Next to the wings, the mast is arguably one of the most important components of your hydrofoil. Its height greatly impacts how your board handles. Having the wrong mast length will ruin your ride, while adjusting your mast's length even a few centimeters can improve your performance.
How Mast Length Affects Foil Performance
So, how, exactly, does the mast help or hurt your foil's performance? In quite a few ways:
Height vs. Leverage
The taller the mast, the more roll control you get over the board. That means you'll enjoy a greater ability to make sharp turns without the risk of breaching the surface.
Of course, more height and leverage means your board will have a taller center of gravity. That means you'll be required to exercise more fine control and balance.
(What's "breaching?")
Breaching occurs when you roll or tilt the board so much that the foil's front wing beaches the surface of the water.
Breaching causes an instant loss of lift. Even if you recover quickly and push the wing back below the surface, water usually cavitates (bubbling and frothing) over the wing's surface, preventing lift from being regained. This usually causes the board to lose speed, dip below the water, and force a wipeout.
Height vs. Lift
The taller the mast, the more pitch control you'll have. That translates into more leverage in the up-and-down motion of pumping the board, which makes it easier to generate and maintain lift.
Height vs. Water Conditions
The more height your mast provides, the easier it will also be to handle choppy water.
The Case for a Shorter Mast
By now you're probably thinking that a tall mast is arguably the best overall choice -- but that's not actually the case. There are plenty of reasons to consider using a shorter mast:
More stability
A shorter mast yields a lower center of gravity atop the board, making the foil more stable. This is particularly important for beginner riders, who usually start out on calm waters, at low speeds, and while riding small wakes and waves -- all instances where a tall mast is unnecessary.
And remember: The taller the ride, the harder the crash. A shorter mast makes learning to ride a foil less painful, as your inevitable first wipeouts will occur closer to the water's surface.
More Responsive
Less leverage may, in fact, be desirable for some riders -- and a shorter mast is the only way to get it. The lesser the leverage, the more closely the rider's inputs approximate a 1:1 output of the foil wing's movements, and the quicker the foil will respond to changes in roll and pitch.
Easier Shallow Water Starts
More lift is needed to raise a foil with a taller mast out of the water, which can make it difficult to get moving, especially when you're in shallow water or wake foiling at low tow speeds.
Although it's technically easier to pump the board with a taller mast, a shorter mast makes it easier to get started in the first place -- something new riders find to be one of the most difficult aspects when learning to ride a hydrofoil.
Which Foil Mast Length is Best?
Foil masts range from a minimum height of approximately 60cm (23.6") to as tall as 105cm (41.3"). So, what's best for beginners? Experts? Kiting and winging? Big surf and small wakes? Here are our recommendations:
60 - 70cm (23.5" - 27.5"): Best for Beginners
Masts in this height range are considered short. They're the most stable, with the lowest center of gravity and the quickest response times to rider inputs. They're also the most forgiving when it comes to bailing out while you learn to balance and pump the board.
These masts work best when foiling in small wakes and waves. They're not well suited for faster riding styles, like winging or kiting, but the tradeoff is the ease of getting started in virtually any shallow water at slow speeds.
The Liquid Force POD w/ Flite 120 Foil is optioned with a 27" / 68cm mast, providing the perfect height for new riders.
For an even shorter mast, consider Ronix's Koal Surface 727; it comes with a 24" / 61cm mast, making it great for learning to wake foil at low speeds, on small lakes, and in shallow waters.
71 - 85cm (28" - 33.5"): Best "Do-It-All" Height
Virtually all experienced hydrofoil riders say masts in this height range provide the best performance and handling characteristics for all foil riding styles, including wake and surf foiling, and kite and wing foiling.
If you're a smaller, lighter rider -- say, under 180 lbs and under 6'0" -- a mast closer to 75cm (29.5") will work best. If you're 180 pounds and 6'0" or taller, consider an 80cm (31.5") or 85cm (33.5") mast.
Even if you're a smaller rider, the 80cm and 85cm options may work best if you find yourself requiring more roll angle without breaching, if you mostly foil surf in big waves, or if you're mostly kite or wing foiling off ocean-side shorelines.
The extra height and leverage provided by either of these taller options are ideal for handling wide open surf and managing the often extreme roll and pitch angles required to control a wing or kite, especially in windy conditions.
Hyperlite's Majik Karpet comes with the Carbon MK 1500 Foil, optioned with a 72cm / 28.3" mast height. It's a great all-around choice for riders who want a versatile setup.
90cm+ (33.5"): Best for Kites, Wings & Advanced Riders
Masts this tall are typically reserved for the most experienced and extreme foil riders. Their height corresponds with extreme speed and acute roll angles. These masts are used almost exclusively with kites and wings, often in the most choppy or deep ocean surf in the pursuit of the most speed possible.
Don't forget the wing! Your foil wing's even more important than the mast. Read how to pick the right foil wing here.
Buying your first hydrofoil? We've got a great beginner's guide that covers every aspect of a foil board, so you can decide confidently on the right setup. Read it here!
