A La Carte – Choosing a Foil – Explaining the differences between brands

Choosing a foilIn this video series I explain how popular foil brands are designed and built and why it matters.  How the hydrofoil wings connect to the fuselage and the mast, whether in components or one single piece, I go over the components and design choices and the pluses and minuses.  Several times I was an early adopter of a new foil and learned the expensive way whether the marketing why hype or the real deal.  The brands I discuss are F-One, Axis, Armstrong, Slingshot, and Mike's Lab.  This knowledge can be applied to any brand of foil.  For clarity this isn't a detailed review of a specific foil wing or model (see my Foil Reviews page for detailed reviews).  This information helps one know what they are getting so they can determine the true value of a hydrofoil, it's durability and longevity, and what the upgrade options are.

The point of this video series is to give you an overall understanding of why foil designers do what they do.  I didn't have a clue when I bought my first foil, it was all a big mystery.  Every new brand of foil I purchased had a new learning curve of how the parts fit together, function, and the longevity and durability. 

Purchase Required

This content requires that you purchase additional access. The price is $15.00.

Click Here to Check Out

Already a member? Log in here

Read more

A La Carte – F-ONE Seven Seas 2024 Foil Review

Seven Seas 1100A review of the new 2024 F-ONE Seven Seas 1100 hydrofoil (currently on the F-ONE website they are calling it the Seven Seas and the 2022 model is called the SS Carbon).  Tested for speed, maneuverability, wing tip ventilation, and glide.

I previously reviewed the Seven Seas 2022 Version 1200 and 1000 in the foil reviews page.

The 2024 is quite different, I was initially shocked at how different it felt, and pleasantly surprised with the changes.

Purchase Required

This content requires that you purchase additional access. The price is $15.00.

Click Here to Check Out

Already a member? Log in here

Read more

A La Carte – Code Foil Review

Code 1300Review of the Code 1300 S foil.  I tested the Code 1300 hydrofoil winging, and on a short surf session. The video in this review is of me winging the code foil.  I talked about how it feels, what conditions I would ride it, and what I believe it's designed for and does well at. Cort at 101 Surfsports let me demo the Code foil.

Purchase Required

This content requires that you purchase additional access. The price is $15.00.

Click Here to Check Out

Already a member? Log in here

Read more

A La Carte – Foil Drive Review

Foil DriveTest and review of the Foil Drive Assist Max.

I tested the Foil Drive Gen 2 in flat water, in downwind conditions, and prone surf foiling.  Also I am reverse engineering the Foil Drive to asses the value, and ability to hack or upgrade.  Let's explore together if the Foil Drive is a viable way to get more waves and time on foil, or all the things the critics say about it.

Big thanks to Cort at 101 Surfsports who lent me the entire prone Foil Drive, board, and foil setup in the photo.  Also huge thanks to Evan of Axis at Live2kite who lent me his personal Foil Drive and let put it on my mast and give it a thorough test, also I saw a really cool Axis/FD integration that might be available soon...

Purchase Required

This content requires that you purchase additional access. The price is $15.00.

Click Here to Check Out

Already a member? Log in here

Read more

A La Carte – Waterproof XPS Board Build – Update After 2 Years of Use

I made a SUP surf foil board and a wing foil board a couple years ago and here is the status update after using these boards regularly for 2 years.  Boards are still working, no delamination, nor structural break down.  They have been great boards, very durable and functional, there has never been a day where I felt my performance or ability to foil was held back by the board being to heavy or some other material failure.  The plant flax or linen cloth on the wing board has held up great with no signs of failure, I have been very rough with that board setting it on pavement and concrete and in the back of vehicles and drilled a big hole for a camera pole.

Here is a YouTube video where I talk a about the boards and foam:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toHc5I4SmZU

 

The SUP surf foil board was my first build and the tracks lifted from the expanding glue, I have since found a solution and used it on my third board build, I share what I did below for members.

Purchase Required

This content requires that you purchase additional access. The price is $15.00.

Click Here to Check Out

Already a member? Log in here

Read more

A La Carte – AFS Silk Review

I've had around 20 surf sessions on the AFS Silk 850 foil, and also 3 wing foiling sessions. Also one quick surf foil session on the Silk 650 in head plus conditions.

Here I show video from those sessions and talk about what I like, any short comings, and compare this hydrofoil to the F-One Sk8 850.

I'm excited to share this and test ride more AFS gear.  I got my AFS Silk from Covewater in Santa Cruz. I am using the Stringfellow adapter to Axis mast.

Purchase Required

This content requires that you purchase additional access. The price is $15.00.

Click Here to Check Out

Already a member? Log in here

Read more

How to Build with Bamboo

How to Build with BambooHere is a video tutorial showing how I build with bamboo.  I dedicated years to discovering how to make an action camera mount out of plants:  bamboo, hemp, and plant based resin.

I procrastinated in making this tutorial partly because it's difficult to build and film at the same time, I had already made mounts for myself, and I enjoyed being one of the few with this unique camera angle.

Now with foil surfing I have seen a revival in foilers using pole cams, myself included.  So I was inspired to make an ultralight bamboo design for foiling.

Monthly Video Subscription Membership Required

You must be a Monthly Video Subscription member to access this content.

Already a member? Log in here

Read more

Wabi Sabi Paddle Shaft Repair – How to Video

Wabi Sabi Paddle Shaft RepairIn this video I show how I repaired a broken paddle shaft Wabi Sabi style.  The shaft originally broke learning to foil surf, I bashed it several times on the rail of my board and on the foil itself.  Jim Terrell has this video explaining how carbon shafts break.

In Star Wars movies some characters get light sabered and their body parts are replaced with human made machine parts.  I going the other direction with my machine made carbon paddle being repaired and replaced with sun and earth grown plants.

Monthly Video Subscription Membership Required

You must be a Monthly Video Subscription member to access this content.

Already a member? Log in here

Read more

Fun foil sessions on some new gear

F4 Surf Foil and Clark Foil BoardDedicated foil board and a high speed foil on some end of season juice. A few video clips from a few swells in March. I am realizing first hand how purposely designed foils and boards ride radically different than converted gear. Jeff Clark made me a foil board matched with an F4 hydrofoil, really digging the design as I have had some breakthrough progressions on this setup.

Membership Required

You must be a Monthly Video Subscription or Foil - Life Time member to access this content.

Already a member? Log in here

Read more

150 Sessions on a Hydrofoil – Learning to Foil Surf

Learning to Foil Surf - 150 sessionsVideo log from day one on a foil through session number 150. Crashes and all in hopes of giving a realistic account of what learning to foil surf looks like. When struggling I take comfort in knowing I am not alone. Learning to foil surf I felt like a total "kook" failure, flailing and crashing hard for many months. Also I beat myself up because I couldn't come close to foil surfing like the people in the videos.

Membership Required

You must be a Monthly Video Subscription or Foil - Life Time member to access this content.

Already a member? Log in here

Read more