clement-morandiere.medium.com/starboard-engineering-the-future-of-windsurf-foiling-an-inside-look-at-starboards-2024-innovations-5336287fec97

Grest article on the 2024 starboard foils and the development process (video is worth a watch). Foils looking very similar to the Phantom wings now.
interesting to see the fin on the tail like zfins foils.

It's behind a paywall


Edit: Reader view in Firefox steps around that.

fwiw, While not quite as elegant as this one, my Tillo foil had an integrated vertical fin on the top in 2018. Since it will be prone to getting scraped on the bottom and losing anodization, I wonder if it will be subject to more corrosion in saltwater environments? I would think the slender wing tips on the race wings, too, will require a lot of TLC in more hostile locations. The price one pays for being on the bleeding edge, I guess?

No paywall, just login into "medium" to read the article and see the video. I'll post photos

Thanks for sharing. Love the fact that they're keeping the existing mast-fuselage connection for backwards compatibility.

The article itself is more like a PR statement filled with too much corporate buzzwords and overly hyped performance. Would be easier to read if they'd tone it down a bit. Let's see how it performs on the water. No doubt it will be faster than previous versions, but it will be interesting to see how it compares to other premium offerings (Phantom Infinite, F4, Patrik, Z).

820 seems to be their largest wing now?

Select to expand quote

FormuIa said..

The article itself is more like a PR statement filled with too much corporate buzzwords and overly hyped performance. Would be easier to read if they'd tone it down a bit.

Typical Starboard.

They are World Champions 2023 though. It took me a while to find out what in.

Select to expand quote

FormuIa said..
Thanks for sharing. Love the fact that they're keeping the existing mast-fuselage connection for backwards compatibility.

The article itself is more like a PR statement filled with too much corporate buzzwords and overly hyped performance. Would be easier to read if they'd tone it down a bit. Let's see how it performs on the water. No doubt it will be faster than previous versions, but it will be interesting to see how it compares to other premium offerings (Phantom Infinite, F4, Patrik, Z).

820 seems to be their largest wing now?

Yeah looks like the Evo MKII was an 880. Maybe they got enough performance out of the 820 for course racing that they didn't need to go larger? From what I remember the 880 is close to 1m span and higher aspect than the 900s. But I would really like someone that knows better to let us know, especially since they also got rid of the 1000 millenium.

Figured my story wasn't worth its own thread but I'll bite.

My first foil back in 2019 was the Alu GTR, afterwards I went the IQ foil route. I placed (paid) an order for the mk2 C600 end of last year, after 8 months of waiting was offered the C400 instead at a considerable discount, declined and canceled my order. Later found out most mk2 C600s never left the factory due to SB production focusing on their C400 mast mainly for the X15 wingfoil class since its interchangeable.

Looking at their social media presence this should've been obvious. Decided then and there I had to switch. Respect for keeping the mast fuse connection but the fuse evolution is all over the place - Classic, Evo, Evo mk2, Jumbo etc.

I took a leap of faith and switched ecosystems for the new Select Goliath. Fuselage, vertical fin and shims all made out of carbon at a considerably lower price, got 30 session clocked on it this summer and couldn't be happier. I'll write a review once I test the speed wings currently on their way to me.

Select to expand quote

Windy66 said..
clement-morandiere.medium.com/starboard-engineering-the-future-of-windsurf-foiling-an-inside-look-at-starboards-2024-innovations-5336287fec97

Grest article on the 2024 starboard foils and the development process (video is worth a watch). Foils looking very similar to the Phantom wings now.
interesting to see the fin on the tail like zfins foils.

It's great they brought in Martin Fischer to design foils. Certainly a step in the right direction. But the path ahead is long... if they want to make a competitive foil. They've already made SLR wings which where very similar to previous Phantom/F4 wings and they were terrible compared to them. I suspect the issue is build quality. Wings are very soft and they flex A LOT.

Select to expand quote

aeroegnr said..

FormuIa said..
Thanks for sharing. Love the fact that they're keeping the existing mast-fuselage connection for backwards compatibility.

