Wake Foiling

[Woody_tobius_jr]

I'm looking for feedback from anybody that has tried wake foiling behind their boat. It's a pretty spendy investment, but I looks like fun, and I'd like to hear some first hand feedback other than the dealer propaganda before I pull the trigger.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Evening Shade]

I'm interested in this as well. Are you referring to a stand up or sit down hydrofoil? I'm interested in trying out a Sky Ski sit down hydrofoil, but don't know anyone locally that has one.

The videos that I've seen of stand up hydrofoil riding look awkward and frankly not very much fun.

[PatrickB]

Rode a wakefoil last week. Fun for sure and a totally different feeling almost as if flying. You ride and control it more like snowboard (except for the bindings). Not sure it's worth the $1,800 though.

[charlesml3]

I'm looking for feedback from anybody that has tried wake foiling behind their boat. It's a pretty spendy investment, but I looks like fun, and I'd like to hear some first hand feedback other than the dealer propaganda before I pull the trigger.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Here are some photos of us Wakefoiling last weekend:



None of us had ever ridden a foil before. All of us are at least decent wakeboarders and pretty good wakesurfers, to give you an idea of the experience level.

The deep water start isn't bad at all. It's just like starting on a really bouyant surfboard like the Lipstick. Just as the driver goes into gear and the rope gets tight, you have to really kick your back foot down to point the nose of the board at the boat. Then it's just like any other floaty surfboard.

Next the cruise. Your feet are mostly in the middle and the board is flat on top of the water. It's good to spend a few minutes here just getting a feel for the board. The mast and foil below change how it rides. It's good to get used to that before you try to fly.

The fly. This isn't NEARLY as difficult as I thought it would be. The top 3 photos are me out in the flats where I like to learn. Scoot your feet back a little and ever so slightly, unweight the front. The board will come right up. The skill here is to be very, very subtle on your front-back. If you stab at it, the foil will come up out of the water, lose lift, and the nose of the board will smack down. This does NOT mean a fall. You just have to take it and recover. It isn't that bad

After 2 tries, I was able to more-or-less cruise the board above the water. I haven't yet mastered crossing the wakes "in flight" yet. When the board is flying, it's a surreal experience. There is ZERO bounce from boat wakes or chop. You just glide right through it. This is one of the reasons I got the foilboard. I wanted something for us to do when the water wasn't great.

There were 4 of us on the boat and everyone was just chomping to try it next. It's a lot of fun. It's different, and requires a feel to get it. Once you start to feel where you are above the water, it's not too hard to keep it flying. We found it flew nicely at around 11mph.

Yea, these things are still expensive, but come on. $100 grand for a boat burning 6-8GPH surfing, who's really going to complain about the cost of the foil board? I doubt it'll replace our surfing and I didn't buy it to do that. I bought it to give us another option.

-Charles

[charlesml3]

Rode a wakefoil last week. Fun for sure and a totally different feeling almost as if flying. You ride and control it more like snowboard (except for the bindings). Not sure it's worth the $1,800 though.

It isn't $1800. It's $1600.

[Woody_tobius_jr]

I'm interested in this as well. Are you referring to a stand up or sit down hydrofoil? I'm interested in trying out a Sky Ski sit down hydrofoil, but don't know anyone locally that has one.

The videos that I've seen of stand up hydrofoil riding look awkward and frankly not very much fun.

Referring to the stand up


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Woody_tobius_jr]

Here are some photos of us Wakefoiling last weekend:



None of us had ever ridden a foil before. All of us are at least decent wakeboarders and pretty good wakesurfers, to give you an idea of the experience level.

The deep water start isn't bad at all. It's just like starting on a really bouyant surfboard like the Lipstick. Just as the driver goes into gear and the rope gets tight, you have to really kick your back foot down to point the nose of the board at the boat. Then it's just like any other floaty surfboard.

Next the cruise. Your feet are mostly in the middle and the board is flat on top of the water. It's good to spend a few minutes here just getting a feel for the board. The mast and foil below change how it rides. It's good to get used to that before you try to fly.

The fly. This isn't NEARLY as difficult as I thought it would be. The top 3 photos are me out in the flats where I like to learn. Scoot your feet back a little and ever so slightly, unweight the front. The board will come right up. The skill here is to be very, very subtle on your front-back. If you stab at it, the foil will come up out of the water, lose lift, and the nose of the board will smack down. This does NOT mean a fall. You just have to take it and recover. It isn't that bad

After 2 tries, I was able to more-or-less cruise the board above the water. I haven't yet mastered crossing the wakes "in flight" yet. When the board is flying, it's a surreal experience. There is ZERO bounce from boat wakes or chop. You just glide right through it. This is one of the reasons I got the foilboard. I wanted something for us to do when the water wasn't great.

