Foilboard

{{Clarify|section|reason=Too much puffery. Unclear chronology of development. |date=December 2022}}

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Laird Hamilton, an influential big wave surfer and waterman, began experimenting with attaching hydrofoils to surfboards, with the aim of achieving faster speeds and smoother rides on large waves.{{Citation |title=Dave Kalama Hawaiian big wave surfer talks foil boards, Laird Hamilton and more! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPfp-SRPG5g |access-date=2023-04-07 |language=en}} Laird Hamilton later discovered the foilboard's capability to harness swell energy with the use of a jet ski, pulling the rider into a wave.{{cite web |author=Scott Bass |year=2009 |title=Laird Hamilton: A Surfermag.com exclusive interview |url=http://www.surfermag.com/features/onlineexclusives/lairdintrvu/ |access-date=December 2, 2010 |work=Surfer Magazine}} 

In 1999, Mango Carafino, a prominent waterman of Maui North Shore, designed and manufactured the first hydrofoils out of Maui for kitesurfing and created the discipline of hydrofoil kitesurfing.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

File:Windfoilset aan de waterkant.jpg

The design of a foilboard consists of two primary components: the board and the hydrofoil. The board is usually made from lightweight materials such as carbon fiber or foam, making it easier to lift above the water.{{Cite web |title=The Components of a Hydrofoil Board: Airwave Hydrofoil |url=https://www.airwave-hydrofoil.com/blog/the-components-of-a-hydrofoil-board/ |work=www.airwave-hydrofoil.com}} Attached to the bottom of the board is the hydrofoil, which consists of the mast{{clarify|reason=Is this the right term? Most masts are above a boat, are boards an exception?|date=October 2023}} as well as the front and back wings.{{Cite web |title=Foilboarding: Surfertoday |work=www.surfertoday.com |url=https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-beginners-guide-to-foil-surfing}} The front wing is responsible for providing lift, while the back wing helps with stability and maneuverability.{{Cite web |title=Hydrofoil Parts: Surfertoday |work=www.surfertoday.com |url=https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/how-does-a-hydrofoil-surfboard-work}} The mast, usually made with carbon fiber, connects the bottom of the board with the hydrofoil, keeping it submerged in the water in order to generate lift.{{Cite web |title=The Components of a Hydrofoil Board: Airwave Hydrofoil |work=www.airwave-hydrofoil.com |url=https://www.airwave-hydrofoil.com/blog/the-components-of-a-hydrofoil-board/}} Foilboards also typically have foot straps or pads for the riders to secure their feet to the board so they can control their balance as they approach higher speeds and move with greater agility.

Hydrofoils work by generating lift as they move through water, lifting the board out of the water and reducing drag.{{Cite web |title=How do hydrofoils work?: Explain that Stuff |work=www.explainthatstuff.com |url=https://www.explainthatstuff.com/how-hydrofoils-work.html}} As water flows over the hydrofoil, it creates a pressure differential that causes the water to push up on the foil, generating lift.{{Cite web |title=Hydrofoil Design |work=Hydrofoil.org |url=http://www.hydrofoil.org/design.html}} Adding a hydrofoil to a board can significantly increase the speed and efficiency because of the wind, allowing the rider to reach greater speeds proportional to the lift generated; because of this, hydrofoils are extremely popular in racing and high performance applications.

Foilboards can be categorized into three main types{{clarify|reason=only one type described|date=October 2023}} based on the shape of the hydrofoil wing, each of which caters to different ability levels.{{Cite web |title=The Ultimate Guide to Foilboarding. Wannasurf. (2021). Types of Hydrofoils for Foilboarding. |work=www.wannasurf.com |url=https://www.wannasurf.com/content/types-of-hydrofoils-for-foilboarding/}}{{dead link |date=August 2024}}

Flat-wing hydrofoils have a straight, flat wing profile that are known for their stability and ease of use, making them ideal for beginners or recreational users.{{Cite web |title=How to Choose the Right Hydrofoil for Kiteboarding |work=www.surfertoday.com |url=https://www.surfertoday.com/kiteboarding/learn-how-to-kite-foil}} They are relatively inexpensive compared to other types of hydrofoils and are also commonly seen on yachts, boats, and surfboards.{{Cite web |title=The Different Types of Foil Wings |work=www.thekiteboarder.com |url=https://www.thekiteboarder.com/2018/10/the-different-types-of-foil-wings/}}{{dead link|date=December 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

