How To Choose The Right Foil Board For You

Within only a few years foiling has gone from a windsurfing discipline only accessible to a few, to something that is breaking new ground, bringing in new people and with it, new conditions and places. Much of the recent expansion has been driven by the quick development of equipment but while the choice has never been better, the decisions have never been harder: ‘What board do I get?’ or ‘What foil should I put with it?’ But don’t worry you are not alone, we are here to help you make the right decision.

 

 

To Begin You Should Ask Yourself 3 Questions:

1. What kind of sailing am I going to do with my board?
2. What sort of conditions do I want to sail in?
3. What is my current foiling ability?

 

If you have answered these 3 questions for yourself, then the article below will hold all the answers for you. We have linked in our various foil board and foil models and hope to help you make the right choice for you.

So let’s take a quick look at your different foiling options.

 

Wind and Wing: Foil X Wing

 

If you want to WindFoil and WingFoil then the new Foil X Wing is the best choice. With box and track options the Foil X Wing can be set up for both disciplines and also has strap positions for both. Those who already have good Wing and WindFoil skills or are looking to take to the air should go for the smallest board, the 105. If you’re new to either discipline then the 125 and 145 would be better choices especially for those looking to make the most of the lightest breezes or heavier riders.

To get the most out of these boards we recommend combining them with the SuperCruiser foil plus a shorter fuselage, this will allow for you to easily use the board for both modes: longer fuselage for WindFoil and short fuselage for WingFoil.

 

 

Foil Freeride

 

These pure WindFoil boards cover a huge range of options. If you’re new to foiling these are definitely the boards for you and maybe even the only boards you will ever need. Lighter riders, those with sails no bigger than 6.5 and those looking to extend the wind range they can sail in should go for the 125 freeride. Also if you just want to reach and blast but above the water, the 125 is a perfect choice. Heavier riders, those that want to maximise their wind range and maybe even cover the maximum distances and experiment with free-racing should go for the 150 freeride. The extra width of the 150 helps with using bigger rigs, sailing more powered up and going upwind at even higher angles. Both freeride models offer a smooth progression into foiling and can be used with everything from the Supercruiser and the Freeride Plus all the way through to the Race Plus foil. Check out all Foil Models here.

 

 

Flow and Foil Style

 

If you can already WindFoil and want to use small rigs, focusing on manoeuvres rather than speed or covering distances, then the Foil X boards should be your weapons of choice. These boards are the most compact, easiest to launch in any conditions with their new hull carry handle. They will allow you to explore your existing playgrounds from a whole new perspective. Whether it’s Gybes, 360s or looking to jump and rotate the Foil X’s will always offer the best choice. Their shape is maximised around smaller sails and manoeuvre orientated sailing.

The 105 Foil X would be the best option for lighter riders or those looking to take to the air and the waves. The 125 Foil X is the perfect sweet spot for those looking for a higher volume board, that may give them manoeuvre orientated sailing in both inland and coastal venues. The 145 Foil X is perfect for heavier riders, those that may want to take slightly bigger rigs but also want a board that allows them to Freeride a little more as well. The Foil X’s work great with not only the Supercruiser but also the Freeride Plus and GTR Plus foils.

 

 

Racing

If racing is your thing, we’ve got you covered: upwind, downwind, reaching, or speed, Starboard provides several choices to suit your style and weight:

 

iQFoiL

 

Those with Olympic aspirations or who want to race within a one design system should pick the iQFOiL 95. At Junior level the iQFOiL 85 suit smaller sails and weights best. The IQFOil Racing format consists of upwind downwind racing, Foil Slalom Racing, Long Distance Racing as well as America’s Cup Style Courses in the Knockout finals. With this variety of courses, the new Olympic Class is sure to produce nail-biting racing action for years to come. To find out more about the iQFOiL Class click here.

 

 

Foil Race

 

If you want the ultimate course racing machine, are going to race in Open classes, Formula Foil or just want to cover as much ground as possible with big rigs and high angles then nothing will offer better performance than the Foil Race 100. The Foil Race is now also available as 85 wide, it shares the same shape as the iQFoil 85 but while the class-legal board is available exclusively in a budget-friendly construction, the Race Foil 85 is made in the lighter Carbon construction. To get the most out of all these boards they need to be coupled with Starboard Race, Race Plus,GTR Plus or iQFOiL foils.

 

Foil Slalom

 

For slalom racers, there is a whole new crop of boards to race on. If you want to slalom race at the earliest opportunity then the 91 Foil Slalom is the best choice, lighter riders should, however, select the 81 Foil Slalom. The 71 Foil Slalom is all about GPS speed, narrower and smaller, coupled with smaller performance rigs in higher winds, this board will literally help you fly up in the GPS leader boards.

 

 

Still Unsure Which Board Is Right For You? Check Out All Our Foilboard Models At One Glance:

 

 

Still Unsure Which Foil Is Right For You? Check Out All Our Wind Foil Models At One Glance:

 

If You Are Looking For A More Dedicated Wingfoil Board Check Out Our Brand New Wingfoil Wing Board: