FOIL BOARD CONFIGURATION TIPS- FOIL BOARDS, FOILS, FOIL PLACEMENT, FOOT POSITIONING, FOOT STRAPS
Just how to set up your foil board to be well balanced for maximum performance.
Aloha good friends! It's Robert Stehlik with Blue Earth Surf. Today. I'm mosting likely to speak about establishing your foil equipment. It's a question we obtain a lot: How do I establish the foil, where to place it, where to put foot straps, just how to place your feet on the board, what sort of board to get. I'm additionally going to talk about what sort of equipment to make use of as a beginner.
And as a advanced foiler and also for different sporting activities- this is my stand-up paddle foil board. I have a wing foil board and a susceptible complete board. I'm mosting likely to discuss the boards, use the foils utilized. And then I'm additionally going to discuss foot positioning, just how to identify where to position your feet and also just how to attach a foot band to your board.
This video is going to be a little bit much longer. We have a great deal of info on our internet site as well as on YouTube too. So down below in the description, I'll place a great deal of web links to various other video clips as well as links that will certainly assist you better along the road. The last video I published was an interview with Kane De Wilde as well as he has a great deal of really great understanding on foil configurations and so forth.
As well as he said, he constantly likes to attempt great deals of different setups and also find out what jobs as well as actually feel it out. And that makes a great deal of sense to me. The even more. You can test things the much more, exactly how things collaborate as well as just how to optimize your setup and also having a great arrangement, particularly the foil working well with your skill as well as how you utilize it is extremely important.
Having a excellent foil established up as well as the right board as well as then a excellent wing, all those points with each other will automatically simply make you much better right away. So these days I primarily right into wing foiling. This is the board I use one of the most right here is my my four 6 by 78 litre wing foil board. What I speak about here today relates to all 4 sports, consisting of vulnerable surf hindering, wing foiling, and standup hindering.
So I started hindering regarding 5 years back. As well as if you look back through the YouTube history of videos, you'll see, I initially started on an 8'0 Stand up for foil board that I just placed a Tuttle box right into and that functioned well to begin on as well as discover on.
And then afterwards I 'd built a specialized foil board. That was a 7'6. And also quite soon I seemed like it was as well big and the tail was dragging and more. I chopped off the tail simply to see what occurred as well as made it into a 6'11, and then that worked truly well. As well as I identified, yeah, having that much shorter swing weight and the much shorter board really helps when you're hindering up on foil.
And afterwards I have actually been progressing progressively, been examining smaller as well as smaller boards. As well as now what I use for wing foiling is a four six, which is rather tiny. As well as for prone browse hindering I utilize a similar size board. This one right here is a 3'10. I utilize this mostly for practicing my dock Starts, which I'm not excellent at yet, but working on that, trying to dock start and also pump.
And after that for standup foiling, I utilize this board here. It's a 5 eight by 114 litre board for standing falling. I just need much more security.
The wing master board is fantastic for wing flooding, yet it's not secure sufficient for me to stand up paddle on maybe a lighter weight. A paddler with really great balance could be able to stand paddle on this. Usually talking, this board is going to be too tiny for the majority of individuals to stand up paddle for long. So something such as this, the 5'8 Actually wonderful. Stand-up foil board likewise works well as a wing foil board due to the fact that wing filing, you have the wit lift of the wing. So you do not need fairly as much security as you do for standup as well as bouncing while you're standing up for getting going and wing hindering and standup hindering.
I suggest getting a larger, steady board. So in our variety, we have the 6 '11 and also the 7'6 Easy Foiler models. Those are truly great boards for learning how to Stand paddle foil and also wing foil. And after that as you get better as well as you're comfortable standing up and also you can maybe switch your feet around and also do all the basics on a larger board, then you're ready to go some to something smaller, maybe something like this 5, 8 Carver foil board, or for a little bit more advanced for, and these Wingmaster boards are outstanding. Yet this is not mosting likely to be your initial Wingfoil board, it's going take a bigger board to very first discover the fundamentals on, and afterwards you can function your means down to a small board such as this. For me, it was many boards in between. And also, obviously I have as a brand name as well as I designed these boards. So I do a lot of R & D as well as made a great deal of boards gradually functioning my method down.
Probably just like a couple of inches in a few litres at a time. So I didn't begin on a big board and also wound up on this immediately. There's a lot of steps in between. As well as you don't have to take that lots of steps, however I would say in between a beginner board and also the really sophisticated board, there need to go to the very least two or 3 boards.
To get to that factor where you can write a really little board. Do not believe you can simply begin wing declaring on a little tiny vulnerable board. This is it's feasible. I've seen individuals do it before that are very skilled athletes as well as already great filers. I have actually seen people find out just how to wing complete on susceptible.
The boards, but if you're an average Joe don't also try it. It's going to be way also tough to attempt to learn on it, little board. As well as for me it wing for the thing I liked to have a little much more quantity. I'm, my weight is 195 pounds. I'm 6'2" and also 195 extra pounds which is roughly 90 kilos.
