Author Topic: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle  (Read 4398 times)

clay

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Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« on: May 06, 2017, 01:09:28 PM »
A few more baby steps towards learning how to foil:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xeEJkc8P5k


After the battery on the camera died I actually had a ride for a few seconds, a bit squirrelly, and probably the longest wave ride I have had yet.

I wasn't sure I could even foil here, kelp and shallow bottom and often crowded.  So stoked to have another go to spot, in the winter this spot has days that are total mushburgers and not very fun on any board, so could be great for foiling.
Aloha, I welcome and appreciate all responses of positivity and good feeling.

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SupPadre

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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2017, 02:54:54 PM »
Looks like a pretty big slice of humble pie trying to learn, but it looks like a lot of fun also.

surfcowboy

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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2017, 03:19:10 PM »
You're getting there man.

What are your insights so far?

And a question. Are you starting your paddle further out than you would to catch a wave normally? Or are you in the lineup where you normally would be?

I'm trying to envision how fast you are going when the wave comes. When I'm on a short SUP, my frantic paddling throws me off balance and I'm wondering if it works the same here or if you're further out and already at speed.

That seems like one benefit of having a longer foil board, less acceleration needed to get up on foil.

The hockey/lacrosse helmet us a damn good idea too.

Kookalicious

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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2017, 03:40:15 PM »
Another great video, thanks for sharing. I like how you armored up, I took a few body blows from the board before I purchased an impact vest.

One tip I can pass along...once you start to take off and your back foot is above the mast (a small kickpad there helps mark the spot), try slightly crouching down, squaring up the shoulders and leaning forward a bit. You want to load up that front foot because its going to to be key in modulating your lift. You'll notice the stance I refer to by watching a lot of pro videos. 

I noticed when I took off with a more traditional upright surf stance, I was soon bucked off backwards due to the foil wanting to lift up immediately.

Looking forward to your next video!


SUPcheat

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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2017, 06:27:34 PM »
Cowells might be a good spot at high tide with a lot of soft non breaking swells coming in.

I read over at SeaBreeze that Colas said it takes about 150 waves to learn basic foil balance, so it is a whole new leaning curve.
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Night Wing

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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2017, 07:52:40 AM »
@Claly

Just curious.

Have you tried learning to foil on a longer board? For a beginner; in my opinion, I think the shorter a foil board is, the harder it is to learn to foil.

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surfcowboy

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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2017, 10:32:01 AM »
Wing, I wonder about that too. I'm 50/50 on that. It seems like once you were up, it could be harder to manage a longer board since you might have to take a step to balance it, but paddling in and getting up are probably easier on a longer board.

Notice that none of the guys who are doing it a lot are staying on longer boards. The trend is downward with prone shortboards becoming fairly common. (Lord, can you imagine having to pop up at the same time you are coming onto foil?)

I'd like to know more, who's tried both, the BluePlanet crew has, I know.

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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2017, 11:16:10 AM »
Reality check time...here's a good vid to watch for any aspiring foiler...

https://youtu.be/RkNA5SaH1c4

There are some near misses of the foil on human body in here that would require more than just a few stitches to fix up...;-)

Foiler - definition of Foiler by The Free Dictionary

n. 1. One who foils or frustrates.

www.thefreedictionary.com/Foiler



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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2017, 11:40:53 AM »
havent surfed one before but have wake surfed boards from 5 to 13 feet and i can tell your shorter is easier in every respect!

clay

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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2017, 01:54:30 PM »
Hi,

Thanks for the comments and I appreciate the feedback.

My insights are pretty cloudy at this point, I need more flying time to be able to speak with any confidence.  Only thing I am really sure of is that foiling is hard and addicting.  I feel more comfortable after every session, and after 5 I still feel confused.

I am on a 12 foot board, and this is the only foil board I have tried.  Catching waves is effortless, basically no paddle if I want to.  Late take offs are sketchy, and having more strokes and getting in really early helps to setup and have my feet in the right spot, but once flying I imagine having a smaller board would be much more preferred.

That wipeout video looks crazy to me. I am shocked that they tried it in those kind of waves without helmets or protective gear, and it looked like they were lucky not to get hurt.

Weighting my front foot and crouching down makes sense to me.  It seems like knowing how to surf is counterproductive to learning to foil, all the big movements that work well while surfing get me into trouble when I do them on the foil.  On the first wave in this video I hop back a big step and the foil shoots up like a catapult, killing speed and then the foil drops just as quickly.  And it all happens so fast that it's challenging to understand what is happening and remember on the next outing.

All in all fun and challenging.  ;D
Aloha, I welcome and appreciate all responses of positivity and good feeling.

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surfcowboy

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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2017, 03:00:43 PM »
Oh yes lol.

Clay, I love that you're documenting it all so well.

And thanks I sort of intuited that they would catch easy but then there's the timing thing. I totally can see where knowing what you know could mess you up. Even learning a new timing on the wave is hard. When I switched to prone surfing a lot I was always 20 feet too far out due to my time on a SUP. Now I'm slowly learning to trust being in closer but it took me a season and I'm still not quite there.

Unlearning the "catch wave, step back" that we've all had to master for SUP surfing has got to take some time for sure.

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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2017, 03:10:43 PM »
Forgot to say that on that video it's pretty clear that the lighter you are the better. That SUP wasn't getting lift at a pretty decent speed and that guy doesn't look that big. Meanwhile the light guys on the surfboard were popping up on foil immediately.

I see now what Pono is talking about as far as Sam and the others just barely making it work. You need Hawaiian waves to juice that up.

Good news Clay!

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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2017, 07:45:38 PM »
If you're going out for the first time
1. pick a wave that's under your skill level.
1a. A crumbling wave is easier than a hollow wave.
2. Pick a high line rather than surf it like a SUP/surfboard so don't bottom turn. Due to the water flow in a wave a foil gets better lift near the top of the wave. Stay there.
4. Longer masts can have a few inches of sideways flex so slow steady movements make it easier to balance.

patfly

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Re: Learning to Foil Surf - day 5 - New Camera Angle
« Reply #13 on: May 09, 2017, 07:42:03 AM »
Clay, thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts. And to others who are adding to this thread.
I am heading to Maui in June armed with a new foil which I will mount on my 9' Naish sup. Been riding small South Maui summer waves for years and this will be my first attempt to sup foil.
I am so stoked to try this!
Keep it up!

 


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