There were 4 of us on the boat and everyone was just chomping to try it next. It's a lot of fun. It's different, and requires a feel to get it. Once you start to feel where you are above the water, it's not too hard to keep it flying. We found it flew nicely at around 11mph.

Yea, these things are still expensive, but come on. $100 grand for a boat burning 6-8GPH surfing, who's really going to complain about the cost of the foil board? I doubt it'll replace our surfing and I didn't buy it to do that. I bought it to give us another option.

-Charles

Great information, thanks Charles!
With our dollar the way it is, it will be a $ 2000.00 + purchase for me. I want to make sure that I've done as much research as I can on it before pulling the trigger. Last thing I want is to buy one and have it collecting dust because no one can get up on it, or its too hard for the kids to ride.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[charlesml3]

Last thing I want is to buy one and have it collecting dust because no one can get up on it, or its too hard for the kids to ride.

Nah, if you can surf you can get up on this board. It was much easier than I thought it would be. Before I bought it, a lot of people kept scaring me with the "huge learning curve" and all. They were all grossly overstating it.

The trick is to be subtle with your movements. The last thing you do is "stab" at it with sudden movements. It's all about taking your time and getting a feel for how it behaves.

The other tip: The board comes with a cover for the foil. Absolutely use it! I unrack the board upside down on my transom, take the cover off and immediately toss the board into the water. No the foil isn't knife-sharp, but it's probably enough to poke a hole in your vinyl. As soon as the board is on the boat, I cover it right back up.

-Charles

[Woody_tobius_jr]

Nah, if you can surf you can get up on this board. It was much easier than I thought it would be. Before I bought it, a lot of people kept scaring me with the "huge learning curve" and all. They were all grossly overstating it.

The trick is to be subtle with your movements. The last thing you do is "stab" at it with sudden movements. It's all about taking your time and getting a feel for how it behaves.

The other tip: The board comes with a cover for the foil. Absolutely use it! I unrack the board upside down on my transom, take the cover off and immediately toss the board into the water. No the foil isn't knife-sharp, but it's probably enough to poke a hole in your vinyl. As soon as the board is on the boat, I cover it right back up.

-Charles

I went through Slingshots wake foil academy course online the other day, and they suggested that as well. I'll definitely be doing that, thanks!
I noticed that your line length was around surf length, they suggest full line to begin with, does it make a difference?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[charlesml3]

I noticed that your line length was around surf length, they suggest full line to begin with, does it make a difference?

Yes, it does. Right now, I'm out at wakeboard length because I'm not confident enough yet to get in close to the boat. I like to learn in stages. Start with the basics, add on from there.

My buddy in the last 2 photos is a much better surfer than I am so he just went right for the short rope. I want to get there. It'll be awesome to fly right there in the pocket without the rope. Soon...

-Charles

[Skidave]

I love riding my SkySki. Worth the money for the new toy.

I'd have a wake foil in a heartbeat if I didn't have 3 colleges to pay for in the future!

Sent from my SM-J320V using Tapatalk

[wakejunky]

Two questions: 1.) Isn't anybody worried about falling and the foil hitting you? 2.) How/where do you store it on the boat?

[charlesml3]

Two questions: 1.) Isn't anybody worried about falling and the foil hitting you? 2.) How/where do you store it on the boat?

We've taken dozens of falls and I just don't see how the foil is going to hit you. None of us have ever been hit. Keep in mind that you're only pulling 10-12mph.

I store it in the driver's side rack, top position, upside down with the foil part towards the front of the boat.

-Charles

[Chexi]

This looks like fun, but only for a short time. With sit-down hydrofoils on the other hand, there are so many tricks to learn, you will never get bored. They can end up costing a lot more, for a really nice rig, and you would need an expensive special rack if you want them off your sunpad, but they are so much fun. Most people who start sit-down hydrofoiling, never go back to wakeboarding. They might surf now and again, but wakeboarding tends to go bye-bye.

[Evening Shade]

This looks like fun, but only for a short time. With sit-down hydrofoils on the other hand, there are so many tricks to learn, you will never get bored. They can end up costing a lot more, for a really nice rig, and you would need an expensive special rack if you want them off your sunpad, but they are so much fun. Most people who start sit-down hydrofoiling, never go back to wakeboarding. They might surf now and again, but wakeboarding tends to go bye-bye.

I agree with Chexi here. It looks like I would grow tired of wake foiling pretty quickly because it appears that there is only so much you can do on a stand up wake foil.

Now on the other hand, a sit down hydrofoil looks like tons of fun. I've never tried it, but would like to. Biggest obstacle is price. A decent used foil will cost more than a brand new complete wakeboard set up. This is probably the reason no one at my local lake has one that I could try.