So I was out in about 22 knots with my 3,5m wing and Axis 999 foil. I didn't feel over rigged on the foil and also feel I need about this size to ride the local wind chop(no real swell).

I see many people opting for smaller foils when the wind gets stronger. Is this to get higher top speeds or is it to keep the foil down riding larger waves?

For me the smaller foil matches the wing tension - when the wind is up the wing is getting ripped from my hands or it's over my head most of the time making it uncomfortable. If I switch to a smaller or faster foil my riding speed increases and the wing becomes comfortable again. Gusty winds have their own concerns- some foils you get a gust and if you don't luff it's out quick low aspect foils will tend to over foil right away so I like something thinner in those situations

Smaller wings are easier to control, less chance of breaching when the wind picks up. They accelerate faster and can be a lot more fun given the right conditions.

dc

The 999 is a good wing and if you don't ride it and think "I could be in something way smaller" then stick with it for a while. I would go out in 20knots and get pulled up on it without trying and then go make turns and try to go fast and think that a smaller foil would be better. The thing is a smaller foil is better in glide, top speed, turning. The bigger is better in pumping and low end (only by a knot or two). Turning is the big one. My buddy on the 1099 got on my 899 and was blown away with the speed and turning.

But if you want to downwind and never lift your wing up the bigger foil will help.

999 isn't huge so not a major difference especially if you have no compelling reason to switch.

I'm starting to think that foil wing size has more to do with how my brain can keep up with the speed. I started on low aspect foils and as I moved down to a smaller faster wind it took a while for my mind d to speed up to react. I learned to pump on an 1150, dock and prone, then moved to a 999 on the ding. I could feel my mind racing to adjust to the extra speed and responsiveness. Now I have a 1099 and an 899 (999 gone), and the same happened. Pumping a 1099 compared to an 1150 took some adjustment, but it only took a few sessions. Now the same is happening with the 899. The extra manouvrebility and speed allows me to position the foil where I want it better, but only if my mind can keep up. I find (weirdly) the 899 tacks easier (than 1099, 999 and 1150) simply cos I can turn through the wind harder and more confidently. But if I'd tried it 3 months ago straight off the 1150 I would not have been close...Same with connecting waves prone, my mind has caught up with the 1099, but im still working on the 899 (3rd go!) but it feels attainable. So for me, its more about being on the smallest wing that I can mentally keep up with, and less about the actual physical conditions. Any foil wing will give any lift required, its just the speed needed to keep that lift takes more skill on smaller foils. An 1150 will allow pumping at walking pace almost, but a 899 needs to be at a gallop.....

foils have a built it speed range, so you kind of want to match what you want to do and how fast you want to do it with the foil that is comfortable in that range.

so, just going to a smaller foil in nuking wind may not help you with control if you aren't willing to go faster in those conditions.... instead you may be going too slow to be in the sweet spot for that smaller foil... also if you are losing span by going smaller, your foil might be less roll stable for things like transitions and foot switches. Of course, span, profile, AR, planform, etc... all affect the ride.

I find here for riding swells, the different spots here in SF Bay sometimes prefer different foils. Fast foils for Crissy Field where we have ground swell coming in the bay and container ships with wakes running at 15-17kn. Somewhat gruntier foil further in the bay where the windswell is slower and you want something that is very happy cruising at 10-12kn.

I've always likened foils to surfboards. You can go to a particular break and there will be 20 guys/girls out with 15 different surfboard types. Most will be having fun riding the same waves, but they will all be riding the waves a little differently.

I have a 'small' wing since a few weeks, an F-One Phantom S 940cm2, and I've also used to 740cm2. For me the biggest reason for going smaller is more speed, more height in jumps, and especially softer landings after jumps! Bigger wings tend to 'float' or foil backwards sometimes if you land with the board backwards (after a 180 or 540 jump), smaller wings sink & are therefore way softer on the landing. Additional benefits are more glide & manouvrability. And less prone to damage because the torsional forces on it are way smaller when you screw up a jump and land with a wingtip first instead of flat.

Also, when I was on tenerife 2 weeks ago I felt the small wing was needed to keep up with the fast swell! With the 1280 Phantom I often was too slow to catch the swell. I reached 50kph surfing down swells there on the 940, a larger wing could never go that fast & would kind of 'trip over the drag'. I needed to cruise at about 35kph to be able to catch the swell on the biggest days, thats hard work eith a big foil. Fast waves require smaller foils to keep in control and stay on the wave.