The article itself is more like a PR statement filled with too much corporate buzzwords and overly hyped performance. Would be easier to read if they'd tone it down a bit. Let's see how it performs on the water. No doubt it will be faster than previous versions, but it will be interesting to see how it compares to other premium offerings (Phantom Infinite, F4, Patrik, Z).

820 seems to be their largest wing now?

Yeah looks like the Evo MKII was an 880. Maybe they got enough performance out of the 820 for course racing that they didn't need to go larger? From what I remember the 880 is close to 1m span and higher aspect than the 900s. But I would really like someone that knows better to let us know, especially since they also got rid of the 1000 millenium.

The article did not do a good job of explaining the new product line. This is the Evo MKII (curved front wing). I believe the one you are refering to is the old one. And the new mkII comes also in 880. There's also a special series developed by Martin Fischer - 820 is a part of it. But I wonder how it will perfrom due to it's extremely high aspect ratio. 820 has a span of 107 cm.

Select to expand quote

Windy66 said..
No paywall, just login into "medium" to read the article and see the video. I'll post photos

My bad. When I registered, it then prompted me to the pay options. Now it shows me as logged in even though I haven't paid anything. Thanks for posting the pics.

Like Dishpet, the fuse "abundance of choice" is a challenge but appreciate that my current mast isn't obsolete even though not at the bleeding edge. The new vmg wings look fast but hope they have the same bottom end as the classic 1000 - I depend on that wing for super light sessions (basically most of 5 months a year).

On my side, I got so tired of the over promising and underperformance that I've sold my starboard foil quiver c400 mast iq, Evo foils and Evo II fuselages.

The lack of sufficient engineering tolerances was another annoyance, mainly with front wings not fitting fuselages correctly.

I've gone with the phantom spark, the free race version of the infinite, my expectation is that it will perform far better than the starboard Evo based my pals who were smoking me on older phantom kit. Time will tell.

My max was 28 knots on the starboard and on decent days averaging 22-24.

Select to expand quote

FormuIa said..
Thanks for sharing. Love the fact that they're keeping the existing mast-fuselage connection for backwards compatibility.

The article itself is more like a PR statement filled with too much corporate buzzwords and overly hyped performance. Would be easier to read if they'd tone it down a bit. Let's see how it performs on the water. No doubt it will be faster than previous versions, but it will be interesting to see how it compares to other premium offerings (Phantom Infinite, F4, Patrik, Z).

820 seems to be their largest wing now?

At least this test seems to suggest performance is (nearly?) on par and more accessible to mere mortals.

windfoilfan.glissattitude.com/devices/foil/starboard-slr-team-set-evolution-mkii-c800-2023?page=2

Looks like Starboard have 2 options for 2024

The SLRmk2
starboardfoils.com/pages/2024-slr-2
and the new SLX with iterative design.
Long and interesting video on the design process.
2024 - SLX-1 - Starboard Foils
starboardfoils.com/pages/2024-slx-1

11:00min
a foil designed to prevent cavitation at 40 knots will be slower below 35kts than foil designed for cavitation onset at 35kts and the whole speed range from zero.
Keep an eye out for a speed only foil next!

Hello together,

has someone test an SLX-Wing and can tell something about first hand?

:)

Anybody in the know have a thought on how this update compares to other foils, like the AEON?

Looks like with a totally different mast to fuse adapter, and additional shims, if/when I ever upgrade, I'd need a whole new mast foil setup anyway.

Select to expand quote

aeroegnr said..
Anybody in the know have a thought on how this update compares to other foils, like the AEON?

Looks like with a totally different mast to fuse adapter, and additional shims, if/when I ever upgrade, I'd need a whole new mast foil setup anyway.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the second fuse looks like it has the two lateral holes meaning its made to be used with standard starboard foil masts? Curious as to the source of these images.

The first and second picture shows the same Fuselage just different length.

The source is starboard itself, you can see it in the 9 months old Video (third Pictures).

Also at the Starboard website:

Having spent three years fiddling with starboard gear going so far as to have a custom mast made I'm 99% sure the two fuses are different not only in size but in connection to the mast as well.

First one being for wingfoil/foilsurf second one for windfoil.

