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Year round really except during the changing of the seasons. Low season we get storms and swell. High season we get more wind but offshore, sunny, and clear water. There are so many different areas to foil that you can chose depending on the way the wind is blowing.

Off-shore season starting locally soon - perfect chance to rekindle the memories 😎

The Foiler in this video - Alex is using an AFS Pure 900 - 9 Aspect Ratio Foil - in this session, so not really a full-on High Aspect as we know them to be nowadays. The Pure 900 is perfect for these slower sandbank waves, where smaller arc carving ability and lower stall speed are better suited to the wing-assisted Windsurf-Style foil surfing of these waves' particular dynamics. At the same time, I was using a very different foil during this session - The Pure HA 800 - 13 Aspect Ratio Foil - but I was bombing down faster, bigger swells, away from the Sandbank surf, where Glide and Speed are more important than fast tight turn-ability, and low stall speed. No need to use the wing much to assist on the big DW style swells, because the speed and power of the wave is greater, so you can carve (albeit wider arcs) unassisted. Different foils excelling in different areas of our ocean Playpark!

@@FoilIsland absolutely 👍 But it looks awkward. 😬 sorry Alex. I felt similar to how that looks when using the 1080. It felt terrible, the foil was in control as it SLOWLY snaked from side to side. Switched back to the 780 and wow 🤩 I was back in control. Shallow waves 🌊 is what we too have here and it does way better with a quick acting foil Specifically talking long boards 😎

@@wingfoil.lessons Keeping the foil high, in the power zone, and staying in the pocket of the wave, whilst avoiding the sandbank <40 cm under the surface of a super turbulent river mouth, that can suck you in and mess you up badly, is not easy, and definitely requires a particular approach, and with it, a certain visual, that is far from the downwind "bombing-it" style of swell riding that is possible on the bigger, faster, but ultimately easier waves to the side of this spot, that I was speeding down. Alex has already broken 3 ribs at this spot many years ago, because it is super technical and dangerous, but even with that, he still can't keep himself away lol, and personally gravitates towards these kinds of wave conditions, and in doing so, uses a more classic windsurf-style (more wing assisted small-arc carving in the pocket) wave riding approach. In terms of your experience with the 1080, I have found similar Aspect Ratio + Surface Area combination foils to react to turbulence in a not so pleasing way, where they soak up, and transfer turbulence, first to the board then ultimately the rider - vibrating around like a just jumped off of diving board, where ideally maximum solidity is desired. The bigger HA foils do definitely have a place where they excel more than any other though, and for me that's calmer water, light wind cruising, and cleaner, more uniform, light wind swell riding. For the shallow waves we have here, lower aspect foils with better manoeuvrability, and lower stall speed are the favoured choice for making the most of the conditions, so for example, Alex will be on that particular wave with his Pure 900 (9 Aspect ratio) foil, whereas those bombing it, speed-run style, on the deeper, open ocean downwind swells, are using HA 800 (13 Aspect Ratio)

I'm sure you could take off on some of these waves without the hand paddles, but would be more work, and being new to this, the added efficiency & power that the hand paddles provide does aid in getting going earlier, and getting up easier, for sure.

Hi Paul. These boards are + 20-25 Litres over body weight. I'm 70 KG and using a 94.5 Litre, & my friend is 95 KG and using a 113.3 Litre. We bought the hand paddles from SUNOVA also.

@@FoilIsland thank you

On the paddle out sometimes we’re kneeling, and sometimes prone, depending on which parts of the body need a rest at that time. Luckily at this spot there’s a flat water section, that runs right beside the reef where the waves that we surf, are breaking, so we don’t need to paddle back out over breaks. The hand paddles were also bought from SUNOVA, but my friend has made some, and you can also experiment with swimming hand paddles, which also work.

@@FoilIsland Where is this spot?

@@slappysurf Naiyang, Phuket

I’m sure that will be epic! Looking forward to seeing your trips around Boracay, and maybe joining along one day too!

67 KG

Yes, Phuket :)

Thanks bud!

Thanks for watching, and for your support Harry :)

Thanks. For the 1st test we were both using AFS Blackbird foil boards, and for the 2nd test we also used the SUNOVA Casey Aviator Prone/SUP board

Thanks @harryhalfmoon. Good luck with the manoeuvres. You’ve got this! 🤙🏽

Oh damn!! That is scary shit. Glad you made it back safely bro 🙏What was it, a bladder hole, or leaking valve?

