What to know when starting hydrofoil?

Want to get started with hydrofoiling but don't know where to start? Every question you ask leaves you more confused than you were initially?

This introductory guide is for you!

We break down the parts of a hydrofoil and give you the main points to make your first purchase easier.

The mast

The mast connects the board to the fuselage. In order not to get lost in too many technicalities, let's focus on the main question: "What length should I buy?"

A smaller mast (70-80 cm):

-Safer when starting out (Height of falls and touchdown recoveries)

-Allows for an easier heel-to-toe transition (Ex: Skateboard with looser axles)

-Generates less drag during take-off

-Better pumping performance

This length range is ideal for disciplines practiced at low or medium speed where turns and changes of direction are numerous and where chop and swell are not significant factors.

See: Wakesurfing, Dockstarting, Prone foiling in small conditions, SUP Downwind

A longer mast (81-110cm)

-Causes more serious falls due to its height, worst touchdown recovery

-Allows a more aggressive upwind angle

-Generates more resistance (drag) on ​​takeoff

-Does not allow for as efficient pumping as shorter masts

This length range is ideal for high-speed disciplines where upwind angles are radical and riders must navigate large chop (1-5 feet of chop/swell)

See: Kitefoil, Wingfoil, Windsurf Foil, Tow-Foiling, Prone foiling in big conditions

TO START

We recommend a size of 70 to 80cm regardless of the discipline. The smaller, the easier it will be to start with. However, you will inevitably increase the length of your mast once you have reached an intermediate level.

Fuselage

The fuselage is the central part of the hydrofoil, it connects the mast to the front wing and the rear wing. Again, length is the feature we will focus on:

A shorter fuselage (50-70cm)

-Allows tighter turns and more playful behavior

-Maximizes the back and forth frequency when pumping

-A much more sensitive “pitch control” (up-down dimension of the hydrofoil)

-Is more difficult to control during speed bursts

As with the mast, this length range is ideal for disciplines that do not require high speed, where there are many turns and changes of direction and where pumping is an important part of the activity.

See: Wakefoil, Kitefoil Freestyle, Wingfoil freestyle, SUP Downwind, Dockstarting, Prone foiling in small conditions

A longer fuselage (71cm-90cm)

-Allows more progressive and stable turns

-Limits the effectiveness of pumping

-A much less sensitive “pitch control” (up-down dimension of the hydrofoil)

-Is much easier to control during speed bursts

This length range is ideal for disciplines practiced at high speed.

See: Kitefoil Race, Wingfoil Race, Windsurf Foil, Tow-Foiling, Prone foiling in big conditions

TO START

We recommend a fuselage length between 65cm and 80cm.

Front Wing

The front wing generates the lift necessary for the hydrofoil to fly. Keep in mind that there are a lot of factors that influence the behavior of a hydrofoil wing (span, chord, aspect ratio, thickness, foil section, curvature, etc.). In order not to get too sidetracked, we will focus on two variables, its surface area and its aspect ratio (Aspect Ratio) .

Surface

The surface area of ​​a wing is measured in square centimeters. All other variables being equal, the larger the surface area of ​​a wing, the greater its lift. That is, a larger wing will need less speed to 1) get the board off the water and 2) support a person of a certain weight above the water.

For activities with a powerful source of traction/propulsion, a smaller front wing will be needed. For sports with little or no propulsive force, a larger surface area will be needed.

Here are the sports involving high speed and requiring a smaller front wing (less than 1000cm square) :

• Kitefoil: Race, Freestyle, Freeride
  
• Wingfoil: Race, Freestyle advanced level, Wave advanced level
  
• Tow-Foil (Being towed by a watercraft in large waves)
  
• Wakefoil (Holding the wakeboard rope, no lift generated by the boat wave)
  
• Prone foil (Catch big waves while paddling surf-style)
  
• Downwind SUP (Big conditions, more than 20 knots)
  

Here are the sports involving medium to slow speed that require a larger front wing (1000cm to 2400cm)

• Wingfoil Freeride (Majority of riders in Quebec)
  
• Wakefoil (No rope in hand, lift generated by the boat's wave)
  
• Prone foil (Catch small to medium waves while paddling surf-style)
  
• Downwind SUP (Light conditions, less than 20 knots)
  
• Pumpfoil / Dockstart (Departure from a dock, propelled only by the rider's pumping)
  

Aspect Ratio (AR)

The aspect ratio of a wing is calculated by dividing its wingspan by its mean chord. Here is a simplified example

In this example, the wing has an aspect ratio of 8.9, which is quite high. Nowadays, three main categories of aspect ratio exist:

Low AR: Less than 5

Medium AR : 5 to 8

High AR : More than 8

What effect does aspect ratio have on the behavior of a wing?

Low AR

- Turning can be tighter and more aggressive.

-Very playful behavior offering ease of switching from heel to toe and vice versa.

-More drag force, which reduces its ability to glide on its own and reach high speeds.

-Less efficient in terms of sliding and pumping

High AR

-Longer and more gradual turns

-Less drag force which increases its planing performance

-Capable of reaching much greater speeds

-Better glide and pumping

-Potentially higher stall speed, giving the rider less room to maneuver at low speeds.

TO START

The numbers below are a rough approximation that will vary based on weight, rider skill level, conditions and location. Call in store to confirm your ideal starting surface area range.

Kitefoil: 800 to 1200cm square

Wingfoil: 1500 to 2400cm square

Wakefoil: 800 to 1200cm square (Pull by boat using a rope)

Make sure you have reached an intermediate level in hydrofoiling before trying dockstart, downwind SUP, prone foil or tow foil. Getting started with hydrofoiling through these sports is not recommended at all.

Regarding aspect ratio, keep in mind that a wing with a medium or low aspect ratio is generally easier to learn and progress on. We generally recommend staying below the threshold of 7 for a first wing.

Again, there are many other features of a wing that make it a good beginner wing or not. Call us if you have more questions about specific wings.


Stabilizers



The main purpose of the rear wing, also called the stabilizer, is to compensate for the forces applied to the front wing in order to stabilize the hydrofoil and prevent it from nose-diving. However, this wing exerts a negative lift force, meaning that it pushes downward.

Without getting into too much complexity, it is important to understand that the same characteristics of the front wing are found in the rear wing.

Therefore, a large surface area stabilizer usually accompanies a large front wing so as to also compensate for lift forces. Here is an approximation of the wing pairings that most major brands recommend:

Front wing of 1000cm square and less = Stabilizers of less than 300cm square

Front wing over 1000cm square = 300 to 500cm square

Again, these approximations are just to give you an idea. This type of pairing is not mandatory, however; many people will use the same stabilizer with completely different surface area wings.

Replacing a stabilizer with a smaller wing that has a higher aspect ratio is a great way to increase the overall performance of your hydrofoil without breaking the bank.

TO START

Go with the manufacturer's recommendations for pairing your front and rear wings. A general rule to make it easier to get started would be to keep a surface area of ​​300cm or more for kitefoiling or wakefoiling and a surface area of ​​400cm or more for wingfoiling.

Finally, remember that all of the numbers, measurements and information mentioned above can vary considerably from one person to another and that you will never be as well informed about your own situation as by calling the store at 450-671-5650.