Finally, the required wind difference is actually really small, with good technique you can go down in wing size really fast without costing much. I get the 940 up in about 14 knots with the 5.0 (75L board, 90kgs).

Select to expand quote

WhiteofHeart said..

Finally, the required wind difference is actually really small, with good technique you can go down in wing size really fast without costing much. I get the 940 up in about 14 knots with the 5.0 (75L board, 90kgs).

what size hand wing?

Select to expand quote

max_ob said..

WhiteofHeart said..

Finally, the required wind difference is actually really small, with good technique you can go down in wing size really fast without costing much. I get the 940 up in about 14 knots with the 5.0 (75L board, 90kgs).

what size hand wing?

5.0, says so right there haha.

Select to expand quote

WhiteofHeart said..
I have a 'small' wing since a few weeks, an F-One Phantom S 940cm2, and I've also used to 740cm2. For me the biggest reason for going smaller is more speed, more height in jumps, and especially softer landings after jumps! Bigger wings tend to 'float' or foil backwards sometimes if you land with the board backwards (after a 180 or 540 jump), smaller wings sink & are therefore way softer on the landing. Additional benefits are more glide & manouvrability. And less prone to damage because the torsional forces on it are way smaller when you screw up a jump and land with a wingtip first instead of flat.

Also, when I was on tenerife 2 weeks ago I felt the small wing was needed to keep up with the fast swell! With the 1280 Phantom I often was too slow to catch the swell. I reached 50kph surfing down swells there on the 940, a larger wing could never go that fast & would kind of 'trip over the drag'. I needed to cruise at about 35kph to be able to catch the swell on the biggest days, thats hard work eith a big foil. Fast waves require smaller foils to keep in control and stay on the wave.

Finally, the required wind difference is actually really small, with good technique you can go down in wing size really fast without costing much. I get the 940 up in about 14 knots with the 5.0 (75L board, 90kgs).

I totally agree with your comments, especially the last one. Was using the 1080 phantom for all conditions the last 6months and now have the 790 Eagle and really don't think there's much in it with getting on foil in lighter winds , just have to be a little more aggressive with pumping to get going. However the eagle does like to be powered and I do stay on my bigger wing for longer than I would do with the phantom, the speed and jumps are very addictive

Select to expand quote

WhiteofHeart said..

max_ob said..

WhiteofHeart said..

Finally, the required wind difference is actually really small, with good technique you can go down in wing size really fast without costing much. I get the 940 up in about 14 knots with the 5.0 (75L board, 90kgs).

what size hand wing?

5.0, says so right there haha.

Haha . . . I read it as the 5'0 Fanatic wing board that is 75L.

Cheers.

Select to expand quote

WhiteofHeart said..
I have a 'small' wing since a few weeks, an F-One Phantom S 940cm2, and I've also used to 740cm2. For me the biggest reason for going smaller is more speed, more height in jumps, and especially softer landings after jumps! Bigger wings tend to 'float' or foil backwards sometimes if you land with the board backwards (after a 180 or 540 jump), smaller wings sink & are therefore way softer on the landing. Additional benefits are more glide & manouvrability. And less prone to damage because the torsional forces on it are way smaller when you screw up a jump and land with a wingtip first instead of flat.

Also, when I was on tenerife 2 weeks ago I felt the small wing was needed to keep up with the fast swell! With the 1280 Phantom I often was too slow to catch the swell. I reached 50kph surfing down swells there on the 940, a larger wing could never go that fast & would kind of 'trip over the drag'. I needed to cruise at about 35kph to be able to catch the swell on the biggest days, thats hard work eith a big foil. Fast waves require smaller foils to keep in control and stay on the wave.

Finally, the required wind difference is actually really small, with good technique you can go down in wing size really fast without costing much. I get the 940 up in about 14 knots with the 5.0 (75L board, 90kgs).

Appreciate your insights on foil and wing. What do you weigh? That combo is a good goal to get to someday. 8 sessions in and I could never get that combo up. I'm on a SS i84 (2066cm2) and a Duotone 6.5 Slick and need about 13 knots. I'm 82kg. Got to keep on keeping on!

Select to expand quote

marc5 said..

WhiteofHeart said..
I have a 'small' wing since a few weeks, an F-One Phantom S 940cm2, and I've also used to 740cm2. For me the biggest reason for going smaller is more speed, more height in jumps, and especially softer landings after jumps! Bigger wings tend to 'float' or foil backwards sometimes if you land with the board backwards (after a 180 or 540 jump), smaller wings sink & are therefore way softer on the landing. Additional benefits are more glide & manouvrability. And less prone to damage because the torsional forces on it are way smaller when you screw up a jump and land with a wingtip first instead of flat.