The "mast slot" and two lateral holes, nowadays specific to Starboard gear are a dead giveaway. If this is the case, it will be a pleasent surprise.

Maybe soon you can make a cheap deal for an MkII C600 Mast, if so you can use it with the hybrid fuselage or upgrade your older foil.
If you google "starboard UCS" you will find all the components.

Maybe soon you can make a cheap deal for an MkII C600 Mast, if so you can use it with the hybrid fuselage or upgrade your older foil.
If you google "starboard UCS" you will find all the components.

Select to expand quote

Dishpet said..
Having spent three years fiddling with starboard gear going so far as to have a custom mast made I'm 99% sure the two fuses are different not only in size but in connection to the mast as well.

First one being for wingfoil/foilsurf second one for windfoil.

Thing is though, the first one has a race mast sitting on it (wing foil and foil surf don't use foil Tuttle) and the wings look high aspect. so maybe this is something else?

The X15 Wingfoil Raceboard has a Foiltuttle.

However there are three Fuselage sizes.
66, 99 and 109cm. The 66 is also in Carbon available -200g. It will be possible to rotate the Fuselage, due the symmetrical Wing and Mast Connection.

I have the Starboard 2024 SLX wind foil set. 665 (100cm span Milennium, aspect ratio 15.0) and the 565 (86 cm span, AR 13.1 ) together with the 99 (34 light wind slalom) light wind option fuselage, together with the 130 universal tail wing.

I'm using the foil set with my IQ foil mast Version 1 on my Patrik boards. Other than sanding down the plastic shim (between the fuse and carbon foot of the IQ foil mast ) getting some longer torx bolts ( as the Jumbo has a taller cross section than my original, and EVO 1 fuselages). The IQ mast fits perfectly, as does my older carbon 95 Starboard spaghetti mast.

The SLX front foils retro fit on my Evolution Mark1 fuselage (115 course racing) so I am able to use the IQ 255 -2, 255 -2 thin, and 200 -2 thin original tail wings. Also as the 665 is the largest front wing now, and the foils showed great promise of lower stall speed ( with more predictability compared to my original 650 FW), better glide, better top end and acceleration, with surprisingly more "pump ability " ( no doubt to the very short chord). I wanted to replace my old 1000/900/800 front wings with the newer design , with 2 foils that have more range and speed.

Alas with the wind sucking around a big Winter high pressure zone in the UK, I've only been out on the course racing set up the once since early October when I bought them. So no real testing on the formula course racing board yet with the light wind set up.

I've used the 565 and 665 SLX foils in slalom mode from 16 to 35 knots, and I really love them. When the sea state gets too gnarly, I've been using the 2024 900 Freeride 2 Evolution front wing on the Evo 1 95 fuselage. It's not so HA extreme, but shares the 3 dimensional shape, and a great fun front wing with a great turn of speed and control. Again as I don't have deep pockets, I can use my 330 and 255 tail wings on the this foil set with my IQ foil mast

I'll continue to persevere with the course racing set up, but as I'm only free racing with a 9.00 and 8.00m sails there is a fun aspect more to consider than absolute VMG and destroying my old body. I might be tempered to get a SLR 2 880 front wing, but of course there's the availability issue. The 820 SLX exists, and will fit the Evo fuselages ( it's rebadged as the one design wing foil X-15 (which has a Tuttle box and the jumbo fuse), the MF 820), but I have it on good authority that it's not stiff enough for wind foiling.

Great feedback seafoodtim. I didn't even know those were available yet as I haven't seen anyone on them.

Are you sure about the MF1 and SLX wings, I think they look slightly different. Maybe I'm wrong but the SLX looks like it has a more straight leading edge and more curvature.
Can you please post some real world fotos of the SLX wings?

MF1







MF1 720 , 560
The curvature on the MF560 is only 2,5cm between Wingtips and mounting surface.

They put out a bunch of videos recently




Also a new connection system...seems more geared for winging though? But this video does show a windsurf foiler clip...

Collars and shims to adjust front and rear wing distance and angles.

Trying to get a universal standard w/ other brands?