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Naish is releasing their latest addition to their foil range, the MA series foils. This review covers the 1200 and 1000 front wings along with the 220 and 280 stabilizers.
The MA foil system is a fully modular design with a front wing, fuselage, tail, and mast. All coming in a variety of sizes and configurations to be custom fit for your individual preferences. Each connection is a M6 T30 bolt which is a great improvement from the standard hex head. When bolting the foil together, it is evident attention has been put into the fit and finish as everything went together easily and cleanly.
The aluminum fuselage has two mounting locations for the stabilizer allowing riders to get two effective fuselage lengths from one part. Riders looking to increase the surfing/turning performance will prefer to move the stabilizer forward for a shorter overall fuselage length. To gain more stability and pump, move the stabilizer to the rear connection creating a longer overall fuselage.
This foil was tested both prone foiling and wing foiling using a 4'6 board, wind 20-25mph. Rider 6'4, 170lb. Small 2-3’ waves.
At first glance, the MA series wings look like a mid-aspect surf wing with the wing tips chopped off. Unsurprisingly, this is almost exactly how the foil rides. There was significant low-end lift especially from the 1200, and the rail-to-rail maneuverability was outstanding due to the reduced overall span of the front wing. The 1000 has a similar feeling but not quite as much low-end lift so heavier riders or smaller wave foilers will prefer the larger foil.
The MA foils will perform the best a bit deeper in the pocket where you can capitalize on the energy from the wave. The elimination of wing tips opens up the turning and will rotate as hard as you can push the foil, however this does come at the cost of some small vortice generation on the wingtips at high speeds.
The two test tails provided were the 220 HA and 280 HA stabilizers. Fresh out of the box, beginner riders will appreciate the stability and low speed capabilities of the 280, and the 220 is perfect for people progressing into the intermediate stage. The short span front wing paired with the moderate size tails is a great entry into aggressive surf style foiling. In line with most production tail wings, Advanced riders will unlock all the potential of the MA series through some DIY chop shop to reduce the overall span and remove the winglets on the tail.
Overall, the MA series foils are a great platform for riders looking for one foil ecosystem that can bring them from the initial learning phase, into an intermediate rider, and ultimately have the flexibility to adapt to the niche demands from an advanced foiler. ST
