I know this is a hydro foil but the ability to sail just on a fin seems to me the fastest way of sailboarding - reduced surface to surface friction because the board is completely out of the water. It doesn't happen terribly often but when I hear the howl of air flowing through my fin box whilst using a trapezoidal fin, I know I'm really moving and the board is completely out of the water. Your thoughts?

With a standard fin, the "end plate" effect of the board's tail touching the water is the big issue. That is what stops ventilation (not cavitation) of the fin on the low pressure side, and hence spin out.

Clarence

I am using an old style U.S. Box so no washers necessary. The fin is around 36cm and I still have good control at high speed and with the board out of the water. It's a Mistral Diamond Head (1984). But I have 20 or so other boards.

choco said..
Picture is worth a thousand words

Is that you in a panto choco, or just pub cruising on a Friday arvo?

gollyone said..
I know this is a hydro foil but the ability to sail just on a fin seems to me the fastest way of sailboarding - reduced surface to surface friction because the board is completely out of the water. It doesn't happen terribly often but when I hear the howl of air flowing through my fin box whilst using a trapezoidal fin, I know I'm really moving and the board is completely out of the water. Your thoughts?

Awesome mate, yep the foil is the fastest way to sail, the new windsurf foil craze is the future of sailing.
Enjoy flying faster and higher then the others.

somewhere around 30kts for a foil somewhere around 50kts for a speed board

Currently, foiling speeds are similar to kiteboard speeds..great angles, slow reaching.