OXZAAluminium vs carbon vs titanium foil fuselage: what you actually get
What a fuselage has to do
Hold the front wing and stabilizer in a fixed relationship to each other and to the mast, under pumping loads that reverse dozens of times a minute, in salt water, without getting heavier than it must. Every material answers that brief differently.
The three, honestly
| AL — 7075-T6 aluminium | CF — carbon fiber | TI — titanium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stiffness | High | High in bending, lower in torsion | Highest |
| Weight | Heaviest | Lightest | Between |
| Corrosion | Anodised; rinse after salt, anti-seize on bolts | Immune, but surface scratches need care | Immune |
| Impact | Dents | Can delaminate on hard rock strikes | Shrugs it off |
| Feel | Solid, predictable | Light, slightly lively | Dead-stiff, direct |
| Price (FU700, direct) | $450 | $500 | $1,000 |
Where stiffness shows up
You feel fuselage stiffness in two places: pumping (a flexy fuselage soaks up part of each pump) and high-aspect turns (a long span loads the fuselage in torsion; flex shows as a vague, late turn-in). Riders on L and R wings notice titanium first. Riders on an A 800 with a mid mast mostly won't.
Where corrosion shows up
Aluminium and titanium bolts are a galvanic pair in salt water. Anodising and anti-seize manage it; neglect does not. If you ride salt three times a week and rinse sometimes, titanium is cheaper than the aluminium fuselage you will replace in year three. The hardware guide covers the routine.
Our recommendation by rider
- First setup: AL. Put the money into the wing.
- Second season, salt water, pumping more: TI in the same length. Wings, mast and stab carry over.
- Weight-obsessed, fresh water, careful with rocks: CF.
- Windsurf race: FU1000 is titanium only — the load case demands it.
Length matters more than material
If you are choosing between an aluminium FU860 and a titanium FU700, pick by length first — it changes the ride far more than the material does. The fuselage guide explains the lengths.
Questions
Is a titanium foil fuselage worth it?
If you ride a lot in salt water, run high-aspect or race wings, or feel flex in turns — yes. For a first setup, aluminium 7075-T6 gives you most of the stiffness at less than half the price.
Does fuselage material change compatibility?
No. An FU700 T8 in aluminium, carbon or titanium takes exactly the same wings, mast and stabilizer.
#fuselage #titanium #carbon #aluminium #materials
Keep reading
Wing foil gear for beginners: the complete setup checklist
Everything a first-time wing foiler needs — board, foil (front wing, mast, fuselage, stabilizer), wing, leashes, wetsuit, safety — with sizes by body weight and what to skip. Direct prices for the REVSTAR foil part.
Where to wing foil in Hood River: the Gorge spot guide
The main Hood River launches for wing foiling, windsurf-foiling and kitefoiling — Sandbar, the Event Site, Wells Island, Stevenson, Rowena — with wind, current, crowd and skill notes from the OXZA workshop down the road.
High aspect vs low aspect foil wings: which one should you ride?
High-aspect hydrofoil wings glide and pump further; low-aspect wings lift early and forgive mistakes. How to decide by your riding, your conditions and your skill — with REVSTAR examples from AR 7 to AR 13.