Hydrofoil kiteboards are foilboards which use a kite as their mode of propulsion.{{cite web |title=Kite foiling explained |url=https://www.rya.org.uk/blog/kite-foiling-explained |website=www.rya.org.uk |access-date=8 February 2025}}{{cite web |title=Carafino Hydrofoils |url=http://carafinohydrofoils.com |access-date=2019-12-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614072116/http://www.carafinohydrofoils.com/ |archive-date=2009-06-14 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=A Journey into Kitefoil Racing - Progression Sports : Become a Better Kiteboarder / Kitesurfer / Kitefoiler |url=https://progression.me/blog/a-journey-into-kitefoil-racing/ |website=progression.me (Progression Sports) |access-date=8 February 2025 |date=25 February 2019}}

The hydrofoil minimizes 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.{{Citation needed|reason=both these statements need an independent source|date=April 2023}}

On the Island of Maui, Mango Carafino began the development of fabricating hydrofoil boards for riding with the use of a kite.{{cite web |title=Exploring the Impact of Carafino Hydrofoil Technology |url=https://windsrider.com/articles/carafino-hydrofoil-exploration/ |website=windsrider.com |access-date=8 February 2025}} Carafino later went on to fabricate Carafino Hydrofoil foil boards in China, at the Jin Li factory, with the assistance of Maurico Bauldi and Paulo Iannetti. For over ten years, the world laughed at Carafino, calling him a kook for introducing a board too futuristic for the industry to accept.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}

Carafino introduced the hydrofoil in 2008 in Frejus, Cote 'd Azur, France. There the French began to race with the Carafino hydrofoil board, creating the competitive aspect of hydrofoil kite board racing. The sport later went on to experience back yard designers tweeting the foils to garner more speed when racing. Finally, the Olympic sailing federation incorporated the hydrofoil kiteboard into the Olympic class. In 2014 Carafino left the industry, apparently as a result of the flood of competition and knockoffs of his design. Laird Hamilton innovated the use of the board riding in swells with the assistance of expert waterman Terry Chun of Kauai, North Shore.{{cn |date=January 2025}}

Another application of the foilboard is in Wing foiling, where propulsion is derived from a lightweight wing controlled by the rider.{{Cite web |url=https://www.rya.org.uk/blog/wingsurfing-what-is-it-and-how-to-get-started |title=Winging – what is it and how do I get started?|website=www.rya.org.uk}}{{cite web |url=https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/wingfoil-world-tour-announced-for-2021|date=December 14, 2020 |title= Wingfoil World Tour announced for 2021 |work=Surfer Today}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/87e259cc-36b0-4583-b3b4-dfea0883eb41|work=Financial Times|title=The only way is up: the irresistible rise of wing foiling|first=Chris|last=Clothier|date=June 18, 2021}}

File:Hydrofoil on windsurf board.jpg

Rush Randle, a noted acrobatic surfer and big wave windsurfer, is credited {{who|date=July 2024}} with being the first ever to mount a hydrofoil to a windsurfing board, performing forward loops with the hydrofoil mounted below on the outer reefs of Maui.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}

Foils are used on wind-surfboards{{cite web |title=Hydrofoil Windsurfing: Unleash the Flight! [2024] |url=https://www.hydrofoiling.org/hydrofoil-windsurfing/ |website=Hydrofoiling |access-date=8 February 2025 |date=8 July 2024}} through design development from Neil Pryde Maui, inventors of hydrofoil sailing "windsurfing" boards.{{Citation needed|date=June 2016}} Using a moderately sized sail, a foil windboard can achieve speeds over 6 knots faster than the apparent wind. With advancements in hydrofoil design the energy required to stay on foil was reduced to levels achievable by human power alone. Kai Lenny pioneered a technique now called "pumping" in which the rider shifts their weight over the axis of rotation, driving the foil through the water column which generates lift.{{cite web |title= A Brief History of Hydrofoil Surfing |author= Ekona |work= Ekona |year= 2019 |url= https://ekona.world/pages/who-invented-foil-surfing-hydrofoil-boarding-history |access-date= Aug 25, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200226084759/https://ekona.world/pages/who-invented-foil-surfing-hydrofoil-boarding-history |archive-date= February 26, 2020 |url-status= dead}}

