Haven’t tried a nozzle or duct yet. I would like to. Maybe that’ll be the answer to the torque roll. Also I added a charger to the list.
So today I tested the Manta Foils Efoil Prop. It looks to have more pitch compared to the FR 6" and definitely more surface area. The material is super interesting. It feels like a super rigid metal and has a slight ping when you tap a screwdriver against it. The hub diameter is 40 mm vs 53.6mm for the FR 6". With my current spacer between motor and prop I definitely lost some efficiency so keep that in mind.
So I really like its performance for the Tow Boogie. It has far less slip than the FR probably due to the increased surface area. There is quite a bit more turbulence coming from the prop than the FR. Not a bad thing but its something to note on the Boogie. There is quite a bit of speed this thing is capable of but I’m limited by the space provided and my nerves.
Most of my posts about props have been about efficiency but after enjoying the tow boogie for so long I’ve come to realize it isn’t always about how many watts I use. This prop is real fun in flat water because of that “grip” it has on the water. Next test would be in rougher water with the boogie bouncing around.
I’ve also redesigned the motor mount to better handle the harsh conditions in open water conditions. Apparently the Boogie dropping 3-4 feet straight down from a set can cause cracks to from in the mount. So what I did this time was cut a piece of the trailing edge off to offer more area for the rear of the mount to rest on. I also filled it a bit with silicone to offer a bit of dampening. I’ve also reduced the size to hopefully make it more aerodynamic and use less material for printing. Also where can I save .step files? I think that makes it easier for people to edit and cut out their own profiles or should I stick with .stl files?
No modifications. But the spacer between motor and prop will have to be modified for the smaller diameter hub. I wouldn’t say I prefer it yet as I treat changing props like changing wings on a foil. It’s great fun and has good speed but a noticeable decrease in run time. With towing that isn’t really an issue since you wait in between sets anyway. I’ll report back once I’ve had more time with it.
I’d be keen for a powerful foiling rodeo fin for towing, can I test one?
Valhalla, regarding the vesc graphs for the FR prop with 20 motor amps vs the Manta prop at 35 motor amps - was the speed a lot higher with the Manta, shown in VESC as manta 45km/hr vs FR 30km/hr? I wonder how the Manta would go for current usage when going slower.
Yeah don’t focus on the speed too much. For some reason the speeds are not accurate at all. I should start using my watch for those measurements. So what I do is try to get to the lowest stall speed of the wing and hover as much as I can without stalling.
All testing is done with a 40L FFB 4’5” board, Axis 70cm 19mm mast, 1010 front wing, 340 tail, ultrashort fuse.
I admit it’s not the most ideal way of testing but it’s just glimpse I feel of what each prop does well.
Also tried out the Manta prop in surf for the first time today. It did phenomenal. Great grip even in white water, good pull to get me out of wired sections, and I felt it breached less often than the FR. I think the last comment can be omitted bc I haven’t the slightest why it would be that way. The only downside is that large efficiency gap compared to the FR. I was also using my Armstrong 1250 wing with 232 tail today. Got a quick session before work so I was heavier on the trigger but did notice more prominent voltage sag when I glanced down at the trigger. Overall great session. I would really like better efficiency but it is the Trade off for certain performance increases.
How are you finding the run time from your 20Ah battery in the tow boogie? I’m planning a 13s 21700 pack, and thinking around 25-30Ah, to keep weight down.
Have you tried towing another person in foil behind you?
I haven’t tried towing anyone behind me yet. Would prob be very difficult.
Runtimes on flat water with a very efficient wing is about 50 min. In waves where you release the boogie and ride a wave I’ve been out for about 3 hours before. That’s just on and off playing around waiting for a set.
I tow when I’m kiting, and it doesn’t take much power as soon as I’m up foiling on the axis 1010.
Are you prone paddling back to the boogie in waves, any difficulty getting back to it on bigger days? I was wondering how stable it is when it’s towing through swell, has it flipped over? I was considering using one to tow out about 2km to a break, and anchoring it there while I prone foil.
So my friend and I have used it to tow ourselves, a sup, two surfboards and a surf foil to a break before. We could have driven but we were lazy. We used an anchor on the sup to keep everything from drifting.
I have taken it out on big days but the thing is when it’s big there’s people. I’ve gotten lucky where it was just me on those days. The key is launch yourself just before the bring and pump your way in. It has flipped over and you have to self right it. You have to be hyper aware of the tow boogie and the relation of the tow rope to the prop at all times. If it gets sucked up there’s a good chance you gotta paddle in. It’s not an easy fix with water and waves breaking on you.
Also yes I just paddle myself back to it. I just want to make it a point to NEVER do it near any other water users.
Update on version 3. Testing begins tomorrow. Too windy today to get a baseline in. New way to mount the batteries to reduce stress on the motor mount block.
Having a kort nozzle might help to keep the tow rope out of the prop.
How thick are the Manta propellor blades compared to the FR prop, and could that contribute to increased power usage, but maybe a bit safer for toes that bump the moving prop?
Is fine control of the throttle critical on tow boogie? Considering the vx3 remote for possibly better waterproofing, but it seems to have less throttle resolution than maytech.
I blades are about the same thickness as the flying rodeo. The area of blade looking from the back is more than the flying rodeo.
Smooth throttle control definitely helps as any hard increases in throttle is translated to your hand holding the rope. Yes you can hold on to it during that burst in power but it’s uncomfortable.
Once I get more time I’d like to play around with nozzles and prop guard’s. Even just thicken the portion of the rope closest to the tow boogie so it has resistance to flex.
So cool!
Do you use a parallel battery connector for the Lipos? Also, for your first build you mentioned a white plug that the power cord can pass through. Are these things I need to add to my list of things to buy?
Thanks so much!
Perhaps less flexible and also more buoyant? I have used pieces of pool noodle before on the rope when doing sketchy towing things with small outboard motors. I wonder if this is the same material as the pool noodle foam?
Ok, so you’ll want a series connection if you decide to use a 120kv motor. A series connection will make your 2x 6s 20A batteries into a 12s 20A battery. A parallel connection would make your 2x 6s 20A batteries into a 6s 40A battery. You want to go with the former. You can make the adapter your self.
Also I looked backed at my posts. That white cable gland I used is NOT necessary on the batteries. It was my attempt to introduce more water proof measures for the batteries. In summary it does nothing as the plastic is not nearly as heavy duty as it implies.
You would still need cable glands (the PG9 for 8 awg wire) for the outter plastic housing.
For that tow rope, that rubber is quite pricey! I think maybe pipe insulation is more than sufficient. I will play around with those ideas another time. The windy season is upon us and kiteboarding takes priority.
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Also I had questions on how to wire up the vesc 75300.
Love what you’re doing! …been collecting components to do my own efoil build. In the meantime, I want to get on the water. I’m convinced the tow boogie is the way.
So, I’ve been provided wires with the Maytec remote. One side mates with the receiver, but the other doesn’t connect with the vesc without modification.
Did you clip the vesc end of the wires and add the white two and three pin female pin head connectors?
