Our Wing-foil Gear Progression, Part 2

Part 1: Our Wing-foil board progression

Part 2: Our Foil package progression

Part 3: Our inflatable wings

If you have not read Part 1 in the series, I recommend that at this time.

Picking the right foil package is a fun choice for me.  Knowing foil design as a naval architect, and having designed a lot of rudders and keels.  I went for an easy to learn foils for our first round. Knowing we would progress in steps matching foils with the boards. 

There are a lot of great foil brands on the market, so what ever brand you choose make sure it is quality gear. To learn faster for your first foil package, go big, as we did with boards and foils. 

Our first foils were huge, Armstrong CF 2400 cm^2 front foil, I look at that now and shake my head.  But for our first foil it was an excellent choice.  We matched that with, 60 cm fuselage, CF 300 cm^2 tail/stabilizer (which is now replaced by the SI300), and a 72 cm mast.  NOTE: They no longer make the CF 2400, they now have the CF 2450 which is an excellent updated choice.  

All Armstrong gear is carbon, with 316L ss fasteners and titanium nuts/inserts.  Except the fuselage is a titanium rod wrapped in carbon. These materials are the best option for low corrosion.  The titanium and 316L are close in the galvanic series so corrosion is minimal. With Armstrong foils we rig it for the season, and it come apart easily at the end of the season.

The 2400 in light wind would lift us out in less than 10 kts easily.  The foil has so much lift you just need to get comfortable sailing along building speed and then it rises.  It is so smooth and stable.  And once flying you go slower and learn quickly how to foil.  Then as you are learning letting the board come back down is smooth.  Do a displacement jibe and then you are off foiling again on the other tack.  This is the fast, easy way to begin foiling.

We used those foils for about 35 days and then the new CF 2050 came out in spring 2022, (this is now replaced by the (Step-1 2450).  This was a great progression from the 2400.  I purchased the 2050 tried it, and then handed it to Carol.  After sailing with it she did not want to hand it back.  That is always a good sign we are progressing together.  So at that point we were both riding CF 2050 with everything else in the foil package the same.

Knowing how fast we adjusted to the 2050 front foils. couple month later I purchased a CF 1600. While learning this foil, it took more pressure to get up foiling, but once up it was great.  Faster, still super smooth, a lot quicker on the turns.  A very nice progression, then I let Carol try it.  Ok time to buy a second one.  We went between 2050 and 1600 for a very short time.  As fall conditions came in we both were on the 1600 all the time.  

This led me to try a different stabilizer/tail the Armstrong HS232 which they no longer build.  After a few days getting use to the tail I added a 0.5 degree shim.  The shim was as big a change as the CF300 to the HS232.  But I never really like the HS232, and Carol also did not like it.  So we sold it to a friend who was interested.  Shows we were progressing, and both feeling the same thing.  Learning together with our daily debriefs is such a gift, as is our decades of sailing together.

The next change was trying the Flow 235 stabilizer.  Wow, that tail is excellent. We are both still riding that great tail, with a 0.5 degree shims and have not looked back. Although I have a Surf 205 which is a smaller flow 235. I will give that a try the next day I am fully powered up with 4.2 wing.

This showed me how well we adjust to smaller foils, and faster speeds as we progressed. So I ordered a CF1200.  Again let Carol try it after I used it a few times, and wow, now I need to buy a second one.  For the 2023 fall, winter, early spring 2024 we switched between CF1600 and the CF 1200 based on wind speeds. Seeing how fast we were improving, I just had to keep trying new foils, but first a new mast.  

We had been on the 72 cm mast from the beginning.  But in waves we were breaching when we knew a longer mast was going to be a huge change.  Armstrong had the new Performance mast.  Expensive but just needed to give it a try.  So Carol purchased an Armstrong Performance 865 mast, Carol came in that first day and said no more 72 cm mast for her. Changing the mast was as big a change as going from 1600 to 1200 foil.

Carol was in the waves and I was on the 72 cm having a hard time.  I came in a few sessions later and said I am ordering the 865 mast.  Carol said no, shocked I looked at her and said yes I am ready, she said no again, because she already ordered one for me.  Ha, got me on that one.  

So a few days later we were both on Armstrong Performance 865 mast.  This mast is a massive upgrade from the 72 cm mast.  It is less drag, yes that is right less drag than the 72 cm mast, and it is stiffer.  The extra six inches of height is massive when you first go out.  There are times you get ready to breach and realize, no all good and push.  The Armstrong 865 performance mast is a keeper and we have not stopped using that mast every time we foil. Sold the 72 cm masts.  We still realize the 72 cm mast was the right choice when learning. With the 72 mast you could foil in shallower water, did not get too high foiling, and less cost.

I remember Carol saying in late April 2024, we are all set for the summer now.  Hum, I said maybe not, because I had ordered an Armstrong MA1000.  Carol’s response was really, I thought we were all set.   So guess what?  Carol tried it and now we only ride the MA1000, 60 cm fuselage, Flow 235 with 0.5 degree shim, Performance 865 mast.  

The MA1000 surprises both of us all the time.  We have both dropped in a wave either deep reaching or jibing and been so high the top of the foil is above the surface and we slide down the wave, and it just re-attaches saving a fall.  That is an amazing foil.  Also we have both hit our top speeds and highest moving average for an hour on this setup.  And it is SO smooth, while shocking how slow you can go in a jibe as the wind fades.

On our boards we have the back of the mast a fraction ahead of #5 mark on the board.  We took time to fine tune this location. For us this set up is easy flight in the lightest wind, smooth, fast, lets us play in waves.  We get out of the water as soon as any of our past foils except the 2400 which is huge lift, slow foil perfect for learning.  

Example: We just did a weekend at Block Island for three session total 37 miles of foiling off Pierre.  After each session we came back to Pierre dry, no falls. And yesterday we were in SW sea breeze and ebb with waves and jibing down waves holding one hand on the wing and loving it.  Carol had her top speed yesterday.  So much fun to enjoy the process getting to our current level.

Our gear choices let us progress our skills, and of course knowing we still have a long way to go.  But enjoying the progression is what it is all about, which makes it fun every day. Each time we made the change we were ready for the next step. 

Hope in some small way this lets you find the right gear to learn, and enjoy the process from beginner on.

See all the post on foiling and all the videos with the post.

Have Fun Every Day, 

See you Soon, Paul