Starboard Surface to Air - beginner to windfoil board

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Starboard Surface to Air - beginner to windfoil board

Cool new board from Starboard aimed at kids so they can go straight from learning to windsurf to windfoiling. Has both foil box for foil and a center fin box for beginners so they can reach and go upwind easily. At a 153 liters, it's floaty enough for many adults, too.

https://windsurf.star-board.com/iqfoil/iqfoil-85/ (scroll down)

"This board simplifies windsurfing: A clear path from entry level windsurfing all the way up to performance foiling in the official World Sailing Youth & Junior class.

Using the fin option, it becomes the perfect beginner and progression level board. The transition from surface to air is extra easy with extra large cutaways on the board. Even light riders can easily activate the foil for the smoothest transition into their first foiling flights."

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Langdon
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Re: Starboard Surface to Air - beginner to windfoil board

I wonder why they did not change the cut outs a little and put foil tracks in along with the deep Tuttle.
Or maybe this is just geared for future IQ racers?

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Re: Starboard Surface to Air - beginner to windfoil board
Langdon wrote:

I wonder why they did not change the cut outs a little and put foil tracks in along with the deep Tuttle. Or maybe this is just geared for future IQ racers?

Yes, exactly. Biggrin Imagine sailing clubs could teach kids at the beginning of the summer and by August, they are foiling around. Next year, they're banging around the buoys.

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Re: Starboard Surface to Air - beginner to windfoil board

That's what I need. I can start over and do it right this time: learn to windsurf and learn to foil. What would be nice is if it was pretty decent windsurf board that could also foil easily. My foil board can be windsurfed, but is pretty slow and kind of plows through the water, rather than plane on top of it.

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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Langdon
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Re: Starboard Surface to Air - beginner to windfoil board
Randy wrote:

That's what I need. I can start over and do it right this time: learn to windsurf and learn to foil. What would be nice is if it was pretty decent windsurf board that could also foil easily. My foil board can be windsurfed, but is pretty slow and kind of plows through the water, rather than plane on top of it.

The IQFoil was intended to be finned, too. A fin comes with the all-in package. Not sure it's a great finner. Barrett and Rhett ride convertible RRDs. My board shown below under more capable hands (but you may find it a bit wide at 91cm). However, in the almost year I've ridden it, it's never had a fin inserted so I can't vouch for it.

The issue for any good convertible is the width of the deck at the rear strap (OFO measurement). Easy to sail windsurf boards don't want to be too wide there while 78-90cm foil boards want to be just about 10-12 cm narrower there which is about 8-10cm wider than a windsurf board). Cut aways help in reducing some of the area on the water so it jibes better on a fin (like the IQFoil has). If you want, we can get the router out and work on your board. Always looking for a project Biggrin

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Re: Starboard Surface to Air - beginner to windfoil board

I don't think the problem is width - plenty of wide board fin well. It's rocker or volume distribution. The foil pushes the tail up (and nose down), so w/o it the tail wants to sink down and I plow through the water. Cutouts seem to go in the wrong direction for finning - I want the tail pushed up and the nose down (just not too far down). Another problem is that mine at least, wants to point upwind so much it is hard do anything. I got around this a bit by pushing the mast foot all the way forward, and putting on a big fin. In the end, it was ok for OBX where the water is too shallow for foiling and you could windsurf a car door.

It almost seems to me that a decent light wind windsurf board (Go,Formula, etc) probably does a better job of foiling than a foil board does for finning. Biggest issue are the footstraps and mast track position. Then again, that could just be the water is always less less polluted on the other side of lake or something like that.....

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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webguy
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Re: Starboard Surface to Air - beginner to windfoil board
Randy wrote:

...I got around this a bit by pushing the mast foot all the way forward, and putting on a big fin.

That's actually what they recommend with the IQF https://windsurf.star-board.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/iFoil-Board-Trimming-Guide-iQFoil-85.pdf

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