AK Foilboard Collection Overview
Interview with foilboard designer, Clinton Filen.
Hydrofoiling has opened up and allowed us to utilize the smallest waves and onshore conditions, bringing a new sensation to performance surfing. The AK foilboard collection will have you exploring the limits from surf foiling, open ocean downwinders, to freestyle wingfoiling, and beyond.
Let’s jump straight into it; what was the overall design approach for the new range?
Foiling is a completely unique sport that has so many facets to it and will continue to evolve. One aspect is the application of foils onto various watercraft, and the other is the versatility of foils and the increased number of riders that want to explore all aspects of foiling.
The AK foilboard range has continued to evolve along with the sport and at the center, the Phazer is our ultra versatile crossover range. The smallest sizes can be used for surf, kite, pump, and wing. The mid-sizes are very wing focused, and the largest 4 sizes cross over between wing and SUP.
The Compact foilboard is our dedicated wingboard in the range. Sitting in the range below the smallest Compacts is the Arcade, which is optimized for pump, tow, kite and wake foiling.
The Nomad and Nomad LS explore light wind gliding in the wingboarding space, while crossing over into paddle up, downwind, and surf SUP, all the way through to small wave prone in the smallest size of the Nomad.
Tell us about the Arcade v2?
The Arcade focuses on meeting the demands of the rider looking for a pump, tow, and wake foil board. We focused on a very compact geometry that was ideal for a rider that either had a major secondary power source, such as a boat, kite, or ski, or a rider that was 100% focused on pump foiling.
We built on the success of the first-generation Arcade and worked to improve the maneuverability, take off, and touchdowns. There is a common misconception that foilboards are always out of the water. We found that the more advanced the rider, the more they pushed the foil to the limits and needed a board that was intuitive and predictable on touch downs and take offs.
Considering that this board might live in a boat or on a dock, we also wanted something durable, which is why we’ve made it available in the Duratech construction. For the v2 we reduced the weight while increasing the stiffness, utilizing Carbon rails and Carbon reinforcing around the foil areas on the top and bottom.
The Arcade is now available in three different sizes, what’s the benefits of each size?
Length is still quite a subjective area in pump, wake and tow foiling as each rider will have their personal preference. Generally, taller riders will prefer the longer version as they have a longer cadence when pumping. Touchdowns and takeoffs are also easier for the longer sizes, along with increased stability at higher speeds. The shorter sizes will be better suited to shorter riders and those looking for maximum portability.
What are the key differences between the Arcade and the smaller Phazers?
The Arcade is our shortest board in the range by a long shot. It is 6 inches shorter than the smallest Phazer, and this very minimalist platform allows you to be completely over the foil at all times, minimizing any swing weight.
The Arcade is over an inch thinner than the smallest Phazer, getting you closer to the foil for better stability. This is possible due to the reduced volume as the board is not designed for surfing. The Arcade only has offset front straps and does not feature V straps. This configuration is more typical for tow foiling.
Finally, the Arcade is built in our Duratech construction, which improves the durability for use with boats, personal watercraft, and starting docks, where a board with a lighter density core would be more fragile.
Key Size Comparison:
Model. Length Width Thickness Vol.
AK Phazer 4’4″ (132cm) 19″ (45.7cm) 3″ (7.6cm) 30L
AK Arcade 42″ (108cm) 17.7″ (45cm) 1.5″ (3.9cm) 13L
What are the key differences between the Compact and the Phazer?
The Compact prioritizes maneuverability through its short length and low swing weight. The Phazer focuses on combining carving, gliding, and maneuverability through more curve in the outline, a narrower tail, and a more pulled in nose.
Key Size Comparison:
Model Vol. Length Width Thickness
AK Phazer 55L 5’2″(157.5cm) 22″(55.9cm) 3.5″ (10.5cm)
AK Compact 58L 4’8″(142cm) 22.25″ (56.5cm) 3’8″ (12cm)
What are the key updates to the new Compact Carbon Plus wingboard?
We have worked on improving the versatility of the Compact v4, as this board was increasingly popular with freeride customers looking for a more compact shape. We have done this by increasing the length slightly and pulling in the tail; at the same time the board has kept its world champion defined freestyle heritage.
The new Phazer v5 is longer and narrower than the Phazer v4, what is the reasoning behind this?
There has been an overall trend from customers looking for increased glide; the increased length and reduced width will achieve this. We have also gained a better understanding of creating stability from narrower boards, which maintains the all-around appeal of the Phazer to all levels of customer.
Where does the surf crossover start with the Phazer?
