ARMSTRONG FOILS DOWNWIND BOARD | Updated review, Bump starts, pumping and stance review
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Olly Brunton has been taking Armstrong Foils 6’8″ 96L Downwind SUP into the high tide surf to train in the unbreaking waves! Here is a continuous wave set that may offer some insights into general balance with volume distribution, paddling for starts and stance for riding.
After a few weeks of riding the board, I have had to adjust my standard SUP techniques developed on larger boards; reducing my paddling stance has been the biggest change. You will note that I change my stance to just standing on the board, paddling and riding. The Width is also a bit to get used to, at 19.5″. This is very close to the width of my surfboards, so my stance has been reduced laterally & longitudinally.
Performance, however, is off the hook compared to any SUP I have ridden; what is lost in the platform for paddling is gained in what is close to a prone foil board feel. Nevertheless, placing the mast at FG position eight was a good balance point for this session, offering opportunities at multiple waves seUndoubtedlyinly worth the changes to technique.
In summary, if I chose a board for pure Downwinding, I would select the 107L board to assist with starts and restarts. Currently, I am at the performance cusp end on the 96L and expect to spend more time on the board to dial in new stance and fitness to manage longer downwind sojourns. I also use this board in the surf and wing foiling, so it’s an excellent choice.
In my last video, I mentioned rider experience dictating which board to choose. I still think this is the case, and I am happy to utilise my previous SUP experience with the 96L.
The MA1225 foil is an excellent read selection for this session; super fast foil with great fluid turns and pump to suit a bump n pump sessiHowever, on. I have found the HA195 stabiliser with No shim worked best for me. Adding a shim may add more effect, icy, but as with all setups, each compoaffectsfects the whole.
For this setup, the board volume and distribution lead the buiWherehere I stand is limited by being tall, and so all other factors havecomplementment the fixed aspects of the board I cannot change. The MA1225, with its profile, tend to dip at speed, which is excellent for the back foot pivot style,e which I like, so I can move the mast forward to counter and improve the pivot. Using the FG8 setting gives me my whole foot width behind the mast for riding; however, for starts standing over the mast felt best, so I have a reducedstart-upp platform, so I have to reduce my stance on birth starts. Because of this, as much as I wanted and did use a red shim to improve efficiency, the loss of lift could not be remedied anymore by moving the mast and reducing my stance to a non-functional width. This time testing had me think I may have been better off on the 107L board to provide a wider corridor of operation and choices for adjustments. However, It’s only been a few weeks, and I am willing to take performance and work on changing technique.
My previous board was nose volume heavy, so I could drive it forward without pearling, so rather than criticize the design, I am aware that I have developed techniques on concepts of design downwind I thought were essential for me tor me at that time.
Please check out my stances and let me know your thoughts and or experiences with Downwind SUP board designs.
