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SkySki, AirChair, hydrofoil questions


Bill_AirJunky

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I think Woodsprinter asked a question in another thread that was deleted in the middle of my response. Sorry for the thread jack..... so here a new thread. Feel free to ask any questions about the foil you might have.

yes, I am fairly good at wakeboarding.. I am 6' weighing 200..

Just like any product out there, some of them are good, some not so much. I'm about 6'1", like 215 & have bent & broken my share. Some from being too aggressive with it, some from just being big & crashing big. Early models had cast foils, now their made of billet (way stronger). Early rock tower seats had slots in them that were just there to look cool, but also weakened the seat enough that a lot of them bent under our weight. Early boards were made thinner & lighter weight..... and too weak to handle over rotating your back roll attempts.

SS has a new Pro listed on Ebay here. It'll have all the good stuff on it.

Also, later model skis can come with a Shock seat tower (4" of suspension built into it), or an Evo seat tower (about 1" of suspension). They cost more but tend to really help with all the landings & any lower back issues they may aggravate. Their heavier, and have more parts & potential problems, but their worth it. I rode various Shock Towers for about 7 yrs. Now I'm on an Evo..... and love it.

If you have a foil in mind, I'd be glad to take a look at it for you & give you my recommendation. Lots of info to process, I know. I'm sure between Charlie, Pete, myself & the other foil riders here, we can give you more than enough info to make a good decision for yourself.

Oh, and the http://www.foilforum.com site is the biggest source of info on the web these days.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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Bill, Starting Topic is even better! I checked skyski.com and it looks like all foils are same except for seat towers?

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Bill, Starting Topic is even better! I checked skyski.com and it looks like all foils are same except for seat towers?

Yea, their not the same. They definitely look similar at first glance. But the Pro (30" long) & Launch (39" long) use a 2 piece extruded billet (6065 grade aluminum) foil bolted together at the base of the T-bar (easier to manufacture, easier to pack in a suitcase). The LE38 is 38" long, CNC milled, 1 piece billet t-bar (7075 grade aluminum) that is thinner, lighter & stronger..... also more expensive. The Pro is less flexible in that it is setup with a 3 hole front wing & 2 hole fixed rear wing. The Launch & LE38 use a 5 hole front wing (stronger) and a slide adjustable rear wing (allows riders to tailor the way it rides by changing a longer or shorter "wheelbase".... short wheelbase is quicker, long wheelbase is more foregiving).

I rode the Launch (aka; B39) for a lot of years. They are a bit heavier, but very strong, very adjustable & will give you a lot o years of good service. I see them listed for sale used for around $1500, and I think they run around $2200 - $2500 new, depending on the seat.

Longer t-bars are heavier, but give more pop & ultimately more height in your jumps & inverts. When you get into jumping, you learn how to start high on the foil, dip the board down, then lean back to pop it out of the water. The dip is done to build up foil speed, and get more lift. Longer t-bars tend to do that better than shorter t-bars.

The "LE" or Limited Edition line of foils is on like it's 3rd generation. Older models included the LE (30" long, CNC milled, 7075) & LEX (34" long, CNC, 7075), and now the LE38 (38" long, more secure method of locking it in the seat, CNC, 7075). They are all considered the top end of foils. Also up there is the AirChair GY38, a foil designed & rode by Geno Yauchler, the top rider in the sport. He has since switched over to SS though. Many riders will suggest that a rookie just nut up & buy an LE right away. Thats fine, but any LE will start at around $2500 & can be as high as $4000..... probably a bit much for most people. The Launch, or B39 is said to be 90% of the ride of an LE, at 1/2 the cost.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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I rode the Launch (aka; B39) for a lot of years. They are a bit heavier, but very strong, very adjustable & will give you a lot o years of good service. I see them listed for sale used for around $1500, and I think they run around $2200 - $2500 new, depending on the seat.

The Launch, or B39 is said to be 90% of the ride of an LE, at 1/2 the cost.

Where do I find used Launch?

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Well, it is spring time. So a lot of things that are for sale are not lasting long. But I'd start with the FoilForum classifieds.

Heres a few dealers:

Foil-n.com.

Lonnie at Cinchmax.com has new & used foils available.

http://www.eastcoasthydrofoils.com/

And of course, watch Ebay & use http://www.craiglook.com to search Craigslist. Search for terms like "skyski", "sky ski", "Ski sky", "airchair", "air chair" and "hydrofoil".

There is an event near Jacksonville, FL being held this weekend too. Search for "Spring Fling" on the Foil Forum. If your in the area, it might be a good place to test ride & pick up a used foil.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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Bill,

My SS Pro ST is un-tuned.

What can I expect to improve after having it tuned and how much does it cost?

What parts do I send in? Just the wings or, wings and T bar?

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Well, it is spring time. So a lot of things that are for sale are not lasting long. But I'd start with the FoilForum classifieds.

Heres a few dealers:

Foil-n.com.

Lonnie at Cinchmax.com has new & used foils available.

http://www.eastcoasthydrofoils.com/

And of course, watch Ebay & use http://www.craiglook.com to search Craigslist. Search for terms like "skyski", "sky ski", "Ski sky", "airchair", "air chair" and "hydrofoil".

