5 ms·

Hydrofoiling seems to be having something of a grassroots style renaissance, with incredible interest across all of boating, sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing,

by sails 5y ago

Hydrofoiling seems to be having something of a grassroots style renaissance, with incredible interest across all of boating, sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing and pretty much any other board/boat water sport. I find this peculiar because hydrofoils were seemingly much more common in the 80-90's in industrial applications such as ferries, but now suddenly have become hugely popular in recreational space, and rapid innovation in the design and construction of foils across all of the domains. Very interesting if you are interested in boats and water sports.

ako 5y ago
Maybe carbon fiber technology has improved and has become more affordable? I'm in the proces of learning to use a kitesurf hydrofoil, it's funny to see the gps tracks from a smartwatch on strava, very messy, like a child scribbling.
usrusr 5y ago
The 1980ies did not have foil sailing which is just incredibly inspiring. And that in turn is most likely enabled by carbon fiber manufacturing having become somewhat mainstream (and much better), even if it may not be entirely impossible to do in steel. Also, for industrial applications (and for recreational without self-imposed restrictions), high frequency automated active servo control is now very much in the realm of practicality. Back then it was all self-stabilizing, which led to some very bumpy rides.
- seryoiupfurds 5y ago
  Well, there was the Hobie Trifoiler. http://trifoiler.info/media/index.php?title=Main_Page http://trifoiler.info/media/index.php?title=Main_Page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXSgZCDVWOM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXSgZCDVWOM I don't know if modern consumer-level designs are sophisticated enough to be using much CFD, but it definitely seems like the easy availability of CAD should be playing a role.
JJMalina 5y ago
Foiling has made it possible to do all of these sports with less power. I can now go windsurfing in 12kts on the same size sail that I would use for 20kts. I remember seeing foils in the late 90s and early 2000s but they weren't available to purchase. I wonder why. Maybe it's because the construction process hadn't been commercialized yet.
modernerd 5y ago
Hydrofoiling might be old but lithium batteries and electric motors have spawned a bunch of eFoils companies (electric hydrofoils): https://fliteboard.com/ https://fliteboard.com/ https://liftfoils.com/ https://liftfoils.com/ I get friends who aren't into surfing sharing links to these things just because they look so fun. They're not quite Gravity Industries[1] cool but they have an “Iron Man on water” feel to them, and they're an interesting entry point into watersports for people who can afford to buy or hire the things. [1]: https://gravity.co/ https://gravity.co/
- chrisweekly 5y ago
  Wow that looks like fun. And while $13k isn't pocket change, it's about the same as a new motorcycle or high-end (e-)MTB. IOW not totally inaccesible pricewise. hmm...
- iancmceachern 5y ago
  I've been wanting one of those electric foil boards for a while. There are patents involved which is why the market hasn't exploded yet, but some folks have been making their own DIY versions with pretty great success: https://foil.zone/t/filips-budget-3d-printed-hydrofoil/1968 https://foil.zone/t/filips-budget-3d-printed-hydrofoil/1968
- hyperpallium2 5y ago
  I saw one of these electric hydrofoil surfboards in the distance off the beach last thursday. It looked like a landspeeder, and felt like watching a fake youtube video.
  - modernerd 5y ago
    Land Speeder and Speeder Bike eFoils are crying out to be made. The closest thing I found was the “HydroFlyer”: https://www.thehydroflyer.com/ https://www.thehydroflyer.com/ The riding position is somewhat different to an efoil Speeder Bike, though, where your legs would presumably start in the water like with this design: https://foil.zone/t/efoil-motorcycle/6432 https://foil.zone/t/efoil-motorcycle/6432
mechhacker 5y ago
Yep I've been hydrofoil windsurfing (and have tried wingsurfing/wingfoiling as well). Hydrofoiling has extended the lower range of wind speeds that I can go fast in. For instance, around 10kts wind I can pump the board and sail to get on the foil and go about 20mph. Pros push this even lower, to about 7kts wind speed. I can also go upwind much higher and downwind deeper, at speed, than I could with just regular windsurfing on a fin. Control is a bit difficult downwind for me, still, but it's fun. Paris Olympics in 2024 will have hydrofoil windsurfing. There was also a race this weekend around Lanzarote, which was almost 10hrs of racing and 130 something miles traveled on windsurf foils.
Candelaboat 5y ago
Mikael at Candela, the C-7 maker, here. Hydrofoils have a number of benefits, among them are: less slamming (up to a certain sea state), less drag and better fuel economy, and smaller wake. Boeing 929 Jetfoiler from the 1970's onwards and the Russian hydrofoils that were produced in large numbers during the 1950's-1980's largely used hydrofoils because they made smaller wakes (Russian river rockets) or handled choppy water well (Boeing, in Hong Kong and Japan). At Candela, we use hydrofoils to reduce the energy usage, to be able to make an electric boat that has long range at high speeds, above 20 knots. Conventional hulls are hard to electrify since they need so much power. However, we use a new type of hydrofoil: fully submerged hydrofoils, that are more efficient but needs active stabilization from computers and software. The on-board Flight controller adjusts the hydrofoils at 100 hZ, or 100 times per second, which makes for a craft that won't pitch or heave. This tech was available in the 1970's - it's basically a very similar Flight controller as in an inherently unstable jet fighter like F-16 - but thanks to drones and smartphones, the price reduction of sensors makes it possible for us to offer this tech in a leisure boat. And - we're scaling our electric hydrofoil tech to commercial ships. Right now, we're starting the construction of the world's first foiling electric shuttle ship for the city of Stockholm. At its launch next year, Candela P-30 will be the fastest electric ship ever at 30 knots, as well as most energy-efficient ship ever built. Energy usage is 1/10th of conventional diesel ships. Check it out here: https://candelaspeedboat.com/public-transport/ https://candelaspeedboat.com/public-transport/
- sails 5y ago
  Very cool, I've been following your products for a while, hoping to see them in the UK soon!