Also, when I was on tenerife 2 weeks ago I felt the small wing was needed to keep up with the fast swell! With the 1280 Phantom I often was too slow to catch the swell. I reached 50kph surfing down swells there on the 940, a larger wing could never go that fast & would kind of 'trip over the drag'. I needed to cruise at about 35kph to be able to catch the swell on the biggest days, thats hard work eith a big foil. Fast waves require smaller foils to keep in control and stay on the wave.

Finally, the required wind difference is actually really small, with good technique you can go down in wing size really fast without costing much. I get the 940 up in about 14 knots with the 5.0 (75L board, 90kgs).

Appreciate your insights on foil and wing. What do you weigh? That combo is a good goal to get to someday. 8 sessions in and I could never get that combo up. I'm on a SS i84 (2066cm2) and a Duotone 6.5 Slick and need about 13 knots. I'm 82kg. Got to keep on keeping on!

Im 90kgs, so slightly heavier than you!

Select to expand quote

Interesting topic... I've just moved to my first HA Wing at 9 AR and 1250cm3. I realise this is fairly big to the foils many of you mentioned above.

Clearly my goal is to move down in size with HA. I've done the LA to Mid Aspect to my first HA foil.

My question is how does the board affect the take off. I have a first generation Orange Naish Hover 75L @ 80kgs. The first few sessions on the new foil i am starting to see the potential and love the new found glide . The take requires a slightly different technique and possibly a little bit more power. Does the newer board designs which claim to be better for HA foils actually make a difference? My Naish is 2 or 3 yes old design.

Lots of boards similar to the new Fanatic with squared off tails with the early planing claim... Interested to hear if people thinks this actually helps..

alot,
a little
barely at all
No - it's all about the pump

I think in 12-15knts you can pretty use any foil you want.Now, depend what you want to do, if you want to surf waves, you need the size according the wave size and speed...faster foil on slow waves..not really worth it (unless you are super good and making 4 top and bottom turns while I do one. Big slow foil in a fast wave is not a good also.

If you want to downwind, same, you need to match the speed of your downwind course and ability to pump your foil.

For GPS...smallest the fastest.

To learn tricks...something that carry good low speed and not too wide to carve hard.
It's always a question of compromise so far...what you gain, you loose somewhere else and it has to make your day better at the end of the day. So it's not always the smallest the best IMO..maybe if I ever get super advance..I'll change my mind but so far this is what I believe.

At 85kg or less, I 100% agree that with the right size wing, you can pretty much ride any foil once you have a solid 12kts plus. At our local spot, there are folks who love to pick up swells and ride them as long as possible with minimal carving, there are others who are looking to turn as tightly and fast as possible, then there are people somewhere between these two, and those who stick to the flats and work on transitions and freestyle.

The more I thinker with my own gear the more I realize you have to start with YOUR goal and build out from there. For me, I would much rather have a few high speed cranked turns on a wave than a mellow 100 yard glide (nothing wrong with this at all, just not my thing). What that means, is I have gone to owning just two foils: 725 and a 525 and riding one size up in hand wing where I used to try and ride the smallest hand wing. The 725 still allows for decent glide and I'm getting better at riding the more critical sections of the wave which means more speed and longer glide. What I like most about the smaller foils is that I don't have to worry as much about foiling out when gybing onto or dropping into a steep section of an ocean swell or a wave. In Kailua, the swells can move really fast so the acceleration of the smaller foils can also help when spotting a good section down the line and chasing after it. My goals, mean that my hand wings have gotten bigger, and my foils have gone smaller.

If I lived somewhere that had flat water and high wind, I might want to have one small foil for speed and jumping. Also, there are guys at our spot who are riding foils between 900-1200cm2 who are killing it, so those midsized foils are very capable of "ripping" when they are under the right set of feet (lol).

Hope this helps.

Select to expand quote

Bennis123 said..
So I was out in about 22 knots with my 3,5m wing and Axis 999 foil. I didn't feel over rigged on the foil and also feel I need about this size to ride the local wind chop(no real swell).

I see many people opting for smaller foils when the wind gets stronger. Is this to get higher top speeds or is it to keep the foil down riding larger waves?

There is typically much less load on your sail+arms with a lower drag foil set. The foil speed means more options and easier to coast fast and connect waves or wind gusts. You only need a tiny amount of wind power to keep a low drag foil-set going quite quickly, so much less need to pump your foils/legs. Lower drag foils can make light winds much easier, assuming you can get up and stay up. One problem is being too fast for the waves, so you might need the fast foils to be able to turn (eg. lower aspect, thinner tips, short fuselage, stiff mast). Use the speed up when you don't want it, doing more distance by snaking your path. The other problem (mentioned) is getting up on the low drag foil. I've found that a board shape designed for fast surface planing helps greatly. No "tail kick" or excessive rear rocker.

In other words, a lower drag foil can offer more fun, more options and is much less fatiguing.

Also consider that a foil which pumps well, will most often be pitch unstable at its higher speeds. Pitch instability at speed is very fatiguing, for me at least. A foil like the W1000 with a suitable stabiliser doesn't pump super well, but while doing 10 kts or 25 kts you can maintain similar front/rear foot pressure and be quite relaxed. The Naish 914 is also very well behaved if speed varies greatly. If your 999 pumps well, then you'll probably enjoy something else when speeds are higher.

Emmett.. enjoyed reading your response..in the bit you say..

The other problem (mentioned) is getting up on the low drag foil. I've found that a board shape designed for fast surface planing helps greatly. No "tail kick" or excessive rear rocker....

Presumably you mean in low wind? Or do you still prefer this board design when powered up - perhaps you get up quicker when u are in the critical wave section.

I'm trying to work out if I change my board (v1 5' Naish Hover) for an early planing design.

Select to expand quote

IanInca said..
Emmett.. enjoyed reading your response..in the bit you say..

The other problem (mentioned) is getting up on the low drag foil. I've found that a board shape designed for fast surface planing helps greatly. No "tail kick" or excessive rear rocker....

Presumably you mean in low wind? Or do you still prefer this board design when powered up - perhaps you get up quicker when u are in the critical wave section.

I'm trying to work out if I change my board (v1 5' Naish Hover) for an early planing design.

Yes I was mostly thinking about light wind. In my experience, an early/easy planing board shape is easier for lift off when ever I choose a foil which is small/thin for the size sail-wing I want to use. Could be in a difficult wave section. Obviously beware of bringing a fast foil up too early or it'll stall flop back down.

On planing boats, many of us know the gains possible with a straight/sharp water exit/release off the transom edge. A slight round on the transom is very draggy. In my experience the tail kick board designs are super draggy when fast surface planing is required for the chosen foil to come up.

A bigger sail-wing can be used to generate a lot of up-lift to take much weight off a small foil, so less board planing on the surface is needed. I probably need to learn how to make bigger sail-wings go faster upwind. Thinner leading edges is an obvious trend and makes a lot of sense.

I would add this to Emmett's comments. When trying to get going on a small foil in lighter conditions, I slog my way out to where I can turn onto a tack with wind and chop moving (mostly) in the same direction. I try to catch both a gust and a chop then, once up, I do my best not to fall. On the HA525 in light wind I find it almost requires banking off a knee high or bigger chop in light wind gybes.

I was watching the race gybes and wondering if they might be the key to avoiding getting back winded in super light conditions, anybody have experience with this and small foils/light wind?

Are you talking about race jibe, like a windsurfing duck jibe, starting like a laydown 360 and bring it up back in the power zone or the heineken jibe? I think the Heineken jibe get less backwinded.

Select to expand quote

Oahuwaterwalker said..
I would add this to Emmett's comments. When trying to get going on a small foil in lighter conditions, I slog my way out to where I can turn onto a tack with wind and chop moving (mostly) in the same direction. I try to catch both a gust and a chop then, once up, I do my best not to fall. On the HA525 in light wind I find it almost requires banking off a knee high or bigger chop in light wind gybes.

I was watching the race gybes and wondering if they might be the key to avoiding getting back winded in super light conditions, anybody have experience with this and small foils/light wind?

I, too, was experiencing a lot of backwinding when jibing in light wind (8-12kts) with a 925 or 725 (side note: I'm now considering the 525 after reading your recent posts). I've found that the Heineken jibe is the way to go. It took a bit of practice to get right but it makes jibing a lot more efficient, not to mention having no blind spots throughout.

Select to expand quote

paulweller2 said..

