For many riders keeping it simple is the key, here at Slingshot we call the “Rider Simplicity”. It is that feeling when you can just pump up and ride knowing you're on a wing that can do it all.
Whilst the Dart looks out of this world in the current wing market, it's really a wolf in sheep's clothing. It can boost large airs, those tucked in tips make it easier on a beginner. There's nothing worse as a learner than having to start all over again after dunking the tips and the wing flipped over in your hands.
So yes it's a hard charging wing for the power hungry rider, it can also be very forgiving for the “newby”
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I am not alone, foiling is a relatively new sport, however the unforgettable feeling of lift and glide as you fly above the water has meant that people of all ages, backgrounds and disciplines are now fully fledged foil frothers.
Wakeboarder's & skiers have taken up wake foiling, perfect for the choppier days. Surfers have taken up prone or tow surf foiling, perfect for the smaller or fatter days. Kiters have taken up kite foiling as it allows them to enjoy light wind days. Many have found that foiling has been an incredible bridge between a range of sports and have become multi discipline foilers.
If you are interested in learning to foil and joining this awesome global community of stoked watermen and women read on…
The science that explains how a foil flies and guides the intricacies of foil design is incredibly complex, and frankly I don’t have a PHD in hydrodynamics. However, in simple terms, as the foil moves forward through the water, the wings create lift, raising the board and rider up above the water.
Two key elements of lift are speed & size of the wing, the faster you go and the bigger the wing, the more lift you will feel.
Acting against lift you have weight and positioning. Increased weight of the rider, foil & foil board will affect the lift. The further forward you are over the front wing(front of board), the harder it will be for the foil to lift the board and rider off the water.
There is a variety of foils on the market, each with their own designs, purposes and strengths. It is worthwhile having a basic understanding and getting good advice before investing in your first foil & foil board.
The foil itself is made up of a front wing, a smaller rear wing (or stabiliser) connected by a horizontal fuselage that connects to the bottom of a board via a vertical mast.
Foil parts are typically made from either an aluminium alloy or carbon. Generally the carbon foil parts are lighter and hence better performing, however this comes with a bigger price tag. Aluminium masts are durable and more affordable when learning to foil.
Phantasm Aluminum Mast $649
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Whilst different foils and foil boards might be primarily designed for certain foil disciplines, there is also a lot of overlap, for example, a foil that is good for wake foiling, can also be good for surf foiling.
Undoubtedly you will hear about the aspect ratio of foil wings when looking to buy your first foil. Aspect ratio is the ratio between the wingspan and chord (length from leading[front] edge to trailing[back] edge of a wing). Think fighter jet (low aspect) vs hang glider (high aspect).
Generally speaking a lower aspect ratio wing will create lift at slower speeds and be more stable for beginners. Whereas a high aspect ratio wing will give you more glide (that magic feeling) however, it takes more speed to get up gliding.
When it comes to foil boards, whilst learning, bigger is better. When thinking about mast length, something around the 60-70 cm length is good for learning, then you may like to progress onto something longer as you build your skills.
Learn on an e-foil, or behind a boat or jetski
The best way to learn quickly is in flat water with an e-foil. Other options include, using a boom/bar off the side of a boat, using a tow rope behind a boat or jetski. Being able to control the speed and having flat water definitely makes it easier to learn and progress quickly. Paid lessons with an experienced instructor are of course incredibly valuable, however not absolutely necessary.
Wear a helmet & fall away from the foil
Whilst foiling in certain conditions can be borderline meditative as you effortlessly glide above the water with almost no impact through your knees and joints. The foil itself can hurt. It is worthwhile wearing at least a helmet and possibly an impact vest as well, particularly when learning. When you do inevitably fall, fall away from the foil and if possible behind it rather than in front of it, avoid the “taco”.
Start with the foil at the back of the mounting track
The foil connects to the board via two track boxes, you can adjust the connection point forward and back. I would recommend beginning with the foil at the back of the tracks, to keep your weight further over the front to help control the lift. Once you are a bit more comfortable you can begin to test it further forward.
Weight forward over the front foot.
Many boardriders are used to being back foot heavy and can be surprised by the rodeo that ensues when they try that on a foil. Start with your weight over the front of the board to counteract the lift and keep the board planing on the water as you begin. Then once comfortable, slowly adjust the weight back and you can gently bring the board off the water.
