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kbrossel
Since 26 Aug 2012
21 Posts
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Fri Aug 16, 19 7:48 am Foil Setups |
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I have been making the transition to foiling and have a few questions. I have been using the Hover Glide system and up to the 24 inch mast with a Dwarf Craft 4'6" board. All is great, working on turns, I am 210 lbs and we recently added the Space Skate instead of the older H5 foil. I like the lift, playfulness, dont need the speed. My wife is getting into foiling and I have been told to go get myself my own board. Tough situation-huh. Been told the Dwarf Craft 3'6" would be a sinker at my weight. Dont necessarily want to go back to the 4'6" setup. The Moses T38 black has been suggested. Now- the question. Obvious answer is the 633 foil but- we travel to locations with shallow water levels, 3 feet. Think Bahamas, Hatteras, Houston. The Hover Glide with a Skate and 35 inch mast would leave me the option of the 28 inch mast. One of the big reasons for foiling is more time on the water which I have gotten even with a 15 inch mast. Thinking the 91 cm mast would limit some locations. Any suggestions. |
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macgruber
Since 06 Dec 2011
490 Posts
SE PDX volcano
Obsessed
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Fri Aug 16, 19 1:20 pm |
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IMO the 24” mast is too short for effective Gorge kiting and I ride a 30” with a surf foil (LF Impulse) so I can ride swell better. My 36” mast is best for racing upwind. Windance has some good deals on used foilboards and I’ve heard the new Slingshot Apollo wing is very similar to the 633 but works on the Hoverglide. I do like the h4 Spaceskate as a first foil though too. Not so much the h5.
Now if only Slingshot would sell a carbon fuselage. |
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stringy
Since 23 Jun 2006
1731 Posts
vancouver
XTreme Poster
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Sat Aug 17, 19 6:24 am |
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maybe you could try and demo the 3'6 DC before writing it off. there should be some shops/reps who can get you on one to try. as for the GW 633, if you like that setup what you can do is get that and keep your old and shorter HG masts. I designed an adapter that allows you to connect the GW fuselage to a HG mast. I have many riders who want this adapter when they know they are traveling to a shallow water destination and economically its less cost than buying a shorter carbon mast. _________________ www.jimstringfellow.com |
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kbrossel
Since 26 Aug 2012
21 Posts
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Sat Aug 17, 19 8:55 am |
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stringy I will reconsider the 3'6"board. I know in real low wind conditions I have had to pump the kite for awhile to get up on plane and is a concern at my weight. Once up no problem. Anyone have difficulty transitioning from a longer to a shorter board? And yes a carbon fuselage would be great. |
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eric
Since 13 Jan 2006
1831 Posts
XTreme Poster
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Sat Aug 17, 19 9:44 am |
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I’m 185 and tall. I went from the Alien to the 3’6” DC and it made everything easier; not harder. I was really pleasantly surprised by that. It’s a small board, but still has a nice float to it. Once your mostly on foil the extra length of most boards doesn’t really do much for you except hang out there in space. The 36 DC has the added feature of a mast track that accommodates the 633 setup very well. The mast track is far enough back.
I recently upgraded to the 2020 DC Micro, but I’m hanging onto my regular DC as a backup. It’s a really nice board and I think you’d like it. You can do touchdown foot switches with it though not as easily as the Alien. With a 633 waterstarts are pretty much effortless and going strapless if desired is a 20 minute learning curve, if that.
Eric |
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patdaniels
Since 29 Jul 2015
91 Posts
Seattle area
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Sat Aug 17, 19 2:59 pm |
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Agree with Eric. Smaller foil board is more responsive, more fun - the way to go for foil freeride (especially strapless) once you are past initial learning phase and can foil comfortably.
Dwarfcraft 3'6" regular is a fairly small foil board, but has some volume to it. You don't have to have your foot switches down to ride DC 3'6" regular, it has enough volume to touch down and switch feet.
Board volume comparisons below for consideration.
Celero FR 5'6" surfboard - 25 liters
Dwarfcraft 4'6" foil board - 25.2 liters
Dwarfcraft 3'6" regular foil board - 19.3 liters
Dwarfcraft 3'6" micro foil board - 10.8 liters |
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Singlemalt
Since 21 Jun 2015
473 Posts
White Salmon
Obsessed
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Sat Aug 17, 19 3:20 pm |
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I finally got a bigger wing set, the liquid force impulse. It came with a repurposed chunk of twin tip bolted to the 33” mast. It’s about 3’-6” long. One foot strap. No mast track. Super simple and light. Plywood with grip pad, basically.
I was super excited about the new wings and didn’t want to mess around with remounting the foil to another board: I figured it was a working set up. So I gave it a whirl. Even though I was jumping up from 24” to 33” mast. First half hour was ugly, and then it clicked. And I’ve been riding it ever since. I did ad a foot hook to the tail to make water starts easier.
I had been riding the LF foil fish surf board with the original LF foil. (The original 2015 LF with a cut down mast) And it was a struggle at my weight, 205. The bigger Impulse wings were the key. Now it feels like I got rid of a ton of extra board that wasn’t doing anything for me once I was up on foil. Finally foiling! Getting around, getting through turns and building toe side distance...everything is easier.
I’ve got a Naish 130 Hover I might get around to trying someday, but for now the “rat board” is working perfectly. I can take a skil saw to it if I want to adjust the length.
Grab a small board, you just need a place to stand. _________________ Pull the cork. |
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kbrossel
Since 26 Aug 2012
21 Posts
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Sun Aug 18, 19 11:53 am |
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Thanks for all the advice. Really brings home the purpose for a forum. Have settled on the shorter board with a space skate. Suits my style of riding. Looks like there are numerous systems out there which is great as no two riders have the same requirements.
Just got to find what works. |
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