The 46L is a good size for an 85- 90kg rider to learn on, with smaller sizes ideal for more advanced smaller riders. You can consider the 55L for a person that is over 95kgs, although this becomes a challenge to duck dive in bigger surf.
Where does the SUP crossover start with the Phazer?
Our primary SUP tester, Peter Petersen, recommends at least 20L above your body weight for an intermediate rider. So, typically, the 110L is ideal for the average 85kg rider, although a lighter rider could use the 90L.
What is the key concept behind the Nomad and Nomad LS?
The Nomad concept was centered around building the ultimate light wind wing board, but versatile enough to use as a surf, paddle-up, and downwind SUP. We knew that if we could get a certain amount of glide speed, you would be able to pop up onto foil. We also wanted a board that was very comfortable off foil as we believed that anybody who was chasing light wind would most likely spend a fair amount of time off foil.
The Nomad is a lot longer than the Phazer, although with the introduction of the even longer Nomad LS (Light Speed), you could consider the regular Nomad as a new generation “mid-length” shape.
For the Nomad LS, we wanted to make the lightest and most high performance board possible, with a bit more focus towards downwind and absolute light wind winging without foot straps or a bottom handle.
How does the new Nomad LS Carbon Plus construction and weight compare to the Nomad Active Carbon? What are the benefits of the new construction?
The Carbon Plus is a full PVC sandwich with a full carbon wrap, top and bottom. This creates a stiffer board overall, which helps on paddle ups and extremely early glides. We have removed the handle and footstrap inserts, and together with the weight benefits of the full sandwich, we have a weight saving of around 15% over the Active Carbon construction. This weight saving also reduces the overall swing weight, which significantly helps in pumping and maneuverability, keeping this model incredibly versatile.
How does the shape differ between the Nomad and the Nomad LS?
The Nomad LS shapes are longer and narrower than the Nomad shapes. However, with the reduced weight, the impact of the additional length on the Carbon Plus construction is minimized.
The Nomad has a new 65L and 85L in the range, can you tell us more about these sizes and what application they’re designed for?
We originally developed the 55L and 75L Nomad as a “concept board” to gauge the demand from customers for smaller mid length shapes. This quickly became one of our most popular products with requests for additional sizes, which led to the introduction of the new 65L and 85L.
The Nomad LS is only available in three sizes, why did you choose to make these sizes in the new construction?
The benefits of the reduced weight and increased stiffness is most evident on the bigger boards where you have higher swing weight, due to the length or less energy generated by a larger wing. These three sizes will cover anyone from the 65kg rider up to the 105 kg rider for wing/SUP crossover (At least 20L above your body weight). If being used for winging only, you could downsize to around your body weight for very light winds.
The Nomad LS sizes are new to the range, what is the key focus behind this?
The Nomad LS takes the concept of the Nomad to the next level. The LS offers a construction that is incredibly light (10 – 15%, or 700gm lighter), specifically reducing swing weight in the nose. This board features a full Carbon HD Sandwich that creates an incredibly precise connection to the rider. The sizes of the LS are also longer and skinnier, which significantly improves the speed of the board. The Nomad LS does not feature footstrap inserts. They are more technical to ride, but still chase ultimate versatility for light wind winging, down wind foiling, surf foiling or flat water paddle ups.
Key Size Comparison:
Model Vol. Length Width Thickness
AK Nomad Active Carbon 115L 7’2″. 22″ 5.7”
AK Nomad LS 114L 7’6″ 19″ 6.1”
How does the Nomad differ from the larger size Phazers?
The Phazer is an all-around shape focused on combining carving, gliding, and maneuverability. In comparison, the Nomad is all about connecting with the ultimate glide.
If you compare the 110L Phazer to the 115L Nomad below, you will see the major difference in the length and the width.
Model Length Width Thickness Vol.AK Phazer 6’0″ (182.9cm) 27″ (73cm) 5.0” (11.8cm) 110L
AK Nomad 7’2″ (218.4cm) 22″ (58.4cm) 5.7″ (13.8cm) 115L
How does the Nomad differ from a Downwind SUP?We knew we could get even more glide from an even longer and narrower board, but our key objective was making a wingboard with crossover capabilities. One of our design fundamentals is to “make everything as multifunction and versatile as possible, without undermining the core function”. So, we optimized the length so that once you were up on foil, the Nomad is still a very fun and playful board to pump around on.
The Nomad Active Carbon also has footstrap inserts, which makes the board a lot easier to use for the intermediate rider when winging, and much easier to go really fast. We have also added deck reinforcing for the increased durability needed when winging.