Stand up straight and tall
Any movement to either side is magnified through the length of the mast, so be sure to stand up straight and tall.
I have only covered some foiling basics, thankfully the foiling pioneers at Slingshot have developed an incredibly in depth online foiling course, Foil Academy, that you can access for free.
I am by no means a foil expert, but I am loving the experience of being a grom again and learning a new board sport that compliments my other sports and lets me have more fun more often, good luck on your foil journey!
If you have more questions, feel free to get in touch with me at joelb@slingshotaustralia.com.au or on 0421 111 156
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Yes, that's right, you can now make on-the-go adjustments to modify your wing, allowing you to reduce or increase the Javelin V1 wing’s power (Tighten it up for reduced power, let it out for increased power).
While beginners have had great success learning on the Javelin V1 Wing, many of Slingshot’s pro riders are preferring this new wing.
Why? The precision control provided by the boom offers a totally different style of ride to the Dart and Sling wing.
"The Javelin V1 is powerful with a direct feel. Riders will enjoy the ease of its upwind ability while beginners will enjoy the narrower profile. The boom is a welcome addition taking away any flutter; you aren’t reaching for handles!
Compared to the SlingWing V3, the Javelin V1 is fast and easily slips upwind. Its direct handling provides a different level of control that will benefit a new rider or a seasoned winger."
- Grant Hore
*our very own foil & wing sports encyclopaedia *
"Overall the Javelin is an outstanding wing for riders of all abilities and styles. The power delivery diversity that can be achieved from one platform is insane. "
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An incredible wind & water sport that combines elements of other popular sports such as wakeboarding, surfing & windsurfing. It relies on a large power kite to pull the rider across the water. The rider controls the kite via a handheld bar and is connected by a series of lines to a harness at their waist. With such an exciting variety of disciplines, freeride, freestyle, kitesurfing and kite foiling, kiting can be a life changing passion and journey for all ages, whether you are 10 or 70!
A nice big twin-tip (kite board) with footstraps, a harness (seat or harness), a control bar & lines, a quality beginner friendly kite and a pump. We also recommend considering a personal floatation (life jacket) device and a helmet. With this gear, you are ready for your first kiteboarding lesson.
Most large coastal towns will now have a kitesurfing instructor or school that can help get you started! We absolutely recommend getting a lesson with an Kiteboarding Australia accredited school, this will ensure you learn as quickly as possible, have the most fun and stay safe whilst doing it. Head to Kiteboarding Australia for a list of accredited schools here.
Typically for most of Australia, summer is the best time to learn as the warmer temperatures create more consistent sea breezes that are perfect for kiting. However the opposite is true for the northern parts of the country as the trade winds blow all through winter and into spring. It is worth keeping in mind that you may need to be patient whilst you wait for wind when learning, whilst it may be frustrating initially, this reliance on mother nature truly is the beauty of kiteboarding and ultimately leads to a greater connection to the weather and the outdoors!
A wetsuit is a good option for those in colder climates. Again, an impact vest or life jacket as well as a helmet are a great idea to keep you safe.
When learning to kite, don’t give up! Whilst initially, learning to control the kite and the board might seem overwhelming, it will very quickly become second nature and you will be cruising back and forth with the wind before you know it. Kiting can be much easier to learn and become proficient at than surfing as when you are kiting you are practicing and improving the whole time, without the competition for a scarce resource like waves.
Most schools and instructors will break a lesson(s) down into three 2 hour blocks;
Once you have done your lessons, you can look at purchasing your own gear and find your local kiting community, so you can continue to learn from them and share the stoke! Often your local kite shop is a great place to connect with the community.
Otherwise, pay attention to what the weather and wind are doing and only venture out in suitable conditions. If you are just learning, stay near land where you can easily self rescue. Of course make sure your equipment is well maintained.
Stay safe and have fun!
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So is a new kite surfboard on your radar for this summer?
First, you need to ask yourself: Are you an off-the-shelf board kind of guy or gal or are you a hardcore one-shaper-for-life board rider?
Maybe you're somewhere in between?
We're spoiled here in the great southern land, you have quite a few options, bust out the wallet at the local surf shop or dial your local surfboard shaper.
OR talk with us here at Slingshot Australia or one of our local specialised dealers.
Why? I hear you ask.
Yes, your shaper can add extra layers of glass to strengthen your board allowing it to perform and last under pressure, a bit of carbon can do wonders too. However there are certainly some intricacies that your average shaper won’t understand.
