Author Topic: Personal tow in  (Read 10467 times)

PonoBill

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Re: Personal tow in
« Reply #15 on: December 09, 2020, 08:10:22 AM »
Or really hate relying on other people. Apparently, the price is a secret, or at least I can't find it. That usually means stupid expensive. 150 horsepower???
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.

Dwight (DW)

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flkiter

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Re: Personal tow in
« Reply #17 on: December 09, 2020, 09:57:22 AM »
I think a $100 trolling motor paired with the control unit to the battery on top of a board off choice and you're all set. Might get up slower than the $12,000 efoil but faster you can get to your feet, pump to foil and you're all set. Might need a new section as the home built systems start popping up in a month. Monkey see, monkey do.

PonoBill

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Re: Personal tow in
« Reply #18 on: December 09, 2020, 11:38:59 AM »
I've got cheap trolling motor guts at the shop, 85 pounds of thrust. I've seen stronger 24V ones that would probably be better and worth the investment, especially if they're building them with brushless motors. Pair that with a Tesla Model S battery module that you can get for about $1500 (56 pounds and 5.6KWH) and you probably have the basics. There's an inexpensive DIY charge/discharge controller that uses the Model S slave BMS for about $300. I'd take a page from Elon's new playbook and pot the entire battery along with the controller in expanding foam. Probably take advantage of the water cooling system in the module, though it unlikely to get very hot at the low power draw of a less than ten HP motor.

I also have a 3KW bike motor that might be cool if it's done as an inboard motor. The electronics to do it all well are not trivial, but feasible and not expensive.

I can do something like that Instagram video with the Takuma efoil I've got. the video kind of looks like my efoil. I'd have to do a bit of swimming since it won't come get me. That or attach a leash to the tow handle.
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.

liv2surf

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Re: Personal tow in
« Reply #19 on: December 17, 2020, 06:59:44 PM »
This is such a great thread - definitely going to follow. For a while I have been interested in a jetski drone -for powered foiling, solo tow-ins on foil ...and which can return to pick me up or reset and repeat. Thought of it first as a kiter who could not use all the strong offshore days. Could be great for riding swell offshore. I agree that it is hard to get someone to follow you on a ski or in a boat - so this solo solution would be great. I found the gas powered Solo wakeboard/waterski drone a few years ago. I surf in a sanctuary and can't use gas powered. Also that think looks a bit overkill for the foil. And what's not to like about batteries and electric motors.  Anyway, I look forward to the exciting discussions and developments.
5'6 Quatro Wingdrifter Pro 105L; Cabrinha Mantis 3.1m, 4m, 5m and 6m; Axis 1000 (1150, 1020); Project Cedrus 91 cm carbon mast (68 cm fuse, 440/5000 rear); 9'6" CRUZ Surf foil SUP (152L); Chinook Thrust 92 Paddle -- fixed 78" length; 'prone' longboards on the rack, kites in the garage.

PonoBill

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Re: Personal tow in
« Reply #20 on: December 17, 2020, 08:30:35 PM »
Turns out my new Takuma/Avante efoil works great for this with the foil removed and the tow rope with PVC pipe tiller added. Tried it yesterday with my foil board and 1150/460 Axis setup. Easy money. I leashed the tow rope to my wrist. worked fine for flatwater. I want this setup to tow me into unbroken waves and then come pick me up. I know how to do that, but the sum total of tools and electronics I have with me is a backpack full and I need my whole shop. Oh well, I'll use it as is.
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.

PonoBill

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Re: Personal tow in
« Reply #21 on: December 18, 2020, 06:06:11 AM »
I'm going to switch to waist leash. the yank after I fell wasn't huge, but it's more than the pull of the leash when I fall off the efoil. It makes sense, the deadman switch shuts off the motor but the board doesn't crash like it does with the foil. There's a little time delay built into the deadman so you can wiggle your fingers as well.
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.

clay

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Re: Personal tow in
« Reply #22 on: December 18, 2020, 10:08:15 AM »
Foiling keep getting better and better.

Towing in to unbroken waves without a noisy stinky jetski sounds rad!  Super stoked to see where this goes.
Aloha, I welcome and appreciate all responses of positivity and good feeling.

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toejammer2

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Re: Personal tow in
« Reply #23 on: December 18, 2020, 12:56:55 PM »
This guy (Rulof Maker) could probably figure something out. He also made “foot propellers” out of beer aluminum beer bottles. Lol!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxcHqwVZf2I

Tom

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Re: Personal tow in
« Reply #24 on: December 18, 2020, 02:46:27 PM »
if you're going to tow around with anyone else in the water, maybe you should have the tow rope self real in. It will be bad enough for the tow vehicle to be floating around in the water, but it would be worse if it's dragging a tow rope.

PonoBill

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Re: Personal tow in
« Reply #25 on: December 18, 2020, 04:19:37 PM »
The unattended version will be for unbroken waves where nobody is, the current version has me permanently attached.
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.

PonoBill

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Re: Personal tow in
« Reply #26 on: December 18, 2020, 04:21:14 PM »
This guy (Rulof Maker) could probably figure something out. He also made “foot propellers” out of beer aluminum beer bottles. Lol!

Clever guy, though his workmanship makes me look downright elegant. I like that.
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: Personal tow in
« Reply #27 on: December 18, 2020, 04:33:37 PM »
This guy (Rulof Maker) could probably figure something out. He also made “foot propellers” out of beer aluminum beer bottles. Lol!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxcHqwVZf2I

Waydoo has already made an adapter to turn their efoil mast/motor into a trolling motor since their enclosed controller is mounted on top of the mast....





...so all it is then is use their cable to connect the battery in boat...or tow sled that one would configure however they'd like.
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.

dietlin

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blackeye

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Re: Personal tow in
« Reply #29 on: December 19, 2020, 03:03:19 PM »
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CI-7pIPKy43/?igshid=d82b1v2oaah7

So they ask "The future yes or no? 😲" I can imagine these tow-drones could also become a little mother ship. It could store drinks, food, first aid (oxygen!) and have a little waterproof garage to launch, retrieve and recharge a flying drone. A second camera station. Another garage for a nano-submersible camera drone.

 


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