Foil
The weather, warm sun, ever warmer water and the long days are certainly the factors that invite more wind enthusiasts into the water every day. Until year many of us, have mostly been waiting for a good forecast to have a few hour drive to reach some great spot, but this year all this is much more uncertain and we will probably have to use more our home spots. Of course, we can also find on our home spots some good conditions and have great sessions. However, it is true that our home spots usually cannot compete with the Canary Islands, Morocco, Egypt, Greece and similar destinations.
On home spots where we have in generally weaker winds, the equipment needs to be adjusted accordingly. We notice that this year, compared to last year, the demand for foils has grown significantly. Not so many years we watched with enthusiasm that "one visionary" on the whole spot, but in the past year the foiling community has already strengthened greatly. Foils are becoming more advanced, materials are also more optimized, and the offer is constantly increasing. It is still fear that often deters people from foiling, and of course, prices don’t help either. Quite a few surfers are convinced that prices are exorbitant and will fall quickly, but those of us who know more details about the whole situation around foil production, know that making foil involves more complex procedures, materials and extremely expensive machines that make the big difference in performance. Due to this fact, the prices will unfortunately not change significantly in the future.
At Recharge, we started developing our own carbon foil 3 years ago. Our vast experience, knowledge and a great team of experts who are not only familiar with windsurfing but are at the very top of the world in working with composite materials, aerodynamics, product development and much more. After countless hours of brainstorming ideas and designing solutions, making simulations, doing water tests and testing a large number of prototypes, we came to the final product. Our main goal was to create a foil that will allow beginners to master the basics of flying in an easy way as possible. Our Recharge foil will still allow more advanced users a wide range of use to unleash their creativity. We also thought about freestylers and tried to optimize the foil so that it would be suitable for this discipline as well. Of course, we did not forget about the weight and optimized the product so that it is considered one of the lightest foils on the market.
Virtually all surfers already agree that foil is the solution that will turn a weak wind into a reason to go into the water anyway. And consequently, we can greatly increase the number of days spent on the water. Of course, we must not forget the fact that only 8 knots of wind will convince the non-surfing part of your family to go on a day trip to the beach with you much faster.
b) Weight: Weight is the key factor in boards, masts, sails, booms and other pieces of equipment. It plays an important role in how we will be able to use a given product. The lighter the foil, the faster you will get it out of the water and fly with it, and the harder it will be to damage it when carried along with the board.
c) Material: We know carbon and aluminium foils. Aluminium foil is basically 40% cheaper than carbon and many people decide to buy it based on price. Aluminium foils are much heavier than carbon ones, and masts clone faster under the forces generated while driving, and basically the foils are less compact. We must not forget the corrosion caused by saltwater on the aluminium foil. If you can afford a carbon foil, we definitely recommend it.
There are many of you who have been thinking about buying a foil for quite some time now, but you have quite a few dilemmas and questions. Since most of the questions that are occurring are practically the same, so we will try to clarify some of the main issues below.
Since we are already talking about mounting systems, we would also highlight the mounting system with two parallel US boxes, which is used by Naish and Slingshot. The base plate on the foil is rectangular in shape and has a four-point attachment. Two screws are attached to each US box.
Foil mast for deep tuttle box Foil mast with mounting system for double US box
To sum up: Foiling certainly represents a new dimension of windsurfing and allows us to have more pleasure in conditions when we would otherwise be sitting on the beach. Most people are enthusiastic about the feeling of flying, but there are certainly those who do not like it. We definitely recommend that you choose a universal carbon foil, as to your knowledge you will not outgrow it, and at the same time you will get exceptional driving characteristics. If you decide to buy used foil, we recommend that you check it very precisely as small asymmetries between the left and right halves of the foil and damage to the wings and mast have a strong effect on the ride itself. It often turns out that it is better to give a euro or two more for a new one and buy something really verified.
On home spots where we have in generally weaker winds, the equipment needs to be adjusted accordingly. We notice that this year, compared to last year, the demand for foils has grown significantly. Not so many years we watched with enthusiasm that "one visionary" on the whole spot, but in the past year the foiling community has already strengthened greatly. Foils are becoming more advanced, materials are also more optimized, and the offer is constantly increasing. It is still fear that often deters people from foiling, and of course, prices don’t help either. Quite a few surfers are convinced that prices are exorbitant and will fall quickly, but those of us who know more details about the whole situation around foil production, know that making foil involves more complex procedures, materials and extremely expensive machines that make the big difference in performance. Due to this fact, the prices will unfortunately not change significantly in the future.
At Recharge, we started developing our own carbon foil 3 years ago. Our vast experience, knowledge and a great team of experts who are not only familiar with windsurfing but are at the very top of the world in working with composite materials, aerodynamics, product development and much more. After countless hours of brainstorming ideas and designing solutions, making simulations, doing water tests and testing a large number of prototypes, we came to the final product. Our main goal was to create a foil that will allow beginners to master the basics of flying in an easy way as possible. Our Recharge foil will still allow more advanced users a wide range of use to unleash their creativity. We also thought about freestylers and tried to optimize the foil so that it would be suitable for this discipline as well. Of course, we did not forget about the weight and optimized the product so that it is considered one of the lightest foils on the market.