What if your shaper isn’t a kiter?
Do they understand the rigours a kite surfboard goes through? What about rocker lines? The list goes on.
Slingshot has a long history of producing high-quality well-designed sticks dedicated to kiteboarding and wind sports.
Our latest 2023 Surfboards are the love children of Australian kitesurfing legend Ben Wilson and Al Emery, an internationally respected Byron Bay surfboard shaper. These two cooked up a secret recipe some of which I can share with you (the rest, well that’s top secret).
The range features
Check the links below, then head to your local dealer, and tell them you want the secret recipe.
2023 Slingshot Kiteboarding - Burner XR V1 Carbon Surfboard
2023 Slingshot Kiteboarding – Impact XR V1 Carbon Surfboard
2023 Slingshot Kiteboarding – Sci-Fly XR V1 Carbon Surfboard
When it comes to kiteboarding, Slingshot team rider, Jeremy Burlando has it all, helping him to secure his first BAKL (Big Air Kite League) tour win!
Yep, this is a huge moment for the 17 year old from Tenerife on his quest to being the best kiteboarder in the world with 4 junior world titles already under his belt.
Big air kiteboarding is absolutely insane with riders being judged on HEIGHT, TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY and RISK. Jeremy understood the asignment and absolutely threw down with a board off triple flip with a double loop and a absolutely HUGE unhooked handle pass backroll to beat Andrea Principi in 2nd and Giel Vlugt taking 3rd place.
“Lots of training lately, but as it is, hard work pays off. So very happy on my first win of the BAKL tour. Having the right gear that I trust made everything better and easier, now I am hungry for more!”
- Jeremy Burlando
His kite of choice is the CODE V1
Slingshot’s best all-around and most versatile kite and easily a team rider favourite not just Jeremy's, the Code V1 perfect for kiteboarders of all skill levels. That’s right, he won a big air contest with a user friendly type of kite, we think that shows how good this kite really is!
Learn more about the Code V1 kite!
A perfectly crafted range of Slingshot Kite Surfboards, some may say the best range Slingshot have ever made!
]]>A perfectly crafted range of Slingshot Kite Surfboards, some may say the best range Slingshot have ever made!
Built to last, all three surfboards come packed full of XR Construction goodness (bamboo in the belly and carbon stringers, creating a more lively, lightweight, high-performance board) so you can trust they can handle the impact and pressure kitesurfing throws at them.
We let Benny Wilson give us the rundown on these boards, the motivation behind their designs and what makes these kite surfboards different.
The vision with this board was to design an entry-level board for riders coming off a twin tip and wanting to get into the waves or ride strapless for the first time, but still for it to be amazing for intermediate to advanced strapless freestyle riders and most importantly work really well in the waves and to be perfectly honest it’s the best noseless board I’ve used to date in the waves. The design is based off the V1 Sci-fly with some tech thrown in from the best points from the boards I worked on with BWSurf over the years.
Impact XR V1Simply put this is the best performance board I’ve ever used in quality or steeper/faster waves, it drives perfectly off the bottom up into the pocket of the wave and really allows you to have full control at all times in critical moments. The design is inspired by one of Emery’s best performance shortboards with the volume taken out and my twist on some additional tech with the tail and concave etc.
The Burner is the other option for riders that don’t like the cut off nose shape and gel more with a traditional surfboard shape, it has all the same elements as the Sci-fly but leans more towards wave riding rather than strapless freestyle. It feels alive and incredibly nice to ride and is the ultimate light wind wave riding weapon in fun surf.
Now foilers are levelling up to one of the most comprehensive foil systems ever built.
]]>A creation of the fancy or imagination; an apparition; a deceptive likeness of something.
This is how Noah Webster of Webster dictionary fame defined the Phantasm in 1971-2.
Jump forward to the year 2022 we now define the Phantasm very differently. You
could be excused for calling the Phantasm a 7 legged mythical creature, the
Phantasm creation was shrouded in mist and rumour for many a year. Release dates leaked, hype sheets anonymously shared on the interned, Chinese whispers galore, when will it arrive, how many wings will there be, will it be all carbon etc etc etc.
Well the truth is out, the seven legs of the Phantasm are alive and are reaching out for discerning riders.
After leading the way in the foil space with the highly regarded Hover Glide range, the Phantasm from Slingshot raises the bar to new heights.