We are based in Phuket, Thailand :)

The foil used on both boards is an AFS Performer 1250 front wing, Surf 160 rear wing, short fuselage & 85cm mast. I will add this to the post. Thanks :)

@@FoilIsland ah ok. Assumed it was bigger span

@@wingfoil.lessons This session was in super light 5-8 knots of wind the entire time. Alex & I are usually using a 900 Pure & 950 Performer on these boards, from 8+ knots. The super fast planing through the water, means that these DW boards take-off onto the foils via momentum, rather than needing to pump them. In this regard, these boards are especially excellent with high aspect foils. More tests, using a range of high aspect foils, will be coming, as soon as the foils get delivered to us.

@@FoilIsland interesting. I read up. Yeah it’s a 1m span, just assumed for that lighter wind you would be going for even more surface cm via span

Alex & I will be riding the 2 boards together, and sharing more of our thoughts, for sure. One thing I will say, is that they are 2 very different boards. Both are fantastic, and excel in their own unique ways. I am personally super stoked with the Prone for hand paddle prone foiling, which I am now absolutely hooked on, and also for light wind wing foiling, and wave catching. I know that Alex is equally stoked with his Blackbird. There will be an interesting follow-up episode, featuring a new way of enjoying light wind wave catching, using these boards - Sessions that no other boards can enable! Thanks for your support bud :)

That’s the review I’m waiting on….no blackbirds for us 😢

@@wingfoil.lessons Alright, we will do our best to get something out there. Hopefully the BB shipping situation becomes more viable for you soon!

@@FoilIsland thanks mate

Hey bud, thanks for your support! We do have some nice prone foil friendly waves, on the west coast of Phuket & Phang Nga, but appreciate how the different geography of Boracay means that you don't get so many chances with the peelers. Thankfully, there is always swell to be surfed, and the beauty of foiling, as you well know, is that we can easily access those places, and enjoy them. Let us know how you get on with the back beach on-shore channel swell. Sounds like a fun place to be! Happy winds to you my friend! :)

Layan can work well on a North West, and an early setting-in South West wind, in our Monsoon season.

@@FoilIsland thanks, what are best months to be there ?

@@paulh.327 Our dry season, from roughly late November to late March we have reliable and consistent NE winds from ~ 8am-12pm, and often running on later than that, on many days. Our wet season, from roughly late May to late September brings the more volatile and less consistent winds, that can strike at any time, but they come with stronger highs, and often bring waves with them.

@@FoilIsland thank you So it is same season that my home Spot in Philippines

Thanks! The anchor is really good fun, and surprised us with it’s versatility. It actually has a lot of use cases. I must admit, I was skeptical of it, at first, until I tried one and realised the options it opens up for the foiler, and they can be picked up super cheap too. We’re getting the Blackbird in the 90L version soon, and no doubt it will get another feature or 2…or 3….I’m really looking forward to trying it.

​@@FoilIslandhi is Blackbird 90lt a custom version or it will part of the officiel ligne ?

We agree, and it’s also a very capable wing foil board when the conditions become more animated. Alex the wing foiler, is around 72KG, and is using a 6 metre AFS Diamond wing, Performer 1250 front foil & 190 Surf rear foil, in 6-8 knots of wind, in this demo. Thanks for watching 🤙🏽

AFS have introduced a lot of cutting-edge design elements with the Blackbird. There’s a ton of know-how and passion poured into the creation of this beast, that’s for sure. It is a very impressive board. That rocker just bounces you back up the moment the nose even so much as skims the surface. The super comfortable performance enhancing deck concave, and quick release tail are also very clever plays on volume distribution. Every aspect of this board’s design balance has been meticulously crafted.

@@FoilIsland that forward slope in the deck (from back foot to front foot) wow some secret sauce happening right there…allows for back leg toe pressure to pivot/steer the board

i love the board also, just kidding there 😉

We don’t have access to Alan’s schedule so the timing on this is purely coincidental! Or maybe it is him?! I’m not sure, but now that you mention it, those dreadlocks do look a little bit fake. We are now trying to find out who this guy is. Apparently he was last seen smoking a blunt whilst doing a Flaka in the middle of a typhoon in the Andaman ocean. Any further leads appreciated…

@@FoilIsland ROFL 🤣

So do we! :)

ขอบคุณครับ 🙏🏽😄

I'm sorry that you're finding it difficult to understand. On the off-chance that you'd like to give it a 3rd playback, the script is included in the video description, alternatively, there are also RUclips subtitles, which are accurate. The longest word "multi-directional" at 16 letters, has no shorter synonyms available, but I did attempt to be concise with the information! Thanks for watching and for the feedback :)

@@FoilIsland it wasn't the length of the words used, it's the volume of words. For example using descriptive words is great until you use too many, then it's no longer descriptive. Anyway, I just figured I'd give feedback for something to consider 😊