Time for testing the new board. No one has made a 10' board specifically for foil boarding. I had the problem of getting into big waves in and around Mavericks, CA. The currents, and wave energy is constant so the surface is rougher, with bigger and faster waves than any other typical surf spot. This required a unique design that would be stable and fast, to be fast in needed to be long and thin, but also light. Here were the results from the first few days of testing.
10' x 23" x 5" @ 153 liters 14 lbs 1.8 oz (6.4 kg) with pads and strap.
Downwind boards used to be 6'10" then 7' 6" then 7'11 then 8'. We hear rumors of Hawaiians on 9' and 9' 6" boards of ?? widths. So I pushed it further and: It paddles fast enough to catch big, fast moving swell well before it become white-water It is stable enough to stand ALL THE TIME in nasty conditions. It is quick enough, in small chop, to chip relatively easy into 18" - 3' wind chop.
Lets face it 99% of downwind super heroes are mid 20 year olds, or professionals in their 30's and massively fit. I have watched many, many people buy the latest Kalama, or Armstrong or KT shape in the 7' 6" range and struggle to a maddening degree to 1) Stand on the board and 2) Catch waves. This has especially been true with the over 40 crowd. I made this board for the ocean in and around Pillar Point (Mavericks) California.
Because of the reef, and currents the chop and surface is terrible even when there is no wind. I wanted something that I could stand on 95% of the time and be fast enough to catch big long period waves. Then I took it out in one of our smaller "No-Winder" conditions and it worked great. Catching open ocean 1 - 3 foot swill with NO wind chop.
Surprise!? It does it all. People talk about the 'longboard' version of a foil board. Could this be the solution?
The key was to make it light. I've been testing it for 3 weeks now.
In our winter swells once the waves get over 8 feet my 8' x 21" x 130 liter downwind board felt like a toy. This has been my go to for open ocean conditions.
It's fantastic getting in early BUT you better hang on. No risk-free rides when the faces get over 10 feet.
Epic. Can you share some details about the handle/strap? What is the purpose and if so long does it not stretch out?
Select to expand quotecornwallis said..
Epic. Can you share some details about the handle/strap? What is the purpose and if so long does it not stretch out?
The handle is actually a footstrap. It is 13" long made out of thermaform plastic. It is very stiff and doesn't stretch at all, and doesn't flex much. It weighs just 3 ounces vs 6 ounces for a more foamie style strap. It was made by a fellow board builder named Josh. I can get more information on it. The idea is to give your front foot lateral room to load up FORWARD on takeoff and then slide back for more efficient gliding and pumping.
I had been 'waiting' 5 years to replace this Barn Door style board 7' 4" x 31" x 125 liters. I eventually put on a much longer strap on the board shown. You can see once I was up and gliding I was loading up my back foot 75% which burns you out pretty quickly.
Select to expand quoteBeasho said..cornwallis said..
Epic. Can you share some details about the handle/strap? What is the purpose and if so long does it not stretch out?
I suspect the "handle" footstrap is also to cope with the whitewater and a white shark escape/re-mount system. 
Beasho what happened to your Bumblebee? I've been thinking that that 6'6*25 would be an ideal shape for stability and ease of turning on tighter waves(than that). We have horrendous current and chop in the rivermouth where we surf-my 7'4*21 is great when I can stay vertical...Select to expand quoteBeasho said..
Time for testing the new board. No one has made a 10' board specifically for foil boarding. I had the problem of getting into big waves in and around Mavericks, CA. The currents, and wave energy is constant so the surface is rougher, with bigger and faster waves than any other typical surf spot. This required a unique design that would be stable and fast, to be fast in needed to be long and thin, but also light. Here were the results from the first few days of testing.
10' x 23" x 5" @ 153 liters 14 lbs 1.8 oz (6.4 kg) with pads and strap.
Downwind boards used to be 6'10" then 7' 6" then 7'11 then 8'. We hear rumors of Hawaiians on 9' and 9' 6" boards of ?? widths. So I pushed it further and: It paddles fast enough to catch big, fast moving swell well before it become white-water It is stable enough to stand ALL THE TIME in nasty conditions. It is quick enough, in small chop, to chip relatively easy into 18" - 3' wind chop.
Lets face it 99% of downwind super heroes are mid 20 year olds, or professionals in their 30's and massively fit. I have watched many, many people buy the latest Kalama, or Armstrong or KT shape in the 7' 6" range and struggle to a maddening degree to 1) Stand on the board and 2) Catch waves. This has especially been true with the over 40 crowd. I made this board for the ocean in and around Pillar Point (Mavericks) California.
Because of the reef, and currents the chop and surface is terrible even when there is no wind. I wanted something that I could stand on 95% of the time and be fast enough to catch big long period waves. Then I took it out in one of our smaller "No-Winder" conditions and it worked great. Catching open ocean 1 - 3 foot swill with NO wind chop.
Surprise!? It does it all. People talk about the 'longboard' version of a foil board. Could this be the solution?
Select to expand quotemartyman said..
Beasho what happened to your Bumblebee? I've been thinking that that 6'6*25 would be an ideal shape for stability and ease of turning on tighter waves(than that). We have horrendous current and chop in the rivermouth where we surf-my 7'4*21 is great when I can stay vertical...Beasho said..
Time for testing the new board. No one has made a 10' board specifically for foil boarding. I had the problem of getting into big waves in and around Mavericks, CA. The currents, and wave energy is constant so the surface is rougher, with bigger and faster waves than any other typical surf spot. This required a unique design that would be stable and fast, to be fast in needed to be long and thin, but also light. Here were the results from the first few days of testing.
