UniFoil x Foil Drive Boards | Foil Drive Approved
At Foil Drive, we work to tweak and perfect products down to the millimetre, just as UniFoil do. Our collaboration started with UniFoil and now Foil Drive Team Rider Erik Antonson, from the Progression Project. After not thinking he'd enjoy Foil Drive, he soon became hooked and started perfecting his board selection.
UniFoil was founded in 2014 by Clifford Coetzer. With an engineering and aerospace background, it's no question that performance and quality are at the forefront. Learn about the whole team here.
Queue the Quiver Killer... Between that and the Disco butter, Foil Drive dreams are waiting to happen! We threw some questions to Erik to learn more about UniFoil and the collaboration.
Company: UniFoil
Name of Person Writing: Erik Antonson
Type of Collaboration: Boards
Tell us about your background and where you started in board building?
I started shaping in 2015, mainly in the SUP surf space. I've always enjoyed taking on problems creatively. In SUP it was how to hit the required volume but still have a board that surfs small. In 2019 I started designing foil boards. The question in designing a foil board became how to design around minimizing touch points and swing weight while maintaining the ability to catch waves.
Where are you located and what kind of foiling disciplines and conditions are your locals foiling in?
I live in Florida and our conditions are smaller, shorter period swell. Foil Drive as proven an incredible tool for our area because it gives us access to so many more sessions, both surf and wind.
What was it that made you decide to create a shape specific for Foildrivers?
The Quiver Killer wasn't designed originally for Foil Drive, it was designed for a friend who was having trouble catching waves. I rode it a few times and couldn't believe how well it surfed for its size and then we spent the next few months refining it, getting the wide points, angles and swing weight dialled. The UniFoil construction easily lets the signal pass through, so it's a perfect blend. Read more about UniFoil construction here.
What have you found that your customer wants in a For Drive board?
Solid connectivity, easy of takeoff and proper balance and angles while in flight.
Tell us about the board! What makes your board Foil Drive specific? What features, construction and specifications can you share?
I can't get into the specifics of construction, but the materials are designed to maximize the 2.4gH signal for Foil Drive. Certain materials in board building block that signal. We also spent time on the hull design to maximise acceleration for takeoffs.
What feedback have you had, either yourself or others, riding your Foil Drive boards? (Rideability, connectivity, installation, efficiency etc.).
All of the above. Lots of riders are preferring to surf the 5.2 and 5.6 on Foil Drive over smaller boards and the feedback is they don't feel like they're giving up surf performance.
Hybrid Foiling has taken the community by storm with Foil Assist Systems. What do you think is coming next for the Foil Assist discipline?
With Integrated Masts and the evolution in battery technology we're going to see better and better riders going hybrid. The performance gap isn't large now, and it will decrease. More waves means faster progression.
Where can people order your boards?
Any UniFoil retailer will have the boards. You can find them here.
Where can people follow you online?
@the.progression.project and The Progression Project Podcast. You can also follow the UniFoil Instagram at @unifoil
Any final advice or a tips for Foildrivers?
Explore off-tides and remote breaks and stay away from surf line-ups. We don't need the same quality of surf anymore to have an epic session, that's the beauty of it.
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