Now foilers are levelling up to one of the most comprehensive foil systems ever built.
The seven mystical tentacles of the Phantasm have latched onto unsuspecting
prone / Wind / wing / wake / sup / kite & doc start foilers to world around.
You want carbon? We got carbon, regular, widebody 72cm - 125c
Our masts are a combination of super high modulus 12 K wrapped around twin 10 K carbon eye beams.
You want aluminium? We got aluminium regular, widebody 72 cm - 103cm
You want fuses? We got fuselages 653mm 710mm 872mm
how about high-performance aircraft grade aluminium alloy.
You want wings? We got wings, high aspect, low aspect, mid aspect, fast, really fast, glide, agility, stability, speed, you name it we got it.
This mythical beast has uppers (masts), lowers (front wing, fuselage, stabiliser), padded covers, travel cases, wing covers, tool kits, how-to guides, you name it the Phantasm system has it.
Alex Fox explains the evolution from the Hover Glide to the Phantasm in this 2022 Slingshot Foils Product Preview from the AWSI product show.
We even made a chart so you can choose what will work best for your style of foiling. Check it out here.
Phantasm Wing and Lower Package Chart – Slingshot Sports
Harking back to Noah Webster's dictionary definition “a creation of fancy or imagination”. The Phantasm foil range certainly fulfils that definition. ‘Imagination’ lead to the ‘creation’ of a product that will evolve with you.
For more info go too https://slingshotaustralia.com.au/
Grant Hore
]]>Wakeboard design has come a long way, especially in the past 10 years. As cable parks blew up and started appearing worldwide and the style of rail riding changed. Park riders were looking for more response on rails, softer flex and a platform that allowed for more freedom on the water. Slingshot took notice and understood the needs of the park riders.
Boat boards are designed to react off of the wake, the stiffer the core the more response the board will give, helping the rider to get some sweet air! Board channels and fins help boards to track better through the water and hold a stronger, which gives the rider more control and allows them to start edging harder.
Carbon is often used in higher-end boat wakeboards to create more strength while the board stays lightweight.
When it comes to modern park riding, it seems more flex = more fun, flexier wakeboards are also easier to control on top of a rail. But at what point does the board flex before it breaks? Well, thanks to wood core materials Slingshots park boards retain strength while staying light, they pop and flex and deliver a magical feeling.
We asked our mate and team Rider, Alex Figgins “why so much wakeboard?” His response was “The short answer is surface area. The surface area is your friend, it introduces more stability and more speed.”
On the base and the boards' rails (edges) you will find materials that are built for hitting obstacles and creating a more durable board, tolerating far more than a boat board will. When it comes to board channels you will find the base of a park board is very simple, which gives less friction and hang ups on the obstacles. This also helps with the durability factor.
Of course, though we don’t suggest it. Taking a park board behind the boat is super fun for butters and playing around on the wake, maybe not so much for jumping the wake. Think more small wake, soul sessions!
If you do use your boat wakeboard on obstacles, please note that your warranty may be void.
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Foil Academy is a free comprehensive online instructional course designed for user-friendly foil progression in a safe and structured manner. We break the learning process down to the basics and cover all the skills and knowledge you will need to become a proficient foiler.
Slingshot’s industry-leading riders and designers cover everything from basic foil behavior, design and hydrodynamics to getting up, riding, surfing and advanced transitions. As you follow along with the course, you’ll learn valuable skills, tips and tricks that you can apply directly to your in-water progression.
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Well my friend you have just witnessed the fastest growing water sport on the planet.
Let me explain, have you ever dreamed of gliding over the water (or snow/ tarmac) powered by nothing but the wind? If so then “winging” might be the sport for you.
In a nutshell, harnessing the power of the wind in an inflatable handheld wing. whether you choose to jump on your SUP at the lake, or a skateboard in the car park or maybe a hydrofoil board at the local beach. When you break it down it's all about the thrill of the ride.
I still remember my first ride with The SlingwingV1 and a long skateboard, wow the speed I was doing had my friends betting on how much skin I was about to lose, but hey I’ve still got it all.
Next up was a session on the water with a close friend. After some words of encouragement, I was waist deep in the cool winter water of Queensland's Woody Point trying to get up on an old windsurfer board borrowed from a mate.