10' x 23" x 5" @ 153 liters 14 lbs 1.8 oz (6.4 kg) with pads and strap.
Downwind boards used to be 6'10" then 7' 6" then 7'11 then 8'. We hear rumors of Hawaiians on 9' and 9' 6" boards of ?? widths. So I pushed it further and: It paddles fast enough to catch big, fast moving swell well before it become white-water It is stable enough to stand ALL THE TIME in nasty conditions. It is quick enough, in small chop, to chip relatively easy into 18" - 3' wind chop.
Lets face it 99% of downwind super heroes are mid 20 year olds, or professionals in their 30's and massively fit. I have watched many, many people buy the latest Kalama, or Armstrong or KT shape in the 7' 6" range and struggle to a maddening degree to 1) Stand on the board and 2) Catch waves. This has especially been true with the over 40 crowd. I made this board for the ocean in and around Pillar Point (Mavericks) California.
Because of the reef, and currents the chop and surface is terrible even when there is no wind. I wanted something that I could stand on 95% of the time and be fast enough to catch big long period waves. Then I took it out in one of our smaller "No-Winder" conditions and it worked great. Catching open ocean 1 - 3 foot swill with NO wind chop.
Surprise!? It does it all. People talk about the 'longboard' version of a foil board. Could this be the solution?
I have a 6 4 by 24 for 100kg and it works very well with a FoilDrive
Select to expand quotehilly said..martyman said..
Beasho what happened to your Bumblebee? I've been thinking that that 6'6*25 would be an ideal shape for stability and ease of turning on tighter waves(than that). We have horrendous current and chop in the rivermouth where we surf-my 7'4*21 is great when I can stay vertical...Beasho said..
Time for testing the new board. No one has made a 10' board specifically for foil boarding. I had the problem of getting into big waves in and around Mavericks, CA. The currents, and wave energy is constant so the surface is rougher, with bigger and faster waves than any other typical surf spot. This required a unique design that would be stable and fast, to be fast in needed to be long and thin, but also light. Here were the results from the first few days of testing.
10' x 23" x 5" @ 153 liters 14 lbs 1.8 oz (6.4 kg) with pads and strap.
Downwind boards used to be 6'10" then 7' 6" then 7'11 then 8'. We hear rumors of Hawaiians on 9' and 9' 6" boards of ?? widths. So I pushed it further and: It paddles fast enough to catch big, fast moving swell well before it become white-water It is stable enough to stand ALL THE TIME in nasty conditions. It is quick enough, in small chop, to chip relatively easy into 18" - 3' wind chop.
Lets face it 99% of downwind super heroes are mid 20 year olds, or professionals in their 30's and massively fit. I have watched many, many people buy the latest Kalama, or Armstrong or KT shape in the 7' 6" range and struggle to a maddening degree to 1) Stand on the board and 2) Catch waves. This has especially been true with the over 40 crowd. I made this board for the ocean in and around Pillar Point (Mavericks) California.
Because of the reef, and currents the chop and surface is terrible even when there is no wind. I wanted something that I could stand on 95% of the time and be fast enough to catch big long period waves. Then I took it out in one of our smaller "No-Winder" conditions and it worked great. Catching open ocean 1 - 3 foot swill with NO wind chop.
Surprise!? It does it all. People talk about the 'longboard' version of a foil board. Could this be the solution?
I have a 6 4 by 24 for 100kg and it works very well with a FoilDrive
Nice, are you still using a paddle with the FD?
Select to expand quotemartyman said..
Beasho what happened to your Bumblebee? I've been thinking that that 6'6*25 would be an ideal shape for stability and ease of turning on tighter waves(than that). We have horrendous current and chop in the rivermouth where we surf-my 7'4*21 is great when I can stay vertical...
The Bumblebee is taking a break during winter. Primarily because it is consistently big. Meaning a small day is 6 feet.
I have been focused on testing the 10' board and learning how to pump it around.
Mushroom rock is usually super choppy. The Javelin is as stable as the Bumblebee but glides into big waves really, really early aka better than any 7' 6" better than any 8' or 9' board . . . . I still love the Bumblebee for Winging. But for the open ocean stuff its a bit compromised 6' 9" x 26" x 5" @ 115 liters 11 lbs. As the big waves die down I will likely get back on the Bumblebee because it is the best pumping board I have. But I have gone back and forth on my favorite equipment. Just when I think I don't need 'that' board anymore I'll get back on it and love it for it's particular strengths.
Summer Time Bumblebee'ing:
Build video: Final nose panel lamination.
I make these ultralight boards using XPS waterproof foam. The XPS is more structural than EPS so I use a thinner lamination schedule and do not worry about waterproofing. I have calculated that making a board pretty, with a waterproof candy shell, adds 2 - 5 lbs additional weight. I focus on reinforcing the deck area, call it a cassette, to be beefy enough not to fail under foot, or from the loading of the foil on the boxes. 3 layers of tri-axial 6 oz carbon on the deck, 1 layer on the bottom with 18x1/4" carbon arrows to carry vertical load deck to deck. 1 layer of 3.7 oz S-Glass on the bottom and 1 layer of 2.2 oz Kevlar on the top with a 2" x 9 oz Unidirectional Carbon 'stringer' top and bottom. Vacuum bag every panel.
Weighs less than 10 lbs / 100 liters @ 9.3 lbs per 100 liters which is lighter than any production board on the planet.
