Looking for any info or advice on downwinding with foil drive assist. TIA

A few here (very capable SUP foilers) have it but not down winding.
From watching them and hearing their comments they are catching waves/swell they would never have caught so I suspect it would be very good for down wind.
A couple of lighter weights charge around as if on efoils.
These guys do not comment on here so I have.

www.instagram.com/reel/CR_JagLJcx6/?utm_medium=copy_link
This was a pretty weird/average day in Adelaide, Trav was up and away super easy on a tiny wing

Im making a board with this in mind currently. 6'3" x 21.5 x 75lt.
The control/batt box is recessed into the board over the centre of lift out of the way. The foildrive is a week or two away from delivery and that will coincide with finishing the build. Should be able to test in September, fingers crossed lockdown gets lifted. Really hoping to use it to get on out in open water without having to carry paddles.
Has anyone tried down winding the ha1125 or axis 1010.? without a hand wing.

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saltwaterwine said..
Im making a board with this in mind currently. 6'3" x 21.5 x 75lt.
The control/batt box is recessed into the board over the centre of lift out of the way. The foildrive is a week or two away from delivery and that will coincide with finishing the build. Should be able to test in September, fingers crossed lockdown gets lifted. Really hoping to use it to get on out in open water without having to carry paddles.
Has anyone tried down winding the ha1125 or axis 1010.? without a hand wing.

I am interested in seeing pictures of you board when it is ready please, and I am getting delivery of a 1125 next week and I intend to use it for DW (I also have the Foil Drive System up & running at the moment:-)

Good idea to sink the box into the deck. I just got a foil drive and took it out in the surf for the first time today. Got caught on the inside and the box came off the Velcro on the tail. When the box was hanging under the board on the cable it must have caught the prop because one blade snapped off and the other has a chip in it. Much more secure to have the box sunk into the deck as well as getting the weight more central. Are you putting it just in front of the tracks running length wise?

Oh Tomo...did you read the manual?
You know the bit about irresponsible use etc

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Winsup said..
Oh Tomo...did you read the manual?
You know the bit about irresponsible use etc

I am writing 1000 times i must be more careful I must be. more careful also tightened up the foot strap I have fitted over the box

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tomooh said..
Good idea to sink the box into the deck. I just got a foil drive and took it out in the surf for the first time today. Got caught on the inside and the box came off the Velcro on the tail. When the box was hanging under the board on the cable it must have caught the prop because one blade snapped off and the other has a chip in it. Much more secure to have the box sunk into the deck as well as getting the weight more central. Are you putting it just in front of the tracks running length wise?

Yes lengthwise, it acts as a stringer and connects directly to the front of the tracks.
For your set up You could add two leash plugs and run a stap over the unit with a safety cord to the lug on the catch side.

A couple of progress shots.

I took a demo foil drive for a spin this weekend. Set it on up my standard sup and Armstrong 1850. It makes paddling into fat rolling waves and swell so easy to pop up on foil. I found all you needed was 3-4 paddles and full gas and away you go. It kinda feels like cheating, but what it means is more waves per hour when surfing or easy downwind riding. I think the kit could be refined a little more (ie better remote and paddle mount) but given this is the first to market product it is pretty good. Works exactly as intended and seems durable. It opens up even more uncrowded offshore surf breaks. The centre of gravity of the box is offset due to the battery on one side. If you have a kit it might be worth experimenting to get the box balanced perfect on the centre of board. Running the box long ways on the stringer would be great if you have the room. I set it up temporarily under the back straps. It worked ok, but I'd probably chop the tail pad and move it further aft to have more space to move my back foot. It's great to see some Aussie ingenuity creating this new bit of kit to get us out foiling even more. I can't quite justify a foildrive purchase currently but if I was money rich and time poor I would have one for sure.

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saltwaterwine said..
A couple of progress shots.

Looking good which way is the wire going is it through the bottom of the board.

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baldy123 said..
I took a demo foil drive for a spin this weekend. Set it on up my standard sup and Armstrong 1850. It makes paddling into fat rolling waves and swell so easy to pop up on foil. I found all you needed was 3-4 paddles and full gas and away you go. It kinda feels like cheating, but what it means is more waves per hour when surfing or easy downwind riding. I think the kit could be refined a little more (ie better remote and paddle mount) but given this is the first to market product it is pretty good. Works exactly as intended and seems durable. It opens up even more uncrowded offshore surf breaks. The centre of gravity of the box is offset due to the battery on one side. If you have a kit it might be worth experimenting to get the box balanced perfect on the centre of board. Running the box long ways on the stringer would be great if you have the room. I set it up temporarily under the back straps. It worked ok, but I'd probably chop the tail pad and move it further aft to have more space to move my back foot. It's great to see some Aussie ingenuity creating this new bit of kit to get us out foiling even more. I can't quite justify a foildrive purchase currently but if I was money rich and time poor I would have one for sure.

