Author Topic: Which board should I use for my first setup?  (Read 2895 times)

sharksupper

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Which board should I use for my first setup?
« on: August 22, 2017, 07:37:25 PM »
Hi guys,

I picked up a Lift 170 Surf/SUP foil (new, not on their site yet) to give SUP surf foiling a first try.

My primary regular surfing SUP is a 2015 Naish Hokua 7'8 x 27.75 (96L).  I'm 175lbs.

Just sitting around, I have a 2011 Hokua 7'3 x 28.25 (100L), and a 2011 Hokua 8'5 x 28 (115L).  I want to use one of these two as the foil guinea pig and save the 7'8 for regular surfing.

My intuition tells me to go for the bigger 8'5 to start out.  I'm intending on trying this out on smaller slower waves, so want to be able to paddle in easier.  Others tell me the smaller/shorter the better, so then the 7'3 sounds like the right choice... but much harder to paddle into waves!

So which sounds like the better choice?  I'm going to use a FoilMount to stick this puppy on, in case that makes a difference.

Thanks for the advice!

Newps

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Re: Which board should I use for my first setup?
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2017, 10:11:37 PM »
I am learning to foil too.  I found catching waves with a foil to be much harder then my smaller SUP surfing board.  Lots of things contribute to this and you will quickly understand what I am saying once you get in the surf.  I believe you are fortunate that both of your options are Naish.  You can use the stick on mount option because of their sandwich construction.  I would go with the bigger option.  Once you get better...then a lot better...:).  You can re-evaluate your options.  This technology is evolving so who knows what will be available by the time you have mastered the Foil on the 8'5". 
L41 SIMSUP S4 - 7'4" x 30 1/4" x 4 1/2" 112L
L41 SIMSUP S5 - 7'6" x 27 1/2" x 4 3/16" 106L
L41 SIMSUP S4 - 7'8" x 31"x 4 1/2" 122L - Modded w/ a King's TUT Tuttle box and using a King's foil.
L41 SIMSUP S4 - 7'10" x 30 1/4" x 4 1/2" 120L
Starboard Whopper - 10' x 34" x 4 1/3" 171L - w/ FCS GL-1 fins

sharksupper

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Re: Which board should I use for my first setup?
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2017, 10:50:57 PM »
Awesome, thanks for the advice!  Excited to try something new.

My buddy has a 1500ft winch on a river to get used to the foil before I hit the waves with it.  Hopefully that will ease the learning curve.

supthecreek

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Re: Which board should I use for my first setup?
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2017, 12:24:04 PM »
Note:

If you use a stick on mount:
tether your foil to the board (leash plug or somewhere)

My buddy Paul lost his foil the very 1st day.
Luckily, later in the day, someone saw it and he was able to retrieve it.
Never came unstuck again.... but he always tethers it.

sharksupper

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Re: Which board should I use for my first setup?
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2017, 02:20:32 PM »
Thanks for the tip!  Was your buddy using the Foilmount?

blueplanetsurf

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Re: Which board should I use for my first setup?
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2017, 05:37:59 PM »
Using the bigger board will make it easier to learn for sure but once you get the hang of it you will want to use the smaller one.  The foil creates some lift when you take off, so it's easier to catch a wave on a small board than without a foil once you figure out how to use that lift in your favor.
Robert Stehlik
Blue Planet Surf Shop, Honolulu
Hawaii's SUP HQ
http://www.blueplanetsurf.com

sharksupper

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Re: Which board should I use for my first setup?
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2017, 08:06:36 PM »
Understood, this makes sense.  Love your guys videos by the way!  The best out there for really learning how to do this!  Thanks!!!  Mahalo!


sharksupper

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Re: Which board should I use for my first setup?
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2017, 08:12:31 PM »
The only last thing I'm trying to come to grips with is the foil placement on the board.  The Foilmount is adjustable, but not by much.

Reading everything I could find and looking at examples I came up with 21-22" from the rear of the board to the rear of the Foilmount plate.  I placed some cardboard on the mount (until I get the foil) to get an idea of the geometry.  Looking at suggestions it seems like you just want a little bit of board deck angled up with the foil flat and level.  Just 2-3deg maybe?  How does that sound?
« Last Edit: August 23, 2017, 08:18:51 PM by sharksupper »

sharksupper

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Re: Which board should I use for my first setup?
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2017, 09:36:04 PM »
This post didn't work the first time.

Here is the board deck level (and upside down) with a cardboard "mast" to see what the foil angle would look like.  Does this look ok?


supuk

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Re: Which board should I use for my first setup?
« Reply #9 on: August 23, 2017, 10:34:48 PM »
Looks a bit much personly but If it's a plate style mount you will be able to shim it.

JimK

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Re: Which board should I use for my first setup?
« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2017, 09:56:08 AM »
I'm NO FOIL expert

but we have found that the fuselage needs to be parallel to the flat of the board and it seems to me the "Stick On" mount doesn't accommodate this It seemed critical to foils control but again I'm just learning

JimK
Extreme Windsurfing

sharksupper

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Re: Which board should I use for my first setup?
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2017, 11:49:23 AM »
I was worried about that angle as well, which caused me to edge the mount slightly forward when sticking it on.  However, in my case, the Lift foil's mast is slightly pre-angled where it meets the fuselage, so things end up pretty close to level.  When we had the foil flying at speed the deck of the board was level with the water surface.  When I went into the waves, I actually felt I needed to move it back a little.  I wanted just slightly more nose up when taking off because the nose was coming really close to digging in a couple of times on drop in.

 


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