custom hydrofoil build

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Created by

adam1605 > 9 months ago, 4 Apr 2015

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

4 Apr 2015 9:38am

hey guys im a kiter as well as a welder/fabricator and am thinking about making up a bolt on/removable, fully welded (for increased stiffness) hydrofoil up that can fit on either a twin tip or surf board (for an affordable retail price !) does anyone familiar with hydrofoiling have any suggestions, preferred keel/mast length, front/rear wing angles, ect..

kiteboy dave

QLD

6525 posts

4 Apr 2015 12:51pm

read read read there's quite a few build threads here:

kiteforum.com/viewforum.php?f=196

There's also a thread with all the mast lengths listed, run between 70cm- 110cm, around 90-95cm preferred off the top of my head..

Also - I think thekitefoil has some aluminium mast 2nds (failed quality control) for sale super cheap, 45 euros. Great starting point.

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

23 Apr 2015 6:44pm

Some progress on the build, design is done

speedy87

VIC

110 posts

23 Apr 2015 9:23pm

What are u making it from?

suniboy21

VIC

1090 posts

23 Apr 2015 10:13pm

Id suggest making it out of cast iron, that way when it fails you can just jump off and let it sink to the bottom!

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

25 Apr 2015 2:14pm

i'm making it out of lightweight aluminium.

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

14 Jun 2015 11:28pm

bit of progress boys.. its all just balancing in place at the moment.. but its coming along!

Kamikuza

QLD

6493 posts

14 Jun 2015 11:53pm

Select to expand quote

adam1605 said..
bit of progress boys.. its all just balancing in place at the moment.. but its coming along!

IIRC you want the TE of the front wing closer to the LE of the mast, the rear fin above the shaft and the front of the shaft extending out in front of the LE of the front wing, like on big boats.

What are you making it out of? Especially the mast...

That looks great! Gotta be quicker than carbon :D

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

15 Jun 2015 12:12am

Hey Kamikuza, Thanks for the advice mate ! i'll take it all on board and see how it comes out. its all being made out of sea grade light weight aluminium and it will be fully seal welded when finished (apart from wings) which will be fully interchangeable. i'll also be making some more efficient wings if it all works out as well as carbon wings maybe.. do you foil personally ? if so your more then welcome to demo when it is complete.

Kamikuza

QLD

6493 posts

15 Jun 2015 2:01pm

Select to expand quote

adam1605 said..
Hey Kamikuza, Thanks for the advice mate ! i'll take it all on board and see how it comes out. its all being made out of sea grade light weight aluminium and it will be fully seal welded when finished (apart from wings) which will be fully interchangeable. i'll also be making some more efficient wings if it all works out as well as carbon wings maybe.. do you foil personally ? if so your more then welcome to demo when it is complete.

Take it with a grain of salt! I read through a lot of the DIY threads at KF but I'm not certain of what I remember, but I think that's correct.

I'd love to do it, we get a lot of low wind days here that would be perfect for it, but the price is prohibitive... especially with the random depth if the beach and rocks and stuff underwater damage is inevitable. I'd love to DIY but access to carbon fiber is limited, so it'd have to be something else...

If I could get the materials, welding is an option.

Is the mast one piece?

Loftywinds

QLD

2060 posts

17 Jun 2015 10:59am

I think the surfers had foiling for years before the kiters got the same idea. How about bindings like in this video? Would certainly help with boosts and tricks?

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

17 Jun 2015 2:07pm

already looking onto it :) ive got an old twin tip board im going to bolt it onto with my hyperlite boots.. that should be a bit of fun !

Loftywinds

QLD

2060 posts

17 Jun 2015 6:03pm

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adam1605 said..
already looking onto it :) ive got an old twin tip board im going to bolt it onto with my hyperlite boots.. that should be a bit of fun !

Awesome! You know come to think of it, you don't need to have a directional / surfboard board to ride a foil, as the foil itself is what's in the water. It could even be an esky lid for all the ocean cares!

Unless you're foiling on waves perhaps?

Kamikuza

QLD

6493 posts

17 Jun 2015 7:24pm

Strapless, unless you hate your knees being in one piece.

Loftywinds

QLD

2060 posts

18 Jun 2015 1:18pm

Select to expand quote

Kamikuza said..
Strapless, unless you hate your knees being in one piece.

How do you know though? Have you done foiling with boots?

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

18 Jun 2015 2:20pm

hey its lofty ! i didnt even notice.. ive seen you trolling so many of these forums lol. please dont start here.

Macster

VIC

276 posts

18 Jun 2015 8:22pm

I cant imagine how hard it would be to foil toe side if you were locked into boots.

I guess thats why you dont see twin tips used as the board for foils...

Kamikuza

QLD

6493 posts

19 Jun 2015 2:07am

Select to expand quote

Loftywinds said..

Kamikuza said..
Strapless, unless you hate your knees being in one piece.

How do you know though? Have you done foiling with boots?

Cos I've read accounts of others who've done it and it didn't turn out well. Standard consensus is learn without straps.

Select to expand quote

adam1605 said..
hey its lofty ! i didnt even notice.. ive seen you trolling so many of these forums lol. please dont start here.

Gold!

Kamikuza

QLD

6493 posts

19 Jun 2015 2:10am

Select to expand quote

Macster said..
I cant imagine how hard it would be to foil toe side if you were locked into boots.

I guess thats why you dont see twin tips used as the board for foils...

I've seen a couple of really short boards, but most have volume cos you need something for when you touch down and getting started.

Also read about a guy building/riding a bi-directional twin tip foil... He gave up on that though.

Loftywinds

QLD

2060 posts

19 Jun 2015 7:59am

Select to expand quote

adam1605 said..
hey its lofty ! i didnt even notice.. ive seen you trolling so many of these forums lol. please dont start here.

Too late. Next time, notice!!

suniboy21

VIC

1090 posts

19 Jun 2015 9:08am

suniboy21

VIC

1090 posts

19 Jun 2015 9:10am

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

19 Jun 2015 10:11pm

i've got plans to build a twin tip foil also but i still haven't even started the prototype..

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

19 Jun 2015 10:18pm

foiling behind a boat is a lot different to behind a kite.. no tacking, no need for up wind ability.. and drag isn't a huge problem considering you've got a V8 pulling you around.. much easier !

Kamikuza

QLD

6493 posts

20 Jun 2015 12:14am

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suniboy21 said..

Those look familiar! I think you can (or could) buy the first one, but I don't think there were successful at all. Wonder why....

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

24 Jun 2015 10:39pm

bit of progress..

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

28 Jun 2015 11:03pm

weighing in at 2.66kgs...

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

5 Jul 2015 11:03pm

first test ride on the week end went reasonably well. we bolted the foil onto the LF fish foil board for the test run, but ill be making mounting plates as per requests to suit what ever bolt pattern you like. mast length and wing aspect ratios/profiles can be made custom or as per standard.

adam1605

VIC

49 posts

8 Jul 2015 6:12pm

finished and ready for the week end !

Smithy

VIC

859 posts

9 Jul 2015 11:45pm

Looks really cool, how much testing have you done with wing setup etc? And what was the final build cost?

polykarb

VIC

284 posts

14 Jul 2015 7:20pm

Testing in progress. (Need holiday in warmer water to perfect the strapless wakeskate).

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