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Gorgo said..

RichJam said..

.... All aesthetic but still.

Aesthetic? They look fine.

I've had 3 out of 4 foil bags split and shred the fabric in the middle of the leading edge. Easy enough to repair but a pain that it happens.

The new foil and tail bags have gaps at the ends and the tips of the foil stick out. All it takes is another 30mm of sewing at each end to close the gaps.

The mounting point of the foil, tail, and the fuselage on the mast have no coverage at all.

The mast bag is open at both ends. It just slides off. I added velcro to close the top, a strap and buckle at the bottom, and a home made fuselage cover.

The padding is very thin. It should be 5mm EPE the same as every surfboard day bag.

Zippers along the trailing edge are not a good idea. If you drop the foil and it lands on the zipper there is no padding. Drop it on something hard and you have a smashed foil. Velcro is a little better than a zip because it is soft. A padded flap would be better again.

Good points.

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Gorgo said..

RichJam said..

.... All aesthetic but still.

Aesthetic? They look fine.

I've had 3 out of 4 foil bags split and shred the fabric in the middle of the leading edge. Easy enough to repair but a pain that it happens.

The new foil and tail bags have gaps at the ends and the tips of the foil stick out. All it takes is another 30mm of sewing at each end to close the gaps.

The mounting point of the foil, tail, and the fuselage on the mast have no coverage at all.

The mast bag is open at both ends. It just slides off. I added velcro to close the top, a strap and buckle at the bottom, and a home made fuselage cover.

The padding is very thin. It should be 5mm EPE the same as every surfboard day bag.

Zippers along the trailing edge are not a good idea. If you drop the foil and it lands on the zipper there is no padding. Drop it on something hard and you have a smashed foil. Velcro is a little better than a zip because it is soft. A padded flap would be better again.

100% agree. Just copy the covers from Armstrong...simple

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north_kiter said..

Gorgo said..

RichJam said..

.... All aesthetic but still.

Aesthetic? They look fine.

I've had 3 out of 4 foil bags split and shred the fabric in the middle of the leading edge. Easy enough to repair but a pain that it happens.

The new foil and tail bags have gaps at the ends and the tips of the foil stick out. All it takes is another 30mm of sewing at each end to close the gaps.

The mounting point of the foil, tail, and the fuselage on the mast have no coverage at all.

The mast bag is open at both ends. It just slides off. I added velcro to close the top, a strap and buckle at the bottom, and a home made fuselage cover.

The padding is very thin. It should be 5mm EPE the same as every surfboard day bag.

Zippers along the trailing edge are not a good idea. If you drop the foil and it lands on the zipper there is no padding. Drop it on something hard and you have a smashed foil. Velcro is a little better than a zip because it is soft. A padded flap would be better again.

100% agree. Just copy the covers from Armstrong...simple

I can't think of a less important factor in deciding what foil to buy! Armies covers were great but that didn't stop me from sending the noodle mast back!

yeah for sure, but clearly the person who designed the foil and mast covers isn't a foiler!

PS I add handles to my covers. They make it easy to carry the whole set of components in one hand. More importantly nothing gets tucked under an arm where it can slip and fall.

I once had a brand new foil drop onto the road and it landed on the zip and shattered the tip. I repaired it with epoxy paste and it lasted very nicely for 500 or so hours. During lockdown I rebuilt the tip and had a play with vacuum bagging and carbon. Very easy to repair and comes up well. Now up to 800 hours and going strong. I love solid carbon foil tips and edges.

I do a full packdown every session. I've made a few foil covers with 10mm padding that are mainly for storage. The early ones were designed to be able to leave the foil assembled but that doesn't fit in the car. It's just easier to undo a few screws and slide stuff into bomb proof covers.

I add hang loops to the ends of the bags so they can be hung on any convenient hook in the garage or wherever.

I am toying with making a quiver bag that holds my favourite mast, foil, tail, spare screws and tools.

Gofoil should offer premium covers that actually work and protect the very expensive products and make them optional. Buy them if you want them.

BTW The brand printing peels off the bags.

