North Horizon Downwind Foilboard

The North Horizon Downwind Foilboard is North's dedicated downwind and SUP foil board, built around a full-carbon construction developed in collaboration with shaper Jaimie Scott. The board uses a long, narrow hull shape inspired by outrigger kayaks and performance skiffs, with the goal of getting onto foil early and with minimal pumping effort. It serves multiple disciplines including downwind paddle foiling, SUP foil surfing, prone foiling, tow-kite foiling, and light-wind wing foiling.

The Horizon features a displacement hull that allows the nose to penetrate chop rather than slap against it, letting riders synchronize their board pumping with their foil pump for efficient takeoffs. A pulled-in tail reduces drag and improves tracking during both paddled sections and foil touchdowns, while forgiving forward rails transition to a sharper profile behind the foil mount for clean water release once on foil. The standing area has a slightly concave deck shape for added stability, topped with an EVA deck pad that includes raised rail edges and an extended tail section for wing foiling use.

• Construction: Full carbon with internal PVC stringer reinforcement
• Foil Mount: DropBox adjustable track system (90 mm spacing)
• Thickness: 6.5" (all sizes)
• 95 L: 6'10" long × 17.5" wide, 11.72 kg
• 105 L: 7'5" long × 18" wide, 12.88 kg
• 115 L: 7'10" long × 18.5" wide, 13.66 kg
• 125 L: 8'4" long × 19" wide, 13.84 kg

North publishes rider-weight guidelines for the Horizon that split into intermediate and advanced brackets. The 95 L suits advanced riders up to roughly 75 kg (or intermediates under 65 kg), while the 125 L is sized for advanced riders above 95 kg. In practice, this means the board is aimed at riders who already have basic foil skills — comfortable pumping onto foil and managing a paddle or wing simultaneously — rather than complete beginners. Its multi-discipline design makes it a strong option for riders who want a single board for downwind runs, flat-water SUP foiling sessions, and marginal-wind days on a wing.

The displacement hull and low swing weight from the carbon layup favor efficiency over forgiveness, so riders who are still learning water starts or basic foil balance would likely benefit from a higher-volume, wider platform first. For intermediate-to-advanced foilers looking to explore open-ocean downwind runs or extend their light-wind range, the Horizon sits squarely in that sweet spot.

The Horizon is North's first purpose-built downwind foilboard, filling a gap in their range alongside wing-specific boards like the Swell and Cross. Where those boards prioritize maneuverability and shorter lengths for wave riding or freestyle wing foiling, the Horizon goes long and narrow to maximize glide and early foil engagement in flatwater and open-ocean bump conditions. North pairs it with their DropBox mounting system, which uses standard 90 mm bolt spacing and is compatible with most foil brands.

In the broader market, the Horizon competes with boards like the Ensis Spin Drift and the KT Surfing Drifter — other full-carbon downwind foilboards in a similar size and price bracket. Its four-size range from 95 L to 125 L covers a wide spread of rider weights, and the consistent 6.5-inch thickness across all sizes keeps the rail profile low for efficient paddling strokes.