First Flight - Downwind Foil Surfing San Francisco Bay

[clay]

Super stoked I was able to fly the foil on a downwind run in San Francisco Bay!  I felt quite overwhelmed at first, took me a while to figure out where to stand and how to paddle and feel comfortable.  Wind was around 20, maybe a bit more at the start of our run and less towards the end.  Looking forward to a more favorable wind direction and cleaner steeper bumps.

I had so many concerns going in:  Am I too heavy to foil in the bay?  would the relatively flat board pearl?  Would I lift and then pearl or get thrown in the confused seas?  Not lift at all?  Exhaust myself trying to balance and catch a glide?  Glad the answer to all these concerns is no - except the exhausting part, I am still good and tired this morning. 

The bumps improved about half way through and I was catching a few here and there.  Then I caught a good one, connected, and the ride was long enough to get my feet set and lift the foil:

[blueplanetsurf]

Nice Clay.  I know how challenging it is to get the foil to fly on a downwinder.  Since Kai Lenny's video, everyone thinks downwinders are the killer application for the foils but it is really difficult to make it all come together.

[clay]

Thanks Robert!   Yeah after a couple downwind foil attempts Kai seems like a superhero.  I originally thought DW was the killer app for foiling, now I'm thinking it's more unbroken and or gutless waves.

I still have hopes for a nuking downwind foil day, and at the same time this looks a lot more appealing:

[Night Wing]

@clay

Excellent drone sup foil surfing video. 

Thanks for sharing it.