the 8'0" x 21" 111ltr (I'm #205+wetsuit)

I've been bugging him about it for months and finally they got the production run in stock and things all happened fast.  Buying from him was a great experience, shipping to my local airport included in the price, and shipping only took as long as a plane flight.

Well, I got it out on the water this morning.  A dismal day otherwise with howling onshore winds and short period slop but with some energy behind it.  Getting used to standing on this thing was quite a trip.  At first it seemed absolutely impossible, but within half an hour I was up and standing even in the terrible conditions.  Not easy by any stretch, I would more say - possible.    I was still falling a lot with the jumbled conditions but doable.

I had both the strap and the foil in the wrong place, but once I adjusted my approach its a swell catching machine.  With the onshore wind, I just paddled directly out to sea as far as I wanted and then turned and grabbed pretty much anything that was clean swell to surf back in.  The really nice surprise was that the board pumps almost as well as my short wide "door" foilSUP so I was able to get a few double and triple ups.

Overall a fun time, and I can tell it will only get better as I figure out the tuning/placements.

39

The Shape Shack / Re: Infinity Tails

« on: April 19, 2023, 01:09:27 PM »

a few questions that I don't have answers for:
* do we want vertical stab(s) on the tail?
* I guess the drag of the tail comes from lift induced drag and surface area drag.  Is an infinity tail a more efficient way to get the lift (downforce) we need with minimal drag?

40

The Shape Shack / Re: Ultralight Board Designs

« on: April 10, 2023, 04:56:27 PM »

sorry to geek out one step too far, but I guess that's why we're all here anyway, right?

What fuse lengths are they on?

41

The Shape Shack / Re: Ultralight Board Designs

« on: March 29, 2023, 07:40:52 PM »

wow, watching Josh and Kyle taking off on nothing like that - I can see the game has changed again.  glad to hear the feedback that the footstrap is still useful, I'm totally sold on front footstrap but I don't have a flatwater/downwind rig.  Yet!

42

The Shape Shack / Re: Ultralight Board Designs

« on: March 27, 2023, 03:14:45 PM »

are you finding that you need/want the front footstrap?  I have been assuming that it wouldn't be needed on a downwind style board.  I mostly use mine on my "shortboard" for force pumping the board into a wave.  Seems like the takeoff action on a board like this is more about getting up to speed rather than pumping the board out of the water

43

The Shape Shack / Re: Progress, revelations and musings

« on: March 27, 2023, 03:12:46 PM »

Admin - how are you extracting the foil sections?  I did it before with paper but it took longer than 20 minutes all told

44

Foil SUP / Re: Axis Downwind Boards - inverse relationship of length/volume and width

« on: March 27, 2023, 11:14:15 AM »

I think stance width of the rider changes the "sensitivity" to weight shifts as well as "reaction time". 

With a wide foot stance, when the board tilts, the rider compensates with the large upper leg muscles to stay balanced.  With a narrow enough stance, everything can be compensated with fast-twitch muscles in the lower leg.

Said a different way, if the board tilts XX degrees to one side, you have to make one leg longer than the other to keep your body in the right position.  With feet closer together, less movement is necessary in the body to do so.  If you get too close together there is not enough leverage to right the board when it starts rocking/tilting.

45

The Shape Shack / Re: Maximum Displacement Hull Speed

« on: March 13, 2023, 12:45:02 PM »

There is a caveat that a LONG THIN Shape can exceed this maximum

You explained Connor's speed in your original post.  The board he is paddling doesn't follow the rules because it is long and thin.  I believe this exception is quite relevant to the barracuda shape as well.