WHAT IS THE WING FOIL?
It is a current modality, which consists of handling a wing (wing) without being attached to a table. We will only handle it with our hands, with the possibility of being attached to a harness or leash.
This new modality only presents advantages and no buts:
- Accessibility: The wing is only connected to your hands by means of handles, if you want to stop loose, if you want to go slower you open it, having complete security.
- Wind range: it is accompanied by a hydrofoil located under the board, multiplying the wind range and thus being able to fly in a short time, withstanding large gusts of wind. Having a good quality hydrofoil wing makes you pass through wind holes almost without realizing it.
- From anywhere: With the wing foil you can leave from anywhere, without having to go to authorized channels or special beaches for practicing water sports.
IS IT THE FUTURE OR JUST A FAD?
The first point in favor of foiling windsurfing is that it has physics on its side, since it drastically reduces the friction of the water, making this sport more efficient.
What is this about?
- This sport uses smaller sails: you can use 6.0 sails and foil. While in windsurfing a 7.8 would be used with the same wind.
- With less wind you can go with the hydrofoil: a good option would be that if we already have our equipment, adding a foil makes us broaden our wind range for which this equipment is perfect for us. What in the end we can spend more hours in the water.
- Foil windsurfing will allow us to break speed records: This new modality allows us to go faster with the same sail and the same wind.
By reducing friction with the water the foil should be faster than traditional windsurfing. So all the experts are already trying to beat their own records.
But all this has a nuance and that is that a lot of development is needed to be able to see high speeds with strong winds.
THE HYDROFOILS
In order for the boats to go at breakneck speeds, small wings called foils are used that produce a strong thrust as in the wings of airplanes and that take the hull out of the water.
In addition, stability is improved since if the wind increases, so does the angle of heel and the leeward foil enters more into the water and will work more flat and horizontal. This will cause the effect of the daggerboard to decrease but the lift will increase and therefore it will react to this heeling by righting the boat.
