Author Topic: Fastest learning method to Foiling  (Read 10796 times)

Lazz

  • Waikiki Status
  • *
  • Posts: 38
    • View Profile
    • Email
Fastest learning method to Foiling
« on: June 05, 2019, 11:43:01 AM »
What do you think is the fastest learning method to Foiling, dragging a SUP-Foil board behind a boat or riding a  eFoil board?
I would be pleased about your opinion.

frenchfoiler

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 146
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2019, 12:18:46 PM »
Do you mean, surf foiling or just foiling ? because this is not the same.

Equipement is the key, you want an easy slow safe wing.

Lazz

  • Waikiki Status
  • *
  • Posts: 38
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2019, 12:49:05 PM »
The aim is SUP Foiling with at least 1800cm2 +

toolate

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 345
    • View Profile
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2019, 02:08:50 PM »
Do you mean, surf foiling or just foiling ? because this is not the same.

Equipement is the key, you want an easy slow safe wing.

Please eleaborate

Hdip

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 509
    • View Profile
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2019, 02:17:36 PM »
I've never done either. I have seen Laird and some other guys out on E-foils though. It seems to me that the behind a boat method would be the fastest. You don't have to worry about controlling speed, that's up to someone else. You also are riding the exact board you'll be trying to surf. The board is much lighter than the E-foil board. The E-foil always looks to me like it's nose up and not level. Riding waves you're constantly trying to push the nose down even further.

I just toughed it out and learned on a 4'8" prone board by myself.

Deep Sea

  • Waikiki Status
  • *
  • Posts: 22
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2019, 03:58:36 PM »
I would think being towed by a boat/wave runner is the fastest way to get the feel, but neither tow nor e-foil sounds appealing. Do you windsurf (?), that's a surefire way to get your foil time in and you don't have to burn a bunch of fossil fuels.
SIC 14' V1 Bullet, Flying Dutchman, QB Ona Ava, Axis Foils, & Goya Sails.

805StandUp

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 401
    • View Profile
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #6 on: June 05, 2019, 06:13:47 PM »
I would say that being towed is probably faster.  The Lift e-Foil you have to start on your belly and is all about modulating trigger pull.  That said, most of my learning was in the surf...

surfcowboy

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4929
    • View Profile
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2019, 07:24:00 PM »
Reading these threads I vacillate between thinking foiling is easy (Hdip learning on a 4’8” in the surf) and it’s nearly impossible (People with 75+ sessions to get to a smooth turn.)

I’m thinking I need a solid year of weekly sessions to make it fun. Can’t really give up that many waves just yet. Maybe when I move closer to the beach?

I’ll be interested to see how this thread plays out. The early posts are saying, tough it out, maybe a boat, but no efoil. Keep ‘em coming.

Hdip

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 509
    • View Profile
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2019, 08:26:14 PM »
I wouldn’t say it’s easy. I tell everyone it’s real hard. It’s about wanting it though. I read the westcoastfoilclub guys say they don’t give out demo boards. Instead they tell people just go punch yourself in the face over and over, it’ll be the same experience. If you want to do it then you’ll do it. If you don’t want it you won’t do it.

Having the right waves is key. The crappiest slowest mushiest wave with a repeatable take off spot is the best thing ever when learning. Even after learning it’s still great. I don’t even know what good surfing waves look like anymore. I foil terrible waves and am having more fun.

bigmtn

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 191
    • View Profile
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #9 on: June 05, 2019, 08:45:39 PM »
Similar to Hdip, I learned on a 4'7 prone board. I'm 6mo in and feel like I can surf the foil pretty well.  I still crash a lot on steeper drops, but otherwise feel like I have good control and can turn well. (haven't got a 2 for 1 yet, but know if I had a bigger foil I'd have them down) (I also live across the street from the beach and often have multi session days with 5-6+ hours in the water)

From my experience and watching my friends learn, I feel like the biggest problem people have initially is just getting your feet in the right place.  With many of them saying that they can't figure out where to put their feet. Especially SUPers, as they have such a big area where they can move.  Also a few of them have mentioned when they ride waves on a normal sup, they are constantly moving their feet, while on a foil they have to put them in one spot and not move them.

My suggestion for learning would be to first get pulled behind a boat on a sup foil, learn to control the foil up and down, then work on turning and pumping.  Once you are turning, get rid of the rope and focus on riding the boat wake without the rope. Once you can ride the wake, move to catching waves, the smallest mushiest waves you can find, making sure you have the same foot positioning you had while riding the wake.

