Hydrofoil
HYDROFOIL ZANZIBAR
Have you been looking for a new adventure aside from kitesurfing or paddleboarding? If you do, then get ready for a new era of water sports in Zanzibar and the world over! – Introducing Hydrofoil.
If you have watched surfing videos online or while on a vacation, chances are you have already seen them. And, you might be wondering. What is hydrofoil and how does it work?
To answer the question, “what is a hydrofoil board?”, we need to break the design into its component parts.
In simple terms, a hydrofoil board is basically a surfboard with a long fin-like object attached to the bottom of it. The hydrofoil is the long section that sticks out from the board’s baseline.
As an illustration, it looks almost like a model airplane at the end of the fin. That’s its basic design. Depending on where you want to ride, The foil can come in a wide range of sizes and shapes. This makes the hydrofoil a very versatile watercraft.
The hydrofoil wings have curved surfaces. If you take a closer look, you’ll notice that one side is shorter than the other. The idea behind this is to allow fluid particles to flow simultaneously from the leading edge (or what we call the front side of the wing), down to the backside of the wing (or the trailing edge).
HOW DOES A HYDROFOIL BOARD WORK?
This is actually a very complex question. As to how the board stands above the water without touching it, there are several different scientific laws at play.
The reality is that many different scientific laws are in play when it comes to what actually causes the board to sit above the water without touching it. While there are many theories out there regarding how a hydrofoil board works, the principle is this: A hydrofoil board works based on an upward angle, which causes the water to be accelerated downwards.
If you’re familiar with Newton’s 3rd law, then you’ll get a picture of how the technology works. This law states that, for every action, there is a corresponding opposite reaction. That means the downward force of the water causes you to be lifted out of the water by the upward force created.
DO YOU WANT TO RIDE A HYDROFOIL?
If you’re new to foiling, then you better brace yourself. Your water adventures will never be the same again after trying this watersport. It’s going to be super fun, we promise you!
Check this out:
Hydrofoiling can be done with just about any type of watercraft. You name it — Paddleboards, surfboards, Kiteboards, windsurf foils, wakeboards, even boats!
Are you sure that’s all there is? Nope! As if that weren’t enough, someone even invented a hydrofoil bike!
With hydrofoils, we can access waves and offshore surf breaks previously unexplored. In some ways, hydrofoil surfing is like controlled hydroplaning, during which you smoothly and effortlessly float over the water. It’s an exciting experience, and you don’t need waves to get started.
There are different ways to ride on the water with these different watercraft, but there is one thing they all have in common.
What is it? You ask.
All of them allow you to glide and float across the water surface. This means better speed and less drag in comparison to regular surfboards.
Well, better be excited. Regardless of your skill level, you can choose from the following rides:
KITEBOARDING FOILS
Kitesurf hydrofoils use a similar concept to foil surfing. As the board increases speed and rises above the water, the excitement begins.
A kiteboard with a hydrofoil is faster than any other kiteboard; the reason is that they have less drag. As the board floats above the waves, riders won’t feel the rough water surface. The hydrofoil blade makes turning easier because it smoothly cuts the water for you.
Having a hydrofoil makes kiteboarding more advantageous, as the apparent wind will increase, making riding upwind much easier.
Hydrofoils enabled kitesurfing to be accessible from winds as low as 4 knots. For kite surfers who have been riding upwind for more than a month and are able to ride hydrofoils properly, kite N surf offers hydrofoil lessons. Visit kitesurfing hydrofoil lessons and kitesurfing lessons in Zanzibar for more information.
WING FOILING
The latest water sport to be introduced is wing foiling, commonly known as wing surfing. What exactly is it? Basically, it’s kite foiling, wind foiling, and SUP foiling all put together. By using the energy coming from the wind and swells, wing foiling allows you to move freely on the water effectively. A short paddle hydrofoil board allows you to ride smoothly and by using the force of the wind, the wing propels you forward. As you pick up speed, the board will gradually climb out of the water and you will be able to ride above it. Having this advantage, even beginners can learn to sail upwind or downwind. Click here if you want more information about our Wing foil lessons.
CONTACT US!
Foiling is one of the best water adventures that you have to experience when you visit Zanzibar. Contact us at +255 776 440 449 or email us at Jambo@kitensurfzanzibar.com if you have any questions about Hydrofoil or stop by the shop to speak to one of our staff members.