I'm 66kg, my sail quiver is 4.7, 5.3, 5.9, 6.6, and I ride a JP 78 litre FSW and Tabou 105 Rocket. Been sailing forever, but don't get out that much, weekly if I'm lucky, but often only monthly, and only make about 1/2 my gybes. I'm happy to cruise around on Botany Bay when I get the chance, I'm not a speed freak, although I'm no slouch on the water either. Since I don't get to choose when I'm free to sail, I love the idea of being able to get going in light winds.

Just watched the Naish 1150 video and it's got me keen to get foiling. So....what do I need to know, what foil setup would suit me? I'm guessing I need a new board, but my sails should be fine? What's a typical recommend board/foil combo for my weight and sailing style?

Thanks,
Harrow.

Yes you will need a new board. You cannot go wrong with a slingshot wizard 125 of any year. Pair it with slingshot hoverglide foil with the infinity 76 wing. You can learn on this combo, and once you are past the beginner stage it will cover 90% of the foiling most people want to do.

There are more options out there now, but they don' have the track record of the wizard 125/infinity 76 combo has.

I agree with the last post, and I don't even own Slingshot gear. What he recommends is affordable, easy to rig and use, and will still cover most of the foiling conditions that most people encounter.

Collection of windfoil info. Be sure to check out 10-step beginners quide. www.windfoilzone.com/


Also Windfoil Flight School www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP7KGVZy0gFQc_oDYKwEhZFqgbB074zud

I'd get an NP Glide and use the 105 rocket. Not need for a specialist board to get started.

I had the Wizard 125 in mind, thanks for that suggestion.

The rocket is a 2006 model, is the PowerBox strong enough? Also, it's only 61cm wide, not sure if that is enough?

I'm also curious about sail sizes. I seem to see people using sails that are much smaller than what I'd expect for their weight and wind strength.

With your smallest sail, you will be out of control OP in 12-20 mph winds.

61 cm is too narrow. Look for 75 to 85.

Also, I would shy away from a Powerbox, unless you plan to use a PowerPlate with it. But even with a PowerPlate, you would be wise to look for deep tuttle. Track is OK, too.

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LeeD said..
With your smallest sail, you will be out of control OP in 12-20 mph winds.

Wow. I've only used the 4.7 twice, and that was in 30+ knots.

Normally I'd use the 5.3 in 25 knots, 5.9 in 22 knots, 6.6 in 18 knots.

What would be the typical sails used for my 66kg with the Wizard 125 and Infinity 76 foil combination for different wind ranges? What would be the lowest wind speed I could expect to get up?

Thanks.

5.3 for your weight would be for 10-15 mph, light pumping in 10, fighting the breach at 15.

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LeeD said..
5.3 for your weight would be for 10-15 mph, light pumping in 10, fighting the breach at 15.

So I get to use smaller gear in lighter winds and still get going.... this is sounding better all time.

About 1.25 to 1.75 meters smaller than windsurfing.
You will go about 2-4 mph slower, but open up angles similar to guys with Formula boards.
You will hate weeds and marine life.

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Harrow said. What would be the typical sails used for my 66kg with the Wizard 125 and Infinity 76 foil combination for different wind ranges? What would be the lowest wind speed I could expect to get up?

First sessions - lowest wind speed with the W125/I76 and 5.9, about 12 knots - probably easier to learn with the 5.9 than 6.6.
Optimum (for learning) would be 15 knots and the 5.3.

With practice 8-10 knots with your 6.6m

With the i84 foil I'm using a 6 or 7 metre sail in 5 to 12 knots, which is 5 or 6 metres less than I used with my formula gear in the same wind. I'm around 75 kg. With the i76 I'm using a 4.8 metre sail in 15 to 20 knots -- in 20 knots things are getting a little wild (when I see white caps it's time for the 4.8). In 20 to 25 knots I'm on a 4.0 and then on my 3.6 in anything over that (and hoping to survive). I use a SS Wizard 125 board.

Water apparently is approximately 816 times more dense than air (at sea level) so increasing the size of the foil has a huge impact on sail size -- in other words if you use a small foil in light winds you'll need a big sail (10 metre). If you use a huge wing (i84 ors i99) you can get away with a relatively small sail in light winds (5.0 to 6.0 metre) depending on your weight.

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LeeD said..
About 1.25 to 1.75 meters smaller than windsurfing.

At least. My biggest spread to my friends with nobody being stupid over or under powered is about 3.5 meters.

