Duotone NOW Magazine No.03 2022

10 BASICS OF FOILING 109 D R I V I N G F U T U R E I N N O V A T I O N S 108 D R I V I N G F U T U R E I N N O V A T I O N S 01 How does a foil generate uplift? Uplift is generated for the most part by the front wing, which, when in forward motion directs the flow of water downwards which in turn creates upward force to the foil. The bigger the front wing, the more uplift that can be achieved. Aside from the size of the front wing, the profile, geometry and angle of attack of the front and back wing all play a role in the amount of lift a foil creates. 02 Which size front wing should I choose? This depends on the weight of the rider, the level of riding and the discipline. In general the size of the front wing influences the amount of uplift (the larger, the more lift), the speed of the foil (the bigger the slower), flying stability (the bigger the more stable) and turning behavior ( smaller for more agility). 03 What about fuselage length? The longer the fuselage, the more pitch stability for the foil, which translates to easier to control for the rider. Longer fuselages are great for beginners. Foils with short fuselage are more agile and manoeuvrable. They are the choice when foiling in waves where you need to make quicker turns and carves. In turn, the agility and responsiveness make themmore difficult to ride for beginners. 04 What is the role of the back wing? The back wing (also called Stabilizer) brings stability, but also has a large effect on the lift, control or maneuverability characteristics of the foil. Many foils offer the option to add shims the back wing allowing adjustment to the angle of attack, which can change the feel of the ride and the amount of lift the foil creates. Generally the smaller the back wing, the more responsive and playful it is and the bigger the back wing, the more lift and control it adds to the foil. 05 Finding the right mast length The right length of the mast is influenced by the location you are riding, the conditions and the level and discipline of the rider. In shallow water you’ll need a short mast to prevent your wing from scratching on the ground or getting stuck. When the water is deeper, choosing the length of mast is mainly influenced by the style of riding: Short masts (60cm) are mainly used for teaching and in shallow waters Medium lengths masts (75cm) are used in flat-water as well as cruising in smaller waves, wake foiling and surf foiling Longer masts (90cm) are used for free-riding in rough and choppy waters, riding in medium to larger waves and speed focused foiling. In general a short mast makes the foil feel more direct for turning as it has less distance between the board and fuselage. Short masts improve the turning quality of a front wing, when for example, riding smaller waves. Long masts are often used when you require hard lean angles riding into the wind. Due to its length it is much easier to lean against it and the increased length keeps your board above the water line. The distance between board and fuselage is increased and in turn you loose a little of the direct feeling which is why our top of the line masts use high modulus stiff carbon fiber to increase the response, connection and stiffness. When free-riding there is hardly a difference in feeling between long and short masts. A longer mast lets you fly higher out of water higher and gives you more room, which helps when the water surface is rough and choppy. 06 Carbon or aluminum? Raw carbon is available in varying stiffnesses. Stiffness and strength of carbon fibres are in line with the fibre direction. This allows to add stiffness and strength in areas needed and comfort and compliance to other areas of the design to create lightweight products with optimized performance. Aluminum has equal strength on every plane and thus provides a durable cost-effective solution that offers an excellent performance alternative to Carbon. 07 What are winglets? Some wings have arched wingtips, those are called winglets. The winglets add for a smoother and more stable foil, working perfectly for beginners. On the other hand they need more effort to initiate turns. 08 What’s important to know about boards? A board with higher volume helps to get on the foil easier, especially when there is not much wind as it doesn’t sink into the water as much as smaller boards. The size and length of the board usually depends on the rider’s weight and level of riding– lighter weight riders and those with a higher level will get along with smaller boards. The smaller the board, the less swing weight it brings to your foiling experience, but small boards have the downside of being more technical to ride and harder to get going in lighter winds. 09 Positioning the foil on the board Foil-boards have an indicated marking for the “neutral” position. This should be used on your first rides to get to know a new foil. In general, the position of your foil on the board depends on the size of the front wing and the position of your feet. In order to have a good balance, the rider needs the same “pressure” on the front as the back foot. When you change the position of the foil you change the distribution of pressure on your front and back foot. You want to adjust this until both feet have equal pressure. Move the foil forward if you feel you have to apply to much pressure with your back leg to keep the foil flying and move the foil back if you have more front foot pressure and this will prevent the board from rising up too high. 10 What to consider for a Wave Foil? When riding waves a longer mast (around 90cm) is helpful as the extra length offers more room to keep the foil down when passing over the crests of waves and when riding in rough waters, so you are less prone to breach the surface with the wings of the foil which would inevitably lead to a crash. In calmer, shallower waters a shorter mast of around 75cm is a better choice. Wings with less wing span and a smaller aspect ratio have better turning and carving characteristics often. These attributes are preferable in waves with their direct response and ability to change direction rapidly. Wings with a wider span offer more lift and glide, which makes it easier in less powerful waves to ride and glide along the swell without using much power of the kite. However the longer wingtips require more effort to initiate the turn and add more delay when changing direction. It’s comparable to aircrafts: A sporty plane wings are compact and agile, but this will require more drive to keep flying, whereas a glider stays in the air only with the help of airflow but is slower when leaning into a curve.  F O I L I N G