Oahuwaterwalker said..
I would add this to Emmett's comments. When trying to get going on a small foil in lighter conditions, I slog my way out to where I can turn onto a tack with wind and chop moving (mostly) in the same direction. I try to catch both a gust and a chop then, once up, I do my best not to fall. On the HA525 in light wind I find it almost requires banking off a knee high or bigger chop in light wind gybes.

I was watching the race gybes and wondering if they might be the key to avoiding getting back winded in super light conditions, anybody have experience with this and small foils/light wind?

I, too, was experiencing a lot of backwinding when jibing in light wind (8-12kts) with a 925 or 725 (side note: I'm now considering the 525 after reading your recent posts). I've found that the Heineken jibe is the way to go. It took a bit of practice to get right but it makes jibing a lot more efficient, not to mention having no blind spots throughout.

Thanks! I'll start working on that. With the 525, its much easier (to me) to exceed the wind speed on gybes.

In case you didn't see my other post on this, my quiver was the 925 and 725. I sold my 925 after picking up the 525 and don't miss it at all. The 725 can easily fill that space with a bigger hand wing.

Heineken gybe all the way for light conditions which a faster foil. Although I will say you need to dial it in with the larger foil and smaller wing as the bigger wingding can be more cumbersome at first. The beauty is that it comes around gaining apparent wind, keeping momentum going into your new tack.
When well powered on the smaller foil, the race gybe comes more into play for me personally.

Select to expand quote

Oahuwaterwalker said..

paulweller2 said..

Oahuwaterwalker said..
I would add this to Emmett's comments. When trying to get going on a small foil in lighter conditions, I slog my way out to where I can turn onto a tack with wind and chop moving (mostly) in the same direction. I try to catch both a gust and a chop then, once up, I do my best not to fall. On the HA525 in light wind I find it almost requires banking off a knee high or bigger chop in light wind gybes.

I was watching the race gybes and wondering if they might be the key to avoiding getting back winded in super light conditions, anybody have experience with this and small foils/light wind?

I, too, was experiencing a lot of backwinding when jibing in light wind (8-12kts) with a 925 or 725 (side note: I'm now considering the 525 after reading your recent posts). I've found that the Heineken jibe is the way to go. It took a bit of practice to get right but it makes jibing a lot more efficient, not to mention having no blind spots throughout.

Thanks! I'll start working on that. With the 525, its much easier (to me) to exceed the wind speed on gybes.

In case you didn't see my other post on this, my quiver was the 925 and 725. I sold my 925 after picking up the 525 and don't miss it at all. The 725 can easily fill that space with a bigger hand wing.

Yes! I thought the 925 would never leave my quiver, at least for the foreseeable future, but I'm now considering that I could run with the 725 and 525 at 82kg. Pleased to see that MidAtlanticFoil is in agreement-he's right about how to go out about practicing. FWIW, I spent a good amount of time dialing in the Heineken jibe with my 3.5 and 4.5 Strike V2s in 15-28kts before transitioning to a smaller foil and larger hand wing.

Select to expand quote

Oahuwaterwalker said..
I would add this to Emmett's comments. When trying to get going on a small foil in lighter conditions, I slog my way out to where I can turn onto a tack with wind and chop moving (mostly) in the same direction. I try to catch both a gust and a chop then, once up, I do my best not to fall. On the HA525 in light wind I find it almost requires banking off a knee high or bigger chop in light wind gybes.

I was watching the race gybes and wondering if they might be the key to avoiding getting back winded in super light conditions, anybody have experience with this and small foils/light wind?

Wow ... In how little/low wind are you using the HA525? And with what sail-wing model and area?

I've got a Naish 650 (low aspect so quite different) which needs a lot of water speed (guess 12 kts) for me (73kg) to lift off with a 3.5m wing = wind speed > 22 kts (guessing). Really fun foil, being very pitch stable at speed and very loose in roll and does not require a stiff mast.

For a light air gybe with a fast foil (wind hard on the nose mid gybe), holding sail power for longer for more drive, then releasing the clew (back hand) on entry usually means a face full of sail and getting blown off the back of the board. Race gybe works well when the the wind is hard on the nose in the middle of the gybe.

Select to expand quote

Emmett said..

Oahuwaterwalker said..
I would add this to Emmett's comments. When trying to get going on a small foil in lighter conditions, I slog my way out to where I can turn onto a tack with wind and chop moving (mostly) in the same direction. I try to catch both a gust and a chop then, once up, I do my best not to fall. On the HA525 in light wind I find it almost requires banking off a knee high or bigger chop in light wind gybes.

I was watching the race gybes and wondering if they might be the key to avoiding getting back winded in super light conditions, anybody have experience with this and small foils/light wind?

