The ever-evolving sport of hydrofoil surfing, once considered a fringe activity, has become the main attraction. This sport involves riding a foil surfboard attached to it instead of a fin. It allows the surfboard to fly above the water. A foil surfer, however, is riding the board rather than surfing it. A foil board allows you to ride above the waves, giving you a new edge and excitement when surfing. A hydrofoil surfboard is a strange sight at first, but once you learn more about them, you will be begging to try one. Here’s what you need to know first.
An introduction to the hydrofoil surfboard
Hydrofoil surfboards serve a variety of purposes, so what exactly are they? A hydrofoil board, also known as a foil board, has a foil surfboard that extends below the board and into the water, making it easier to navigate the water. Using a hydrofoil component, the board rises above the water surface at different speeds, replacing the fins of traditional surfboards. Unlike aeroplanes, hydrofoils are used in water to lift boards. They are similar in appearance to hydrofoils; except they are designed for use in water and keep the board above it.
As opposed to sliding and slicing through the surface of the water with your board fully in contact, with a hydrofoil surfboard, you ride the foil through the water while the board hovers over it. In addition to riding waves that were once considered unsurfable, technology also makes it possible for you to ride waves that were once unsurfable. In reality, hydrofoils have been around for centuries. They were originally developed to allow boats to move faster without burning more fuel.
Surfers and water sports enthusiasts could take advantage of the hydrofoil technology because of its basic design and overall improvement to traditional watercraft. Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama are two of the most famous hydrofoil surfers. On the timeline of hydrofoil evolution, there are many other big names in the water sports industry and boating. Nevertheless, hydrofoil surfing emerged circa 2003 with the invention of tow-in surfing by the famous big-wave surfer and co-inventor of tow-in surfing. This clip from the 2003 surf documentary Step into Liquid shows the debut of the official foil board in mucky conditions together with an air chair. A beginner may have difficulty with foil surfing, but an experienced surfer can pick it up in hours. The learning process will be sped up if you can have someone tow you behind a boat or jet ski when you start, so you can quickly adjust the foil angle.
