Sup foil
Sup foil expertise: quality equipment, advice, French carbon production.
Sup foil expertise: quality equipment, advice, French carbon production.
SUP foils are the quintessential water adventure, combining the tranquility of stand-up paddling with the excitement of flying. Whether you’re a seasoned surfer or a beginner looking to get started, choosing your SUP foil equipment is a crucial step. In this article, we’ll guide you through the world of foils and boards, helping you unearth the rare pearl that will transform your experience on the water. Discover our tips for selecting the ideal stable board, the perfect foil and the best spots to get started. Let yourself be carried away by the magic of SUP foiling, where every session becomes a dance with the wind and the waves, a unique moment where you glide, fly and discover a new world of sensations.
Stand-up paddle foil, also known as stand-up paddle foil, is the practice of surfing on a stand-up paddle board fitted with a foil. The foil is a hydrodynamic-shaped wing attached to the underside of the board, enabling it to fly, thus reducing drag and creating an incredible gliding sensation.
You don’t have to be an expert paddler or foil sailor. It’s a discipline that can be practised with adapted equipment and materials, allowing beginners in particular to discover the pleasures of foiling. In fact, supfoil is generally easier to learn than other foil disciplines. It’s not just a way of discovering foiling, but also of improving the performance of experienced surfers. For a successful supfoil debut, many people choose to be towed by a boat. This technique makes it possible to fly fast while finding the stability to stay upright on the board.
The foil is made up of several components: a mast attached perpendicularly to the board and fuselage, and two wings, one at the front and one at the rear. The front wing is the larger of the two, with a domed shape at the top and a rounded leading edge. It quickly thickens, then tapers to a thinner trailing edge. At the rear is the stabilizer, similar in shape to the front fin, but inverted. It has a reduced surface area and a different profile.
An important concept to take into account when choosing a wing is the Aspect Ratio. The aspect ratio is the ratio between the wing’s chord and wingspan. It often starts at around 5 and goes up to 15 or more. Generally speaking, foils with a low to medium AR (Aspect Ratio) have a slightly thicker, rounded shape. They offer enhanced stability, excellent handling, high lift and easy take-off at low speeds. High AR foils are thinner and longer, reducing induced drag. They offer exceptional glide and increased speed. The greater the foil’s aspect ratio, the higher its performance, with greater finesse and increased glide potential. However, they require a higher minimum speed to take off and generate lift. The aspect ratio also influences the turning radius of each foil. For the same surface area, a foil with a high aspect ratio will turn wider than one with a lower AR. So, for beginners, we recommend a front wing with a low aspect ratio, ideally between 5 and 6, for quick and easy take-off. With practice, you can switch to wings with higher aspect ratios.
To get started with sup foils on a permanent basis, we tend to recommend starting with kites with a surface area of over 1500 cm2. Of course, this then depends on wave size and body size. The bigger and more powerful the wave, the more you’ll need to reduce the surface area of the front wing to avoid generating too much lift. Similarly, a heavier template will need more lift and therefore surface area to take off. On our AFS products, feel free to take a look at each front wing characteristic, where tables guide you towards the ideal surface area according to size.
The length of the fuselage has an impact on the foil’s maneuverability: a long fuselage will provide more stability, pumping will be less physical but less maneuverable. a medium fuselage will turn better, be more maneuverable but will require more pumping frequency. a short fuselage will be very maneuverable but will require even more pumping frequency. Ideally, we recommend a length of 70 cm for a good start.
The stabilizer will ultimately define the behavior of your foil. The wider the stabilizer, the more control and stability it will bring to your foil. A stabilizer with a smaller span will be more playful. To begin with, we recommend using a stabilizer with a longer wingspan to learn how to control the flight and follow the foam. Once you’ve mastered this, you can switch to more playful stabilizers with smaller wingspans.
The size of the mast will have very little impact on the behavior of your foil, but will mainly depend on the type of water you’re sailing on. Sizes range from 60 cm to 110 cm. The average size, between 80 and 85 cm, enables you to sail a wide range of spots.
Carbon and/or aluminum foils are available. Carbon foils are the lightest, ensuring better performance. They are also more durable in the wind. It’s the ideal choice.
To get the full package, all you need to do is find the right board model.