Wow ... In how little/low wind are you using the HA525? And with what sail-wing model and area?

I've got a Naish 650 (low aspect so quite different) which needs a lot of water speed (guess 12 kts) for me (73kg) to lift off with a 3.5m wing = wind speed > 22 kts (guessing). Really fun foil, being very pitch stable at speed and very loose in roll and does not require a stiff mast.

For a light air gybe with a fast foil (wind hard on the nose mid gybe), holding sail power for longer for more drive, then releasing the clew (back hand) on entry usually means a face full of sail and getting blown off the back of the board. Race gybe works well when the the wind is hard on the nose in the middle of the gybe.

If it's a steady 12kts or more I can get the HA525 on foil with a Reedin 5.2 Superwing V2 (the one they just released not the X wing version) using the chop to foil method I wrote about. That said, I think it really starts to turn on in just a little more wind or with a head high or larger breaking wave or steep swell. If it's 12kts and flat, I prefer the HA725. During fall, winter, and spring we start to have days where it can blow harder and we can see wave and swell that can be significantly overhead. I'm looking forward to experiencing this foil in those kinds of conditions.

BTW, this is all with the HA195 tail. I think that tail or something like it is crucial for these smaller HA foils.

I get it. You need to surf down a wave to get up on the HA525. Do you play around much with mast base shims for desired lift-off behaviour?
Do you find the big slow foils difficult to use after a lot of hours on fast foils? eg. too much take off lift, too stable in roll and too unstable in pitch? And of course too much sail force load in the arms!

Select to expand quote

Emmett said..

IanInca said..
The other problem (mentioned) is getting up on the low drag foil. I've found that a board shape designed for fast surface planing helps greatly. No "tail kick" or excessive rear rocker....

On planing boats, many of us know the gains possible with a straight/sharp water exit/release off the transom edge. A slight round on the transom is very draggy. In my experience the tail kick board designs are super draggy when fast surface planing is required for the chosen foil to come

Do you have any example of the kick or a product that would have good planing? My 90L wing drifter pro (+20L) feels like a pig in the water, but alas I haven't tested any other products so it's an ill informed opinion. It has chines, rounded rails, rear tail cut out, rocker etc. Hoping my next board could be considerably better for release, even at lower volume.. am I wishful?

Select to expand quote

Emmett said..
I get it. You need to surf down a wave to get up on the HA525. Do you play around much with mast base shims for desired lift-off behaviour?
Do you find the big slow foils difficult to use after a lot of hours on fast foils? eg. too much take off lift, too stable in roll and too unstable in pitch? And of course too much sail force load in the arms!

It doesn't have to be a wave, a one foot chop going in the same direction as the wind works great. I'm using the 60cm A+ fuse with no shims.

"Do you find the big slow foils difficult to use after a lot of hours on fast foils? eg. too much take off lift, too stable in roll and too unstable in pitch? And of course too much sail force load in the arms!"

No really, they will just feel slow. As far as sail force load goes, with smaller foil and bigger wing, you're also going faster with less drag so it cuts your arms some slack. I primarily like to catch swell/waves and can wing for 2+ hours without a harness so I haven't ventured into that territory, yet. That said, I remember in the early days of windsurfing harnesses what a revelation it was to start using one (aside from the fact the earliest ones crushed your ribs because there was no spreader bar).

Select to expand quote

Powis said..

Emmett said..

IanInca said..
The other problem (mentioned) is getting up on the low drag foil. I've found that a board shape designed for fast surface planing helps greatly. No "tail kick" or excessive rear rocker....

On planing boats, many of us know the gains possible with a straight/sharp water exit/release off the transom edge. A slight round on the transom is very draggy. In my experience the tail kick board designs are super draggy when fast surface planing is required for the chosen foil to come

Do you have any example of the kick or a product that would have good planing? My 90L wing drifter pro (+20L) feels like a pig in the water, but alas I haven't tested any other products so it's an ill informed opinion. It has chines, rounded rails, rear tail cut out, rocker etc. Hoping my next board could be considerably better for release, even at lower volume.. am I wishful?

Where do you stand on that board? You want to lean back and angle that board so that you would expose the flat area and not so much of the of nose rocker to the water surface. For me the drifter 80 (+8L) gets going super easy. I have seen people standing in a wrong place on that board and then complaining it does not go.



Here is one example of such angle. This is with a bigger size but the same principle applies, unless it's a sinker board.