I removed this comment from its inappropriate placement on a thread concerning John Severson’s memorial service, and am placing it in a thread of its own.
[Quote=Alan Shaw]This is a recent picture of my first foil that worked. The first one I made did not lift and the second tracked straight ahead only. They were straight foils like the German designs from the twenties.
This one pictured I copied nature and it worked. Since a surfboard is like a one bladed prop in a water screw I knew that the foil had to pull down in the tail like the rocker in the tail.
Before I ever tried it I had a spot marked on the deck for the CG (center of gravity) were I knew I had to stand and just roll side to side to turn. I made the struts short because I thought it would be unstable if I lifted too high. My intention was to just lift high enough to get the board out of the and eliminate the drag of the boards wake…and it worked.
The board is 4’ 10" long. 19" wide and 4 3/4" thick with a big straight channel down the middle that helps it plane out and catch a wave quick. It rides as stiff as a 7’ board but is very fast. It took me three weeks to make with the fins and all.
The main foil strut is a “Y” up through to the deck. The horizontal stabilizer or tail fluke has its own stut also glassed through to the deck. It took me three weeks to make this foil board and it is a neat sensation to ride but otherwise not much fun because it is so stiff.
I was an impatient 20 year old when I made it so I did not pursue the concept any further at the time.
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