Ive moved on from testing hydrofoils on prone boards to making the first shortboard hydrofoil for paddle in waves.
( Well…its the first Shortboard Hydrofoil that I know of…)
Finished the build today… EPS, just under 6 foot by 21 in wide, nothing fancy…apart from the foil.
I hand sanded the rails into a square so it needs a buff to make them smooth and some wax on the deck and then its ready to hit the surf tomorrow.
More pics to follow…
Cool very much looking forward to hearing a ride report.
Bhoy oh bhoy…it only seems like yesterday we were talking about this being integrated with a surfboard!
Good one, looking forward to the review.
I see the hydrofoil also has fins. Do you expect it to plain “higher” than usuall?
I’ll be interested to find out how well it paddles, duckdives and surfs without the strap-in.
Awesome!
Assemble the minnions.
Can't wait to hear the ride report/s.
I hope it goes great.
Very cool Brett.
Can’t wait to hear about and see how it rides.
Brett,
Given the length, I’d be interested to hear whether this board is too long or rides much differently to the smaller boards, if ridden prone. I know this isn’t the intended purpose of this longer board, but you are in an ideal position to test this question.
Bob
Bob, I will certainly take the first few waves prone to get a feel for the lift and balance but the extra board length in front of the foil might unbalance the ride. See what happens ?
Bill, I’m about to walk down for a surf check, it should ride like the prone craft but it will be a unique feeling to finally stand on a foil over the wave.
retrothis, the twin fins give a bit of lateral traction during bottom turns but when the wave face steepens the foil arms become the fins.
This hydrofoil setup is a steampunk combo of parts that function but the next step is to make a single piece hydrofoil joining all the curves flats and angles into a smooth looking single item.
wow - how cool is that!
Watching how carefully and gingerly Laird and that bunch use theirs, I wouldn’t expect short board performance from it. Seems to be quite absorbing just to stay upright.
Surffoils low profile foil system, developed with his body boards, seems to perform differently from the Hamilton type hydrofoils.
wooohoooo !
it begins !
Hi Ben, all good here with the testing but I know a pictures worth more than words so im working on getting some stills and video and let the images do the talking.
Why explain anything when you’re not likely to change what people think ?
How’s the move to Vicco going ? Call you at 11, WA time.
I’ve been testing the shortboard just to see how each component works on its own.
At almost 3 in thick and no fins its fast but with no direction like an Alaia which makes me think that even with the hydrofoil attached it will need some sort of fin just for paddling stability. On the prone board paddling stability wasn’t a problem.
Couldn’t hurt to put 2 FCS plugs at the tail.
Overall the high paddling position is easy but for younger/fitter people it could lose an inch in thickness and have a sharper look overall.
Cant you just cut the waffle and show us the video. ??
2 pages and 15 posts … waffle?
There are threads about secret technology with no description or photos that have gone for 22 pages.
There is ample room remaining for relevant and informative discussion.
What is the rush?
its just like hes going to show us the video anyway, why drag it out huh.?
may as well show the video first.
I suspect he will post the video when it is ready.
Quite so Stoneburner, trying to do a good job rather than rush things.
In order to get some decent video footage Ive organised someone else to ride and I'll do the camera work, I'll try to get some GoPro from the water and some from land, probably do it at Manly.