Foiling on Exocet RF81 with Slingshot Fwind Foil

For a while now, I have been intrigued by all of the windsurfing foilers and kiteboard foilers at Coyote Point and Crissy Field. They seemed to sail fast, even under less-than-ideal wind conditions. After talking to a few sailors, I decided that it would be a great addition to my current windsurfing setup to have a foil board and a windsurfing foil for marginal or light wind conditions (10-15 knots)

It took me some time to research journals and blogs to identify the correct gear to purchase. I selected the Exocet RF81 foilboard and the Slingshot Hoverglide Fwind foil with Infinity 76 wing. I ordered both from Isthmus Sailboards since the Exocet was on sale for $975 on June 24, 2019. Most new foil-capable boards are priced in the $1500+ range (Slingshot Wizard, JP Hydrofoil). I received the board and foil via Pilot Freight on June 29, 2019.

The Exocet RF81 is a short (230cm) but extensive (81cm) board with a lot of volumes in the tail (135 liters). It's expressly designed for a deep Tuttle box foil attached near the rear footstraps. Compared to my Fanatic Freewave 105 STB, it's 3 kg heavier.

The Slingshot Hoverglide Fwind foil includes a large 76cm Infinity Wing and a mast that can be positioned on one of 3 positions (A, B, or C), which moves the center of the lift. Since this was my first foil, I had some difficulty assembling all the foil parts. 

Here is a GoPro Hero7 Black video of wind foiling at Sherman Island:

The foil resembles an airplane and consists of the following parts:

• Fuselage - the long metal tube that holds the front and rear wings
• Front wings - the 76cm Infinity wings used to create all of the lift for hydroplaning
• Rear wings - used to stabilize the foil
• Mast - the long fin-like tube that connects the fuselage to the board through the Tuttle box
• Two masts are available: 24" (for beginners) and 36" for intermediate foilers

There were many different-sized screws (all unlabeled) of various lengths and sizes, making it difficult for a novice to figure out. Since all of the metal screws are in the water, they need to be coated with lanolin oil and Teflon tape to prevent corrosion and electrolysis (if used in salt water). After each session, the screws should be washed and re-oiled.

My plan for learning to foil is to try it at Sherman Island's County Park for a few sessions to get used to flying above the water before attempting more challenging sailing areas like Coyote Point and Crissy Field.

Maintenance will be a hassle as all foil parts need to be constantly re-coated with Lanocote to prevent rusting and seizing.

In addition, I have also purchased an NSI nose pad to protect the nose of the Exocet RF81 against inevitable mast catapults.