I'm very close to getting into foiling after 25 yrs windsurfing, but am a bit confused as to what kind of board I should be looking at. I have owned very light slalom boards in the past, and am fully aware the different feel you get from a very light and stiff sailboard, but for learning to foil, will a heavy board close to 10kg's be a bad choice compared to a 7.5-8kg board. size wise I am about 105kg and would be looking at a board with a volume between 130 to 150ltrs and 70-80cm wide.
Will a heavier board be slower to get flying and noticeably harder to ride?
As for what I would want from foiling in the long term is not to have high speed performance, and just to cruise and get time on the water.

thanks for any advice...

Foilboards tend to be heavier to withstand the stresses and impacts so don't worry too much about just weight. The Starlite IQFoil boards are close to 12 kg. Plus you are going to be hanging another 5-6 kg off the box (the foil). As long as the weight is under you it matters much less.

Where it does matter is in the nose - if you are using an older, longer board (say, old Starboard Go or Bic 148), you will feel some sluggishness in response because of the swing weight but for your first few outings, it's not a big deal.

Do be aware that some older wide boards have straps and mast track further forward than today's boards. As long as you can put your mastbase from about 105-115cm from the front tuttle screw you should be good. You can foil without the backstraps (many of us would actually recommend it) and even the front straps (some of us would recommend that) if need be. Having the mast base too far forward makes the board resistant to coming out of the water.

At your size, I'd tend towards more volume than less. Same for the width. No reason to struggle with something that you can't float on as you'll be doing a lot of uphauling. Size isn't quite the deal as it is with a finned board - as soon as you get above the water, the extra width and volume doesn't affect you in the same way as it's no longer in contact with the water. If you live in a windy spot, of course, maybe bias it down to the lower end of the range you mentioned. If you are in a wind-starved spot, go the other way.

Good luck and hit us with any questions you have in your journey.

The first thing you need to decide is if you want to go down the race foil road or the freeride road.

Wave, bump and jump and freestyle sailors gravitate towards the freeride foiling gear and slalom sailors tend to start on race gear. Some of the early adopters of race foil gear have since switched over to more free ride gear as it suits their goals better. Less of the freeride guys are switching to race foils, but I expect this to increase a bit as they feel the need for speed.

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Paducah said..
Foilboards tend to be heavier to withstand the stresses and impacts so don't worry too much about just weight. The Starlite IQFoil boards are close to 12 kg. Plus you are going to be hanging another 5-6 kg off the box (the foil). As long as the weight is under you it matters much less.

Where it does matter is in the nose - if you are using an older, longer board (say, old Starboard Go or Bic 148), you will feel some sluggishness in response because of the swing weight but for your first few outings, it's not a big deal.

Do be aware that some older wide boards have straps and mast track further forward than today's boards. As long as you can put your mastbase from about 105-115cm from the front tuttle screw you should be good. You can foil without the backstraps (many of us would actually recommend it) and even the front straps (some of us would recommend that) if need be. Having the mast base too far forward makes the board resistant to coming out of the water.

At your size, I'd tend towards more volume than less. Same for the width. No reason to struggle with something that you can't float on as you'll be doing a lot of uphauling. Size isn't quite the deal as it is with a finned board - as soon as you get above the water, the extra width and volume doesn't affect you in the same way as it's no longer in contact with the water. If you live in a windy spot, of course, maybe bias it down to the lower end of the range you mentioned. If you are in a wind-starved spot, go the other way.

Good luck and hit us with any questions you have in your journey.

thanks Paducah,
I was thinking closer to 150ltrs would be best. Also will probably get a new or as close to new board as possible, and foil specific.

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thedoor said..
The first thing you need to decide is if you want to go down the race foil road or the freeride road.

Wave, bump and jump and freestyle sailors gravitate towards the freeride foiling gear and slalom sailors tend to start on race gear. Some of the early adopters of race foil gear have since switched over to more free ride gear as it suits their goals better. Less of the freeride guys are switching to race foils, but I expect this to increase a bit as they feel the need for speed.

I'm not really interested in fully powered race style. Just low-speed cruising/free riding.

At a similar weight to you, my first attempts at foiling were on a 135 X 85 wide slalom board. It soon became clear that it wasn't big enough or stable enough to repeatedly up haul and slog back to shore when the wind died, especially in choppy conditions. Getting a bigger board was a revelation and increased my learning curve dramatically. You can easily on sell a larger board when you are ready to advance.
If you are looking at a foil with an aluminium mast, get a newer generation one. Some of the older ones will feel like a noodle underneath your 105kg.

At least 150, easily way more if your sight is gusty, or if you need to slog OUT to the wind, and then back when you're tired.
At 75 kg, I wish my 122 was a 150 board, as the breeze almost always changes after an hour.
A bigger board encourages you to go out even on the bad days.
The foil adds 10-14 lbs to your weight.

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thedoor said..
The first thing you need to decide is if you want to go down the race foil road or the freeride road.

Wave, bump and jump and freestyle sailors gravitate towards the freeride foiling gear and slalom sailors tend to start on race gear. Some of the early adopters of race foil gear have since switched over to more free ride gear as it suits their goals better. Less of the freeride guys are switching to race foils, but I expect this to increase a bit as they feel the need for speed.

Can't stress this enough. I'm currently sailing at +40 and it works for light airs but my board (Stingray 125) is much more"slalom style" and gets to be a handful when the wind gets over 20. My next board will be a freeride.

What's your weight, what boards/ sails do you normally ride and in what conditions (wave, free ride, ocean, lake/ river)?

With 100kg @ 196cm I started last January on a Naish Hover 145 and still like it. The board can take some beating but I needed a bigger front wing at the beginning. 1650ccm was fine. Check the videos from heliboy999. If I remember right, he started exactly at your weight and documented the progress quite well.

same weight as yours. also beginner at foil after years of windsurfing. i am on formula board with supercruiser foil. here the wind are 12-20 knts. from 14 i am with 5.7 blade. great setup for me.
the formula is stable and easy foiling. very recommened.
tell us what you choose

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stehsegler said..
What's your weight, what boards/ sails do you normally ride and in what conditions (wave, free ride, ocean, lake/ river)?

105kgs
Starboard Futura 122 & AtomIq 104
5.2, 6.2 5 batten sails & 7 & 7.8 twin cam
freeride only @ Hillarys mostly

I'm using a Slingshot Levitator 160. I weigh 220 pounds at 6'4" tall. Thinking about a Shredsled but will probably stick with the Levitator for now. Would like a Wizard 130, but I think the extra volume is advantageous for where I mainly foil.

I recommend Foil specific boards with 2 rows of footstrap plugs, inner and outer, to give you lots of options - try different setups for different foils, sails, styles

My Stingray 140 is 2 boards in one, each with a very different feel - use outer footstraps with big sails and racy foils, or my go to set up is inner footstraps with small sails and Supercruiser (15 to 30+knots no problem)

Agree with the guys that bigger and wider is best

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dave.h said..
105kgs
Starboard Futura 122 & AtomIq 104
5.2, 6.2 5 batten sails & 7 & 7.8 twin cam
freeride only @ Hillarys mostly

Cool. In regards to board I would say a Starboard Foil X 145, Slingshot Levitator 150, Severne Alien 145 would be a safe option with plenty plenty of float. They are free-ride boards so not geared towards big sail racing. All three boards are currently available new at shops here in Perth. Plus you'll find the odd used once on Seabreeze.

The Slingshot Levitator has a track system which allows for a bit more fine tuning. The Foil X and Alien have deep tutle boxes which is a bit like set and forget. For the tutle system you can go Slingshot Infinity foils, Severne foil or Starboard. For the track system go Slingshot foil.Any of these three foil setups are a bit more difficult to find used as all three are very popular.

Both Revolution Board Sports (Severne / Starboard) in Osborne park and Simmer Style WA (Slingshot) in O'Connor - will be able to give you some more info and advice. Also, there is usually an experienced foil crew down at Dutchies (in a Southerly) or Point Walter boat ramp (in Easterlies) that are happy to give advice and talk you through the different gear options.

Revolution Board Sports / Severne sometimes run Foil Demo days. Give them a call to find out the next date.

Hello, Dave,

Agree with the others:

Foil-specific board.

Around 150 litres.

Two rows of footstrap inserts.

Twin track system and Deep Tuttle on the one board (maximum versatility and resale value).

If you buy a mast that uses a Deep Tuttle connector, try to buy one that uses a flange on the bottom (like axisfoils.com/collections/all-wind/products/tuttle-head-for-axis-s-series-windsurf-foil).

Surfbent nose protector (particularly if you buy a light version of your board). Also see www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Foiling/Foil-Board-Nose-Protection

Chinook Pro Flex U.J. (remove 3mm from UJ base OD to fit into Surfbent ID).

BIG front wing for minimal wind planing.Head helmet with ear protectors (prevents ear water inrush during crashes if you go in side-of-face first).

ADDITIONAL:

If you use a power tool to tighten/loosen the bolts, have it set on the LOWEST torque setting and do final tightening/initial loosening by hand.

Getting board and connected sail into/out of water is a bitch. Watch others to see how they do it.

Whilst learning, suggest use only the front foot straps and leave them LOOSE.

Get a white paint pen/spray can and colour the tips of the front and rear wings, so you can see them underwater.

Water-start whenever possible, but you'll have to re-learn uphauls and flare gybes.

Use Tef-Gel on the bolt threads and under the bolt heads.

Rinse all the gear in fresh water after use.

Hope this helps.

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dave.h said..
I'm very close to getting into foiling after 25 yrs windsurfing, but am a bit confused as to what kind of board I should be looking at. I have owned very light slalom boards in the past, and am fully aware the different feel you get from a very light and stiff sailboard, but for learning to foil, will a heavy board close to 10kg's be a bad choice compared to a 7.5-8kg board. size wise I am about 105kg and would be looking at a board with a volume between 130 to 150ltrs and 70-80cm wide.
Will a heavier board be slower to get flying and noticeably harder to ride?
As for what I would want from foiling in the long term is not to have high speed performance, and just to cruise and get time on the water.

thanks for any advice...

unless you are racing or want to squeeze the utmost light wind takeoff speed, I don't think 1-2 kilos will make a big difference. Even more, the heavier board might be tougher, something good especially at the beginning.

Also remember to verify that the board you are buying will accept the foil you will get. There is always some sanding involved but in some cases some foils boards are incompatible with some foils. I believe an example is the slingshot boards and the deep Tuttle starboard foils (correct me if I am wrong!)

I would NOT buy a Slingshot foil if you are heavy. Actually I wouldn't buy one at any weight but especially for a heavy rider.

I also would only buy a board with a track mount unless I was going to race, then I'd go tuttle.

I started foiling on a very light 71 cm wide slalom board, and eventually switched to an 85 cm wide Fanatic Stingray 140 that seems to weigh about twice as much. The weight difference does not seem to be an issue at all. The width difference is a much bigger issue, making it easier to get good upwind angles, to turn, and to stay on the board when I don't want to fall. Jibes also are easier with the wide board. If you can get an old formula board, that's a great choice to get started. I have seen several guys progressing much faster on a formula board than others who bought foil-specific boards. Just take the foot straps off, they'll be too far outside.

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Grantmac said..
I would NOT buy a Slingshot foil if you are heavy. Actually I wouldn't buy one at any weight but especially for a heavy rider.

Rubbish. I am 115kg and the Slingshot i76 is fine.

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boardsurfr said..
If you can get an old formula board, that's a great choice to get started. I have seen several guys progressing much faster on a formula board than others who bought foil-specific boards. Just take the foot straps off, they'll be too far outside.

The problem with formula boards is the used price. The majority of them are overpriced. You'll be able to get a used foil board for not much more. Especially when you consider the tuttle box will eventually rip out of the board.

I have used a number of different boards with a number of different freeride foils. I weigh 195 lb.

I agree with most of the above comments. At your weight, go for a volume of 140-150 liters and a width of 85 cm. Get a board with both inboard and outboard footstrap positions. Try to get a board with both deep tuttle AND dual track. The dual track is future-proof since the industry is going in that direction anyway, and dual track also offers the most adjustability.

The Stingray 140 fills the bill nicely. It is my go-to board for freeride foiling. Between the mast track, footstrap positions, and tuttle/dual-track options, this board can be made to work with any foil out there. I use deep tuttle with it.

I have three formula boards that I use only when I want to play around with a race foil. Not all formula boards will break their stock finboxes when foiling, as thousands of Europeans have found out. A few do, most don't. If you are nervous, use a leash from the top of the foil mast to a rear footstrap.

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segler said..
I have three formula boards that I use only when I want to play around with a race foil. Not all formula boards will break their stock finboxes when foiling, as thousands of Europeans have found out. A few do, most don't. If you are nervous, use a leash from the top of the foil mast to a rear footstrap.

He doesn't have a formula board from hence why I said just get a proper foil board. No point buying a used formula board... spend the money on getting the real thing.

I am in a similiar weight-range (between 95-99kg). I have had the pleasure to ride quite a few foils and a few different boards. The Slingshot foil is an easy, user-friendly foil and capable of bigger riders. Same with the Moses foil, which is a tad bit smoother. Boardwise, I like the Exocet Freefoil 132. A pretty good board-design. My latest board was a Horse Tiny 130l. For Freeride foiling I would not go bigger than that. Easy handle, good response, low swing-weight. Takes some time to get used to, but worth it. The Starboard Foil-X looks promising, same applies to the JP Freefoil. I like to stand close to the center-line in light winds. That helps to not drop windward.

Br,

David

Depends on his budget. Until foiling came along, you could buy a formula board for a song. Now, with formula boards being an excellent platform for foiling (learning and advanced), their prices have gone up. Good ones cost nearly as much as new foilboards. That said, who knows, there could be one sitting around in somebody's garage languishing for water.

So, if you have a choice, just bite the bullet and get a purpose-built foilboard. Volume 140-150, width 85 cm, inboard and outboard footstrap positions, geometry optimized for foiling, preferably with both deep tuttle and dual-track. You will use that board for years. Stingray 140 meets the criteria, as do some others.

I'm glad DB2 likes the Exocet Freefoil 132 at his weight (I am a couple feathers lighter than that). I have this board, too, for my quiver of foil gear in Florida. The volume is a tad low, but the width is 86 cm.

I'm also in the same situation as the OP, windsurfing a long time, 85-90 kgs, and I've been doing quite a bit of reading in the forums and have some questions to add. I have two older boards I think might be suitable from what I've read - a starboard Go (this was one of the very first ones from 1999/2000 so I think about 175L), and an original hypersonic - the 125l in dram. Both are actually in really good condition. One question I have is would it be worth getting a powerplate or something similar to help protect the finbox that's in the board? And does a powerplate make it easier to attach and remove the foil than with a tuttle box? (I've spent more time sanding, etc., than I really ever wanted to making some tuttle box fins fit!!)
Thanks!!

Stareboard GO is a little heavy and has a longish swing weight due to its length. That said, a couple guys in Seattle foil on big GO boards and do just fine.

People also have been foiling on the hypersonic with success.

If you want to get started with foiling, and can wait to get a purpose-built foilboard later, you can start with these two boards. Just make sure to balance them. See the youtube below. If your foil mast is 90 deg out of the finbox, you don't need the angle tool in the youtube.

I have used the PowerPlate. Not only does it offer a whoppingly huge surface area to spread the load, but it offers a lot of fore and aft adjustability to balance things. Problem is, it adds weight. No biggie if you are using a heavy board to start with. It has the exact same ease of assembly to the board as any deep tuttle fitting on a fin or foil. Two bolts.

If, however, your foil already has a flange on the top fitting, you probably don't need the PowerPlate unless you want that adjustability.

Thank you, Segler!! I was thinking of the Go more for volume in inconsistent wind, and maybe the hyper when the wind is more consistent. I had already looked at and bookmarked that video, btw, but thanks again for reminding me about it. Having spent more money then I ever should have over the years on windsurfing equipment, I not as ready to dive in whole hog anymore and get a dedicated foil board right away. Still deciding on the foil, but the consensus seems to be BIG front wing for light wind/learning and skip the shorter mast length. Leaning towards the slingshot with a 99 front wing.

Hypersonic 125 will be better. Also consider a foil with better performance, the I99 is both very expensive (for what you get) and very slow.
Definitely get one with a flange on top of the mast though. Otherwise you'll be replacing a box soon enough.

thanks all for the tips.
Ended up getting a Severne Alien 145 & Redwing from Revolution in Osb Park.
Now there will either be absolutely no wind or it will blow 25-30 knts for the next two weeks

Enjoy the new sensation and don't forget some nose protector