Messages

136

Foil SUP / Re: GoFoil: amazing wings with crappy tails

« on: October 20, 2020, 07:33:12 PM »

Canada, yes, amen to picking up last gen gear. Thankful for the innovators for the deals.

About your mount, you mentioned tuck tape first. Why do you do that before the mold release and doesn’t that make it too loose or does it not matter? I’d love a link if Clam ever did a build thread. I love his chop shop stuff.

Tuck tape...I think that is to help ensure it releases.  So thin that I don't think it have any impact on fit (but duct tape would be too thick)(just realized tuck tape may be Canadian only...same as tyvek tape or venture sheating tape...very thin and shiny, for air barrier in house building). Oh yeah, you need to fill the screw hole flat too...butyl tape or playdoh, something like that.

Getting the mold off brought some intense moments, when it wouldn't release, and me figuring I destroyed my $$$ gofoil, haha.  Clam's tip was to fibreglass a lip on it, then cut a plywood jig that goes over fuselage, so you can hammer on it to get it off.  But that didn't work...I ended up cutting it down the middle very carefully, slipping it off, reapplying mold release, then doing the top again....came off easy when just one side is epoxied.  <phew>

I don't recall a build thread, but will look around, he may have sent me some photos too.

137

Foil SUP / Re: GoFoil: amazing wings with crappy tails

« on: October 20, 2020, 01:00:07 PM »

If you are considering DIY options for GoFoil tails ... here's what I came up with for a home-made connector.  I have been playing around with making front wings for a while. The connector is made by putting tuck tape on the fuselage, then mold release, then a layer of cloth/resin, knock it off the fuselage, then build it up with cloth/carbon, resin, then glass it in place on the wing.  [technique thanks to Clamsmasha]

Same process for the stabilizer, but with one bolt hole for the gofoil fuselage screw-in, and then a second behind it using a 1/4" rivnut. This gives a nice solid connection.

I seem to have lucked out, in that my bolt holes line up perfect with my new-to-me zeeko spitfire. All 3 stabs  fit, so I have given up on diy stab construction for the moment, testing these out instead. So far, the XLW is my favourite, the regular is tiny and super loose, the XXLW not yet tried out, quite big.

I did some prior DIY experiments making wings from G10 for my stringy kite-foil.  The holes don't line up for the go-foil, so I may make another fuselage connector to try these out too.  And perhaps I will also play around with adding some height for a pedestal, to get it out of the wash from the front wing.

Side note: as Clay says above, it is interesting to see the high aspect surf foil designs circling back to kite foils.  I started kite foiling back in 2013ish, when race foiling was all the rage. I got laughed at for my clunky low aspect carafino and then later on for my large surface area stringy set up ... slow comparatively.  Then surf foils came along and changed everything, with big low aspect foils, going slow with tiny kites.  I still get laughed at, but now for my impossibly small low profile stringy/spitfire wings.  And now in surf foils, you are basically a caveman if you are still riding kai/iwa/maliko range...full circle!  I am hopeful that with the next level NL wings released, some of you early adopters may sell me your abandoned GL wings cheap.   

138

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: The humble fuselage...

« on: October 14, 2020, 03:53:20 PM »

If the fuselage shape makes no difference, then why are plane bodies curved instead of square? 

Teeing that one up for the hydrodynamic, aeronautic, fluid mechanica' engineer types.

 

139

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: wing leash

« on: October 13, 2020, 01:45:02 PM »

Never gave it much thought either....left, front hand forward in dominant surf stance.  But I prefer to attach it to my belt or harness.  I am careful not to attach it to same belt as my board leash is attached to though -- as worst case scenario, belt failure = losing both wing and board = possible big trouble.  Wearing harness means attached board leash to rear pull line and wing leash to the clip for kite leash, perfect.

140

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: Wing harness?

« on: October 13, 2020, 01:39:41 PM »

I've just been using a rope, tied to front and rear handles.  Works ok, but sometimes difficult to disengage, gets a bit 'sticky'. 

I kinda thought having the harness lines wider would be helpful, so you are balancing the top and bottom of the wing at a central point, would help control its angle. But I see both above are just attached to a single handle or two handles.  You find these work just as well?

141

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: bending aluminum masts in the surf

« on: October 13, 2020, 01:32:28 PM »

Buddy has successfully bent back a few slingshot ones.  In a machinist shop I think, so probably using heavy duty methods like ponobill describes.

Carbon won't bend but it can snap, pros and cons there I guess.

142

Prone Foiling, Surf foiling, Pump Foiling / Re: Ok, post up your prone foil gear

« on: October 09, 2020, 02:01:20 PM »

Decade long lurker, now finally registered, woo hoo!

I figure I'll start off with a "this is me" post.  Here's all my DIY boards, a couple surf, but all the rest foils.   My wife is stoked to do the art, so it's a family affair.   I always wanted to make a surfboard, but too intimidated.  But for foiling, the cost and rareness of new board pushed me over the edge into trying.  Been a lot of fun.

I am mostly transitioned now from sup foil to prone. My current main ride is 5' x 20" x 2.75" with a GoFoil setup ... Iwa mainly, Kai when bigger, Maliko200 when smaller. 

Also long-term kiter and kite foiler, still do that, but winging ate kite foiling's lunch last summer.  :-)

[PS I am juandesooka on the other forums...I recognize a few names here, maybe it's the same dozen frothing riders on all the forums LOL]