Would a good foiler have a quiver of boards for different conditions or is it more about changing the foil?
I would have one surf foil board and one SUP foil board and then simply change the foil. Most people are going to buy these boards for smaller conditions, so one board is definitely going to do the job, but you may want to have a few different wings for different conditions. For example, one for steep waves, one for not such steep waves, one for downwinding or whatever.
In terms of versatility of the SUP foil equipment, do you find there is less need for an extended range of kit when you compared Surfing, Windsurfing, Kiteboarding …? And if so, does this help concentrate your efforts in R&D?
Basically the way the R&D process works is like this: We are in the water every day and we want to be on the best equipment possible in all conditions. We design the gear we feel is needed to cover the widest possible range of use so that riders like ourselves will always have the right equipment to have the most fun in any given conditions.
For you, what is the deciding factor between going for a SUP foil session and a surf foil session?
I like to mix it up, but for me it all depends on the spot. I really enjoy the feeling of flying over the water on a small surf board because it’s the ultimate feeling of freedom, but the SUP gives me much greater access to a variety of waves that are difficult to prone paddle out to on a small board. The outer reefs on Maui are perfect for Foiling and there’s no one around but they are pretty far from shore, so I usually take the SUP when I go there.
How excited are you now that Foiling is sitting comfortably in the mainstream product offerings in the industry, and seems to be accepted and understood by a much broader audience?
We can confidently say now that Foiling is here to stay. Foils have extended the range of existing sports like Windsurfing, kiteboarding, Surfing and SUPing and has now even sparked new sports like open ocean downwind Foiling and wing foiling. I’m excited to see where we can take it next!
Everyone is talking about Wing Foiling these days – what’s Fanatic doing here – and is that part of your Windsurf Foiling division, SUP / Surf Foiling or is that more Kiting?
I’ve been having a lot of fun Wing Foiling lately and there’s a lot of interest in the market for sure. The wing is essentially a handheld sail with a lightweight inflatable structure like a kite and has a rigid boom like a Windsurfing sail. It’s a hybrid of Windsurfing, Kiteboarding and Foil Surfing all rolled into one so it really crosses over into the testing we are doing across all of these sports. We are able to use our Fanatic Aero surf foils, windsurf foils and even kitesurf foils for wing Foiling together with the Sky Surf foil and Sky SUP foilboards. The wing allows you to launch in places that would be impossible to launch a kite and gives you freedom to carve and ride waves in a way not quite possible with a windsurfer or kite. It doesn’t replace any of these sports, but is a great addition to your quiver of fun toys!
Thxs Sky!
