To Foil or Not to Foil...

[Nauti-Nurse]

P.S. Learning to foil I suggest using a wakeboard rope and shorten it so the handle ends right between the first and second wake. Kept you further from the jet wash that can really mess with getting up. Also starting just outside of the wake, the smooth water there is great for learning.

 

[giroux68]

I second that as well. Long rope, clean water, learn how the foil works with out worrying about the wake. Once you can fly it for a long run, start playing with mast placement. I was amazed what a difference it made moving from full aft to full forward. I'm about ready to buy another full set up so we can ride double. I have one goofy and one regular kid. I want to ride the 2nd wave too.

 

[AZMark]

@J-RAD @Chris D and anyone else thinking of foiling.
I'll do my best to put my thoughts in good wording but i'm a little tired lol

Here's my 2 cents (despite the crazy made up coin shortage lol) Now having a Full season of foiling under my belt.
Despite years of different watersports you have to accept that these foils do come with a bit of a learning curve... It took me 3 solid days before I could learn to get up and stay on it for more than a brief 25-50 yard ride... but stick with it and it gradually gets better and better! I highly recommend 2 things, one don't use foot loops and for goodness sake please use a helmet! I took the carbon fiber foil point to the head one day and the helmet saved us a trip to the emergency room... as an ER/Trauma nurse myself... I can tell you that if I hadn't had it on... I might not be writing this.

First the board, for several reasons i like the WF-2 better. It is seamlessly wrapped in the closed cell foam, and during the learning process it docent hurt if you take a hit from it on a fall. The grip top runs almost the entire length and width, that really gives you the ability to experiment with foot placement. The protection for the boat... being new to foil and even after one season, the foil still can be a bit cumbersome moving it in and out of the boat... the soft sides help in two ways... I don't feel too bad if I bump the boat because the board can take it without damage and also the boat can take it without damage. The number of times I hit different areas of the boat, I'm sure that a WF-1 would have looked a little beat up after this season.
I do have one reason why i don't like the WF-2 and that is that its subject to some permanent "damage" indention marks from being in the tower rack. I think it was the second trip out and I found that the bungee cords on my rack put two permanent dents on the side. However being crafty I found away to still use the rack... We just happened to have paper plates with us and I folded one into quarters and used it as a barrier and poof no new indentions.
I have the 76cm infinity on mine and (my opinion only)... I feel it is the best one to learn on. Yes it gives more lift at slower speeds and that I found helpful. Starting out slower really gives you the ability to find foot placement and begin learning muscle memory. Without learning your foot placement for best control... forget it. If I tried learning at faster speeds... the foil is not very forgiving. The slower speed required for the 76 and starting off with the fuselage and mast position all the way to the back of the board you can stay on the surface of the water easily with good foot placement and for me learning that was step one. I say slower with a bigger foil is better because the year before my first attempt at a foil my friend had was much smaller and needed more speed.. it didn't go so well! lol
Once you have the stability down and the basic flight controls of the foil, I love the 76 because NO BALLAST needed!!!! I have spent some time and money trying to get my AR190 (the 195 has more power to handle more ballast and still move lol) to produce a surf wave but to my disappointment I had to accept that she really isn't made for it, esp after getting to surf behind a Tigé! The 76 has truly allowed us to foil surf 1st, 2nd and even 3rd wake back ropeless!
One great thing about the slingshot I like is that it is basically modular... once you have mastered the 76 and the 2ft mast... in more advanced positions you can easily change it up and put smaller foils and longer masts on it to move to the next level of challenge.
Overall I love the foil more than any other watersport I've ever learned (aside from surfing the Tigé, that was awesome as well). You can use the foil behind anything that can pull you at low speeds, we've done it behind the AR and even jet ski's.
The thing feels like a magic carpet ride, there isn't anything like it!
Have patience and fun!

How fast are you going with the 76?

I’m surprised by all the comments about the bigger wings. I’m 180 and the 68 feels like it has a ton of lift to me and I try to get the driver to keep it around 10mph (but it’s my wife so it’s like 20 out of the hole...3 once I get my balance...15...7... ).
I’m considering the Ride steady system and its lowest speed is 8. Are you all foiling slower than that?

 

[giroux68]

Ride steady and a foil, match made in boater heaven!

 

[giroux68]

This is how small a wake you need...

 

[Nauti-Nurse]

How fast are you going with the 76?

I’m surprised by all the comments about the bigger wings. I’m 180 and the 68 feels like it has a ton of lift to me and I try to get the driver to keep it around 10mph (but it’s my wife so it’s like 20 out of the hole...3 once I get my balance...15...7... ).
I’m considering the Ride steady system and its lowest speed is 8. Are you all foiling slower than that?

We are anywhere between 8-11 mph and it really varies on mast placement and where you are on skill and control development. I can have full lift as low as 8mph with it on the rear fuselage attachment point. Slow and in control is how I learned. Even a slower roll on for the take off. We roll to 3/4 throttle and as soon as my GPS says 11 I back it off to half throttle or where the GPS has me bouncing around the desired speed. Then believe it or not I use our factory speed control (no wake buttons) to adjust the speed. May need two bumps up then one down every few minutes or whatever is needed to keep the GPS bouncing +/- 1mph. Keeps the hands off the actual throttle which is much more difficult to make such minute changes. I will say that its a far cry from perfect pass or Ride steady... but for right now its a way around until my W&W allow it...(Wife & Wallet) LOL

 

[Nauti-Nurse]

I second that as well. Long rope, clean water, learn how the foil works with out worrying about the wake. Once you can fly it for a long run, start playing with mast placement. I was amazed what a difference it made moving from full aft to full forward. I'm about ready to buy another full set up so we can ride double. I have one goofy and one regular kid. I want to ride the 2nd wave too.

@giroux68 see the pic in my last post... second wake not a drop of ballast!

 

[AZMark]

We are anywhere between 8-11 mph and it really varies on mast placement and where you are on skill and control development. I can have full lift as low as 8mph with it on the rear fuselage attachment point. Slow and in control is how I learned. Even a slower roll on for the take off. We roll to 3/4 throttle and as soon as my GPS says 11 I back it off to half throttle or where the GPS has me bouncing around the desired speed. Then believe it or not I use our factory speed control (no wake buttons) to adjust the speed. May need two bumps up then one down every few minutes or whatever is needed to keep the GPS bouncing +/- 1mph. Keeps the hands off the actual throttle which is much more difficult to make such minute changes. I will say that its a far cry from perfect pass or Ride steady... but for right now its a way around until my W&W allow it...(Wife & Wallet) LOL

I use the factory cruise buttons as well when I’m driving.
The throttles are so stiff on these things it’s really hard to move them smoothly to maintain a steady speed when towing.

 

[JDub]

Haven't been here for awhile, but I would say the foil is deff worth it. We foiled the 84 today behind an seafood challenger 1800. I can foil the 3rd wave back on my 242 x with no ballest. I would also second the helmet. The foil hurts like a bitch and it will keep on trucking with no rider.

 

[Squinter]

Message sent with package and discount code information.

Can you send me that info as well?

 

[J-RAD]

Can you send me that info as well?

Sure thing. I'll message you some info and pricing. Unfortunately we're waiting hour Slingshot to restock their inventory. They pretty much sold it if everything last month... You'll hear from me tomorrow.

 

[Nauti-Nurse]

@J-RAD Awesome to see so much interest in the foil category!

 

[J-RAD]

@J-RAD Awesome to see so much interest in the foil category!

For sure! Let's build an army!