I've seen a few AFS Pure foils ( 1100 and 900 ) with the UHM Mast and they look amazing.

I know that they've just released the Silk for
pure wave riding but it's only available with a 80cm mast at the moment ,which is shorter than I prefer .

Has anyone used the Pure 900 in the waves and how does it perform .

Also I've heard rumours that they may be bringing out some new wings soon if so has anyone any info .

many thanks ??

I'm curious too. I had some questions for AFS around the mast/wing compatibility and they (vaguely) said something to the effect that they are working on a fully compatible system that doesn't require different masts for the different systems. Don't know when, but it sounds like its in the works. In the meantime, the lack of inter-compatibility within their range is kind of odd.

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Velocicraptor said..
I'm curious too. I had some questions for AFS around the mast/wing compatibility and they (vaguely) said something to the effect that they are working on a fully compatible system that doesn't require different masts for the different systems. Don't know when, but it sounds like its in the works. In the meantime, the lack of inter-compatibility within their range is kind of odd.

Cheers Buddy

I've used the pure 700 and 1100.
I've just bought a silk 1050 on the basis of trying them all. The Silk is the most incredible wave foil, so stable and yet so playful and turny.
The mast is as stiff as and the whole foil weighs 2.7 kg. It also jumps really well.

The mast is compatible with the race foil and it is a more elegant and hydrodynamic shape and the pure connection.

It is very like the F4, Mikeslab and new duetone connection.

My understanding is that the pure foil range will adopt that connection.

I've been use Pure 900 and it's great. Used on the waves of Chicama (Peeru) and rides very very well, incredible speed. Never tried a Silk

Just had my Silk 1050 in some swell. It's awesome, so much glide and easy turning.

I also took it out in flat water and got 23.99 knots (2 sec max) out of it, not bad for a wave foil!

?feature=shared

I was getting 5 x 10sec ave in the 22kt range on this foil in the gorge when I tested it. pretty good, easy speed. 80cm is shorter than I normally ride (usually 90) but only breached once when I was watching a kite foiler jump and trying to figure out if he was going to land in my path or not. your spot looks awesome!

@sunsetsailboards - yep I was a bit surprised to get so much speed out of it. It is a dedicated wave foil. I think it is partly because it is so predictable and easy to use. I had a few fast drops down swells on Saturday and never once felt the foil was out of control, no matter how I turned it.

I'm looking forward to trying the AFS race foil (hopefully) next weekend.

Thanks for the replies guys .

it's a shame that you can't use the Pure mast with the Silk wings , I definitely think they slipped up there .

the silk looks promising but again at the moment is only available with a 80cm mast which just isn't long enough for our local conditions.

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r0d said..
I'm looking forward to trying the AFS race foil (hopefully) next weekend.

Have you tried the AFS race foil yet? If yes, then how was it?

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Emmett said..

r0d said..
I'm looking forward to trying the AFS race foil (hopefully) next weekend.

Have you tried the AFS race foil yet? If yes, then how was it?

Yes. Just had two days on it at Speed week in Weymouth.
It's very stable and hard to unsettle. I got a max peak of 26.7 knots, but it went a lot faster in other people's hands.

I also took the 650 Silk down the speed course. I also got that to over 26 knots. It was super stable and easy to get up on the foil. I think I could have pushed it faster on a taller mast (I was on the stock 80)

Silk 650
www.gps-wingfoiling.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=424495&uid=26987

Pure 560
www.gps-wingfoiling.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=424493&uid=26987

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r0d said..

Yes. Just had two days on it at Speed week in Weymouth.
It's very stable and hard to unsettle. I got a max peak of 26.7 knots, but it went a lot faster in other people's hands.

I also took the 650 Silk down the speed course. I also got that to over 26 knots. It was super stable and easy to get up on the foil. I think I could have pushed it faster on a taller mast (I was on the stock 80)

Nice. Seems that AFS are on target, making at least two product lines that are both fast and easy to use.