All this stuff might sound like frills and irrelevant extras. It makes a huge difference in the ease and enjoyment of foiling when you can just throw a couple of bags in the car and know that you have everything you want, it's all protected from damage, and the interior of the even more expensive car is protected. Nothing is worse than bumping a board or a foil against something unyielding and having to repair it. I would say very rude words if I damaged the leather interior of my car. I am not about to buy a van just to go foiling. My kite foiling gear all fits in the boot, including the board. I am almost at that level with wing foiling gear.

Even better is when you can rig up your gear with no fuss and bother. That is part of the attraction of Gofoil with super simple robust connections and gear that just simply works.

I toyed with changing to Armstrong at one stage but all those screws and overly complicated parts were not appealing. It is very nice that the current crop of Gofoil gear is so good ("game changing" comes to mind) and that people are moving to Gofoil from Armstrong.

www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002327009537.html

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hilly said..
www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002327009537.html

Thanks. The width of the bag is too narrow for Gofoil fuselage section. I would have to make a little extension and have it stick out the side. Those bags are the same as electric piano bags which can be bought pretty cheaply, but are also too narrow.

Part of the attraction of the RS1150 is the range of use is so wide and the smaller size makes it more convenient to fit in the car ("game changer" springs to mind but those are not words to be bandied about). I have settled on the 93cm mast so it would be a fairly simple project to make a sleeve or case that holds both. The foil fits inside the dimensions of the mast and there would be room for a tail or two.

Hey guys.
all feedback has been taken on and passed onto GF international. They will be working to change the covers. Unfortunately it sounds like it was a batch that came in my shipment as no other country has reported any of these issues . or do Aussies just have to complain about something!? Either way if you have a concern or issue contact me with it and I'll see what I can do. At the end of the day if the cover is the only part that's wrong then we are doing pretty bloody good! Less bolts less problems!

In France the cover are bad too. Tips are not protected !

First world problem. I would buy GoFoil if they came with no covers. The foil is outstanding. However to compete on a world stage at price parody with other premium brands that offer better bags they could give customers a better bag to maintain or increase market share. My opinion only and I know everyone has one just like ....

This thread's funny, pages of discussion about the bags vs the actual foil performance. However, I also know that in premium price-land the details really matter. People pay $100k for a luxury car and return it when some silly irrelevant aesthetic detail isn't perfect. There's a sense that if they aren't paying attention to small details, then maybe they are also not paying attention to the big stuff.

I figure I will resolve the problem by re-selling my old wings with the new bags, and keeping the good old zipped ones that work great. :-)

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juandesooka said..
This thread's funny, pages of discussion about the bags vs the actual foil performance. However, I also know that in premium price-land the details really matter. People pay $100k for a luxury car and return it when some silly irrelevant aesthetic detail isn't perfect. There's a sense that if they aren't paying attention to small details, then maybe they are also not paying attention to the big stuff.

I figure I will resolve the problem by re-selling my old wings with the new bags, and keeping the good old zipped ones that work great. :-)

It is relevant when comparing $3k plus foils which are of similar performance.

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pohaku said..
Hey guys.
all feedback has been taken on and passed onto GF international. They will be working to change the covers. Unfortunately it sounds like it was a batch that came in my shipment as no other country has reported any of these issues . or do Aussies just have to complain about something!? Either way if you have a concern or issue contact me with it and I'll see what I can do. At the end of the day if the cover is the only part that's wrong then we are doing pretty bloody good! Less bolts less problems!

Is interesting that people are just focusing on the covers. For me the main issues are:
- Mast to front wing connection. Not fitting properly, leaving the front wing moving after tightening the screws. This gets worst or time and must be corrected with stickers. Not ideal.
- WIng paint are extremely scratch sensitive. My foils look like crab after a few sessions.

Had my first quick session on GF + 1150 yesterday winging. 4.5 gusty. Still need to dial in placement. Did feel pretty good. The noise wasn't something I was used to. GF suggested a sanding + re-paint. Not impressed. Covers are cheap but doesn't bother me. The noise /repair is something worth mentioning.

@Pacoo - Had to sand some and buildup up others with Armstrong foils to get a good fit, they still worked loose. Had to sand the trailing edges to get Armie gear silent, not the CF foils but HS and HA. Damaged carbon with a nice weave is impossible to match, fill and paint is a doddle.



