Standup Zone Forum

The Foil Zone => Foil SUP => Topic started by: winddoctor on September 27, 2020, 03:41:08 PM

Title: Paddling over breaking waves/bailing
Post by: winddoctor on September 27, 2020, 03:41:08 PM
Hi Zone crew,

Looking for some input on best practices for paddling over a breaking wave on a foil SUP. The odd time it's going to be a situation where it suddenly becomes apparent you're not going to make it over and you need to bail off the side. My last session ended this way and when I surfaced, my foil had ripped out of the board (it was a head high set wave, the boxes may have already been compromised and I was on an 1850 foil). Knowing it's best to always control a board (especially with a foil), I wonder how others handle this situation outside of simply avoiding it completely? My buddy suggested dropping in the water quickly, pointing the nose at the beach and controlling the SUP by the leash webbing as the wave breaks over you. All fine and good if you have the time, but seems pretty tough if you're committed to paddling up and over. I learned a good lesson to really try to avoid having the foil tumble sideways over the falls, but wonder if others have any thoughts?
Title: Re: Paddling over breaking waves/bailing
Post by: Califoilia on September 27, 2020, 06:46:28 PM
Yes, shy of the "don't get in that situation"...I've found that just trying to paddle though/under it if I have a chance, or dive off the front of the board and let the leg leash drag me backwards behind the whitewater until the board releases seems to be the most effective for all components concerned (myself included).

I previously bailed off to the side when need be, but after I guess laying the board over sideways when pushing off sideways, and then having that layover to the side have the foil turn/bring the board back around to me, and have come up right next to it a couple times, and once actually had it come around and hit me in the hand (not hard that time fortunately) when I surfaced with an arm up in front of my face (as I always do).

Somehow I also believe that with me going over/off the front away from the foil, and having it turn and drag me backwards...that I'm also acting sort of like an anchor, and preventing the board/foil from tumbling sideways through the whitewater putting all of the lateral forces on the foil, mast, and ultimately into the weak point of all...the boxes.

Title: Re: Paddling over breaking waves/bailing
Post by: surfcowboy on September 27, 2020, 06:57:11 PM
I’m on a 6’4” foil sup and can almost always just go over/through. Typically since the nose sinks on these things you can just poke through.

I’m also not going out in conditions where I can get in trouble just yet. Head high means “surf” for me these days.
Title: Re: Paddling over breaking waves/bailing
Post by: winddoctor on September 27, 2020, 08:13:49 PM
Thanks for the replies. I'd prefer to not make that mistake again!
Title: Re: Paddling over breaking waves/bailing
Post by: jondrums on September 27, 2020, 09:50:36 PM
1) same as a regular SUP - get into surf stance just before the whitewater hits and rocker the board up and over.  If you try this too early, you expose the entire underside to the whitewater and will get thrown back so work on the timing.    If you're going through a wave that hasn't fully broken yet, you can push the nose into the face of the wave and it'll duck-dive through.  Sometimes even with whitewater coming at you, you want to push the nose into the base of the whitewater and it'll duck underneath - this works even better on the foilboard versus a standard SUP.

2) I found the tail handle works fantastic on a foil sup.  Jump off early, arrange the board nose to shore and hang onto the tail handle.  For some reason the same (big) waves are much less strenuous on the foil SUP versus on a SUP.   I see others put some deck grip on the nose and do the same with the nose pointing out to sea, haven't tried this.
Title: Re: Paddling over breaking waves/bailing
Post by: Califoilia on September 28, 2020, 08:35:56 AM
Yes, the dip the nose under the lip or whitewater is how to get though it...if you haven't completely f'd yourself, and find yourself looking up above your head at either, and that's no longer a possibility, and bailing off is your only option.  :o :'(

The "bail early and grab your rail-saver/webbing of the leash" works also if/when you've really hosed yourself, and know well in advance that you ain't making the top of the lip or the head high+ foam ball is already rumbling down on you. But I also run this as my leash, (https://boardmeetingusa.com/collections/frontpage/products/kaohi-grip-leash-coil), and works far better than trying to grab the thin rail-saver of the leash as you're describing.

(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0016/3826/9030/products/IMG_0924_300x300.png?v=1589811405)

When I used to do the "rail-saver grab", many a time in bigger stuff I'd have it get pulled right through my hand, leaving a nice little rope burn on time, and a small cut on my fingers/palm another. With the Kāohi Leash", the larger padded handle is way easier to hold, and has yet to be pulled out of my hand.

But I still try to avoid this option as much as possible...too much sharp shit whipping around under the board that's still within biting distance of appendages when you're anywhere near the board/foil combo. :(

Title: Re: Paddling over breaking waves/bailing
Post by: Beasho on September 28, 2020, 01:55:28 PM
1) AVOID GETTING HIT BY WHITEWATER

2) Rely on a Tuttle Box to withstand the most punishment

That said I typically try to stand on and sink the nose into the whitewater.  When the whitewater is really big: I was presented with a 10 foot wall of whitewater at Middle Peak in Steamer Lane, Santa Cruz, Buoys were 17 ft @ 17 seconds.   I paddled furiously towards the beach and tried to mitigate the explosion and impact speed from behind.  Everything held together and I surf foiled for another hour before I realized my Tuttle had been compromised.   But that was a 10 foot wall.

Here was another wave on the inside at Mavericks.  Not that I did anything right here BUT I had rebuilt the box 100% Tuttle well reinforced deck to deck.  I would never expect a dual track system to hold up unless DW made it.  Maybe I was lucky but this was just the soft top to a 10+ foot wave.  If the wave goes top to bottom, even a 6 foot wave, all bets are off. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiyRn-AXqkI 
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