i hope your vids dont all turn into foil drive. I watched all your vids from ep. 1 I have been foiling 1 month and surfing over 30 years. It would be good to have a channel that tried more wings and more boards. A channel I could watch to see witch things would make PRONE surfing easier (more fun).
I've just started my foil and foil drive journey and it's been quite depressing! You guys and other channels make getting up on foil and gliding look effortless. On my Armstrong CF1600 and 90l board I've just managed to do ONE full olie up glide down after 4 hours in water (I could motor around immediately just not olie up) . Having never foiled before once I pop out on foil I just have no idea what to do next so I either plonk down or fly off. Unfortunately there is very limited content on helping people like me who are new to foils
Well certainly don't give up and once you get it you will do it consistently. My suggestion is once you are up on foil just try to figure out your best foot position and hold it for as long as you can. Then let that nose come back down and engage the motor again. If interested we do teach lessons on Foil Drive and are more than happy to take you out. We are in New Jersey though.
Im in the same boat. From everything I have heard in the community it just takes time. All the foilers in my area just say learn something new each time out. In a year or so youll look back and be stoked how far youve come. In 3 years youll be ripping. Be cool if they would document someone start to shred. Keep your head up! Go for it. Post your progress and setups.
Great video! How do you feel on the 75 cm mast? Do you sometimes wish it was a bit longer to give you more foilable space before hitting the pod? Thanks!
I’m 100kg and using a 60L Omen Flux board with the Foil Drive Assist Plus (previous version) in fresh water with the FD at 20cm. I’m using the Axis 1300 (1700 sq cm) and 1050 (1500 sq cm) foils and it’s easy to get up. When I dipped down to the Axis 1201 (1400 sq cm and super HA), I had to paddle my hands. The Omen Flux is a great board for this stuff. I’m not a skilled surfer, pumper, or foiler but I’m having a blast catching small bumps.
Great review! - I know it's a year old so i imagine you have extra value add experience. I am in Perth WA on the CODE. Loving it. I'm looking to buy another whole foil set for my son. I'm looking to mix it up and I see Unifoil riders with a style i really like. Have you tried other brands. I'm almost linking waves but find at 150lb, the CODE 850s is a tad small to pump back out and the 980s is a little too much to control. Any feedback is welcome. Best, Damo
Hello, To be honest I think it has a lot to do with ability before Foil Drive. Although the 48 liter was amazing for getting up it wasn't as surfy as other boards out there. So I would really think about your ability and what you're using it for. Volume is certainly your friend but more so length is best from what I have experienced and have researched. Example: I used a FD with a 4'4 at 30 liters and could barely keep the nose down to get it to plane. I will have a longer format review of the Foil Drive system soon and then going more into other boards/foils in the future as well. Just ,are sure to subscribe and keep a look out. Thanks for watching, Dave @theliftjournal
I really like your video. Again one of the most important topics when using Foildrive I think. Which board to use? I think it might help people to save money if they see videos like yours! I've gone through 5boards😅😵💫🤑learning on Foildrive. I don't want to sound too smart because you obviously have a great background on Foilsurfing and analysing boards. Let me add from my much reduced horizon in only Foildriving like an addict though😅. I've just recently discovered that length and little rocker beats volume of the board. Yes they do say that in Foildrive videos! 😊And it's true. I could not believe that they were succeding with 30l prone boards. I've coincidentally tried my 2019 Kite Foil Board 4'10" 18.5" 2.5" 30l. And I am soooo stoked how easy it starts and forgiving it is. A bit wider nose. You do however increase the swing weight putting the mast further back..I wanna say. And I skipped the shimming since it would just make the nose climb up to much starting. I tried to get almost as far forward with the mast position as when foiling without Foildrive. If you wanna do more snappy turns...try the Foildrive Slim 15cm cable length. It's like having no Foildrive attached. Pumping gets much better and no swing weight . I thought I needed volume but now I now it's a lot about the rocker, the nose..the volume distribution 😂..as you pointed out in another video. I'm a fan. 😎 Stefan
All opinions on this subject count and with my two weeks on FD my opinions on boards can change quick. I am looking to get a smaller board with around the same length but less volume. The swing weight side of things is a real tricky one but am going to try to fool around with it more. In my non hybrid foiling my mast is pushed probably a little further back for a little extra snap in turns. But not sure if the same rules apply with attaching a motor and battery. I am going to be working on some tips and tricks with my FD experience including mast placement and trigger use. I appreciate you enjoying the content and much more on the way.