Windfoiling debuted as an Olympic event in 2024 with foil windsurfing and kitefoiling represented.{{cite news |last1=O'connor |first1=Philip |title=Olympics-Sailing-Old classes wave goodbye as sailing set for changes |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/review-olympics-sailing-old-classes-wave-goodbye-sailing-set-changes-2021-08-08/ |access-date=22 January 2023 |work=Reuters |date=8 August 2021 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122010333/https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/review-olympics-sailing-old-classes-wave-goodbye-sailing-set-changes-2021-08-08/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|title=Windfoiling included for 2024 Paris Olympics {{!}} Yachting New Zealand|url=https://www.yachtingnz.org.nz/news/windfoiling-included-2024-paris-olympics|access-date=2022-01-22|website=www.yachtingnz.org.nz|date=4 November 2019|language=en|archive-date=2022-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122194030/https://www.yachtingnz.org.nz/news/windfoiling-included-2024-paris-olympics|url-status=live}} For the former, the Starboard IQFoil gear was adopted.{{cite web|url=https://www.sail-world.com/news/233696/Paris-2024-decisions-made|title=Paris 2024 decisions made by the International Olympic Committee|first=Daniel|last=Smith|date=7 December 2020|publisher=World Sailing|access-date=18 March 2021|archive-date=11 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411213939/https://www.sail-world.com/news/233696/Paris-2024-decisions-made|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sailingworld.com/story/racing/windfoiling-meet-the-new-olympic-discipline/|title=Windfoiling: Meet the New Olympic Discipline|first=Chris|last=Museler|date=25 February 2020|publisher=Sailing World|access-date=18 March 2021|archive-date=4 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304063947/https://www.sailingworld.com/story/racing/windfoiling-meet-the-new-olympic-discipline/|url-status=live}}

File:Interboot 2023, Friedrichshafen (P1120960).jpg

Various manufacturers and individuals have developed powered foilboards. Electrically powered ones are often referred to as eFoils. EFoils have a mast connected to an electric motor.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-20 |title=Is that a surfboard hovering over Lake Union? Our writer tests an eFoil |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/life/outdoors/learn-to-levitate-over-seattles-waters-on-an-efoil/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}}

In 2021 a father and son crossed the English Channel on electric-powered propeller-driven hydrofoil boards. They covered 23 miles in one hour and 44 minutes at an average speed of 13 mph on a single battery charge, arriving with 4% charge left.{{Cite web |title=Father and son cross Channel on electric boards |author= |work=BBC News |date=20 August 2021 |access-date=2024-09-18 |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-dorset-58282106}}

On July 19, 2024, 65 year old Bryan Holland circumnavigated Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire via eFoil. Holland’s course visited the five ports of the {{MS|Mount Washington}} as part of an Annual Rafting for Wishes Make-A-Wish fundraising event. Holland’s route was Weirs Beach, Meredith, Center Harbor, Wolfeboro, Alton Bay returning to the start and completing the 60 mile circumnavigation in 4 hours, 50 minutes. Having reserve energies, Holland continued on and finished his epic ride in Meredith clocking a total 68.87 miles in 5 hours, 15 minutes. During the ride, Holland was accompanied by a support boat and swapped five different batteries.{{Cite web |title=The story of my eFoil challenge around Lake Winnipesaukee (Update #2) |author= Bryan Holland |work=Rafting For Wishes |date=26 July 2024 |url= https://friends.nh.wish.org/fundraiser/5628771/updates/5498850 |access-date=2024-09-18}}{{Cite web |title= 60 MILE LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE MAKE-A-WISH RIDE |author= Lift Foils Events |work= LiftFoils.com |date=19 July 2024 |url= https://liftfoils.com/events/60-mile-lake-winnipesaukee-make-a-wish-ride |access-date=2024-09-18}}{{Cite web |title= Bryan Holland does what he loves |author= Lift Foils |work= Facebook.com |date=13 July 2024 |url= https://www.facebook.com/share/ujwL9FtPpUZQ42KK/?mibextid=9l3rBW |access-date=2024-09-18}}

File:2002 Carafino Hydrofoil For Pleasure Hydrofoil Kiteboarding.jpg|Foil by Mango Carafino

File:Electric Hydrofoil Surfboard.jpg|The Lift eFoil, an electric hydrofoil surfboard

• Windfoiling
• Wing foiling
• {{annotated link|IQFoil}}

{{reflist}}

{{Surfing}}

Category:Surfing equipment