foiling on a SUP!

[PonoBill]

What I'm planning requires some added tech--some of which I already developed. the rear foils would be out just a few inches from the edge of the board and would be inverse wings mounted on a crossbar on top of the board. The board steers by twisting the crossbar with a servo--RC rudder and autopilot. The front foil is a standard wing. Probably high aspect ratio to give some tip stability without excess drag. Right now this is just all in my head. but it shouldn't be hard to build. the standard foil on a pillar doesn't make too much sense for a long, narrow board.

The length gives pitch stability and should make it easy to trim. the hull will be hitting the water fairly often, but hopefully won't give sudden braking since most of the weight will be on the foils even if the hull strikes. I think you could get monster glides with such a board. Maybe stay in a swell as long as you want.

[capobeachboy]

That's Bruno from Nah Skwell.  I remember him messing with foils at least five years ago. 

[supuk]

Something similar to a moth works well to keep trim but then there is a new windsurf foil board being developed here in the uk that is nothing like anything else out there. I have a friend who paddles and is working for the Hugo boss sailing team who was going through the principals of there new systems that was very interesting and said he would organise meeting up with the designers to chat about sup which would be super cool.

[spookini]

Is this the closest we can come to the hoverboard from Back to the Future?

No, that topic was covered several threads ago...

[lucabrasi]

Is this the closest we can come to the hoverboard from Back to the Future?

No, that topic was covered several threads ago...

Aqui tambien.

[supthecreek]

Watching Laird on his first foil board made me think that they were perfect for big rolling ocean swells that never break top to bottom.

Imagine flowing around on those big rolling hills.... all that chop and you're gliding smoothly along.... in the middle of nowhere 

[tautologies]

Word is that you can surf large unbroken waves so it's not really made for shore break for most folks.

I'd think a breakaway mechanism would be the way to go on these or some sort of spring loading, but then you get crazy weight.

Maybe best for those big outer reef swells that never really break but get big.

Also the sensation is apparently amazing, even more like flying.

It does not have to big breaks, but does need some depth. Once you have control you can ride them reasonably shallow.  Back in the day for towing in without the breaking wave pain, then yes outside reef would be it.

On both tow-in and kiteboarding its a very special type feeling, but for me once I started jumping them, doing rotations I didn't feel like I could do much more and got a bit bored. Now they have figured out how to control them at high speeds so it is a bit more interesting again. The ride in general is very quiet and fewer bumps from the ocean.

I've ridden them in anything from boots to straps to strapless.
I don't think bills plan will be a success, its just the way the board are on the water. Bumping on the water causes a lot of friction. Cavitation can be bad if the blade gets air, the reaction for a foil is to sink. If you have shallow foils on the front and back, I think you are highly susceptible to that. I doubt it is much worse getting hit by a sup foil then a regular sup. Low AR would also be more stable at lower speeds and not higher AR. Anyways that just my take on it, but I am not an expert.   

[jondrums]

Bill - I'm no expert on this, but it seems like the distance fore-to-aft between the front and rear foils is critical to the ride-ability.  If this dimension gets too big, it seems like it would be very hard to control the attitude of the board - or at least very slow.  I think the control lag inherent would make it really tough to respond to real ocean conditions.

I really like the idea that someone had to put a control surface on it like the Moth - I have always thought that was ingenious.  That'd be the right thing for a downwinder board IMO.  I'm interested to get involved with an effort to develop this further!

[jondrums]

down wind foilings been on my mind for ages, would love to get one and stuf it in a board but there not cheap! if there are any CAD bods out there who want to draw up some moulds that I can cnc out I will happily make them a foil too.

can you copy this?  I am a CAD jockey, but I don't really know how to size the foils.

[jondrums]

I retract my last statement about your idea Bill, I really don't know what I'm talking about.  Check this out - strikingly similar to what you described:
http://www.foils.org/miller.htm

[PonoBill]

I retract my last statement about your idea Bill, I really don't know what I'm talking about.  Check this out - strikingly similar to what you described:
http://www.foils.org/miller.htm

Wow, that is one butt-ugly site. Sooner or later I'll do some drawings. similar principle though the rear foils will look more like angled rudders. more moth-like but not aimed at lifting the board more than a few inches off the water. foil is just controlling, adjusting the pitch.

[supuk]

Found the crazy looking uk one!take a look here http://www.ifoil.co.uk

[supuk]

down wind foilings been on my mind for ages, would love to get one and stuf it in a board but there not cheap! if there are any CAD bods out there who want to draw up some moulds that I can cnc out I will happily make them a foil too.

can you copy this?  I am a CAD jockey, but I don't really know how to size the foils.

Yes basically it would need to just be a two part  negative mould I would need to cnc or I gess I could maybe just use carbon over foam for prototypes. I will have to see if I can organise a chat with this Hugo Boss guy and see what they think would be the best way to start and what size ect otherwise just a copy of one of the ones out there to start playing with would be good.

[SUPcheat]

Seem interesting as a concept and maybe fun to try, but I fail to see how riding a few feet above the water vs. having a sense of contact with the water through the board would be a superior experience. I suppose gaining access to previously inaccessible wave types might be the main draw.

Definitely not compatible with a lot of shoaling reefs and shallow tide areas.

[Weasels wake]

Well if it would work with a kayak ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~