Another reference for all of you around the 180 lbs. I use the the next size up on the Omen Flux, the 60L. It has great design characteristics for integration with Foil Drive and is really easy to get on foil and recover from touch downs when on foil. I am 180 lbs, 5'9 and use most of the Axis Spitfire wings in surf/wave conditions.
I really think this is a far too less talked about topic! It for sure took a lot of testing! May I add that I feel wider noses create more swing weight, but get on a plane very well. A narrower nose and tail give more control in higher speed. With a narrower nose you can get more pressure on the inside frontwing's tip..which is so nice bottom turning. 🤝
@@stefanfuhrmann-wt3zd thanks so much and I agree with everything you also stated. I personally am starting to actually like the slightly wider outline but I think it’s because of the stability when taking off.
@theliftjournal I like your observations on the effect of outline, and volume distribution. I don't know if it's too far out there...but I'd even think you feel more rocker, even if the board is flying but it seems to make it more snappy in waves, even on foil. As does, in my eyes the more rounded outline. ?! Must be killer in up to head high waves👌. Keep up your good work! Thank you
It looks a lot like the F-one SK8 only maybe thinner and not in so many sizes. And they both look a lot like my own design. Only after making it and riding it I found a lot of similar plan form foils. I know why the sweep back, there's a few good reasons that work even better with smaller foils for people who are more experienced. The reviews of the Omen Operator, the F-one SK8 and my own feelings on my latest design all share that the wing is smooth through turbulence and great in gybes. This outline with the tapered chord tips, the 7.8 to 8 aspect ratio gives a lot of agility but also that glide potential when paired with a thinner chord. Mine has pointier tips and likely thinner tips than both the Omen operator and the SK8. I think the SK8 is possibly only chord scaled for it's thickness, my one has extra progressive thinning further out and I did mine all in low modulus carbon, that flex is what gives it smoothness through the gybes and turbulence. I think the SK8 uses internal glass fibre, that will give flex even if the chord is thicker. Omen Operator is reputed to be very thin and high modulus. There's no doubt in my mind that there are a group of us designers who are on to something special with these late generation foils.
Nice video. That board looks sweet and as you said you are not giving it back. I think you will be even more pumped about your Foil Drive. You will be catching 10x more waves on your Omen with a FD and be less tired. It's the best hack machine out there. You do a really nice job with your videos and I also think your number of views and subscribers will easily double if you start creating content with FD. There's many of us that want to learn more tips and tricks to prone foiling and downwinding with a FD. I think your surfing background plus your prone foiling skills will allow you to create some really good FD content.
@@svenbugg9406 good question. I haven’t had that board for a while. But from what I do recall about the FG by Armstrong was I think the Widepoint is different. Different bottom and about 9 liters as well.
i have started analyzing tail rocker of the boards , duotone and gong are flat, seems afs are flat too i"ve seen a guy on a sls downwinder and a afs silk , fone got a 0.95 degree fw , i wonder if you could check on your boards ? i dont know why i keep buying setup that are no compatible with each other and have to shim the topplate . i've seen surfoiler with cool setup badly tuned they still manage ! it's very awkward to lean back to surf foil really shitty i will even say. 🤙yeww
What is the difference in angle of front and back foil without shim? (or 0° shim) I'm expecting that the "+" shim increases the angle, and the "-" shim decreases the angle. Not that the "-" indicates a negative angle between front and back foil...
Omen is pretty neutral at 0 but every brand has their own stock preference whether it be more front foot or back foot. Also keep in mind some prone boards have angle built into the board. With that you can either keep it as is or base plate shim. I will be doing a baseplate shim video as well.
it's all compromise, i tried without top plate shim on my crappy setup and it was unrideable and i rided like that few month board dropping instantly if i dont lean back, now i found the right setup and it's so much more confortable to have front foot, im full forward on my setup there is not other choice. i used a fone wing rocket-s to surf foil recently had to move it a little bit forward to improve take off as i was missing a lot of wave, take off was good but front foot was too huge ! it's not easy to find the right setup ! btw now let try a top plate shim tutorial haha 😅
@@youdigsurf it’s also to let people know that if they have a hard time getting on foil to shim positive and if they are getting over foiled then shim negative. Also and I am not sure I explained it what I mean is if you are at 2.5 positive when I say shim negative I don’t mean to go to a negative shim. I mean lower the angle to a positive 1. Changing the angle too much will not be a Fun experience
@@karimodriscoll3209 that’s a fair question. If there is no one out and I am sticking in an inhabited area I usually won’t wear a leash because I have gotten hit more times without one.