Piros

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 464
    • View Profile
    • www.vonpiros.com
    • Email
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #10 on: June 05, 2019, 08:50:52 PM »
Yes definitely jump on an efoil if you get the chance , if not behind a small boat or jetski on a Sup without a paddle. The reason you want a small boat is so you have a small wake and also helps if you have an experienced foiler driving the boat , he will be able to work the throttle to help you avoid over foils. You don't need a large foil to learn behind the boat IWA size is fine. You need a Sup big enough to start standing , get the boat to do 1 to 2 knots and move out to your favorite side before the wake forms then ease on the gas that way you don't have to climb over the wake. The biggest DO NOT DO is lean away from the boat whilst up on the foil (like on a wake board). If you over foil in that position the foil will flick into the air towards your head as you get pulled into it , I call it the hinge. So just get outside the wake early , center your feet and keep the board down and as the power comes on slowly let the board rise , keep saying to yourself front foot pressure. Make sure your driver doesn't grow horns and gas it at the start thinking he is pulling out a wake boarder.
Von Piros Productions
Land Behind, Fish Below, Stories Ahead

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2019, 09:02:08 AM »
Giampaolo says windfoiling is the easiest introduction and has a longboard with a Tuttle to use as a teaching aid. I need to quit building stuff and go get in the water with the mast track I added to little Fugly. I need all the air time I can get, both to progress and because I'm a junkie.

As far as how difficult foiling is to learn, here's my fundamentally useless opinion: The sad news is that old longboarders/SUP surfers are kind of fucked, and the longer you've been longboard surfing, the harder it will be to foil. Bill Boyum (headmount) is twice the surfer I am and has been charging big waves in dangerous places most of his life. He's having a terrible time learning to foil, because everything his muscle memory is telling him to do is wrong. I took ten sessions to get air between my board and the water, ten more to get the board up with some semblance of control, and twenty more to even think about turning. People are still telling me how well I'm doing, which is the nice way of saying "wow, you still suck at this, but you're older than rocks so hey, good for you."

If you're 12, are primarily a shortboarder, or have a lot of experience at snowboarding your pain is greatly diminished. One of my Maui friends is a huge moose (makes me look dainty) who rips on tiny shortboards. I don't understand how he keeps those snowshoes he calls feet on such tiny boards, never mind the fact that he'd sink Mr. Fugly. He got a foil and was up on it first day. By the end of the week he was flat out ripping at a level I can only dream of.

So if you're over 60, a longboarder, and big, expect to pay some dues. Then again, I'm the far end of that spectrum and I can do it, albeit not all that well, but I'm getting there. GoFoil's tagline should be "If Bill can do it, anyone can do it".
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

fatfish

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 139
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2019, 10:37:42 AM »
So my humble opinion here.

I am in my 50s, surfed most of my life (shortboard).  I learned in the waves.  I am nearing the magical 75th session, this took me to roughly 7 months to accumulate this amount.  Very little prone surfing during that time.  The last 5-10 sessions i have started to feel more comfortable on foil plus starting to cutback and forth.

I think the best recommendation to accelerate the foiling process is:
1 Get a very stable SUP so you can focus on paddling for a wave and getting lift
2 Get a good foil (eg GF IWA)
3 Find an isolated beach with slow mushy small waves with no one around. 
4 i think this is the most important one - get as much time in the water to practice. 

Nothing new above but thats been my experience. 

Beasho

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 3224
    • View Profile
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2019, 02:29:50 PM »
So my humble opinion here.

I am in my 50s, surfed most of my life (shortboard).  I learned in the waves.  I am nearing the magical 75th session, this took me to roughly 7 months to accumulate this amount.  Very little prone surfing during that time.  The last 5-10 sessions i have started to feel more comfortable on foil plus starting to cutback and forth.

I think the best recommendation to accelerate the foiling process is:
1 Get a very stable SUP so you can focus on paddling for a wave and getting lift
2 Get a good foil (eg GF IWA)
3 Find an isolated beach with slow mushy small waves with no one around. 
4 i think this is the most important one - get as much time in the water to practice. 

Nothing new above but thats been my experience.

This is 100% correct. 

Beasho

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 3224
    • View Profile
Re: Fastest learning method to Foiling
« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2019, 02:36:46 PM »
What do you think is the fastest learning method to Foiling

You can "learn to foil" in 3 sessions.  Take FatFish's advice buy the gear and start flying.

The entire process is a blast.

If you want to foil like Braddah Mel then there is a barrier to entry of 300 sessions on the foil, in addition to having a perfect Race-Form paddle stroke and being able to dominate ANY LINEUP IN THE WORLD on a SUP.  You can't take a pill or buy your way into this club.

https://youtu.be/DUmaJNskdi8

« Last Edit: June 06, 2019, 02:38:36 PM by Beasho »

 


SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal