Messages

1

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: "Lay down Jibe" - Better for Light wind?

« on: April 20, 2021, 06:56:55 AM »

Here.  Graceful and compelling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vboTw9JpFc

2

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Tails with Vertical Angles

« on: April 19, 2021, 06:29:23 PM »

I was wondering if people have had experience with Tails that are Flat vs. Vertical and how that may help go upwind. 

In other words any Dihedral or Anhedral angle creates a vertical planform (shadow) that effectively acts like a tailfin.  Alternately some flip tip tails, like the GoFoil, have vertical tips.

Would this Vertical Planform area help go upwind better because it's acting like a Vertical Fin at the tail end of the fuselage?  More to push against and drive upwind. 

3

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: Big Echos

« on: April 16, 2021, 02:21:17 PM »

I have the 5M Echo.  While I 'understand' the problem of the tail sinking I no longer have a problem with it. 

When I climb on the board I always have my hand on the center soft handle.  And I push my hand DOWN on the deck as I am moving around or getting stable.  A quick movement of your hand forward is typically enough to fly the clew free.  If it sinks push your hand back down on the deck and the small air pocket between water and sail should fill and start flying the clew.

This works in bay and open ocean with solid wind.  I had some problems in the 5 knots of upwind current under the Golden Gate bridge which made things wonky. 

PS: I am still envious of the upwind ability of the F1 Strike.  But I am becoming more of a boom guy so I am holding out for the Duotone SLICK (I had to look the name up too many 1 syllable names)

4

SUP General / Re: What to do when caught inside?

« on: April 15, 2021, 07:39:01 PM »

Lots of support for the tail handles on the previous page including the 19 pages that taught me or convinced me to use and make them.

Here was my version with some stretchy leach material attached by 3M stick on mounts.  These mounts STAY ON.

5

SUP General / Re: What to do when caught inside?

« on: April 15, 2021, 07:32:09 PM »

Here is a video I made of the tail handle in Action.

You have to make sure the tail handle stretches, and will allow you to release your grip.  Otherwise it will pinch you fingers to the board or rip your fingers off  . . . which is nice.

These tail handles keep the board close and will perform in up to ~ 5 feet of whitewater 

6

Gear Talk / Re: KeNalu Paddle Catastrophe

« on: April 15, 2021, 07:24:44 PM »

Just add resin you'll be good for a hundred more sessions.

7

Windfoiling, Windsurf Foiling / Re: Anyone seen this harness hook before?

« on: April 15, 2021, 07:23:35 PM »

I am liking the Maniac hook BUT I consciously do this ACT every time before getting on the board:

1) Find the board leash and climb over it underwater so it's behind me
2) Slide the Maniac hook to the STERN of the board.  IT's easier to grab it from behind, with free back hand, to center if I forget.
3) Hold the wing handle in my hand and climb on board
4) Get to knees and center the maniac hook
5) Stand up and fly

8

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: Swing V2

« on: April 13, 2021, 01:32:57 PM »

I can testify to the upwind performance. I was on my 5.0 Strike yesterday on the Southside and carved an upwind line that felt downright weird. I was balanced right on the edge of being backwinded and it seemed like I was flying straight into the wind swell.

To quote yourself!  I assume you have been on the 1150 foil before but the STRIKE was the new ingredient.  I have heard that these wings MOTOR upwind, and watched Jeff Clark come on the same tack from downwind pointing higher and going faster and catching up to me. 

9

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: Winging in Waves ADVICE

« on: April 13, 2021, 12:49:54 PM »

The breaking waves were probably this size.  Jeff Clark was out with me and he was going deeper than I was willing to go.  He also had the F-One STRIKE that just motored him upwind.  He is ~ 6 months ahead of my with his skill set. 

Something Jeff commented on was the desire for a smaller foil in the surf.  This makes sense since the speeds pick up from 12 - 14 mph when cruising vs. 18 - 24 mph if you are truly ripping down the line of a wave face. 

This guy's advice below is TOP NOTCH - Don't Fall!

https://magazine.wingsurfworld.com/issue-01/wave-wonder/

10

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: Winging in Waves ADVICE

« on: April 13, 2021, 12:42:39 PM »

I want nothing to do with 10ft @16s.  . . . .
The local guys that are learning riding bigger waves seem to be kinda shoulder hopping onto the wave and staying further away from the lip on the top turns than they would if they were prone surfing or windsurfing. That sounds kinda lame, but they are getting better all the time, so more power to them. . . .

It was 16 feet @ 15 seconds - Much, Much Bigger BUT there was a channel and I wanted nothing to do with the TRUE breaking waves. 
Because there was a channel I didn't have to fight through shore break.  Then I was just winging in BIG outside swell.  Probably like doing a downwinder in Hawaii at that point. 

Windsurfers were going deeper and getting right up to the breaking face, which I used to do as a windsurfer, but I was totally content going back and forth in the channel and sneaking towards some shoulders. 

My reference to riding with the 'waves' above was going with the swell in the open ocean.  BUT I was avoiding doing Jibes on some of the swell because it was TOO big and I feared what would happen going 20+ mph downwind doing a high speed Tomahawk cartwheeling yard sale.

Once on the wave I want to ride, I stay in my natural stance and feel totally at home never switching my feet. I’m 100% confident toe side surfing.

So I only ride wrong foot forward to rest my legs or beat upwind to the peak. I’m pretty sure most people do the same. All my buddies do it like I do.

DW: This was more like what I was trying to do.  I had the fleeting thought of just mastering regular foot surf foiling. 

11

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: Winging in Waves ADVICE

« on: April 13, 2021, 07:19:57 AM »

Here is the speed profile from the same 'wave'.  Average = 10.7 mph.

I was riding the GoFoil GL210.  Interestingly my 5 HP boat does 10 mph and I don't think I could fly the GL210 behind the boat.  BUT with a wing overhead the foil flies nicely. 

1) Flying INTO the waves - No Problem. You have to figure out how to absorb the wave faces and not breach but keeping speed and flight is relatively manageable.

2) Flying PORT with the waves - Bigger Problem.  The waves are traveling at ~ 15 mph dead downwind.  I am flying on a reach @ 12 mph.  When the wave approaches you can fly downwind for a bit but then the wave passes under you and leaves you climbing the back of the wave on the verge of stall.  I start to point higher, pick up some power and move on ().

With a windsurfer there was so much power and speed that you would just muscle through these sections.  Not so much at this stage with the Wing-Ding.   

12

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Winging in Waves ADVICE

« on: April 13, 2021, 07:09:21 AM »

I have graduated from the Harbor to the Ocean.  35 sessions of experience.   

A month ago I went back to my favorite windsurfing spot and started to wing there.  The wind is typically 20 mph powered to fully powered 5.0.

Part of me thinks "Take your medicine and figure it out."  The other part realizes 'be humble a--holee . . . and ask for some advice.'  So here I am.

This weekend was big . . . no it was huge. I surf foiled in the morning and it was 12 feet @ 10 seconds.  But this is just average 'big' when surf foiling.  When I got to the wing sailing spot the channel closed out and I thought 'man that only happens when it is enormous.'  But I ignored it and went out anyways.  Turned out the buoys had picked up to 16 feet at 15 seconds.  WTF!

Regardless the size wasn't so much the issue as foot transitions and sailing with the wave.

I am goofy foot.  Wind blows Northwest so I am coming towards shore either:

1) Crack head stance - Toe Side - Goofy foot (comfortable)

2) Heel side sailing on port regular stance (Getting better)

Winging is MUCH, much slower than foil surfing at least at my stage.  The challenge comes when I am regular foot, uncomfortable, flying with the waves.  To stay with the wave energy requires pointing downwind and picking up moocho speed.  Regular stance I am just not comfortable flying fast.  Example 15 mph (fast) vs 23 mph (very fast). 

Then I realized Just Learn to Surf Regular stance.  I thought 'Why not just start foiling in regular stance until I am as good as goofy, or close enough, not to care?'

I would otherwise try to sail WAY, WAY upwind and then try to downwind with the wave goofy foot but I can't make any good upwind progress when I am toe side (Crack-Head stance).

Here is an example of my longest ride.  Staying in the Goofy stance for several minutes.  Not making ANY upwind progress, but this is better than I have been doing which was to just fade downwind.

13

Random / Re: the Corona Virus, One year of Covid-19

« on: April 09, 2021, 08:06:30 AM »

Got my 2nd Moderna on the first. . . .  But I know the amount of people who will change their minds is zero from anything I write here but the anti-vax thing is insanity.

We are on the brink of wave 4 and it blows my mind that I talk to people who are “just not sure” about getting the vaccine. Do your part. Get it and wear your effing mask in public and this will pass.

To quote my latest favorite book:  The Demon Haunted World

"Whenever our ethnic or national prejudices are aroused, in times of scarcity, during challenges to national self-esteem or nerve, when we agonize about our diminished cosmic place and purpose, or when fanaticism is bubbling up around us - then, habits of thought familiar from ages past reach for the controls.

The candle flame gutters. Its little pool of light trembles. Darkness gathers. The demons begin to stir." - Carl Sagan

Demons demons everywhere.

After I got my first shot one of my friends said "How's that microchip feel in your arm?"  And he was serious.  People think Bill Gates is injecting them with a tracking device or we are lemmings going down for the count.  With all science you have to recognize that the probability of anything is rarely 0% or 100%.  But I would bet against the chip in the arm theory. 

14

Foil SUP / Re: One problem with forums...

« on: April 08, 2021, 06:34:33 AM »

Wow! There is a reason all of this 'coolness' starts in Hawaii. 

The size and heave of those swells as displayed by the drone footage is a total different animal.  Picture a 20,000 foot mountain rising from the bottom of the sea floor.  Swells traveling unfetched, 1000's of miles.

I tried to downwind in Connecticut in 50 mph winds and could only fly on my big slow Maliko M200 wing.  Think 8 miles of fetch in 25 feet of water.  No comparison.

15

Foil SUP / Re: Goddam Sup Foiling is fun

« on: April 07, 2021, 12:40:17 PM »

Oh, and fuck you foil designers that put sharp wingtips on these sexy foils.  I paid good money for the foil without realizing it is probably going to cost me almost as much over its life in repairing and replacing westuits.  Half the time I go out I'm putting a cut into the wetsuit.  And that's after taking a sanding block to take the super sharp edges down.  Guess I'll take the block to them again.

I was going to make a snarky comment about "Oh so you want to go fast . . . . well then get used to the sharp foils." 

Then I thought about our marine mammal friends.  The FASTEST we are going on foils, in surf, is 25 mph.  I dare anyone to show me a 30 mph reading in the surf.  Dolphins can move way faster than this with huge underwater bodies and their fins are NOT sharp.

Someone: FIGURE IT OUT.

PS: I have drawn blood on both feet and other parts of my body from the foil so I am no stranger to the pain and bloodletting.  Here was a recent blow from the tail fin in the surf.  This was from the leading edge through my wetsuit and I think my watchband too.  Good thing it was sideways.