Virtually all surfers already agree that foil is the solution that will turn a weak wind into a reason to go into the water anyway. And consequently, we can greatly increase the number of days spent on the water. Of course, we must not forget the fact that only 8 knots of wind will convince the non-surfing part of your family to go on a day trip to the beach with you much faster.
What should we pay attention to when buying a foil?
a) Shape: As with boards, we have different shapes with foils. Foils differ in the length of the mast, the fuselage, and the shape and span of the wings. Depending on your prior knowledge and requirements, it is necessary to make the appropriate decision when choosing a foil. Some foils are more for speed, racing, performing freestyle tricks, and some are all around. A beginner will certainly have a lot more work to master more “aggressive” foil, and the ride will be much more volatile and restless. For beginners, we recommend non-aggressive designs, a fuselage length of about 100 cm (greater stability in the air) and mast length of about 90 cm (if the mast is shorter, it will quickly become too short, as you will want to go higher). In our experience so far, the Freerace design is the one that offers the best combination of sophistication, speed and lift.b) Weight: Weight is the key factor in boards, masts, sails, booms and other pieces of equipment. It plays an important role in how we will be able to use a given product. The lighter the foil, the faster you will get it out of the water and fly with it, and the harder it will be to damage it when carried along with the board.
c) Material: We know carbon and aluminium foils. Aluminium foil is basically 40% cheaper than carbon and many people decide to buy it based on price. Aluminium foils are much heavier than carbon ones, and masts clone faster under the forces generated while driving, and basically the foils are less compact. We must not forget the corrosion caused by saltwater on the aluminium foil. If you can afford a carbon foil, we definitely recommend it.
There are many of you who have been thinking about buying a foil for quite some time now, but you have quite a few dilemmas and questions. Since most of the questions that are occurring are practically the same, so we will try to clarify some of the main issues below.
Which boards are suitable for foiling?
Very simply, we can say that any board with a deep tuttle box is suitable for foiling. It is possible to buy adapters for different foils so that the foil fits the box that the board has, but from a safety point of view, we do not recommend this. If a piece of equipment worth € 1,500 remains on the seabed due to improper mounting, you will certainly not be the happiest. It is true that boards that are specially designed for foil are better and that riding with them is easier, but you will also be more than satisfied when foiling with freeride or slalom board, which has a deep tuttle box.Since we are already talking about mounting systems, we would also highlight the mounting system with two parallel US boxes, which is used by Naish and Slingshot. The base plate on the foil is rectangular in shape and has a four-point attachment. Two screws are attached to each US box.
Foil mast for deep tuttle box Foil mast with mounting system for double US box
What sail sizes are used?
How big a sail you use depends mostly on the strength of the wind. You should bear in mind that if you need, say, an 8 m2 sail for a certain wind speed to be able to glide, you will achieve this with a foil with about 6.5 m2 sails. In low winds, sails between 7 and 8 m2 are usually used, while then we quickly come to a 5 m2 sail.How much wind does it take for foil to lift you over the water?
It depends on the foil itself, the surfer, the wind and the equipment. For the Recharge Free Fly foil, we can say that a 90 kg heavy surfer with a 7.8 m2 sail and good pumping skills will be able to fly at eight knots. For most foils, the manufacturers state a wind speed of around 10 knots.Can I use the same foil as I use for a windsurf board for kite and sup board?
Unfortunately, you can't use the exact same foil for all types of boards. Windsurfing and kite foils differ greatly in size and mounting system.When is the wind too strong to make foiling possible/safe?
In principle, there is no limit to wind strength and foiling. It is certainly true that in the event of an awkward fall or inappropriate use, the foil can cut your legs. In weaker wind this happens harder, but in strong winds, waves and more extreme conditions, this can happen easier - as is the case with ordinary windsurfing in more extreme conditions. Our personal opinion is that foil offers the most fun and enjoyment at wind speeds of up to 20 knots, and in stronger winds we have more from windsurfing with a regular board and without foil. But this is merely our opinion.To sum up: Foiling certainly represents a new dimension of windsurfing and allows us to have more pleasure in conditions when we would otherwise be sitting on the beach. Most people are enthusiastic about the feeling of flying, but there are certainly those who do not like it. We definitely recommend that you choose a universal carbon foil, as to your knowledge you will not outgrow it, and at the same time you will get exceptional driving characteristics. If you decide to buy used foil, we recommend that you check it very precisely as small asymmetries between the left and right halves of the foil and damage to the wings and mast have a strong effect on the ride itself. It often turns out that it is better to give a euro or two more for a new one and buy something really verified.