Author Topic: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?  (Read 8184 times)

SUPeter

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Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« on: December 07, 2021, 04:23:31 PM »
Anyone out there SUP foiling waves and beach surf with the 23.5" wide Kalama downwinder boards. I weigh 68 kg and think this would make a great, get on early type of SUP foil board.  Somewhere in the 6 foot to 6'5" length. Or is it too narrow and tippy for standard wave foiling use and only shines in downwinder conditions. I would think someone with good paddle skills and balance must be doing this routinely.

jondrums

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2021, 10:32:35 AM »
There is a guy Beasho knows out in half moon bay with one of them.   Last I heard he was lamenting how tippy it is but super happy with how it rides.   We both agreed that a more stable platform catches more waves and is worth the tradeoff for surfing at least.

808sup

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2021, 08:48:50 PM »
The board I made last year ( see “pandemic project thread” ) is inspired by the kalama shape. Mine is 23.5.  And 6’ long, 5” thick. I love it for downwinders but not so much as a surf sup. I’m about 75kg. I find that for surfing with all The jockeying and maneuvering for getting in the right spot for takeoff in can be challenging. I think I would like a wider for stable board for that. Downwinding you only need to point Downwind and pop up so a narrower board is you friend as it will paddle faster. Jeremy surfs his Downwind board but he’s a bit younger and more talented than I. My 2cents
« Last Edit: December 08, 2021, 08:51:47 PM by 808sup »

SUPeter

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2021, 10:06:13 AM »
Thanks for the knowledgeable replies!  I feared the instability of a pure DW board might not lend itself to enjoyable SUP foiling. I think I’m going to make a “friendlier “
version of a DW board. 6’3” x 25”.  This should allow me to have fun with SUP wave foiling and also be able do the occasional downwind run( maybe not as easy, but doable).. It also will double as an extra Wing board when my son needs one.  Time to get the hot wire fired up!

pafoil

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2021, 06:19:34 PM »
I'm about to get a new custom 6,4 by 22,5; for downwind and surfing some size. I will let you know how it goes.
I need something faster than my 5,6 by 26 to get in the waves earlier.
My advise, are:
- Put footstraps, staying on them helps a lot with stability.
- Position the foil further forward helps a lot with stability also.
- Heavier foils also help with stability.

SUPeter

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2021, 05:37:44 AM »
I'm about to get a new custom 6,4 by 22,5; for downwind and surfing some size. I will let you know how it goes.
I need something faster than my 5,6 by 26 to get in the waves earlier.
My advise, are:
- Put footstraps, staying on them helps a lot with stability.
- Position the foil further forward helps a lot with stability also.
- Heavier foils also help with stability.

Wow!  That’s narrow! Thanks for the advice!  I use foot straps routinely. Definitely helps! I usually stand on the board prior to positioning the foil mast tracks. Just so I know where the stability zone is. Now that I’m using Axis rig, the extra weight helps.?  I’m thinking wider may better for me since I do far more wave foiling than downwinding. Geez, I wonder if lead shot in the hollow portions of my lower mast might help! LOL!

PonoBill

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2021, 10:43:09 PM »
Yeah, Jeremy does it, but he's an alien lifeform, Devin does too, but it was a struggle, I doubt she'll do it often.
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.

Vancouver_foiler

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2022, 10:13:25 PM »
Thanks for the knowledgeable replies!  I feared the instability of a pure DW board might not lend itself to enjoyable SUP foiling. I think I’m going to make a “friendlier “
version of a DW board. 6’3” x 25”.  This should allow me to have fun with SUP wave foiling and also be able do the occasional downwind run( maybe not as easy, but doable).. It also will double as an extra Wing board when my son needs one.  Time to get the hot wire fired up!

ahhhh the classic one board solution... Let us know if you are the one to crack the code Peter!

peterp

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2022, 12:24:27 AM »
I tried a friends 6'4 x 24 downwind board, about 118L, in small waves on a clean day. I weigh 90kg+ with wetsuit.

Paddling around and waiting for waves was definitely more challenging than my normal 5'10 x 28.5 110L - but getting onto waves was significantly better and once up in the air it felt pretty good. The dwd board was 1kg lighter than my normal board which probably helped.

