Hydrofoiling is coming to rowing (finally!)

[@andyobrienAOBSS]

Hypothetically. I would think having 2 vertical sections enter the water would at least double the drag of the foil when compared to Yale's T shaped foil. When C2 came out with the big blade it made rowing competently easier. More rowers without a feel for the oar (ie. hammer style) could compete with technical rowers.. I would think that the Hydrofoil could take out a fair amount of the balance component of rowing and make the sport even more accessible to those that lack technical proficiency.

[@GMoneyLove]

I think the pursuit of new ideas is worthy, and experimenting to see what is possible is valuable, but I think the practicality of its use is limited. The logistics of storing a boat with a hydrofoil becomes more difficult unless such a structure is and installed and removed with each outing. This means more time required for daily set up which is not practical in many instances. Storage is an issue, if the units are left in place, because of the added space needed for racking, and many boathouses are starved for storage space. You also need to consider the costs of adding or including such hardware as well. Shell prices are already astronomical. On a river with regular debris you'll be destroying equipment on the regular. How many fins have you replaced on your standard shell? None of this takes into account technique, namely handle heights. Maintaining good handle heights while staying connected through the water could be a big challenge. Exploration of the sliding rigger is a nice parallel example, but that has its issues too. Cost, weight, and complexity of the mechanism that must be maintained, not to mention hulls that are designed to take different loads. Is it a fun project and one that people should be allowed to explore? Yes! Will it be mainstream? I doubt it. And the same with the hydrofoil.

[@DaystromDataConcepts]

I hate to be a cinic here, but as good a concept as this is, so was the sliding rigger, and where would we be now had it continued development. FISA killed that major step forward and I feel it might just do the same with this.

[@jip2971]

an efoil board must move forward at 8/10 knots minimum to take off, it is much lighter than a skiff, and the foils have an accomplished design, to take off a foil skiff you would have to row with a constant speed greater than 'at least 10/14 knots (14/18 kmh) which requires a lot of energy

[@ianjosephrandall]

I could get lift in two strokes ... see video

[@jip2971]

​@@ianjosephrandallI don't see the boat taking off really above the water like a windsurfing board or a surfboard with a foil does

[@reint88]

The university of Delft did a quad with foils, it supposedly made good student rowers go around 5:45 on a 2k kzbin.info/www/bejne/bH7FkIhjo8prb6Msi=FcT7PrdzN-366KnG

[@dermotbalaam5358]

How do you deal with the change in handle height as the boat lifts?

[@ianjosephrandall]

The lift was able to be accommodated with raised hands. We could optimise the height of lift or lower initial oarlock position.

[@skude3]

But does it actually make the boat faster?

[@AramTraining]

Not yet, I think. The material needs to refined some more, possibly made out of POM or carbon

[@jamesmcgowan9781]

Yale Hydrofoil project 2008. I think they build this onto a Ted Van Dusen 1x kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3O7qX9vnN-nhZo

[@termin29671]

This looks really interesting! I wonder how much strain the hull is taking though (not that I know that much about hydrofoiling)

[@AramTraining]

I thought about that too. Good point

[@ianjosephrandall]

The form is highly rigid and posed no problems ... hulls are incredibly strong and can resist tension and compression forces.