Seeking Tow in downwidning advice

[muzy]

Hey there. New to the forum and looking to get some much-needed advice as I look towards buying my first foil.
My overall aim is to get into downwinding on a shortboard. I live on the south coast of Ireland and we have endless wind and offshore swell throughout the year. My aim is to tow start behind a boat and carve away under my own steam from there (with practice).

I will be retrofitting the foil I purchase to an existing 6"1 shortboard with the Foil Mount system. I know these aren't bulletproof but I'm on a budget so I don't have the coins for a board yet.

I've done my research and come up with the following options. Please throw any advice my way. I'm 6ft 3 and 88kg.

Option 1 - F-ONE Gravity 2200 with a 75cm mast
Option 2 - Axis Foil 1020 or 920 Front wing - 440 rear wing - 75cm mast - short fuselage

I've looked a gofoil but I can get either of the above for under 1500?. Goofoils are all above 2000?


So that's where I'm at right now. Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks a mil!

[PonoBill]

I have experience with Axis and Gofoil, and I'm currently using Axis because I like how the parts attach. At your weight the 1020 will be a bit big , though it's fine to start with. I'm 225# (102kq) and my 1020 stays in the truck unless the wind is very light. I don't use the 920 either, I find it to be almost as draggy as the 1020. If you can get a 101 I'd start there.

Towing is fine as long as the boat is going to stay with you. If it's just to get a start you'll be finding you need to learn to get up on a swell pretty quickly. It's not an easy thing. I've been working at it off and on for over a year and my record is 50 feet of flying.

By foil mount system I assume you're talking about a stick on track. I'd say these are fine for a windsurfer or an extremely stout board, but any standard surfboard will quickly de-laminate. You'd be better off either getting a prefab, heavy duty tuttle box mounted, or if you have someone very good at modifying boards you could add tracks, but they need a lot of reinformcement--you can't just rely on the surface of the board to support them. A title mount like the one goPro offers is a good solution as long as it is well mounted, attched and reinforced on the deck as well as the bottom. Lots of forces going on with a foil.

[supfoo]

If your using a stick on foil plate system make sure your foil floats.....