Fast forward to present day, I have lost count of how many people I have handed a wing to and said “here stand on the beach and play with this thing for a while”, from my 10 year old daughter to my local councillor, the simple intuitive nature of the Wing makes for endless fun for all the family.
I recall a friend telling me his wife had said “no” to bringing his kites on the family holiday but “yes” to the wing as they could all use it with the paddle board.
The Slingshot SlingWing packs down to the size of a small carry-on bag so it is easy enough to chuck it in the caravan/boat or in the back of your car.
Some say windsurfing was a fad, others say kitesurfing is for the extreme athlete. I recall saying to myself I'm not going to get into hydro-foiling and now I find myself in love with our Phantasm PTM 926 Hydrofoil .
These days when I go to the beach I find myself counting the kiters and wingers then saying wow how fast did that change. It's so awesome to see people I've never seen before heading out with a wing in one hand and a foil board in the other. (We suggest the Wing Craft V1)
We at Slingshot Australia are right behind this uptake of winging, we love nothing more than seeing people learning and experiencing the joy of wind powered sports.
Grant Hore
Slingshot Australia
]]>Surf foilboards are smaller than your regular surfboards. They typically range between 3” and 5” foot. A foil specific surf / tow board may also have chined rails to help you 'bounce' back up when you hit the water.
The main function of the board is just to glide you into the waves. As soon as you get some speed, the foil will do it’s magic and lift you out of the water. That’s when you start flying.
With recent improvements, the Surf foil boards have become even easier to use. Often you just need a small wave to get some speed and then you'll be up and gliding.
The foil is made up of the mast and the foil or wings. The mast connects the board and foil. A short mast is easier to control and is the better choice in your early days. Once you get the hang of it, you can switch to a longer mast. Longer masts can handle more chop and offer more tolerance when carving and turning your board.
The Foil has two wings. The front wing provides the uplift necessary to elevate you out of the water, while the back wing stabilizes your ride. The wing size varies by rider weight, surf height and conditions.
Choosing a Surf Hydrofoil can be a difficult decision. Luckily, we have the gear and knowledge to help anyone select the right foil to expedite their progression. Some of the variables that may influence your choice of foils are weight, wave height, board choice, ability, and riding style. The path to choosing the best foil can be a convoluted one; as a result, we encourage new foilers to reach out to us for a personal recommendation.
Slingshot makes 4 types of Surf Foilboards at the moment and can be defined easily by your skill level in the water and your weight. Bigger guys are going to need bigger boards. Whereas advanced surfers who already have a good paddle in fitness may be able to get away with a smaller volume board.
5.. Slingshot Dwarf Craft Foilboard 3'6" - 19.3L - Tow In & kite foil
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Foil Surfing Gold Coast Deadmans Reef 6-8ft 80-Second Wave from 7-Nation Australia on Vimeo.
]]>You’ve read the hype, watched the videos and listened to the beach bums rant and rave about how fun it is. You’ve been reluctant to invest the time, energy and money into a whole new sport, but there’s no denying how intriguing it looks. Riders are enjoying the best sessions of their lives on days too light for you to even go out. What are you waiting for? Give windfoiling a shot.
One of the first questions you’ll probably ask (and one we regularly get at Slingshot) is: “Can I use a board I already have rather than buying a new one?” Our short answer is sure… but we advise against it. The chances of breaking your board and losing your foil are high. By investing in a board designed specifically for foiling you will learn easier, progress faster and have more fun.
Typical windsurf boards just aren’t built to account for the different torque forces of foiling. Traditional windsurf board boxes were never designed to withstand the high forward-aft torque of the foil and are prone to failure. If you’re lucky, a failure would present itself as a subtle dimple in front of the box. This is a definite warning sign to stop using the board with your foil. If you’re not as lucky, your foil and box will rip out entirely and sink to the bottom of the sea.
We’ve spent years developing foil boxes for kiteboards; we know what works and what doesn’t. At Slingshot, we use multiple reinforcements in and around our deep Tuttle boxes so they can
handle all angles of torque from the foil. Our Dialer, Wizard and Flyer windfoil boards all come equipped with fully reinforced high-density foam and PVC boxes. They also have added stringers and carbon enforcement designed to handle all levels of foiling.\
It’s kind of like riding down a steep, rough single track trail with a road bike: technically it’s probably doable for a good strong rider (as long as the bike holds up), but you’d have a lot more fun and a lot less frustration on a bike designed for the right use. The same goes for using a dedicated foil board over a traditional windsurfer.
