What is Hydrofoil Surfing?
Hydrofoil surfing is a sport or leisure activity that involves gliding through the water with a hydrofoil board. A hydrofoil board is a board with a wing-shaped part at the bottom attached to the main board that generally uses water as the medium through which it travels. Hydrofoil surfing is a new addition to surfing methods. The usage of hydrofoil surfing boards as a leisure activity is a recent development. In the earlier days of the development of the surfboard hydrofoil, it was used for military purposes. With the help of the hydrofoil attached to the board, the surf hydrofoil board can be lifted out of the water while surfing. In addition, it does not depend on the waves to be propelled or lifted slightly out of the water.
How does the hydrofoil surf board work?
The hydrofoil works under aeronautics, the same principle used in aero planes. As the speed of the hydrofoil board increases, the wing-structured hydrofoil provides a lift equal to the weight of the board. The lift eliminates the friction of the board with water, allowing for the hydrofoil surfboard to move faster. The wing introduces the curvature of the flow of water, resulting in creating a high-pressure area below the wing and a low-pressure area below the wing, leading to the higher average velocity of the water on the top side of the wing, causing lift. Hydrofoil board surfing is made possible by the forward thrust provided by the user/surfer of the hydrofoil surfboard.
There are generally two mechanisms for powering the hydrofoil surfboard. The first one is the manual powering, where the rider pumps the board using their legs, thrusting it forward. The second and more efficient one is the electric hydrofoil surfboard powered by electricity. The e-foil, as it is commonly called, requires no manual propulsion. Instead, it uses a wireless, water-proof control system to propel the electric hydrofoil surf board forward.
How hard is it to hydrofoil surf?
It is generally easy to use a hydrofoil. There are, however, factors that determine the ease or hardness of using a hydrofoil board. The first consideration is the kind of propulsion that the surfer uses. The electric-powered hydrofoil is easier to use than the traditional one. In the event where the surfer is after exercise, the manually-powered one is the most efficient since the pumping action gives them the exercise they want. The volume and length of the surfboard hydrofoil is also a factor to consider. A smaller and lighter hydrofoil board is easier to pump for the manually-powered one and easier to maneuver for the electric hydrofoil surfboard.
Where to do hydrofoil surfing
Hydrofoil surfing can be done on lakes, rivers and canals. The choice of the place to hydrofoil surf is entirely dependent on the personal preference of the surfer. Lakes, however, give the best experience since they have a wider area for surfing, similar to wider rivers. Oceans are not preferable because the water waves limit the action of the hydrofoils surf boards.
About Hydrofoil Surf Boards
Hydrofoil board surfing was founded to provide the ultimate resource for people interested in hydrofoil surf boards. Our goal is to provide easy answers to the questions you're asking about this amazingly fun new technology. Whether you're wondering what is the best hydrofoil surf board, who the best hydrofoil surfer is, or is hydrofoil surfing difficult, you have come to the right place to get your answers.