That translates into 90 liters of quantity to float me. The very first 90 liters of quantity will certainly float my body weight. And after that naturally you likewise need to add in the weight of the foil as well as the board itself. And also and also generally if you desire it to drift you, you require to have equivalent amount of flotation protection to your body weight. So the volume truly depends on your body weight. And then for a novice, I recommend getting a board that has adequate volume to drift your body weight, plus perhaps 20%. For me maybe as a beginner, I would use a boy that's at least about 120 liters, maybe more that will be good to float me.
For considering hindering for standup foiling, you may get something also a little larger. Maybe for me, I would certainly choose like 140, 150 liters and sufficient width as well as length and stability to be able to send a paddle on and also discover on. And afterwards as you improve with the harmonizing and capturing waves and getting up on the foil, then you can move smaller as well as the foil does include security to the board.
Having a foil board is going to be extra steady than a normal standup paddleboard, however it's a particular sort of balance that you need to get made use of to it. Doesn't. Just instantly make stabilizing easy. It's just a little hold-up, so it decreases the activity of the board a little bit because foil below.
It resembles having a keel under your board. Next let's talk about the foils themselves. I have actually been doing this a long time. I make use of fairly a little foil currently for wing hindering, especially like for waves as well as stuff like that, attempting to go faster. This is an gain access to high element element for us.
The Axis 810, a wing period or 810 millimeters or 32 inches. And also the projected surface is 1022 square centimeters, that's about 158 square inches. This is quite a small front wing, but because it's pretty high aspect and it's actually quite, has quite a bit of lift and a lot of glide.
So I really liked this, a front wing. I have a 760, which is a little bit more surfy, which is also a really nice but for starting out on, When I started, I used a really big foil, the 2000 square centimeter foil. When you're starting something like the Carver foil, We have the group plan at Carver for is a great forum for learning.
It's 2000 square centimeters. It's secure shows up at low rates and also flies out a little reduced rate, but it simply maintains gliding. If you're doing a change, if you muck it up a little bit, you have actually obtained way even more time to slide out of the turn and also stay up on the foil. And also it simply raises easier and lower rates.
So it's this much easier to make use of a bigger foil when you're starting out. And even as you proceed, depending upon the conditions you're winging in having a large foil is simply makes every little thing a little simpler. And also and also it enables you to do more methods as well as points like that. These smaller foils are not for everybody, but as you get better, having a smaller foil.
As well as a thinner account, simply enables you to go much faster, do tighter turns, be extra manoeuvrable and also going much faster really aids in the waves because a lot of times when you catching far from the outside, it's still moving truly rapid and you have to be able to stay on par with that rapid moving swell. And afterwards having a faster, smaller sized wing, will this assist you be able to stay up to date with those waves versus if you're just riding wind swell or just on a level water, a Lake or something like that?
Having a larger wing behaves because you can simply fly a little more gradually. It's not a big deal. And afterwards it just gives you more time. To stay on foil, easier to get up on foil and lighter winds. So there's a lot of advantages of using a bigger foil. When you're starting out, definitely get a bigger size foil something, 2000 square centimeters.
Or we additionally have 1,800 square centimeters, plus size, something like that. And after that in terms of mass size, I such as to use a 90 centimeter mast. I've tried much longer mass and that's having a truly lengthy mass is nice for downwinders it's like that, but it does make the whole thing a bit a lot more tippy on the shorter mass.
You need to comply with the waves backwards and forwards as the wave goes up, you need to dip your nose backwards and forwards and much longer. Mass permits you just to fly directly over to the smaller chops. That's nice, but I have a truly in-depth video clip as well as I'll place the web link down below to that on picking the best foil for your demands.
So see that as well. That's some truly excellent information if you're uncertain what kind of flow you're going to require. And so on. So next, I'm mosting likely to speak about putting the foot on the board and where to hydro foil place it. My car is pretty small, so I have to take the foil off the board and put it back on. Every single time I utilize it.
And also therefore, I bought this, the influence chauffeur, which is a really nice device to have truly makes it simple to place the foil on and off. As well as for me, yep, I typically just keep the bolts in the board and I tightened them down, so they can't glide. So I simply loosen up these 4 bolts. You don't intend to leave them in the board loose since it can glide out.
And then if they quit while you're carrying the board as well as the yard or something like that, these are easy to lose. I always make sure these are tight enough, so they can't slide out by themselves. And I said, the mass plate that has, that permits you to glide the bolt onto it. And after that I such as to simply tighten them down. Okay. Little bit, get them all in location.
Once they're all situated, after that you can crank them down. You certainly intend to ensure they're limited on there due to the fact that you do not desire these bolts to loosen up while you're riding.
Now I got the full on the board. And the next inquiry is exactly how do you place the foil on the board? Which actually, it really depends upon the foil itself and also the board, the size of the board Kindle while created a good methods. Have a good beginning point of where to put your foil. Which's just, if you lift up the entire setup from the thickest point of the foil, the think is indicating the very first about a third back on the account.
To make sure that's where the facility of lift is to make sure that the front wing produces a lift facility of lift is right below at the thickest part. So if you raise your arrangement from that point, your board ought to be practically degree. So if your board is level. That means the center of mass of your whole system is straight beneath the center of lift of the foil.
Then let's say this, you project that to here then on the other side of the board, if you look at that same point on the deck, This should be pretty much in between your feet. If your feet are too far forward, you're going to have to put more weight on the back of, on your back foot. If your feet are as well far back, after that you have to lean extra on your front foot.
So preferably you intend to have your feet just as stabilized to make sure that the facility of lift is right in between your feet. And then if it's also the center of gravity of the whole system, it'll just really feel way more balanced. The weight of the system as well as the center volume all cancel that truly aids. As well as this is virtually real for all sides boards, that whether it's a big standup foil board or a smaller vulnerable board that balancing out is a actually great beginning point on where your foil will certainly function best as well as where you can stand and catch the wave and also in the appropriate area, or take off and put your feet in the appropriate place.
Primarily where the quantity as well as the weight of the board as well as the weight of the whole system. Everything is nicely cancelled. Kay. Next let's discuss your foot placement. So my feet have to do with similarly cancelled between the front as well as the rear of the facility of lifts. If you project the facility of list of the front flow in between your feet, it's going to be basically in between your feet.
And some people have their back foot additionally forward, yet after that they likewise relocated their front foot for their back. So if you have a smaller position or larger stance, if you place your back foot even more back, you need to place your front foot even more forward. You always want to find that balance. If your position is as well far forward, you're going to always have sore a sore back leg.
Trigger you're constantly leaning back at greater speeds to just control the foil you're going to or pumping and more. And it's mosting likely to place a whole lot more stress on your back leg. So if your back leg is constantly aching, Most likely you just want to relocate that foot additionally back on the board so that when you're riding and at normal speed, your weight needs to be perfect over the foil as well as you should not have to put even more weight on one side or the other.
It's a little hip activities contributed to regulate the height of the foil. That's really important to have the center of lift of the foil underneath the board bounce between your two feet. And also preferably before you place foot bands on your board, You want to find out without foot straps where your feet are, typically perhaps take some video with a GoPro or something like that to determine where do I place my feet on the board. When you starting, I do not recommend using foot straps. Our boards have this little arch bar below that's right over the mask to ensure that it offers you a nice, responsive feel for where your back foot is. And then the front foot, normally I oriented with this logo of the blue earth logo a little bit front or back and also.
You do want the weight to be either both feet right over the facility line, or if you're. The front foot is a little bit off sideways. Your back foot must likewise be equally off sideways. So whether you get on the center line or a little off center, you just want to make certain that your body weight mores than the center line of the board.
Otherwise you're mosting likely to tilt the board and also with a wing, often you can escape both feet being off away when you're powered, yet then as soon as you release the power and also you're simply on the foil, then the board. Wanting to topple, like if you, both of you feed off also away the side, it won't fly well without the power of the wing.
Exact same thing. If you're talking behind the watercraft, you can escape leaning on the side, one side, having your weight on one side, create you raiding the rope. As soon as you let that rope go, you need to have your say your weight centered right over the middle of the board and over the middle of the foil.
Otherwise you're mosting likely to topple. So it's best to start riding your board without foot bands, finding out the placement where you put the feet, and afterwards once you understand where to place your feet, another great way to transition to foot straps is using foot hooks. We have these Eva foot hooks. I'll put the web link down to video for that as well.
Those ones you can affix to the board and kind of wedge your feet against it. And that's helpful without having your feet in the bands or needing to move your feet right into straps and so forth. The foot hooks are a good step in between no straps and going straight to straps. And afterwards when you intend to begin using bands, ideally I would certainly say utilize the front band only at first, get comfy with the front strap.
And afterwards when you fit keeping that. You can include a back band. And also essentially if you intend to jump, if you're wing, smacking, as well as you intend to leap, you need to have foot bands on your board. Okay. To take the foil off, same thing in reverse, I just put it upside down. I loosened the screws. And afterwards I tighten them pull back, not too limited, yet so they can slide around in package.
Put them at the end of the box. Simply tighten them in on a bit, very same in the back, take the foil off. Okay. So it's pretty essential to maintain these little screws tight in the board so they can not glide out. Okay. Next I'm going to go over how to attach these. Footsteps to the board. This is our blue earth luxurious foot store.
It's like a neoprene covered foot band. They're nice and also padded. They have Velcro adjustability. So they're nice as well as stiff. And also you desire your bands to stand up by them selves. The feet can slide in easily. A few of them really lightweight, thin bands can break down. And then it's really tough to get your foot in.
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