I have been drooling like a dog in front of all these masterpiece of carbon fibre but sadly couldn’t afford a quarter of the cheapest hydrofoil Dave could propose on this forum (very good job anyhow Dave)... So I decided to build one myself with what I had: some old kite gear and few tools (including an angle grinder).

A mate gave me a used skateboard, I closed my eyes and though very very hard at what an Eppler 817 profile looks like, then took my angle grinder and shaped a big fat front wing. I had a bit of resin left from another job to make a quick glassing and protect the wood in case my sharpened log needs to fly more than once.




The rear wing is made with pair of short race fins screwed together with the insert of the mini-tuttle box. I paid attention to put the flat surface of the fins facing upward - to create some lift downward as they say on kitefoil.forumactif.org/.



Back from work, I found what looked like a gate made from stainless steel tubes badly welded together in the bin of an industrial area (what else could I dream of!!!). Without hesitation, I pulled out my angle grinder to make few cuts, glued the bits with araldite, which didn’t work so I drilled some holes, chucked a couple of bolts and my first fuselage was born.



Tired of such a success, I took my phone to check the web and found that TKF was selling their aluminum mast rejected from the production line. $260 poorer and 2 weeks later, I had 2 nearly spotless mast delivered at my door (so far, the best looking parts of my project).



I had this old race-board prototype sitting there doing nothing and thought that despite of the explicit design, it could do the job. I drilled a mast box and reinforced it with pine wood treated against termite (I’m playing my best cards). The female tuttle shape was moulded in resin with a fin protected with duct tape. I screwed some off-cut from my gate on the deck to hold the bolts that will attach the mast to the board.



Then I bolted everything together with Ikea screws and bolts stolen from the steering of my daughter’s bike, a bit of duct tape here and there to cover the f*** ups then ran to the beach like a fat kid on a mud cake.






On my way, I realized that I had spent only 4h on the foil of a friend before so I’d have to learn how to fly and to setup a foil at the same time (smartly, I decided to wear a helmet and impact vest).

With the sun setting, I had just 15min for the first try in dying wind but I managed to make it fly for about 50m. That was sufficient to make me the happiest man on earth.

The second session was brilliant, except the fact that I had to keep the board pointing down dramatically to maintain a not too unstable fly. I realized later that the fuselage was bent.

A stronger fuselage with high penetration nose was made for session 3 where I could fly very well but only in one direction (one of my front line was 50cm shorter than the other one...that didn’t help).





Session 4 was 10km of awesome ride. The foil is taking off at very low speed, remains stable, goes upwind, downwind, and don’t really bother the ventilations. My max speed was stunning 30km/h, a record that can only be broken...

Brilliant effort for somwthing you've thrown together from basically nothing. Inspires me to try something, though knowing my skill with tools, mine will end in the bin

So that didn't cost $2000 ???
How could it possibly work LOL

Haha, "high penetration nose", I see what you did there!

S H I T .......H O T !

Legendary stuff mate

That "high penetration" nose does look pretty suss tho

Love it - and very inspiring - seems the trickiest piece might be the mast which finding a couple of seconds on line was the go. Have now been eyeing up my kids old skate boards visualising which would be high wind and which would be low wind foils. Great job with the Tuttle strengthening....

Awesome job! Careful that high penetration nose doesn't bite you in the ass when you fall!

I really hope this is real. Any chance of a photo of it in action?

Love it Luc. Skateboard front wing is genius.

Well, alcohol probably had a bit to do with the nose. I'll make boobs for the next one so that everyone is happy...
Foil + board cost me less than $200 and could probably be nailed working a full week end if I had to do it again.

Foil mass is 3.5kg / board is 4.5kg

As weird as it can be, it looks like anything can fly as long as the front wind creates lift and the rear wing balances it.
How long it lasts depends on how stiff mast + fuselage + attachment to the board are.
How fast it flies is directly related to the drag.

I ll try to make vids this we if wind blows.

This is post of the year........ It has everything

failure
humour
success
sexual connotations

a battler beating all odds to fly

you bloody legend

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The garage tinkerer is still alive and kicking.

Well done Luc.

You must be thinking of the next one, am I right ?

Awesome work ! Looking forward to next years model !

Nice man.

I am puzzled with the TKF, are they based in Au? Would be great if u can share the contact details, I recon will go your path than :) Cheers

Thanks guys

Ordering now.

I've just ordered one :-). Here comes a whole new adventure!!!!
Hey Luc, any chance of catching up for a chat sometime?, I'll bring the beer :-)

Well done Luc!!

I was looking at the section you cut out of the skate board and thought how the hell are you going to stand on that

Love people that think outside the box.

Thanks everyone for your messages and glad to see there s few DIYers around.

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SimonDreyer said...
I'll bring the beer :-)

Simon, you know how to talk to me

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Luc said..













I know this is gretting childish. But man that looks like yourve installed a dildo on the end or your foil. It even has an eye!

Hence the previous references to penetration

You're famous Luc

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kitcho207 said..
Hence the previous references to penetration

a helmet and impact vest may not be enough protection. lol.

hi Luc,

well done!

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kiteboy dave said...
You're famous Luc

OMG, I m famous !
Does it mean I ll have to deal with girls in bikini fighting to pump my kites?

Maybe the bikini girls can play with your high penetration nose

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HighzaKite said..

kitcho207 said..
Hence the previous references to penetration

a helmet and impact vest may not be enough protection. lol.

I've got a latex cover you can use to help reduce resistance for maximum glide and pleasure. It also glows in the dark which would be cool

Awesome.

My next 'project' was going to be a mountain board, I have a few months before the time will be available but you've inspired a rethink, I will have to think hard on this. Click, beer fridge turned on...

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acitta said..

HighzaKite said..

kitcho207 said..
Hence the previous references to penetration

a helmet and impact vest may not be enough protection. lol.

I've got a latex cover you can use to help reduce resistance for maximum glide and pleasure. It also glows in the dark which would be cool

You could even get one with dimples to help induce turbulence

I am seriously considering doing this myself.

I've got almost everything, but the mast.

Where's TKF? Linky please?

Awesome job Luc. Thank you for sharing.

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Loftywinds said...
I am seriously considering doing this myself.

I've got almost everything, but the mast.

Where's TKF? Linky please?

Awesome job Luc. Thank you for sharing.

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