Foilboard
Encyclopedia
A foilboard or hydrofoil board is a surfboard
Surfboard
A surfboard is an elongated platform used in the sport of surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding a breaking wave...

 with a hydrofoil
Hydrofoil
A hydrofoil is a foil which operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to airfoils.Hydrofoils can be artificial, such as the rudder or keel on a boat, the diving planes on a submarine, a surfboard fin, or occur naturally, as with fish fins, the flippers of aquatic mammals, the...

 that extends below the board into the water. This design causes the board to leave the surface of the water at various speeds.

Laird Hamilton
Laird Hamilton
Laird Hamilton is an American big-wave surfer, co-inventor of tow-in surfing, and an occasional fashion and action-sports model. He is married to Gabrielle Reece, a professional volleyball player, television personality, and model...

, a prominent figure in the invention of big wave tow-in surfing
Tow-in surfing
Tow-in surfing is a surfing technique which uses artificial assistance to allow the surfer to catch faster moving waves than was traditionally possible when paddling by hand.-History:...

, discovered the foilboard capability to harness swell energy with the use of a jet ski, pulling the rider into a wave. Mango Carafino, a big wave tow surfing athlete and water sport instructor from the Hawaiian Island of Maui, is the leading developer of the hydrofoil board design for stand-up hydro foil boarding (kitesurfing) applications. The stand-up design allows the rider to glide with the moving wave. Hydrofoil kiteboards allow the rider to achieve the same result with the use of a kite. The hydrofoil eliminates the effects of choppy or rough conditions. Due to the hydrofoil's underwater characteristics, the rider can angle higher into the wind than on traditional kiteboards which ride on the surface of the water.

As a result of reduced friction, hydrofoils can attain high speeds and lift at lower speeds compared to conventional designs. Foils are used on wind-surfboards through design development from Neil Pryde Maui, inventors of hydrofoil sailing "windsurfing" boards. Using a moderately-sized sail, a foil windboard can achieve speeds over 6 knots faster than the apparent wind.

External links

  • Miller hydrofoil, a sailing hydrofoil
    Sailing hydrofoil
    A sailing hydrofoil, hydrofoil sailboat, or hydrosail is a sailboat with wing-like foils mounted under the hull. As the craft increases its speed the hydrofoils lift the hull up and out of the water, greatly reducing wetted area, resulting in decreased drag and increased speed...

    board
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