Author Topic: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor  (Read 10886 times)

jondrums

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Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« on: April 08, 2019, 03:54:09 PM »
I've been following this thread on Surfer forums where Kaser and others are talking about modifying the tails of IWA and Maliko setups.

the photo below is great comparing the wing Alex modified to a KAI wing.  Can anyone that has one do me a huge favor and measure the span of the KAI tail so I can modify my tail to the same dimensions?


PonoBill

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2019, 06:18:14 PM »
I don't have one, but I can tell you this--you don't really want to go to the same dimensions. The Kai tail doesn't balance the Iwa or M200 wing very well. I tried one and had to move my footstrap forward more than an inch to get my nose down, and it didn't feel right. I took an inch and a half off one of my Maliko tails, and it was a little too much. An inch would be good.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Califoilia

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2019, 07:15:06 PM »
Agree with Bill...I'd see if you can borrow a Kai tail to try before you go cutting down your Iwa/Maliko tail.

I too heard about the wonders of the Kai tail with the Iwa wing, and I "wondered" what all the fuss was about. Don't feel that much more turn-ability (yes, it was "looser", but more of a tail slide than a quicker, shorter, grabbing turn from it), and felt as though there was nothing there to pump with when I needed it.

I know a couple prone guys on some tiny potato chip crumb boards are loving it, but know of only on SUP foiler that stayed with the setup, and swears by it....the rest of us went back to the regular Iwa/Maliko tail.
Me: 6'1"/185...(2) 5'1" Kings Foil/Wing Boards...7'10 Kings DW Board...9'6" Bob Pearson "Laird Noserider"...14' Lahui Kai "Manta"...8'0" WaveStorm if/when the proning urges still hit.

Beasho

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2019, 08:58:28 PM »
Sorry I owed you a picture

jondrums

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2019, 09:12:51 PM »
Thanks Beasho!

I'm not planning on cutting down to the size of the KAI, I'm planning on cutting to the same size as the photo of Kaser1's wing, which I can only determine in relation to the size of the KAI tail shown placed on top of it.    Hope that makes sense...

jondrums

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2019, 02:59:57 PM »
Finally got around to cutting down the IWA wing.  Turned out to be pretty darn easy.  Diamond cutoff wheels for a Dremel, dust mask, and 60 grit sandpaper is that is needed.  Will post up impressions once I get a few sessions on it.

careful measurements and markups.  I decided to go with 420mm total width.


Dremel diamond grit cutoff wheel


Goes through like butter!   Use a mask - carbon fiber dust is really bad stuff.


After sanding, looks good to me...

Califoilia

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2019, 04:55:50 PM »
Very clean job, nicely done. I'm curious to hear your report on how it rode, and how you liked it one way or the other. 
Me: 6'1"/185...(2) 5'1" Kings Foil/Wing Boards...7'10 Kings DW Board...9'6" Bob Pearson "Laird Noserider"...14' Lahui Kai "Manta"...8'0" WaveStorm if/when the proning urges still hit.

jondrums

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #7 on: May 29, 2019, 01:02:08 AM »
quick first ride report - I love it!  it is very noticeably more unstable and therefore quite a bit more playful and "turny". I felt comfortable riding deep in the pocket on waves that I was previously racing for the soft part of the shoulder, not sure why.  It didn't seem to paddle any faster while in the water, but somehow it did seem a little easier to catch waves, accelerate, and pop up out of the water with it (not sure if that's in my head).  I'm not a big 2for1 pumper, so I can't weigh in on that just yet.  Same foot position seemed to work well still.

jondrums

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2019, 04:15:56 PM »
Update after three total sessions.

Some other poster suggested that after cutting down the tail they had to move foot position forward.  I haven't found this at all, in fact I think the foil exerts a lot less of a tendency to lift on its own.  This has been great on the steeper stuff - I don't have to overweight the front foot to keep the foil in the water - I can take off with a normal weight balance and can keep the board down easily, but also pop it up easily as well.  In general, it seems that everything is much more sensitive to weight balance, but that also means I have quicker control.  Definitely would not be good during the learning phase.

I've noticed that very low speed lift is noticeably better.  I can get the thing to fly (and keep it flying) at a much lower speed, but requiring a pretty high angle of attack.  I always had moments of being able to do that on the stock tail, but now it is much easier and much more stable.  This has been great for catching slow waves really early because I can get the board to catch and get out of the water without requiring nearly as much speed.

I will say that I can't detect any major change to pumping.  I wasn't able to pump my IWA out for a 2 for 1 before, and I can't magically do that now either.  I think it SHOULD be better just based on the better slow speed lift that I've been seeing, but I'm not able to translate that into pump-ability just yet.

Maneuverability is awesome.  This thing wants to turn and slash.  Top turns are more fun now, cutbacks are dramatically easier, and hitting the critical section and reversing back into the pit is easier as well.    This configuration wants to turn and it is fun.

jondrums

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2019, 04:17:56 PM »
btw. I'm about #205 without a wetsuit and paddle

Beasho

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2019, 05:12:55 PM »
Great report.

My experience with the KAI tail is similar.  MUCH less front foot required when using IWA wing.

Such a huge difference that I need to slide my front foot back 4" to maintain comfortable balance. 

I did NOT notice better pumping but did notice much better turnability and twitchiness.

All this said and I am a HUGE fan of flying the IWA wing in BIG waves.  The small tail let you keep the nose down and fly in Big Big stuff.  The small tail is frankly the game changer for BIG waves.  No need for a smaller wing.

I've got Haley Fiske and Jeff Clark on a similar program.  The key is to have the big front wing to continue flying after the wave loses its energy to push, which even big waves fade far enough from the pit.

 

PonoBill

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #11 on: May 31, 2019, 09:54:04 PM »
Weight is obviously part of the equation. At 235 I'm at the end of the spectrum where what other people experience is of limited value. I'm back to a standard stabilizer and finding it good. The last few days I was in shorebreak with highly variable power. I think the stabilzer saved me. I could control my M200 with minimal effort. It doesn't turn as well as it does with a smaller tail, but the pitch control is easier. But nothing really helps when your wing hits the sand.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Beasho

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #12 on: June 01, 2019, 01:50:22 AM »
Weight is obviously part of the equation. .......
But nothing really helps when your wing hits the sand.

Nuf said  ;D

Beasho

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #13 on: June 01, 2019, 12:28:56 PM »
I was out flying today on the:

1) Tall Mast with GoFoil IWA
2) Small Tail - Kai Tail
3) 6' 6" Easy Foiler

Waves were 'Dentonian' meaning it was a skills session.  5 to 7 feet with a chop factor of 8/10.  Hard to even stand.  Slight 5 mph onshore wind.

The small tail was fantastic. 

However I was very conscious to slide my foot back in the front strap.  I have a LONG front strap that allows me to take off foot all the way forward.  The board will NOT overfoil but is hard to keep the nose up.  When I slide my foot backward 4" the board becomes ethereal.  It's like the board lost a foot of nose.  It turns, and IT PUMPS.

Really cool.  Glad I tried it again.  I was skeptical of using the small tail in 'smaller' conditions but it took off and flew GREAT!
« Last Edit: June 01, 2019, 12:34:32 PM by Beasho »

Beasho

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Re: Want to cut down IWA tail, need a favor
« Reply #14 on: June 01, 2019, 12:33:12 PM »
Front strap was attached, in the back, with a stick-on NSI mount.

 


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