It would be too unstable for normal use in less than perfect water conditions but the glide into swells made me think about how to design my next board as I really enjoyed the earlier take-offs. Width is your enemy for catching waves and that means more length if you wish to maintain stability.

It's again turning into a, small is better, clusterf@ck - wish I weighed 60kg....

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2022, 03:26:38 AM »

It's again turning into a, small is better, clusterf@ck - wish I weighed 60kg....

If you do a 5’1 x 28 with straight tail, the push and speed on take off is amazing, so catching waves in the surf zone is really fast and easy.

So maybe downwind board like Dave’s and a shorter one like mine in the surf?
« Last Edit: January 11, 2022, 03:28:57 AM by Dwight (DW) »

peterp

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2022, 05:47:10 AM »

It's again turning into a, small is better, clusterf@ck - wish I weighed 60kg....

If you do a 5’1 x 28 with straight tail, the push and speed on take off is amazing, so catching waves in the surf zone is really fast and easy.

So maybe downwind board like Dave’s and a shorter one like mine in the surf?

My 5'10 is pretty much straight tail - zero rocker with small cut away last 2inches. I don't like the no rocker feeling, a 5'10 board paddles slow as is, and when tail get's lifted by wave for take off, it's sticky, sticky, sticky, until all hell breaks loose and the flat rocker makes the board feel like it's on roller-bearings and you take off. The straight tail pushes the nose down so you have to counter that by sinking tail a bit adding to the stickyness. I prefer a more progressive acceleration and I feel the board needs a much steeper wave than what a narrower longer board would. The E3 solves the flat rocker issue by the triangular chimes in back

surfcowboy

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2022, 08:38:10 AM »

If you do a 5’1 x 28 with straight tail, the push and speed on take off is amazing, so catching waves in the surf zone is really fast and easy.

So maybe downwind board like Dave’s and a shorter one like mine in the surf?

Dwight, I have a 5'2"x26" wing board based on your ideas that I've been thinking of trying to SUP. It seems pretty impossible to paddle straight. Should I practice more or will a small ventral fun up front help me?

burchas

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2022, 09:27:35 AM »
...Should I practice more or will a small ventral fun up front help me?

I ran a 11" base by 4.5" deep ventral on my 6'.3"x28.5" and I can tell you the difference was minor.
a good stroke at 30-45 degrees made so much more impact on paddling straight.

On my new board I didn't even bother with the ventral. I just tell my self I need to practice more ;)
in progress...

burchas

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2022, 10:11:48 AM »
While on the subject of Kalama E3 and new boards, I incorporated all the latest ideas flying around into my new "AutoPilot" Board.

The Kalama E3 pin bottom rail does offer advantages since it allows you to incorporate tail rocker without compromising on great
releasing tail with a straight face. Leave a lot of flexibility to play with volume distribution yet maintain a full tail outline for added stability.

That's all nice in theory but does it actually works? I'm 3 rides on this board and I can say it does with certainty.

Mine is a 5'2x29" @ 106L and it's such a pleasure to ride. 35knots wind 3 foot bumps, I can just stand on it no wing or paddle assistance
I'm 5'8 and 190+ with winter gear.

I can feel the difference in touchdowns where my old board would stall the foil and make me drop when pushing upwind. With this new board
I can feel how easy it releases same goes for pumping up onto the foil. That's a real nice upgrade, can't wait to try in various scenarios. Stoked!
in progress...

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Foil SUP with the Kalama Performance E3 Downwinder boards?
« Reply #14 on: January 11, 2022, 01:13:00 PM »

Dwight, I have a 5'2"x26" wing board based on your ideas that I've been thinking of trying to SUP. It seems pretty impossible to paddle straight. Should I practice more or will a small ventral fun up front help me?

Mine paddles straighter than any SUP I’ve done. Be sure to avoid chines and rounding the rails. You want the big vertical wall rail, found on 14 ft race SUPs. Just a tiny chine to avoid catching a rail. The rails are key to paddling straight. I don’t need a nose fin anymore.

 


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