The first half of the video makes a lot of sense to me and is very helpful. I got lost at about 4:08. How does the narrowness of the planing area influence responsiveness and front foot/back foot pressure? Once you’re on foil, other than touching down or clearance in turns, it seems like bottom contour is irrelevant. Thanks in advance for explaining this in more detail!
But with that said I do think that narrower touchdown points do have a little different feeling in pump. Technically although the volume might be the same the volume is more under your feet and not to the sides of the board.
Oh nice, I am in NY and surf NY/NJ area. Started foiling 3 years ago but my progression is nowhere near yours. On a Axis gear, would love to try the Uni 140 as they do an Uni/Axis adapter
It looks a bit like the latest Omen. They are both thin. This one has a little more sweep back at the ends and also the anhedral weakens closer in from the tips in this one. I have my own design finishing up on the 3D printer and it's slightly closer to this one except I have more anhedral curve in the middle and thinner tips at a different angle. All planforms that should shred. I was surprised how much forward of the mast this is though, it makes it more turn resistant.
Love the video! What advice do you have for an eFoiler looking to branch into the prone foil discipline? Would you recommend starting behind the boat first? I currently ride a 4’2 lift pro.
Hey sorry for the holdup. So if you feel really comfortable on the e foil to the point that you want to start getting into swell I would just do that. Are you using the boat to tow into little waves or do you mean using the boat to learn a smaller board? If you’re just looking to get used to a smaller board without assist I think you can just jump in the ocean. My personal issue with tow as far as learning is that all the power is now in front of you so your pressure is kinda weird.
@@theliftjournal Thanks for replying! I mean using a jetski/boat to learn how to ride a traditional hydrofoil first. My ultimate goal is to branch into prone foiling at the beach on a regular hydrofoil. I feel like the biggest challenge will be the fact that you aren’t directly controlling the power output with a controller, but must adjust your riding to the power put out by a vehicle/waves
@@schulzaboy77 so time on foil is important and a boat can help 100 percent. But if you want to learn to prone foil the hardest part is the pop up and you’re not going to learn that on a boat. So again if you feel comfortable on foil in general I would just jump in the water on a small day and just get those motor functions down. I grew up surfing and also had wakeboarding as well. But if I didn’t know how to wakeboard I don’t think I would have been able to figure out foiling behind a boat. Again all the power is now in front of you so you’re holding onto the power in stead of having the power behind you. Hence e foil and or swell powered. Please keep in mind. These are just opinions and I have a very strong surf background. So prone foiling was actually easier to me than getting towed.
Awesome review. What's your weight? I'm shopping for a hybrid prone/wing board in the 45L-50L range for 83kg/185 lbs or so. I normally wing an Appletree Jazz 60L and my prone board is an Appletree Pro Foil V2, but I'm struggling a bit a 37L with with. I want a bit more foam. I wish the rear strap inserts weren't offset like this. I like the idea, but I ride switch a lot, so having a straight strap at the back is kinda important to me. @omenfoils
Hey Danny, Sorry for the delayed response. I am in the 140 range in a suit. I have no winging background but prone is more of my thing. With that said the flux is a mix of both. I personally love it as a prone board and have been told it lifts out of the water on wing super easy. They are nice because they are on the narrower side so more sensitive when attacking on turns.
Really enjoying going through your videos from the start. What Unifoil setup (mast, wing, fuse, tail) would you recommend getting into prone? I am a midlength surfer, love winging in waves so have foil experience, and weigh 145lbs. Live in Wilmington NC. Thanks!
Hey Andrew, So I think depending on your weight and overall skill level will let you know where to be. But as far as getting into prone either the 140 or 170 is fantastic. Very forgiving in pump and fast enough to connect waves. For me at 135-140 I really liked the 140 as my goto at the time I was riding unifoil. It’s faster than the 170. But the 170 does have a very forgiving low end that can’t be beat. I have since moved on to another foil brand called Omen and they are a completely different feel than Uni. But I will say that if you want to concentrate on prone and flying without the power of the wing the Progression 140 is amazing. Hope this helps and feel free to reach back out for any info. I have since progressed from this video date and have a 140 “review” video in the series.
yah.. just started to learn to wing in Thailand. humbling for sure... been surfing for 30 years.. .suping for 7.... humbled... but excited to keep going!
I think it’s a mix of fitness, personal preference, but also what your local waves are like. For me personally I love the width of a wide board when getting up. But like the narrowness when it’s up on foil. But since this video I have also started to dabble in a touch of an offset stance. Which I don’t know if it would work with a more narrow tail. Anyway. Hope you enjoyed the video and thank you for the support.