Hey baldy123 I know it was a demo but how did you find the extra weight balance (more weight near the tail) affecting the handling of you riding and board lift? did your board nose want to lift up more? did you have to move / ride different more forward position then normal etc?:-)

John. when under motor power boost I needed my front foot further forward than usual. This was because the nose wanted to lift from the thrust, so to keep the board level I needed a bit more front foot pressure. Once up and riding my front foot went back to usual position. You can feel the box on the back but definately something you would get used to over time. I reckon it's worth experimenting with the box position to find what works best before sticking it down for good. Some tie down straps to extra leash plugs would be good for added security. The footstrap over the top works ok but wouldn't want that as an everyday solution. My board is 6'4 x 115 litres and I don't think I'd want anything smaller at my 85kg.

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baldy123 said..
John. when under motor power boost I needed my front foot further forward than usual. This was because the nose wanted to lift from the thrust, so to keep the board level I needed a bit more front foot pressure. Once up and riding my front foot went back to usual position. You can feel the box on the back but definately something you would get used to over time. I reckon it's worth experimenting with the box position to find what works best before sticking it down for good. Some tie down straps to extra leash plugs would be good for added security. The footstrap over the top works ok but wouldn't want that as an everyday solution. My board is 6'4 x 115 litres and I don't think I'd want anything smaller at my 85kg.

Yea I have a similar set up but the weight of the rear battery has unbalanced my board (according to the unside down balance test) & I am trying to get back to a near perfect balance (level/horizontal when lifting the board by the front 3rd of the wing), I have tried mast positioning & rear wing shim but it is almost impossible to get it just right (any feedback from anyone would be valued?:-)

I am trying the battery further forward to help balance. Have glued rubber onto the deck pad and then tied the box down as the Velcro system seems to keep coming loose for me. Hopefully I have left enough room for my back foot but I was standing a long way forward when the battery was behind the pad.

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tomooh said..
I am trying the battery further forward to help balance. Have glued rubber onto the deck pad and then tied the box down as the Velcro system seems to keep coming loose for me. Hopefully I have left enough room for my back foot but I was standing a long way forward when the battery was behind the pad.

Yea I am trying a similar system with the battery more forward but I think it does not make that much difference unless it is right over the foil/mast?:-)

Bit cheeky but wondering if anyone would mind measuring the length and diameter of the motor. Can't justify the almost $4k but wouldn't mind having a go at a home made version...

Thanks

foil.zone/t/mini-motor-for-sup-surfing/4192
that should be a good starting place.

The hype is getting to me, I may have to just throw down and get in on it. I am envisioning all the potential radness such a toy may open up ... in particular the outside forming swells that cannot be paddled into, all those tow-in videos we are subjected to ... my own personal tow-in, mmm.

I would like to pursue DIY but deeply intimidated by the Foil Zone level of tech. So I figure it may be good to get the proper kit, figure out how to use it and also how it works, then see about DIY potential from there. The FZ guys say it's about $500 in parts ... but there's a lot of futzing from there, like 3d printing the clamp, figuring out waterproof box, battery, folding prop, etc. There is no kit. Putting this together requires some electronics know-how too, at minimum how to solder. After watching those russian videos of dudes making fires with cell phone batteries, and seeing the photos of efoils on fire....these high power lithium batteries are worthy of some healthy respect too I think.

Anyways, foildrive is currently sold out! People are pretty stoked on this potential.

Anyone ever get their boost fin shipped?

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Hdip said..
Anyone ever get their boost fin shipped?

"Anyone" ... there's a handful of randoms and IG influencers. And then lots of bitching about how overdue they are. Boost is quick to reply that they will refund anyone who wants it ... which makes it seem like not a scam. Though have to admit I sometimes start to wonder.

I am willing to hang on and see, but I also have serious doubts it'll work at that price and power output. I have reached out several times to be their foil testing division, with no success. They are focused on surfing as their model. Which is probably smart, as the market is 100x or 1000x times foiling. But IMHO the foiling aspect offers potential for a somewhat "rad" use of this. The boost surfing videos are so painfully kooky that it makes your eyes hurt.