There is an event near Jacksonville, FL being held this weekend too. Search for "Spring Fling" on the Foil Forum. If your in the area, it might be a good place to test ride & pick up a used foil.

I checked all and there is no used for Evolution tower with Launch foil. Someone at Cinch said that used Evo tower is sacred and hard to find.. $3,100 for Evo tower with launch is pretty pricey! Umm...

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Bill,

My SS Pro ST is un-tuned.

What can I expect to improve after having it tuned and how much does it cost?

What parts do I send in? Just the wings or, wings and T bar?

Hey Pete,

Give Jake a call & ask about tuning - 888.SKY.SKI1. Seems like I recall it being like $199. It will reduce drag, improve pop, and reduce any of the "cold water glitch" (do you guys see that in Cali?). Travis tuned my B39 a few years ago & it rode SWEET.

Speaking of which, I need to do a little tuning on my LE38 before WOW. As you know, they can get a little dinged up in the back of your truck or in your garage. I'll probably just spend a little time truing up the edges, and sanding & polishing it all so it looks good again. I found a $30 polisher at Harbor Freight and some Mother's Billet Polish works pretty good & doesn't take me long to do it. :rockon:

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You could try posting at foilforum.com and let the members there know what you are looking for. There is so much new stuff coming out right now there has to be someone looking to upgrade and sell their old ski.

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I checked all and there is no used for Evolution tower with Launch foil. Someone at Cinch said that used Evo tower is sacred and hard to find.. $3,100 for Evo tower with launch is pretty pricey! Umm...

Yea, the Evo seat is the best on the market right now. I've been on mine for 3 yrs now, after thinking that I'd never be able to get rid of my Shock Tower. The Evo is lighter weight, stronger, and looks like a piece of artwork made by the likes of Orange County Choppers.

You may have to keep your eyes peeled for a Launch/B39 of any kind, then upgrade the seat if you feel like you need/want it.

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Yea, the Evo seat is the best on the market right now. I've been on mine for 3 yrs now, after thinking that I'd never be able to get rid of my Shock Tower. The Evo is lighter weight, stronger, and looks like a piece of artwork made by the likes of Orange County Choppers.

You may have to keep your eyes peeled for a Launch/B39 of any kind, then upgrade the seat if you feel like you need/want it.

It is better off to get Launch/B39 foil first then upgrade tower later instead of going Pro Evolution, right?

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It is better off to get Launch/B39 foil first then upgrade tower later instead of going Pro Evolution, right?

The B39 t-bar & wings are more expensive than the Evo seat (or Rock tower seat). Picking up a ski in several pieces is fine (I'm always upgrading or changing parts & pieces), and allows you to get the specific components you need/want. Either way, your going to end up selling a seat tower or t-bar & wings when you get what you want. I think you'll end up buying what comes available though.... if you stay with used gear.

If a guy hasn't ridden at all or much yet, then you may or may not know if you need a suspension seat of any kind. So get a good t-bar & wings first, then if your getting a huge amount of air your first season out, and your back is bothering you, then get the seat. SS had some blemished Skeleton Evo seats they sold for pretty good prices a while back..... new lightweight seats with a couple of dings/scratches on them for like $100 off. Or you might ride a Shock Tower & decide thats the one you like, and find one available for a good price.

A guy on my local lake bought a B39 with a Softtail seat tower (the predecessor to the Evo) last fall for $1500...... plus $100 shipping. It's not the seat he wanted, but it was the foil he wanted. And last week he landed his first wake back roll on it...... then Sunday he got his bell rang on another attempt. :crazy:

Just have to keep your eyes open.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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The B39 t-bar & wings are more expensive than the Evo seat (or Rock tower seat). Picking up a ski in several pieces is fine (I'm always upgrading or changing parts & pieces), and allows you to get the specific components you need/want. Either way, your going to end up selling a seat tower or t-bar & wings when you get what you want. I think you'll end up buying what comes available though.... if you stay with used gear.

:yes:

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Found this one in Albuquerque, NM: http://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/spo/1733764864.html

Great front wing & t-bar. Assuming the rest of it is in good shape, it's a descent deal.

Might be interesting to get it though. Shipping to most anywhere in the lower 48 is about $100 if the ski is completely disassembled & packed well. If shipping, I suggest going to a bicycle shop & asking for a bike box. Take everything apart, pack well with bubble wrap &/or a blanket, tape it all together in the box, insure it, etc. I use radiator hose on front & rear of the keel of the t-bar.

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Found this one in Albuquerque, NM: http://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/spo/1733764864.html

Great front wing & t-bar. Assuming the rest of it is in good shape, it's a descent deal.

Might be interesting to get it though. Shipping to most anywhere in the lower 48 is about $100 if the ski is completely disassembled & packed well. If shipping, I suggest going to a bicycle shop & asking for a bike box. Take everything apart, pack well with bubble wrap &/or a blanket, tape it all together in the box, insure it, etc. I use radiator hose on front & rear of the keel of the t-bar.

Great! I will check it out...

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Yea, you better, Pete! Bring your lid & your wetsuit to Oroville. Class WILL be in session! :rockon:

I'll make a deal with you. You try whatever new trick you want. I'll do the same. Time for me to learn some off side/rotation stuff. I can land my wake back roll, air back roll, wake front roll all day long. Time for something new.

Loser buys the beer! :yahoo:

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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