Nuzzi’s Test Notes: Axis Foils for Surfing
12/26/2021
Location: Robin Ln.
Conditions: Waist high surf with offshore wind about 10 mph.
Session: Foil surf
Gear : 4’5 Armstrong FG - Mast in 2 and 2.5 positions.
Axis 75cm Aluminum, 643mm Black Ultrashort Fuse
HPS 980, 930, ART999, Progressive 350
Fun Frisco foil sesh. Was closing out but the swell carried to the beach after it broke on the bar. Fun conditions. Definitely plenty of potential in the conditions.
Had to take apart the 90cm mast and put the 75cm on for surfing. Pain in the ass to deal with swapping out a top plate and the long bolts on the mast. Some water came out of both sections. Mast is sealed about an inch down so it wasn’t that much water. Fit and finish on the mast is top aluminum we have seen. The doodad thing that connects the fuse to the mast is really clean and effective. Looks really strong too. Top plate is heavy duty and has a rubber patch that makes for a padded solid connection to the board. Fuse to front wing connect is one the best in the business. Nice size footprint and plenty of screws to lock it in. It kind of clicks into place before you screw it in. Two different size screw head T30 and T40 screws doubles the tools to use and to loose. Tail wing is clean fitting and there is the opportunity to shim it which we will explore later.
Started with the HPS 930/350 as it looks like a good foil surfing wing. It is. Very easy to ride. Take off there are no surprises. Even if it is a little steep or the wave breaks on your back the take off felt very consistent and natural. It is controlled through the water and white water was a breeze. Did feel a little draggy and definitely stiff in the turns. Predictable but you really need to drive into turns to get the board to come around. I think the smaller crazy short fuse will help this. Pumping was pretty easy. Would loose the cadence every now and then but that comes with time on it. The draggy part makes you work a little harder. Decent glides between pumps, but needed to keep it going. Likes to be high in the water to really get it going on the pump. Rode the mast at 2 position and could have used it 1cm farther forward. Maybe more. I could get my feet farther back and it turned a bit better and pumping was about the same.
ART999/350 was next. And that had that nicer long glide between the pumps. Left the mast in 2 position because winging the ART had more front foot kick than the HPS. At 2 it felt pretty close to right. Need to try it at 3 to see.
Take offs were predictable like the HPS. It took some more paddling than the HPS but not that much. With the wider span it does have more of a locked in feel. Doesn’t get stuck to one side and then make you fall off. Overall pretty easy and glide wing. It does have that same draggy feeling of the HPS. Not bad just slightly draggy. Doesn’t feel slippery like the Armstrong. Pretty easy to stay on foil with. Felt the stall speed was pretty low. Was gassed on the way back out and missed a pump or two and started to slow down. Hopped up over a swell and was able to save it to get out to the next wave.
Turning was stiffer than the HPS930. Wider radius and it felt balanced like the winging turns on that foil. Slow but predictable isn’t always bad.
HPS980/350
Your feet can be in the wrong spot and the foil doesn’t freak out. Liked this wing the beat of the three I tested. Stiffest turn but I think the smaller fuse and learning to push harder through the turns could really light this wing up. Also really predictable in the turning. Need to be really deliberate. Tried turn it hard into a steeper section and the foil just said no. Turning on the open face it is really nice.
Pumps well and felt like it had similar glide to the ART999 when it was in the top of the water. Down low you can feel the drag of the bigger wing compared to the 999. Was pretty easy to hop it up on foil and get it into the higher water.
12/31/2021
Location: Avon Pier
Conditions: Knee to waist high surf. Clean and fun conditions.
Session: Foil surf
Gear : 4’5 Armstrong FG - Mast at 3 position.
Axis 75cm Aluminum, 643mm Black Ultrashort Fuse
Snuck in a short session in the fog before dark. Nice way to end the year. Water was warm and it was pretty glassy.
Moved the mast to 3 and it feels like the right spot. I’m riding my armstrong set up at 6 on this board so about 3cm back on the Axis gear for surfing feels right.
Down side of aluminum is that it is heavy and you notice it paddling and pumping around. Not so much riding but paddling and pumping take more effort. Getting into waves you have to give some heavier digs to get going before the wave picks you up. Pumping you can feel the extra weight and tire out faster compared to my carbon rigs.
While rigging, I noticed that the tools have a bunch of rust spots on them already. Hardware is fine but tools are rusty. I normally use a hand driver but don’t have a T40 bit yet only a T30 so been using the stock tools. Not a big deal but your hands end up rusty after rigging so need to make sure not to get it all over your car and cloths.
HPS930/375
For some reason this setup was a lot more responsive with the mast a little farther forward and the next size up in tail. Most likely I was able to get my foot behind the mast to turn it better but it felt a lot quicker rail to rail than the previous session. Strange to me that the bigger 375 tail was faster rail to rail. Feels really controlled through the turns and the take off because of the positive front foot pressure.
This set up pumped a lot better too. Could exit the wave with more speed and maintain more glide. Pretty easy to get this foil into the pump zone and has nice long glides when you hit it right.
I blasted out through some just breaking waves to see how it ran through white water and it was killer. Just need to not do anything. If I tried to pump, I would bury the foil to a stop but if I came through the wave with speed the foil handled the turbulence well.
At higher speeds could feel some drag and noticed some humming of the foil. Nothing super loud but it is noticeable. Overall I am really liking this 930/375 set up. Best combo I have tried yet and will spend more time on it dialing it in.
If you have more questions about what Axis foil is right for you contact a REALpro at 252.987.6000 or email us at REALpro@realwatersports.com.