I have a foildrive and recommend any sup foiler to purchase one...put your order in now

We just had a great run of swell here in Taranaki and was stoked to see a friend catch and rip heaps of waves on his new foildrive.
50 in one session I think and the progression is evident

The boost fin is kind of a good idea but would be limited by its battery size
The only issue I have with the foildrive is the battery box being a little vulnerable and in the way
Recessed into the deck somehow would be prime
Pay to play I say...unless you're an electronic whizz
Foildrive seems to be a great product and well tested

This setup by Brett Lickle looks like the way to go. www.instagram.com/p/CTYu7unrAAt/?utm_medium=copy_link

I have found this video testing the system on a lake interesting:

- The power is quite impressive, enough to get onto a plane, although at power levels not recommended (overheating?)
- One must be careful of anything adding drag: they say they could not take off if the power cord was loose, they had to flatten it with tape against the mast to be able to take off
- Their idea of putting the battery case on their body seem ultra-efficient for pumping, both reducing swing weight and adding to the pumping power (active mass). I guess some kind of leash or sleeve should be added to avoid pulling on the power cord on wipeouts.
- The system looks quite dangerous. You can see in wipeouts how the propeller is still spinning quite fast once airborne and quite close to body parts. I guess the challenge will be to come up with a propeller guard with minimal drag.

Recent podcast guest Matt coast did 15 miles downwind today on a prone 4'0" board. Unassisted. The two wing ding guys didn't have enough wind to get on foil. Matt got a chip in and left them behind.
the sky's the limit if you can put in the time to downwind.

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Winsup said..
I have a foildrive and recommend any sup foiler to purchase one...put your order in now

We just had a great run of swell here in Taranaki and was stoked to see a friend catch and rip heaps of waves on his new foildrive.
50 in one session I think and the progression is evident

The boost fin is kind of a good idea but would be limited by its battery size
The only issue I have with the foildrive is the battery box being a little vulnerable and in the way
Recessed into the deck somehow would be prime
Pay to play I say...unless you're an electronic whizz
Foildrive seems to be a great product and well tested

Hi

how did you find getting through customs etc into nz

Cheers

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kitemantim said..

Winsup said..
I have a foildrive and recommend any sup foiler to purchase one...put your order in now

We just had a great run of swell here in Taranaki and was stoked to see a friend catch and rip heaps of waves on his new foildrive.
50 in one session I think and the progression is evident

The boost fin is kind of a good idea but would be limited by its battery size
The only issue I have with the foildrive is the battery box being a little vulnerable and in the way
Recessed into the deck somehow would be prime
Pay to play I say...unless you're an electronic whizz
Foildrive seems to be a great product and well tested

Hi

how did you find getting through customs etc into nz

Cheers

You have to pay about 600 nz before its released from customs. And they wouldn't ship it to an address outside of Auckland because the battery was classed dangerous goods

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tomooh said..

kitemantim said..

Winsup said..
I have a foildrive and recommend any sup foiler to purchase one...put your order in now

We just had a great run of swell here in Taranaki and was stoked to see a friend catch and rip heaps of waves on his new foildrive.
50 in one session I think and the progression is evident

The boost fin is kind of a good idea but would be limited by its battery size
The only issue I have with the foildrive is the battery box being a little vulnerable and in the way
Recessed into the deck somehow would be prime
Pay to play I say...unless you're an electronic whizz
Foildrive seems to be a great product and well tested

Hi

how did you find getting through customs etc into nz

Cheers

You have to pay about 600 nz before its released from customs. And they wouldn't ship it to an address outside of Auckland because the battery was classed dangerous goods

I like the foil drive concept, but the battery is big issue with traveling. You want be able to take it on the plane.

I saw a bike rental place offering ebike batteries for rent for the same reason it could become a thing in places like Bali if there was a demand for it when travelling gets back to normal.

Rode the foil drive in small waves today and after figuring out the right body position and timing of trigger/paddle/pump it works as you would imagine it should. Basically feels like Kai Lenny is paddling for you when you get moving. Then he hops off and it's up to you to fly. For me this meant catching waves when not quite in the sweet spot of the wave power and actually catching unbroken waves if they had good form. Catching a bump would require more skill than I have but maybe eventually I will get there