@Fird - I sanded trailing edge of GF at 30 degrees like I did the Armstrong and it only left a thin black line looks fine. Will touch them up when I sell them. At least I did not have to cut 30mm of the tips to get them to turn



No brand is perfect, unfortunately.

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Pacoo said..

pohaku said..
Hey guys.
all feedback has been taken on and passed onto GF international. They will be working to change the covers. Unfortunately it sounds like it was a batch that came in my shipment as no other country has reported any of these issues . or do Aussies just have to complain about something!? Either way if you have a concern or issue contact me with it and I'll see what I can do. At the end of the day if the cover is the only part that's wrong then we are doing pretty bloody good! Less bolts less problems!

Is interesting that people are just focusing on the covers. For me the main issues are:
- Mast to front wing connection. Not fitting properly, leaving the front wing moving after tightening the screws. This gets worst or time and must be corrected with stickers. Not ideal.
- WIng paint are extremely scratch sensitive. My foils look like crab after a few sessions.

If the wing is lose this is no worries and can be fixed super easy. Just get some wax and wax the pin on the fuse then fit the wing if still lose add a bit more wax but it should be so you really have to wiggle it hard to get it on.
The wax fills any tiny voids and makes it a perfect fit
I really like the wax and it also stops the pin ever wearing in to the future and all you have to do is add a little more wax every month or so. Way easier than trying to remold each wing.
Works really well on alloy fuses as well

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paul.j said..

Pacoo said..

pohaku said..
Hey guys.
all feedback has been taken on and passed onto GF international. They will be working to change the covers. Unfortunately it sounds like it was a batch that came in my shipment as no other country has reported any of these issues . or do Aussies just have to complain about something!? Either way if you have a concern or issue contact me with it and I'll see what I can do. At the end of the day if the cover is the only part that's wrong then we are doing pretty bloody good! Less bolts less problems!

Is interesting that people are just focusing on the covers. For me the main issues are:
- Mast to front wing connection. Not fitting properly, leaving the front wing moving after tightening the screws. This gets worst or time and must be corrected with stickers. Not ideal.
- WIng paint are extremely scratch sensitive. My foils look like crab after a few sessions.

If the wing is lose this is no worries and can be fixed super easy. Just get some wax and wax the pin on the fuse then fit the wing if still lose add a bit more wax but it should be so you really have to wiggle it hard to get it on.
The wax fills any tiny voids and makes it a perfect fit
I really like the wax and it also stops the pin ever wearing in to the future and all you have to do is add a little more wax every month or so. Way easier than trying to remold each wing.
Works really well on alloy fuses as well

I remember Marty Carter talking about the wax solution ages ago , but I wondered if the fine sand would get into the wax and cause a bigger problem and make like a grinding paste of wax and sand ?

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kobo said..

paul.j said..

Pacoo said..

pohaku said..
Hey guys.
all feedback has been taken on and passed onto GF international. They will be working to change the covers. Unfortunately it sounds like it was a batch that came in my shipment as no other country has reported any of these issues . or do Aussies just have to complain about something!? Either way if you have a concern or issue contact me with it and I'll see what I can do. At the end of the day if the cover is the only part that's wrong then we are doing pretty bloody good! Less bolts less problems!

Is interesting that people are just focusing on the covers. For me the main issues are:
- Mast to front wing connection. Not fitting properly, leaving the front wing moving after tightening the screws. This gets worst or time and must be corrected with stickers. Not ideal.
- WIng paint are extremely scratch sensitive. My foils look like crab after a few sessions.

If the wing is lose this is no worries and can be fixed super easy. Just get some wax and wax the pin on the fuse then fit the wing if still lose add a bit more wax but it should be so you really have to wiggle it hard to get it on.
The wax fills any tiny voids and makes it a perfect fit
I really like the wax and it also stops the pin ever wearing in to the future and all you have to do is add a little more wax every month or so. Way easier than trying to remold each wing.
Works really well on alloy fuses as well

I remember Marty Carter talking about the wax solution ages ago , but I wondered if the fine sand would get into the wax and cause a bigger problem and make like a grinding paste of wax and sand ?

Nah never had an issue with sand and I am always running the wings into the bottom and now I prefer to use wax as a way to always keep wings super tight. Something so easy that really will keep the life in the foils longer.
Just something that's far better than tap or shims IMO any way. Been doing it for about 2 years and never a issue.

