Product test
Across Lake Zurich on a wakefoil
by Andreas Kundert
Foil horny
10.9.2018
Translation: machine translated
Gunnar Biniasch is a kite pro and contributed to the development of Indiana's new foil. In this interview, he explains why foiling is THE trend this summer and how it works.
It's the end of August and Andreas Kundert and Michael Rudin from Digitec Galaxus are surfing across Lake Zurich on the new "Wakefoil" from Indiana. Or at least give it a go.
Wakefoil boats have been around for more than 100 years. The dynamic buoyancy raises the hydrofoil under the water. As a result, the hull no longer touches the water and the vehicle "floats" above the water surface. It doesn't matter whether the foil is attached under a SUP, kiteboard or wakeboard. The result is the same.
Foiling has now definitely arrived on the surfing scene and has been all the rage since this year. You can now buy the new foil from Indiana at Galaxus.
German kitesurfer Gunnar Biniasch has contributed to the development of the new Indiana Foil with his valuable articles. He has lived and worked on Fuerteventura since 2002. I therefore conducted the interview with him by email.
Gunnar, let's stick with the example from the video. What's the difference between wakefoiling/wakesurfing?
The difference is that when foiling, you "fly" with the board above the water. You have much less resistance and feel like you're standing on a "hoverboard".
What's different about the boards ? Firstly, of course, you have the foil. This is a flying object, similar to an aeroplane, which is attached to the underside of the board with a mast. At a certain speed, this flying body lifts off and the board comes out of the water.
At the moment, the boards themselves are not very different from normal wakesurf boards, except of course for the two rails that connect the foil to the board. However, a lot will certainly happen in the near future in terms of development and we will see a lot more progress.
At what speed does the board lift out of the water?
The Indiana Foil needs around 10 kilometres per hour for a person weighing around 75 kilos to lift off.
What is special about the board you have developed?
The Indiana Wakefoil Board is a hybrid board that is not only suitable for wakefoiling, but also for wakesurfing without a foil.
Can wakeboarders foil just like that and vice versa?
Not really. It has become much easier to learn foiling in recent years, but it's still very different to wakeboarding. Wakeboarders should first take a short course to learn how everything works and, above all, how to fall safely. The risk of landing on the foil is quite high if you don't know exactly how to fall.
Let's stick to the riding technique. Hovering above the water: How does it work?
As already mentioned, the foil lifts off on its own from a certain speed. You have to learn to control this "lift" by leaning. You do this by shifting your weight forwards to push the nose of the board back down. But there are also the other two axes: roll and yaw. As you are standing on an "aeroplane", you also need to have it under control. You have to balance very sensitively, otherwise the foil will overreact and throw you off . Does it take a long time to master this technique?
If you know how to wakeboard and have a good instructor - plus the right equipment for beginners - you'll have your first longer flying experiences in the first lesson.
Do you need prior knowledge and if so, what kind?
You should be able to wakeboard competently.
Pumping is about getting up to speed. Sounds complicated to me as a layman.
Pumping is actually not that complicated. But you should have two prerequisites: good fitness and good foil skills. If you have these, it's just a matter of taking the weight off the foil. You lift your legs and let the foil rise higher, followed by accelerating the foil by pushing it down with your front foot. This is repeated until you have no more strength left.
Why is this THE trend this summer, why is that?
It's something new at the moment. It took almost ten years for it to become socially acceptable. The new film designs have certainly been a big article in this. They are much easier to control these days and the wings are now so big that you can fly with very little speed and a small wave.
For Gunnar Biniasch, it looks like this:
The entire Indiana range at Galaxus
Header image: Gunnar Biniasch kiteboarding
Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
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