Blue Planet Show- Wing Foil interviews

[blueplanetsurf]

I posted a new episode of the show today, an interview with Gunnar Biniasch.  His tips helped me pull off the upwind 360 spin right after this interview, stoked.

[Dwight (DW)]

My favorite interview. Well done Robert.

At the 1:05 mark, Gunnar digs into why straight tails are best (planing wing board designs, no tail bevel, or tail notches). The opposite of what Dave Kalama just said on the Progression Project podcast. Dave said if you want your board to plane, you're doing it wrong. The difference in opinion, comes from Dave not being hard core into winging, in my opinion.

[pafoil]

I have been riding different boards, including Kalama's.
My conclusion is that Kalama's light (not sharp) tail bevel are the best by far.
This allow you to increase the angle of the front wing just enough, and even stay there for a second accumulating lift.
Same experience with Fone's tail bevels, that are also not very pronounced.
Straight tails are harder to pump.

[blueplanetsurf]

I have been riding different boards, including Kalama's.
My conclusion is that Kalama's light (not sharp) tail bevel are the best by far.
This allow you to increase the angle of the front wing just enough, and even stay there for a second accumulating lift.
Same experience with Fone's tail bevels, that are also not very pronounced.
Straight tails are harder to pump.

I think it really matters what kind of foil you are on.  Our wing boards are designed to pop up on the foil before you reach planing speed- with tail bevel/ rocker that allow you to pump up on foil easily.  A flatter planing shape will accelerate and reach planing speed easier but also makes it harder to increase angle of attack to pop up on foil earlier.  This planing start works better for small, thin, high aspect foils that need more speed to create enough lift and will stall at high angles of attack.   The foils most of us use can lift off well before reaching planing speed though.  I prefer having a board that allows you to pop up on foil but can also see the merits of an early planing shape for high aspect foils.

[pafoil]

I have been riding different boards, including Kalama's.
My conclusion is that Kalama's light (not sharp) tail bevel are the best by far.
This allow you to increase the angle of the front wing just enough, and even stay there for a second accumulating lift.
Same experience with Fone's tail bevels, that are also not very pronounced.
Straight tails are harder to pump.

I think it really matters what kind of foil you are on.  Our wing boards are designed to pop up on the foil before you reach planing speed- with tail bevel/ rocker that allow you to pump up on foil easily.  A flatter planing shape will accelerate and reach planing speed easier but also makes it harder to increase angle of attack to pop up on foil earlier.  This planing start works better for small, thin, high aspect foils that need more speed to create enough lift and will stall at high angles of attack.   The foils most of us use can lift off well before reaching planing speed though.  I prefer having a board that allows you to pop up on foil but can also see the merits of an early planing shape for high aspect foils.

I believe that a tail with a an angle around 20-30º is sufficient to increase the angle of attack, and will help you to prevent the foil stall you mention.
I had f-ones and Kalama with this light bevel/rocker and they are the ones going up easier and earlier. To much bevel is trickier as you can easily pass right angle. K
My Kalama goes out of the water in 6 knt, so easy compare with other small lighter boards.
At least, this is my theory Robert; I'm going to test this in my new downwind board.
Perhaps, you should bring Mr Kalama to the show; he can explain why the tail rocker seems to be a constan in all his experiments.

[Dwight (DW)]

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CPGrD_cDFac/?utm_medium=copy_link

Another brand joins the straight tail bandwagon

[jondrums]

Very interesting - I'm seeing the difference of opinion here may come down to which foil we're riding and what our weight is.  On an early lift foil that can get out of the water at slow speeds, we aren't thinking about planing before getting out of the water.  But on some of the thinner high aspect foils, we need more speed to get it going and the longer waterline flat bottom will plane up easier.

[Solent Foiler]

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CPGrD_cDFac/?utm_medium=copy_link

Another brand joins the straight tail bandwagon

A narrower and 4" shorter version of the Boom 94 is similar to what I was designing in my head for a light wind board. Like the look of that...

[pafoil]

Very interesting - I'm seeing the difference of opinion here may come down to which foil we're riding and what our weight is.  On an early lift foil that can get out of the water at slow speeds, we aren't thinking about planing before getting out of the water.  But on some of the thinner high aspect foils, we need more speed to get it going and the longer waterline flat bottom will plane up easier.

Hi,
Yes that's a factor. Another is getting use to it, if are used to find limit of what the board can lift up, you are probably going to miss it.
I'm riding the gofoil GL240 in light winds.

[WingSurfPeterT]

hmm wonder who will come out with a board with a removable wedge so you decide what tail shape to have on a given day/foil.


or back the flex tail ideas..here is a newer version than the 1980 tinklers.... https://witchcraft.nu/boards/flex-tail/

[Dontsink]

This is the mod i did to straighten the tails.Working very good.
More pics here https://mega.nz/folder/ce4HEQZD#vZ8qI-9JVnqVBJpuDUlA9g

[deja vu]

Robert -- you should consider having DW on your podcast to talk about board, foil and wing design.  He seems to be at the forefront of the equipment being developed for this sport and designs and builds boards.  I'd sure be interested in his opinions about where he thinks this sport is going and why.  Just a thought.

[blueplanetsurf]

Robert -- you should consider having DW on your podcast to talk about board, foil and wing design.  He seems to be at the forefront of the equipment being developed for this sport and designs and builds boards.  I'd sure be interested in his opinions about where he thinks this sport is going and why.  Just a thought.

Thanks for all the feedback. Yes, I will try to get DW on the show soon.  Right now I have already recorded 3 more interviews and will edit and post these soon:
Mark Raaphorst
Titouan Galea
Damien LeRoy and Gwen Le tutour

[Alysum]

Robert -- you should consider having DW on your podcast to talk about board, foil and wing design.  He seems to be at the forefront of the equipment being developed for this sport and designs and builds boards.  I'd sure be interested in his opinions about where he thinks this sport is going and why.  Just a thought.

Thanks for all the feedback. Yes, I will try to get DW on the show soon.  Right now I have already recorded 3 more interviews and will edit and post these soon:
Mark Raaphorst
Titouan Galea
Damien LeRoy and Gwen Le tutour

can't wait to watch them! Thanks!

[blueplanetsurf]

I just posted the latest episode with Mark Raaphorst, what an interesting guy!  He moved to Maui when he was only 16, worked building boards, started SIC and now makes custom foil boards under the Flying Dutchman label: