While perusing all the windsurf mags at the local library, realized half the covers are of foils, yet i have never seen one in real life. I understand dingers need it or their hobby wouldn't exist, seen a few kiters cruising around wondering if they can come in yet as they are bored ?? yet windsurfing never seen one. If virtually no one can be bothered going out when it's 20 kn and flat why would they bother in lighter winds when u can generally do even less (yes i've seen the freestyle guys very cool). Even just to set up takes the same tools to build a patio on top of the normal pain in the bum to rig the rest of it. So is it a thing or are they pushed by the companies to try and make it a thing to spend our hard earned on. Not talking about racing, that may be fun but just cruising back and forth.

Wow I have never seen a single windsurf mag at my local library. Is that a thing do libraries really have windsurfing mags?
To be fair I have never looked as I am too busy windsurf foiling.

We don't see much here due to reef, cray lines, and wind.
And the fact its an extra $3K ......

But if you're a wavesailor in Perth i reckon you'd also foil Terry

Yep, it's a thing all right, a lot of the GPSTC guys are now foiling.
Some of them still "slap" as they call it, when it's windier.

Windsurf foiling (aka windfoiling) has been a thing in the Columbia Gorge since 2016. Kitefoiling has also grown by leaps and bounds. And, then, wing-ding foiling has gotten huge, really huge (many of them converted from kitefoiling).

Yes it is a thing, guess it depends on your location. On South winds at my location get waves and the stronger the wind the bigger the waves, a windfoil gets me up consistently and over the waves for 3/4 to mile long runs. Windsurfing on a South had to bump out over the waves and then turn around and shoot down the wave troughs, smooth as glass and similar to foiling but faster. On a North wind water is fairly flat, could and did windsurf, but only windfoil now cause I get longer runs and get up more consistently with a foil in gusty conditions and I can foil in 8-9 knots whereas windsurfing min. wind was 12 knots with a 9.0 sail, with yearly average winds of around 9-10 knots I get out a lot more windfoiling. And once you have good technique windfoiling takes less physical effort, that means longer sessions without getting totally exhausted. The other advantage to windfoiling is when the wind drops/increases all I usually need to do is change out the front wing to get back to having fun! And the sail size with windfoiling is another big advantage, in conditions where I used a 9.0 sail for windsurfing, I use a 5.8 or 4.5 sail for windfoiling, that makes it so much easier and fun.

If I had consistent wavesailing conditions I'd never touch a foil. However around here it's more like 5 days of good foiling for each day of marginal wavesailing. Plus the feel of carving a foil is fairly similar and keeps the reflexes in tune.

It certainly is a thing

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Foiling/Port-Beach--video-

My estimate of the breakdown of wind powered foiling 2022
Wing foiling 60%
Kite foiling 17.5%
Race sail foiling (wind foil slalom/IQ foil) 15%
Free ride sail foiling (windfoiling) 7.5%

There's a whole thread devoted for foiling too.

Probably not much of a thing at Sotavento, Luderitz or Geraldton hey Tezza? Haha