It very well may be, also, that foil design advances enough that it becomes practical for the rest of us. Back in '99 kitesurfing was horrific the kites were terrible. Now, the technology has advanced to the point where it's relatively safe and accessible. Hopefully SUP foils get to the same place.

My favorite T shirt says "Too dumb for Opera, Too smart for NASCAR."

I've always felt NASCAR was just pro-wrestling with engines. 

It very well may be, also, that foil design advances enough that it becomes practical for the rest of us. Back in '99 kitesurfing was horrific the kites were terrible. Now, the technology has advanced to the point where it's relatively safe and accessible. Hopefully SUP foils get to the same place.
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Yep. I fully expect each new generation to be leaps and bounds better than the last for a few cycles. My hope is they become performant enough to work in medium conditions. It just might be the ticket for messy crossed up days. I used to Airchair, I know it's the schiznit for messier surface conditions. It wasn't that hard to pick up. It's all about finessing the trim and figuring out the delay from input to effect. I love that stuff.

Disagree that foils have been knocked back in recent years. I know they been around for a while but they are really taking off in the sailing world. Anyone following the Vendee Globe race? Stunning. This boat is [was] kicking ass.
   

It's true foils kind of came and went for bigger passenger ships and other motorised craft. I wonder why? Probably not practical in port. Possible it’s the hassle of hitting debris. EG Alex Thomson Racing/Hugo Boss has hit something and lost one foil. Although he's back in the lead again. Maybe fuel has been kept just too cheap with the oil oligarchies in power. We might have to wait Trump out until fossil fuels get expensive enough to again foster development in alt energies or more efficient motorised boats. My guess is the huge boom in foils for sailing will trickle on over to the throttle heads.

We are firmly in the age of foiling. I'll definitely join (in a couple of cycles).

Hmmm. I tend to buy in early, go all out, and either get hurt or get bored, and drop out or minimize participation just as the gear gets good. I didn't have much money in the early days of windsurfing and mountain biking, but what I had, I spent. I'd say that I need to change my ways, but it's a bit late for that. Fortunately, I'm pretty stuck on SUP downwind and surfing, less so on racing, wandering back into motorcycles and car racing, and I'm enjoying building and riding performance electric bicycles. It's enough to keep me off the streets and out of trouble.