When choosing a sup foil board, it’s important to consider longitudinal stability. In fact, it’s essential to opt for a board with great stability. To achieve this, we recommend a board with a volume of + 25/30 liters in relation to its weight. A fairly long board will glide more smoothly over the water (as in surfing, longboarding and shortboarding). There’s no point in going for boards that are too small and too wide, as they may push water out of the water at the start and therefore take off later.
There are two main types of board construction: inflatable (air) and rigid. Although more cumbersome, we tend to recommend rigid boards, which provide greater rigidity and durability. Boards are also associated with paddles. Similarly, a carbon paddle will be lighter than other materials.
Before you start, it’s important to check the tide times. In particular, this step enables you to check the water level to avoid your mast getting stuck in the sandbanks. To find out the best conditions for sup foiling in the ocean, it’s also essential to gather information on the height and period of a wave. This information is essential to generate the energy needed for the first attempts. A 1 m wave with a period of 9 to 10 s is ideal. There’s no point in going for hollow waves either. Slow undulations are perfect for taking the time to take off and enjoy the flight. Don’t hesitate to go to a sup foil school to get off to a good start and learn the right paddling techniques! Don’t forget to protect yourself with a helmet and find the right oar.
Foil has found fans all over the world. Not only does it offer new sensations, but it has also given rise to a number of new practices that are revolutionizing the world of board sports. Wingfoil is the logical sequel to sup foil. It is almost identical to the sup foil, except that the wing comes with the wing. Wing foil can be practiced with your sup board and foil. You can foil in waves or on flat water every day.
Downwind surfing is also derived from sup foiling. The idea is no longer to ride the waves, but to ride the swell offshore, letting yourself go downwind. This fashionable practice opens up new trajectories and lets you explore new sailing areas…
Foil And Co is the parent company of AFS. Its main mission is to relocate the production of our board sports equipment to France. Today, the company has 42 employees and is based in Brittany. We develop, produce and market under AFS. We also have 2 other brands, AHD and SEALION.
AFS was born within the AHD entity in 2009, with the launch of the first windsurf foil combo (board plus production foil). The historic model is the AFS-1, a foil dedicated to light wind freeride practice, with small sail surfaces (5.5m² in 10 knots of wind). Its field of use was later extended to SUP foils, with the Sealion range of boards, making it the first Stand Up Paddle-compatible foil on the market (2011). 2017 saw the launch of the AFS-2, a new-generation foil developed and manufactured in France. With it, AFS takes off and becomes a fully-fledged entity dedicated to foils. AFS’s vocation is to offer a more high-performance foiling experience, while retaining top-notch accessibility and stability to provide all riders with a safe ride thanks to full carbon construction. Thanks to our know-how and high standards, we are the leading foil manufacturer in France. At AFS, our customers feel they are listened to and supported in their choice.
AFS Advanced is a branch of AFS working on the development of an innovative experience. It’s a concentration of AFS know-how taken to the extreme. Being one step ahead and opening up new horizons in the world of foiling: that’s the role of AFS Advanced. It’s our way of concentrating our know-how and expertise to produce the most advanced designs. It’s the essence and the future of AFS. The essence of our know-how, pushed to the limits of its performance.
Our head office is located in Brittany, more precisely in Pencran, Finistère. We are located Espace Joseph Rolland – 29800 PENCRAN
All AFS foils are manufactured at our company in Pencran, France. All AFS Advanced boards are also made here. Some of our boards are made in Tunisia at Terminatech, as are our covers. Finally, although we haven’t yet managed to make the leap, our wings are now made in China, although all R&D is carried out in-house.
Depending on your size/practice, you’ll find different information on the sheets presenting our ranges directly. If you have the slightest doubt, our team of enthusiasts is at your disposal via the website chat (blue logo) at the bottom of your screen.
All materials shown are in stock. Delivery takes place within 48 hours of the order being placed.
All our products are packed in reinforced cardboard boxes. We ship all over the world, sometimes between distribution, private individuals, boats and planes… All our products are protected with various types of foam.
Don’t hesitate to contact us after 48 hours from the order date if you haven’t heard from us :). To do so, you can write to us directly on our chat page, where a team is at your disposal.
You can contact our dealer network or our ambassadors. We also organize AFS Days, where you can test all AFS equipment.
You can contact us directly via the website chat where a team of passionate practitioners is on hand to answer your questions. This is the blue icon at the bottom of your screen.
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