What are your thoughts, or what have you heard/observed on ideal mast length for winging on speed courses with flat-ish water? Assuming gusty wind, plus always using a low drag and stiff enough mast, and aiming for 30+ knots. My thoughts are: Obviously go too short and touching board down is way more drag than wetting some extra mast. Going too long introduces some kind of lag between brain->feet->foil for pitch control. Also the crashes can be a bit more nasty. What we get accustomed to is a huge factor, and it seems the trend is to go for 95cm.

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Emmett said..
Nice. Seems that AFS are on target, making at least two product lines that are both fast and easy to use.

What are your thoughts, or what have you heard/observed on ideal mast length for winging on speed courses with flat-ish water? Assuming gusty wind, plus always using a low drag and stiff enough mast, and aiming for 30+ knots. My thoughts are: Obviously go too short and touching board down is way more drag than wetting some extra mast. Going too long introduces some kind of lag between brain->feet->foil for pitch control. Also the crashes can be a bit more nasty. What we get accustomed to is a huge factor, and it seems the trend is to go for 95cm.

Yes AFS don't know how to make a slow foil!

On a speed course 95cm + is key. I couldn't get the Silk 650 past 26knots because of 80cm mast. 95cm unlocks being able to push hard knowing you have some tolerance if you lose pitch stability a bit.
I also have Levitaz R5-S kite racing foil and I used that too, with its 110cm mast. I can't see a downside to that length mast apart from launching.

I ended up 10th fastest wingfoil at Weymouth (Emeric, James and Anna - all ahead of me - were all on the AFS Pure Race or AFS Race protos)
logiqx.github.io/wsw-results/results/2023/craft.html
(speeds are the average speed over 500m)

thanks for the detailed reports... do you know what Guy Cribb was on? I remember his being a NP/JP guy from windsurfing.

Anybody fast winging strapless?

Guy was on a Mikeslab 400sq cm kite foil. I think he also used his Mikeslab 540 wingfoil for some runs, but I think his fastest speeds were on the 400.
Everyone in the top 10 was either on AFS, Mikeslab or Chubanga except for my racing buddy Denis Gordo who was on a Takoon 600 (HS Glide..?). Kudos to him for that.

No one fast was winging strapless. Quite a few people (Guy included) with no back strap though.

The other observation about winging fast (with most people I spoke to: Guy, Denis, Emeric etc) was a longer fuse really helps. (long > 70).

The exception seems that the younger more agile wingers can cope with the shorter kite style fuses (and sometimes even prefer them).

Someone is able to compare the the silk 650 or 850 with the armstrong 625 or 800?

Interestingly AFS won all the classes at Weymouth Speed Week - the pro, amateur and women's events. The great thing about AFS is the Pure Race 560 mast is compatible with the new surf/downwind Silk. Having a top piece of kit for racing, freestyle and surfing is so important for many people. They also have the AFS Pro foil board which enables early lift off for the 560 foil.

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Marimu said..
Interestingly AFS won all the classes at Weymouth Speed Week - the pro, amateur and women's events. The great thing about AFS is the Pure Race 560 mast is compatible with the new surf/downwind Silk. Having a top piece of kit for racing, freestyle and surfing is so important for many people. They also have the AFS Pro foil board which enables early lift off for the 560 foil.

That is interesting about the mast as the mast for the other Pure wings ( 700/900) is not compatible with the Silk wings .Also the race mast has a 120mm cord compared to a 115mm cord on the Silk specific mast .

Has anyone used the Race mast with the Silk wings and if so how was it ? I have messaged AFS to see what they say , but as yet they have not got back to me .

Emeric said that the other Pure wings will be changing connection to match the Silk and Race.

We didn't try the Silk on the race mast as it was pretty much always in use at speed week. I'm pretty sure the Silk 650 would easily do 27+ knots with the race mast (I got it 26.5 with an 80 mast).

The best thing about the Silks though is the glide and turning, they are sooo good in swell and so easy to use.

So AFS have said that the Pure 560 Mast will fit the Silk wings .
they have also said that the difference is that the Silk mast has Zero rake and the Pure race mast has one degree rake but that can be altered with a mast/ board shim .

also of interest is that they are working on new mast lengths Which hopefully will include a 90/95 Silk mast for those of us with choppy / confused water states .

Silk seems to catch seaweed.