Advanced Beginner Advice

[SUPladomi]

Take my observations and advice with a grain of salt. They are based on exactly one session this morning with a 2.8 (Thanks Bill!). It went awesome as I wasn't sure I would even be able to get up to my feet. I was able to fly both directions with no issues. I will add that I did a lot of towfoiling and I am a competent strapless kitefoiler as a result. I can ride toeside with no issues and can do a flying jibe inconsistently.

•   More wind is better until it gets over 25 mph

You need a smaller wing for 25. 5M wing in 25 is probably like windsurfing a 6.0 in 25. Doable but too much. You probably would have been crushing it with a 4M wing.

•   My knees got all bloodied up.  I need to go from knees to standing almost instantly to avoid this

Son of a bitch this is painful. I was cursing so much it would have made a sailor cry.

•   I am switching my feet and using footstraps I can’t even comprehend how to sail back side but as a windsurfer I am good with this

Lose the straps (again my opinion). You have a lot more freedom to move your feet and make micro adjustments. Riding toeside will be more comfortable.

•   Flying on Port tack is learning to foil all over again.  Hunching over bending my knees rearing up and breaching.  I have to think hard to keep the nose down.  Control is coming oddly from my back foot.  All terrifying and fun

Obviously this will come with time. See advice below.

•   10 to 12 mph – No way.  This results in a 30-degree downwind angle.  Make sure there is an easy place to walk home from

I'll be curious to see in time, how close you get to this threshold. I was surprised as the wind began to shut off how I was able to pump the wing and foil and get flying.


•   Check the gear – Specifically the tag attached to wrist leash.  When it started gusting to 30+ my 5.0 Duotone was porpoising out of control.  Up, Down, Up, Down then SNAP it went flying. 

Seeing how much the wing was flopping around today made me wonder if it was possible for the wrist leash to slip off in very strong wind.

Questions:
•   Any advice for foiling on weak side?  I have convinced myself this will just take time

Didn't you teach Ruby how to foil towing with a motorized dinghy? Get back on that thing and tow on your weak side. Then cross the wake and voila, you are riding toeside! Make sure you do it on your weak side just as much as your strong side.

•   Jibing on foil – No Fragging way.  Please Advise!

Again get towing with the dinghy! Practice stepping your back foot forward up to your front foot while staying flying. You should be able to get it real close like within 6". Then in your normal stance oscillate up and down while flying. Once you are feeling the rhythm, on the way up right before you go weightless step your back foot up to your front foot and then back before oscillating back down. Once that starts going well then you've got to go for the whole foot switch using the same process. Try to keep your torso upright and centered. Once that goes well, carve towards the wake and switch your feet before crossing it. Boom! You've done a jibe! If you want more, then try the whole process while riding toeside.

I am trying to become a professional beginner FAST

Hopefully you'll find something useful in all that. Good luck!

[Beasho]

I am a learning Machine: Thank you for All the Advice

1) At first I said "No Way" to knee pads.  Then I bought them.  Fit great.  Excited to use them.  I may even use them while I am surf foiling for crawling on the board.  Although I don't like to fall very often 

2) SUPladomi pushed me over the edge and I got the kids to drive the boat while I foiled regular foot (my weak side).  Given that the kids can learn to foil pretty quickly behind the boat I shouldn't have much of a problem.  10 minutes per session of dragging goes a long way towards getting comfortable.

3) The wind was blowing 10 to 12.  A bit light for my skills.  But I took out the 35 year old Windsurfer One with a dagger-board and sailed around with the 6.4 Slingshot. 

So No Wind No Problem - Use the boat

If the wind is light - Take out the Windsurfer

I am still going to use the Maliko 200 for the first several sessions but once I get a few more miles of travel I will likely swap out to the GL210.

Thank you again for all the advice.  Keep it coming.

[Beasho]

This video was a great help and where I got the "Use a Windsurfer" advice:

[Beasho]

Here I was flying around in what looks like Light Air.  It actually was 15 to 20.

[obxDave]

Here I was flying around in what looks like Light Air.  It actually was 15 to 20.

Looks like perfect training conditions .  How did you get the shot? 

The way I see it every session is about learning/trying something. I like to think of it as the perpetual advanced beginner stage. Yesterday we were all on our small wings with 20-30 conditions. I was back to beginner status using my 3.3 Echo for the first time (first time I used anything under 4m). It was a wee bit strange the first few minutes but I slowly settled in with it and had a great time. Tacking into 30 mph winds in chop height that was  2/3rds the mast height with my "toy" wing was interesting!

[Beasho]

New England, specifically Eastern CT, has been terrible for this wind-wing passion and learning.  2 days on and then 4 weeks OFF. 

This is the reason I moved West.

Tropical Storm turned Hurricane Isaias provided some relief.  The wind jumped from 10 to 40 mph with gusts to 60.  Liquid smoke.  And then the power went out.  Nothing to do but Downwind Connecticut Style.