Short, wide, high volume:
Since you’re generally in lighter wind, a higher-volume board that you can uphaul is a must (especially when learning). A short, wide design gives you stability and helps with early planning, which is what you want with a foil. A wide tail gives you more pitch control and better leverage for cutting upwind. A wider body also helps with rebounding off the water rather than crashing when you touch down. Once you’re up and foiling, the short nose decreases swing weight and increases agility. In Slingshot’s lineup, the Wizard is the most pronounced “nugget” shape and is great for experienced foilers looking for the next step in progression, or for solid windsurfers who are confident they’ll learn quickly. The Dialer is a bit longer and higher volume. It is great for learners, heavier riders or more casual foilers who will need a little extra board under their feet.
Scooped nose:
Super helpful for rebounding instead of nose-diving.
Tail-end cutouts:
Strategically shaped bottom contours are designed to break surface tension and aid in early takeoff.
Dialing in your setup and position on the board can take a little patience, trial, and error. With a dedicated foil board, you’ll have the confidence of knowing the pieces are all in the right places, you just have to fine tune where you want everything. Foot strap inserts are located specifically for foiling, which will make a huge difference as you progress beyond the learning phase and discover just how different foiling really is.
Sign up for Foil-Academy today. It’s free.
]]>It seems like every time I invest in an expensive pair of shades something happens to them. I’ll forget them somewhere, leave them in someone’s car, lose them on the beach or they’ll get scratched, broken or stolen. Meanwhile, the cheap gas station aviators stick around forever.
Pumps are the same story. I’ve gone through about ten decent ones in my days- some I purchased new and some, admittedly, I inherited from friends with the same forgetful tendencies as myself. For one reason or another, it’s always the same crusty old pump that makes it with me to the beach and back. I’ve had it for years, and my friends give me a hard time about constantly, considering I work for a kiteboarding company. Having the worst pump on the beach does have its benefits- nobody asks me to borrow it and nobody seems interested in stealing it.
Every time I use someone’s new, bazooka-like pump (a shameless plug for the Slingshot Kim K Pump), I marvel at how smooth it feels, how much less it hurts my back and how much faster I can inflate my kite. But, like the pair of $200 Ray Bans I’ll bought last summer and lost the next day, I guess I just wasn’t meant to have a big baller pump. Instead, I’ll just have to do a little maintenance and get another season out of old Betsy.
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That’s it! Just like a bike chain needs lube and your skis need a regular tune, your foil needs some lovin’. Though many treat it as a set-it-and-forget component, the nature of the materials in your foil leave them prone to nasty chemical reactions—and your hardware can get crusty. Nobody has time for that.
For those interested in the cold, hard science of the thing (geeks unite!), read on below. For those itching to get back to foiling freedom, the main takeaway here:
Here is a one-page, step-by-step Foil Maintenance Guide.
And a quick video tip from our chief designer, Tony Logosz:
It’s not simply the saltwater-meets-metal aspect that triggers the detrimental reaction in your foil. True, your problems are exponentially less pressing if you’re a freshwater foiler, but the two starring archenemies in this story: carbon and aluminum.
Slingshot Foils are built with a combination of four main material components: an aluminum mast, carbon front and rear wings, fiberglass, and titanium screws. In our case, aluminum is one of the lightest, strongest materials possible and ideal to serve as masts for our foils for both optimal durability and price point.
However, it’s also the instigator in the adverse reactions that screw up your getup. Saltwater acts as an electrolytic bridge between the wet, ignoble aluminum, thereby coaxing it into reacting with its neighboring carbon. Though we’ve thoroughly separated the two with a generous layer of “peacemaking” fiberglass, saltwater invariably travels up the threads in the titanium bolts (this is especially true if even the smallest grains of sand get stuck in the threads) and the crust begins to build. Once the aluminum and carbon are wedded, they don’t like to come apart. Over time, what you’re left with is a bolt that refuses to budge. And a prompt call to our customer service line.
The good news: frequent loosening and flushing with freshwater slows this process nearly to a halt. If you keep up with it, chances are good that your foil will last for years of euphoric ocean sessions.
For all things Foil, follow our Slingshot Foil Facebook page.
]]>After overwhelmingly positive releases of kite and wake Foil Academy, Slingshot is excited to release the industry’s first and only comprehensive course covering everything you need to know about learning to windsurf foil.