Welcome, Harrow. You've got a fine quiver for getting started. It will be nice if you can start off with a board and foil but not required. If funds are tight you can press into service something 78cm or wider. Get one of your foiling friends to help sort out the placement of mast base and straps if you go that direction.

If SS is hard to come by in your spot, also look at NP Glide M or L; Starboard SuperCruiser or Naish. If you go with SS, you'll only find the shorter masts useful for the first couple of sessions. Some shops will lend the shorter masts while you are on training wheels.

I used a 4.7 the other day in 10-20. I was able to foil jibe in the puffs so the merry go round just kept going and going. A typical freeride setup for those conditions would have been 7.5. It takes a bit of time to get to that point though so keep your expectations realistic.

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LeeD said..
About 1.25 to 1.75 meters smaller than windsurfing.
You will go about 2-4 mph slower, but open up angles similar to guys with Formula boards.
You will hate weeds and marine life.

I know you guys love your mph, but surely American sailors also talk in knots?

Knots don't work because every wind sensor around is mph. Not hard to convert really.

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Harrow said..

LeeD said..
About 1.25 to 1.75 meters smaller than windsurfing.
You will go about 2-4 mph slower, but open up angles similar to guys with Formula boards.
You will hate weeds and marine life.

I know you guys love your mph, but surely American sailors also talk in knots?

Mph instead of knots is one of the most annoying thing about living in the U.S. of A ... together with inches, feet, and Fahrenheit.

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duzzi said..

Mph instead of knots is one of the most annoying thing about living in the U.S. of A ... together with inches, feet, and Fahrenheit.

I would have though having an idiot as president would be most annoying thing... I know having an idiot as prime minister is right up there.

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Harrow said..
I'm 66kg, my sail quiver is 4.7, 5.3, 5.9, 6.6, and I ride a JP 78 litre FSW and Tabou 105 Rocket. Been sailing forever, but don't get out that much, weekly if I'm lucky, but often only monthly, and only make about 1/2 my gybes. I'm happy to cruise around on Botany Bay when I get the chance, I'm not a speed freak, although I'm no slouch on the water either. Since I don't get to choose when I'm free to sail, I love the idea of being able to get going in light winds.

Just watched the Naish 1150 video and it's got me keen to get foiling. So....what do I need to know, what foil setup would suit me? I'm guessing I need a new board, but my sails should be fine? What's a typical recommend board/foil combo for my weight and sailing style?

Thanks,
Harrow.

There is no set format or right or wrong way but I would not be moth balling the 6.6 unless you plan the learn in a solid 15-20 knots,
I would be starting the first day in winds 10-12 knts with the 6.6m
But in saying that i am very lazy and prefer to never pump the sail, i just save my energy and stay out on the water longer, hence i don't like coming in till i have done at least 50kms
Be sure to let us know how you go
cheers tk

My first time on foil, a few days ago when the wind was around 12-14 mph, and I had a 5.2 on my 130L Slingshot Dialer and I'm 175 pounds. Was perfectly powered up. I'd be barely planing on my 115L Naish Starship with my 6.8 sail in that wind. It's amazing how far you need to downsize your sails when foiling.

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stehsegler said..

duzzi said..

Mph instead of knots is one of the most annoying thing about living in the U.S. of A ... together with inches, feet, and Fahrenheit.

I would have though having an idiot as president would be most annoying thing... I know having an idiot as prime minister is right up there.

... It is.

Harrow, we use mph generally for everything on land or inland water. kts are for oceans and the air. It's like growing up in a bilingual home - you learn to use both without thinking about it. If we're going to complain about this, then someone should mention (I guess that'll be me, huh?) that SS is "bilingual". Board length/width is imperial and board volume is metric.

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Harrow said..
I had the Wizard 125 in mind, thanks for that suggestion.

The rocket is a 2006 model, is the PowerBox strong enough? Also, it's only 61cm wide, not sure if that is enough?

I'm also curious about sail sizes. I seem to see people using sails that are much smaller than what I'd expect for their weight and wind strength.

Hi, I would get the NP Glide Wind with the powerbox adapter. You can use it one the 105 L board. With that low volume you can get going in 12kts or higher.

Last year I got the NP Glide Wind with pb adapter, and default small wing. I had a 2001 Fanatic Shark 125L.
I hit the foil several times against rocks quite hard, and believe me the pb adapter does its work. Nothing broken.

If you can find it... perhaps better is the NP Glide Wind with pb adapter + *medium wing* instead the small. The medium wing (which I later got) is much more forgiving.

Get this set up for e.g. a year and see discover what you like. Also experiment a lot with setup changes: mast postion, boom height, harnesslines position, length etc. Alternatively RRD has the WH flight 85 (a but longer fuse for more stability), a tad bit more expensive.

I enjoyed learning on the NP Glide Wind and now got myself a more expensive full carbon AFS foil :)

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stehsegler said..

duzzi said..

Mph instead of knots is one of the most annoying thing about living in the U.S. of A ... together with inches, feet, and Fahrenheit.

I would have though having an idiot as president would be most annoying thing... I know having an idiot as prime minister is right up there.

That goes without saying ... extremely distressful

My gripe with the SlingShot boards is that you might get stuck with using only their foils because they used a medium tuttle fin box in some of their boards. If you're buying in person it's easy to check for, I'd make sure you get a deep tuttle or foil track. I think it would be great if you can try a foil on your Rocket for a bit.

I'm curious now.....do people move over to foiling and not come back, or do you still enjoy normal sailing as well, especially when the wind is up?

Like the idea of trialling a foil on the Rocket, but still worried about damaging the board, and also buying a foil that I won't be able to use in the long run on a dedicated foil board.

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Harrow said..
I'm curious now.....do people move over to foiling and not come back, or do you still enjoy normal sailing as well, especially when the wind is up?

i think with anything new you end up trying to do lots of it. I would say I do a lot more foiling than wind surfing, but that is skewed because I am often foiling when I wouldn't really be wind surfing.

Also, foiling is often preferable because at least for me, I am going to have more consistent fun. I will on the foil more than I would be planing and I will foil through many more gybes than I would plane through.

Also, foiling makes fighting the tide to stay upwind much easier, so on those days I will foil forsure.

That is the theory, but in practice, I haven't slapped in months.

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Harrow said..
I'm curious now.....do people move over to foiling and not come back, or do you still enjoy normal sailing as well, especially when the wind is up?

Like the idea of trialling a foil on the Rocket, but still worried about damaging the board, and also buying a foil that I won't be able to use in the long run on a dedicated foil board.

Well a slapper is pretty good going flat out in its good direction but if you've topped out on your learning curve and not going any faster the challenge of the foil will suck you in. I've got the NP glide medium and small but mostly prefer the small @ 80kg. Don't discount the old pinkies if you want to save money. They need a bit of wind to get going so will initially be competing with your slapper for TOW, but they're not too bad. Get a cheap deep tuttle rather than go the power adapter on a board that is probably a little narrow.

www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing-Boards/~lz2za/Starboard-Hypersonic-105-227-cm-105-litres.aspx?_page=1&search=MsVd7Fn%2F%2FIqRBEqJrLYVwY9Kxgs6DYq8
www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing-Foils-and-Foil-boards/~-7mt-/2018-Neil-Pryde-Rs-Flight-Al-Foil.aspx?_page=5&search=fuwpz2%2Bn4D1M2YXPW8crvA%3D%3D

I still have a slapper board, but it doesn't see much use at all anymore.

I got 67 foil days last year.
About the same windsurf days, and needed 109 liters and 6+ sails at least 25 of those days.
However, the 20 odd days with 85 liter and -4.7 were by far the best.

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Harrow said..
I'm curious now.....do people move over to foiling and not come back, or do you still enjoy normal sailing as well, especially when the wind is up?

Like the idea of trialling a foil on the Rocket, but still worried about damaging the board, and also buying a foil that I won't be able to use in the long run on a dedicated foil board.

The Gide has deep tuttle, power box and plate tops available. Probably one of the more versatile setups available. Or use the power plate adapter.

Most folks start off in the 12-18 range and as their skills increase push both the upper and lower bounds. I still enjoy smaller boards in higher winds but I've gotten to the point that if it's <30, I can do more on the foil - upwind/downwind, carve, play on swells and tolerate lulls so much better. My first year, I was always on a fin if it was 18+. Few of us set out and said "I'm not using a fin, anymore." We just find that as our skills improve, what we can do with a foil exceeds what a finned board can do in the same conditions.

It's still all the things you love about windsurfing except with smaller sails, less pounding in chop and shlogging in lulls. And, less noise. You won't believe how loud your board is until you foil.

But there's no rules about this. If you enjoy foiling in X conditions, foil. If you want to use a finned board, that's cool. There are times and places where a finned board absolutely makes sense. Just remember to take a smaller step across when you jibe.