by sails 5y ago

ako 5y ago

Maybe carbon fiber technology has improved and has become more affordable? I'm in the proces of learning to use a kitesurf hydrofoil, it's funny to see the gps tracks from a smartwatch on strava, very messy, like a child scribbling.

usrusr 5y ago

The 1980ies did not have foil sailing which is just incredibly inspiring. And that in turn is most likely enabled by carbon fiber manufacturing having become somewhat mainstream (and much better), even if it may not be entirely impossible to do in steel. Also, for industrial applications (and for recreational without self-imposed restrictions), high frequency automated active servo control is now very much in the realm of practicality. Back then it was all self-stabilizing, which led to some very bumpy rides.

seryoiupfurds 5y ago
Well, there was the Hobie Trifoiler. http://trifoiler.info/media/index.php?title=Main_Page http://trifoiler.info/media/index.php?title=Main_Page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXSgZCDVWOM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXSgZCDVWOM I don't know if modern consumer-level designs are sophisticated enough to be using much CFD, but it definitely seems like the easy availability of CAD should be playing a role.

JJMalina 5y ago

Foiling has made it possible to do all of these sports with less power. I can now go windsurfing in 12kts on the same size sail that I would use for 20kts. I remember seeing foils in the late 90s and early 2000s but they weren't available to purchase. I wonder why. Maybe it's because the construction process hadn't been commercialized yet.

modernerd 5y ago

Hydrofoiling might be old but lithium batteries and electric motors have spawned a bunch of eFoils companies (electric hydrofoils): https://fliteboard.com/ https://fliteboard.com/ https://liftfoils.com/ https://liftfoils.com/ I get friends who aren't into surfing sharing links to these things just because they look so fun. They're not quite Gravity Industries[1] cool but they have an “Iron Man on water” feel to them, and they're an interesting entry point into watersports for people who can afford to buy or hire the things. [1]: https://gravity.co/ https://gravity.co/

chrisweekly 5y ago
Wow that looks like fun. And while $13k isn't pocket change, it's about the same as a new motorcycle or high-end (e-)MTB. IOW not totally inaccesible pricewise. hmm...
iancmceachern 5y ago
I've been wanting one of those electric foil boards for a while. There are patents involved which is why the market hasn't exploded yet, but some folks have been making their own DIY versions with pretty great success: https://foil.zone/t/filips-budget-3d-printed-hydrofoil/1968 https://foil.zone/t/filips-budget-3d-printed-hydrofoil/1968
hyperpallium2 5y ago
I saw one of these electric hydrofoil surfboards in the distance off the beach last thursday. It looked like a landspeeder, and felt like watching a fake youtube video.
- modernerd 5y ago
  Land Speeder and Speeder Bike eFoils are crying out to be made. The closest thing I found was the “HydroFlyer”: https://www.thehydroflyer.com/ https://www.thehydroflyer.com/ The riding position is somewhat different to an efoil Speeder Bike, though, where your legs would presumably start in the water like with this design: https://foil.zone/t/efoil-motorcycle/6432 https://foil.zone/t/efoil-motorcycle/6432

mechhacker 5y ago

Yep I've been hydrofoil windsurfing (and have tried wingsurfing/wingfoiling as well). Hydrofoiling has extended the lower range of wind speeds that I can go fast in. For instance, around 10kts wind I can pump the board and sail to get on the foil and go about 20mph. Pros push this even lower, to about 7kts wind speed. I can also go upwind much higher and downwind deeper, at speed, than I could with just regular windsurfing on a fin. Control is a bit difficult downwind for me, still, but it's fun. Paris Olympics in 2024 will have hydrofoil windsurfing. There was also a race this weekend around Lanzarote, which was almost 10hrs of racing and 130 something miles traveled on windsurf foils.

Candelaboat 5y ago

Mikael at Candela, the C-7 maker, here. Hydrofoils have a number of benefits, among them are: less slamming (up to a certain sea state), less drag and better fuel economy, and smaller wake. Boeing 929 Jetfoiler from the 1970's onwards and the Russian hydrofoils that were produced in large numbers during the 1950's-1980's largely used hydrofoils because they made smaller wakes (Russian river rockets) or handled choppy water well (Boeing, in Hong Kong and Japan). At Candela, we use hydrofoils to reduce the energy usage, to be able to make an electric boat that has long range at high speeds, above 20 knots. Conventional hulls are hard to electrify since they need so much power. However, we use a new type of hydrofoil: fully submerged hydrofoils, that are more efficient but needs active stabilization from computers and software. The on-board Flight controller adjusts the hydrofoils at 100 hZ, or 100 times per second, which makes for a craft that won't pitch or heave. This tech was available in the 1970's - it's basically a very similar Flight controller as in an inherently unstable jet fighter like F-16 - but thanks to drones and smartphones, the price reduction of sensors makes it possible for us to offer this tech in a leisure boat. And - we're scaling our electric hydrofoil tech to commercial ships. Right now, we're starting the construction of the world's first foiling electric shuttle ship for the city of Stockholm. At its launch next year, Candela P-30 will be the fastest electric ship ever at 30 knots, as well as most energy-efficient ship ever built. Energy usage is 1/10th of conventional diesel ships. Check it out here: https://candelaspeedboat.com/public-transport/ https://candelaspeedboat.com/public-transport/

sails 5y ago
Very cool, I've been following your products for a while, hoping to see them in the UK soon!