Hi,
I hope you guys can help me decide which board too make my first foilboard :-)
I have a JP widebode 9'3" x 32" and a JP Slate 7'6" x 29"
I think I am going to order a Naish foil with the big wing. I am 190 lps.
It will manly be used for dw on a big lake/fjord where it very windy. it will also be used in the ocean where we have wind swell the most of the time.
I can see most people choose small boards for foil, but I am afraid it will be to small for me, because I only use the small in good condition. The big one I am thinking it is maybe to wide.
Hope you can help me pick the right board ??

7'6 slate will be mint, done a few convesions on them for guys and would love one for myself
the foil does stable them up a fair bit also..
the 9'3 would be way to big

There is no question that a proficient foiler would prefer the 7'6".

However, the question is during the learning phase. If you can now take off normally on the intended waves with the 7'6" without a foil, use it. Otherwise be wary that the foil actually makes the board less stable (the foil adds its own stability that acts differently as the stability of the board - they can both pull in a different direction at times - , the result is quite confusing during the learning phases). And you must be competent enough to already totally master the row effect on the 7'6".

The reason I advise to be cautious is that I have a friend without enough SUPing experience try foiling on a board too short for his SUPing abilities (8'3" for 75kg in his case... he was SUPing 9' boards), and reselling everything, disgusted, and getting bitter. If you do not feel like being able to paddle hard on the 7'6" without changing sides, be prepared to either boost your SUPing technique before foiling, or spend time behind a boat, or maybe keep the rear fins for learning to foil.

K2W2Z said:- I have a JP widebode 9'3" x 32" too make my first foilboard NO

and a JP Slate 7'6" x 29" too make my first foilboard YES

I think I am going to order a Naish foil with the big wing. YES

Hi Piros,

Would it be worth converting a 7'2" BAM (One of the Sup's I already have)? I'm 90kgs and surf both the 7'2 and a 9'. But find i'm mostly on the 9' as the 7'2' is awesome on the wave, but such a slow pig to paddle back out and you really have to pick the days where the wave frequency gap is enough to get out or else it's just one hard slog, compared to the 9' were you are back out before the sets come back in.
Or do you think a 8' board might be a better compromise in being able to get out and fast enough to paddle onto swell.
Keen to seek opinions of people who have tried before spending $$$ on convert a boards that don't suit.
P.S Have been Kite surfing foils for about a year and have a good handle on the kite foiling side, but keen to extend into SUP to cover the windless days.

Thanks

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spartacus said..
Would it be worth converting a 7'2" BAM (One of the Sup's I already have)? I'm 90kgs and surf both the 7'2 and a 9'.

As the BAM is a copy of the old Gong Fatal shape, which I know well, I would advise against it.
As you found out, this is a shape made for constant turning on the wave (curved outline), so not a great paddler, and quite a lot of row. It is a killer shape for hotdogging on small waves, but not the best for foiling, where you need stability on takeoff and something that paddles well enough to get back out after very long rides.

I have a friend - that was already kitefoing - that put a foil both on his Gong One 6'4"x29"1/8 x 109l (similar to your BAM but with a somewhat straighter outline) one year ago, and a more traditional Gong curve 7'4"x28"3/4 x 95 liters
One: www.gong-galaxy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=8195
Curve: www.gongsup.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=9053

He told me that, although the 7'4" is less stable, it is much easier to foil with, because it paddles better.

So I guess you best option would be a good paddler, as small as you are really comfortable with. I guess something in the 8' range (curved outline) or 7'6" (straighter outline). For the 9', weight is important. An ultralight 9' board, especially in the nose, will be quite doable (I enjoyed my 8'9" for foiling, and frankly, it does everything as well as my current 6'10", only slower, apart for the specific pumping to get out of the water), but not a normal/heavy one.

Thanks guys
I Think I will go for the 7'6" then.
And see if I get someone to take me out on a boat.
And then just practice a lot
would it help to practice with a kite also? I do kite to.

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K2W2Z said..
would it help to practice with a kite also? I do kite to.

Yes, a lot. All the people I know that kitefoiled already went through the learning phases of SUP/surf foiling much faster. If only just because of the long time airborne you can clock.

I am doing a lot of wind foiling and really getting into that weightless sensation and curious about SUP foiling now. I have Minion 7'4 x 27.75" 104L which could be a good shape to covert to a foil board but is too small for me at 83kg and a handy SUP surfer?

I struggle in the chop on the Minion so would a foil make things harder? Should I look for a wider board with 120L+ in volume for stability as a foil board? I have a Sunova Acid 8'10 @120L as my go to surf SUP - maybe I could convert that?

I am able to get a good deal on the NSP DC surf SUPS and the Surf Wide 8'3 x 32" @138L might be a better shape for foiling?

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Stev0 said..
I struggle in the chop on the Minion so would a foil make things harder? Should I look for a wider board with 120L+ in volume for stability as a foil board? I have a Sunova Acid 8'10 @120L as my go to surf SUP - maybe I could convert that?

I you struggle in the chop, I would advise against it. Adding the foil will make it less stable at first.
But.... I think that after 10-20 sessions (given your windfoiling experience) you will be able to foil the 7'4".
And if you can find some sessions with gentle waves and not too much chop, It may be worth converting directly the minion.

Otherwise the acid should be perfect. It should not have too much swing weight due to the pulled in nose & tail, and its high paddling speed will help a lot getting up on the foil just by paddling, and getting back out on long paddles in the chop. But you may prefer the minion after some time...

I do not feel you need the added stability of a 32" wide, 138l volume. Board weight is detrimental to foiling.

What Colas said. Use the shortest board that you're comfortable with. It's easy to go longer but there's negatives as well.

Thanks for the feedback.

I was reluctant to retro fit my 8'10 Acid for foiling but then I saw a dude wind foiling on a SUP in waves which made me re-think as the Acid has a windsurf mast tack -bonus!

www.facebook.com/windfoilzone/?hc_ref=ARTMUvGdUZ03OEioAlLCIGVbl8DUZHAFbwF-iAQrSzPKbd8N1RWO48zIRuzO3MxN7-0&fref=nf

So - what would be the pros/cons of retro fitting a Deep Tuttle versus a twin track box?