Check it out and enroll today at www.Foil-Academy.com.
WindFoil Academy is a FREE course that follows longtime designer, windsurfer and foiling thought leader Tony Logosz through every step of learning this amazing adaptation of windsurfing. Chapters feature detailed descriptions of the learning process with on-water video clips for the perfect combination of technical information and visual examples to take to the water. We’re confident in saying, if you’re anyone interested in or committed to learning to windsurf foil, you NEED to enroll in Windsurf Foil Academy.
Along with Windsurf Foil Academy, Slingshot has produced courses in kiteboard foiling, wake foiling and will soon launch surf and SUP foiling academies. For the last few years we have focused a huge amount of time and energy into developing comprehensive foil lines with the goal of making the amazing sensation of flight as accessible and approachable as possible, across all watersports.
Slingshot is fully committed to foiling as an entire category of our brand. We have an ambitious vision for the future of this amazing sport. Join us for the ride!
The Slingshot belief:
Slingshot founders Tony and Jeff Logosz started their adventure in the wind industry in 1979, when they began designing and building windsurfing equipment. In 1999 they focused their full attention to kiteboarding, and over the next 18 years they built Slingshot into a successful kite, wake and SUP brand with a reputation for industry-leading innovation and quality.
While Tony and Jeff grew Slingshot into a global leader in the wind industry, their passion for windsurfing always remained.
“We're thrilled to find our way back into the windsurfing industry,” Jeff said. “Our philosophy is that the sports we participate in don’t define us. The things we create in a sport, and our customer satisfaction, is what defines us. We feel we have a lot contribute to the windsurfing industry moving forward, especially in the exciting new discipline of windsurf foiling.”
The Slingshot crew has worked for over two years to build an exciting and extensive windfoil program. We are beyond excited about what we’ve created, and what the future will hold for Slingshot windsurfing.
Learn for free with Foil Academy
www.Foil-Academy.com: Slingshot’s Foil Academy is a FREE all-in-one online course that covers everything you need to know about learning to wake foil. The course, guided by longtime pro rider and Slingshot Wake brand manager, Jeff McKee, is as a step-by-step program that will take the intimidation and frustration out of the learning process. From assembling your foil and getting safely on the water to transitioning to the longer mast, carving and foil wakesurfing, Foil Academy guarantees that you’ll not only have the best, most cutting edge equipment, but that you’ll know how to use it properly as well.
To register, visit www.Foil-Academy.com
Wakefoiler Mast lengths:
The Wakefoiler package comes with 15-inch and 24-inch aluminum masts, which can be interchanged quickly and easily. The incremental lengths are designed for ease of progression. The concept is simple: Start with the shorter, more manageable mast until you get the hang of it, then graduate to the longer, more versatile mast when you’re ready.
15-inch mast: You'll experience faster progression, less pain and less frustration with the Wakefoiler’s 15-inch mast. With a short mast you’ll get used to the foil under your feet, you’ll get a feeling for subtle movements, balance and weight distribution needed and will progress with less risk than with a longer mast.
24-inch mast: Once you’re comfortable getting the board into position, getting up proficiently and are gaining controlled rides on the foil, you’ll be ready for the 24-inch mast. Switching to the longer mast will give you more mobility and more range of motion behind the boat. You’ll quickly gain a feeling for the fine-tuned control foiling requires, and as you progress you’ll be amazed at how much control you have and how agile you can be with the foil.
Any craft, any condition
You no longer need a perfectly calm day, or a boat that puts out the perfect wake. With the Wakefoiler, you can ride behind essentially any craft with a motor, in essentially any condition. The pull is amazingly light, which means you can ride longer without your arms getting tired and, once you’re up and foiling, you can rise above rough conditions for a butter smooth feeling like snowboarding on the best powder of the season.
User-friendly Freeride design
Hydrofoils come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, and even subtle differences in design can make a big difference in performance. Slingshot’s Wakefoil is a proven design that matches the performance needs of behind-the-boat riding perfectly. It’s a friendly foil that planes early, has a relatively slow bottom-end speed, a medium top-end speed and is extremely stable in the water.
As foil’s go, the Wakefoil is relatively heavy due to its aluminum and fiberglass construction. This yields two advantages: It’s one of the most durable foils available, and the weight provides stability, which translates to forgiving handling for beginners and agility as you progress.
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