Thanks for chiming in @paulj

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paul.j said..

Pacoo said..

pohaku said..
Hey guys.
all feedback has been taken on and passed onto GF international. They will be working to change the covers. Unfortunately it sounds like it was a batch that came in my shipment as no other country has reported any of these issues . or do Aussies just have to complain about something!? Either way if you have a concern or issue contact me with it and I'll see what I can do. At the end of the day if the cover is the only part that's wrong then we are doing pretty bloody good! Less bolts less problems!

Is interesting that people are just focusing on the covers. For me the main issues are:
- Mast to front wing connection. Not fitting properly, leaving the front wing moving after tightening the screws. This gets worst or time and must be corrected with stickers. Not ideal.
- WIng paint are extremely scratch sensitive. My foils look like crab after a few sessions.

If the wing is lose this is no worries and can be fixed super easy. Just get some wax and wax the pin on the fuse then fit the wing if still lose add a bit more wax but it should be so you really have to wiggle it hard to get it on.
The wax fills any tiny voids and makes it a perfect fit
I really like the wax and it also stops the pin ever wearing in to the future and all you have to do is add a little more wax every month or so. Way easier than trying to remold each wing.
Works really well on alloy fuses as well

That's good advice. I will try with wax. The Go foil guys told me that they have some stickers to improve fitting, so I ordered some.

What kind of wax do you use?

Wax is interesting idea...though as kobo asked, worry with gunk getting stuck in the wax? The gofoil fuselage connection is so tight, that I find even a few grains of sand get in there, it won't fit. When that happens I need to clean the fuselage with a towel and rinse out the wing hole ... if there's stickiness in there, sand might not come out easily?

I have had a couple wings that are loose, I use tape in layers until it fits tight...kinda half-a**ed, but works. Aluminum tape for dryer vents or tuck tape are best, duct tape gets waterlogged and compresses.

Wax hey. Great idea paul.

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drlazone said..
What kind of wax do you use?

Haha special pin wax

Nah just surf wax is sweet and easy to get.

I have been using it for a couple of years and never a issue. Recommended not dipping the pin it in the sand like a sprinked soft serve though but pretty easy to avoid.

So much better than using the tape and a much better fit.

Hmm great idea, going to try that on the Axis doodad to take the slop out of the mast / fuse connection.

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paul.j said..

Nah just surf wax is sweet and easy to get.

cold, cool, warm or tropical?

Good discussion.
I agree that the tolerances on final production could be a bit better, however as discussed above there are many easy fixes for it.
Rich

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Camarillo said..

paul.j said..

Nah just surf wax is sweet and easy to get.

cold, cool, warm or tropical?

Depends on where you live & the temp of the water
Don't over think it, go to your local surf shop & grab a block

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GWatto said..

Camarillo said..

paul.j said..

Nah just surf wax is sweet and easy to get.

cold, cool, warm or tropical?

Depends on where you live & the temp of the water
Don't over think it, go to your local surf shop & grab a block

I think waxing the fuse might be the worst idea I've ever heard. Waxing will give the illusion of less play but make fully seating harder, increasing the play when it's loaded up. It's also going to collect sand and wear down both surfaces, making your gear less precise.

If the collar hits before the compression fitting is engaged and there's room on the screw slot just sand down the back edge of the connection on the wing so it can seat correctly. I did this on all
my RS wings for a perfect fit. Mallet taps it home and 0 play keep everything super clean.

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RichJam said..
Good discussion.
I agree that the tolerances on final production could be a bit better, however as discussed above there are many easy fixes for it.
Rich

Yeah this is pretty tough as really we are talking the smallest margins here to get it right 100% of the time so I feel there is always going to be some slight differences. It's not really an issue and things like the wax solve the issue and more. No different to waxing your surfboard before a surf except it only needs it on every now and then.

Camarillo- Yeah wax type wont really mater and once you have a thin coat on it is super easy to touch it up when needed as wax on wax is super easy. First coat takes a little work to get right but then you are sweet to go.

I wish some of the brands in the early days had worked it out as every foil i had had wings coming lose or masts getting sloppy and doing the tape thing sucks and was never reliable.