 

[headmount]

Looks like the conditions I'd like.  For jibe learning this seems perfect.  That is the light air picture

[PonoBill]

Thank you again for all the advice.  Keep it coming.

Sure, here's some advice. Don't post pictures of your feet. They are almost as ugly as mine.

[Beasho]

The wind is UP!  First time in 5 weeks!!!!!

Yes 5 WEEKS!  This is why it is so hard to learn in New England (at least Ct).

Goods news - Have 1 more hour under my belt.  Took off on my weak side (Regular foot sailing Port). 

NO PROBLEM!  Rather I flew on the foil and didn't feel massively uncomfortable.  Completed a planing jibe from Starboard(Goofy) to Port and didn't switch my feet.  Went right into 'toeside sailing.'  This is the only way I could understand toeside.  Definitely want to be TORQUED up with wind when going into a jibe.  It's nice to be planing (or foiling) with ZERO apparent wind and have the sail just gently switch over. 

I took the following advice:
1) Got the knee pads - Thanks OBX
2) Ditched the M200 but it felt like a kid walking away from my blanky.  Went with the GL210. Thanks Pono
3) Stayed Overpowered.  Wind 15 to 25 and went with the SS V2 6.4 Meter. 

4) About to add a harness line.  It gets tiring when overpowered.  Just have to figure out Length??? - Thanks DW

More to come.  I'll take some artistic video.  Try to make a 3rd session look interesting without looking like an old guy flailing around as a beginner.  More to come. 

[PonoBill]

Take DW's advice on what harness lines to use (Duotone adjustable with both end adjustable. I'm using the 22-28" all the way extended). Take my advioce and find a DaKine Maniac hook. Most come with the 2" belt intended to attach the hook to a harness. I just extended the belt a bit and added velcro so I could run the belt through the included stainless steel buckle and reverse it to velcro securely. Works great and you can easily shove it out of the way to remount without board damage or all the way to the back when you just don't need the hook. I use the same belt for my board leash.

[Dwight (DW)]

I'm at 28" on the harness line. Adjustable is the safe bet.

We are not windsurfing or kiting, so harness does not need to be belly crushing tight to hold it in place. So my relaxed harness fit, allows my spreader bar hook to fold down when it hits the board rail. It doesn't punch or ding the rail, or dig at the deck pad. I ignore the hook.

[Beasho]

Take my advioce and find a DaKine Maniac hook. Most come with the 2" belt intended to attach the hook to a harness. I just extended the belt a bit and added velcro so I could run the belt through the included stainless steel buckle and reverse it to velcro securely. Works great and you can easily shove it out of the way to remount without board damage or all the way to the back when you just don't need the hook. I use the same belt for my board leash.

We are not windsurfing or kiting, so harness does not need to be belly crushing tight to hold it in place. So my relaxed harness fit, allows my spreader bar hook to fold down when it hits the board rail. It doesn't punch or ding the rail, or dig at the deck pad. I ignore the hook.

Now you guys tell me!   Just figured out that the traditional waist harness - YES TIGHT - punches at the board everytime you get back on the board.  Fortunately my board has a pad. 

[obxDave]

3) Stayed Overpowered.  Wind 15 to 25 and went with the SS V2 6.4 Meter. 

Do you think you could have pumped up on foil with a smaller hand wing?  6.4m sounds huge for 15-25, even with the GL210.  What's your next size down from the 6.4m?

Used to live in Westchester County (NY) many moons ago, and drove to CT to windsurf. Summer winds were nothing or briefly screaming around storms. I feel for ya!

[bigmtn]

Take my advioce and find a DaKine Maniac hook. Most come with the 2" belt intended to attach the hook to a harness. I just extended the belt a bit and added velcro so I could run the belt through the included stainless steel buckle and reverse it to velcro securely. Works great and you can easily shove it out of the way to remount without board damage or all the way to the back when you just don't need the hook. I use the same belt for my board leash.

Got one, and used the hook today for first time. Couple questions. Did I read earlier that you opened the hook up a bit? And any tips on getting the harness line in and out of the hook while riding? Haha I was able to get it in after a few attempts, but then couldn't get it to come out. Then I fell and it was even harder to unhook it! Haha! (Using the stock f-one harness line)

Also can you post a pic of how you extended the belt/webbing the hook comes with? I used some other webbing that I had made a freedive weight belt with, but not sure if I trust the plastic clasps I used...

[Beasho]

I'm at 28" on the harness line. Adjustable is the safe bet.

We are not windsurfing or kiting, so harness does not need to be belly crushing tight to hold it in place.

I'm not sure how long this is.  It felt "OK" but looks like a late 70's homemade attempt at a harness line.  Floppy, too wide . . . . ADVICE?

What I realized is that without the harness "foil-winging" fells like Wave Sailing (with a Windsurfer).  When doing true down the line wave sailing you can't stay in your harness.  You unhook and dance down the line with the wave, board and sail.   2 hours and you're cooked.  You only hook back in to sail out to sea and rest.  With the harness, in flat water, you could sail for 4 to 5 hours without simply falling over from exhaustion.