Author Topic: Questions From A Complete Newbie  (Read 2537 times)

Quickbeam

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Questions From A Complete Newbie
« on: July 31, 2019, 12:34:26 PM »
I am a complete newbie. I have never surfed or been on a foil. I must say though, that this wingsurfing / wingfoiling really intrigues me. I live on a lake that gets a fairly strong afternoon wind and would love to give this a try.

First, some information about me. I’m 5’ 8” tall and weigh about 150 pounds. I’m 66 years old. As I said I’ve never surfed or been on a foil, but I do paddleboard on a fairly regular basis. I would say my balance is decent. Not fantastic, but not too bad.

I know lessons would be an obvious start point, but my question is which should I start on? Should I take a lesson on a foil getting towed behind a boat, or am I better to start off trying a wing on a board without a foil? I just called the area closest to me that offers lessons, and currently they can give me a lesson on a foil getting towed behind a boat, but they are still waiting to receive delivery of their first wing. They did say they expect to get their wing fairly soon. So should I just take a lesson on a foil, or should I wait until they get a wing and try that on a non-foil board?

Thanks so much for any advice you can offer.
Infinity Blackfish 12’ 6” x 23”
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 24”
Infinity Whiplash 12' 6" x 24 1/2"
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 26”
Bark Competitor 12’ 6” x 29”
Red Paddle Explorer (Inflatable) 13' 2" x 30
Starboard Airline (Inflatable) 12’ 6” x 27

gone_foiling

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Re: Questions From A Complete Newbie
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2019, 12:47:04 PM »
I have just purchased my first  foil set and had my 2nd tow session behind the jet ski. I would say go behind the boat - try it first - it will probably prove you that your balance isn't that good or you have a gift :) So far I am trying to learn what foil does underneath - taking a few seconds flight results in crash. Not sure if wingsurf wing is a good idea to start unless of course you are a windsurfer. My humble opinion.
Addicted to foiling at the moment.
My shenanigans on insta @gone_foiling

Quickbeam

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Re: Questions From A Complete Newbie
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2019, 07:06:44 PM »
Thanks gzasinets. We are set to go away for a few days but when I get back I think I’ll take a foiling lesson, and no doubt humble myself. I still might get a wing though, as I noticed there is a thread about using a wing without a foil. Might be a way to at least get started. Thanks again.
Infinity Blackfish 12’ 6” x 23”
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 24”
Infinity Whiplash 12' 6" x 24 1/2"
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 26”
Bark Competitor 12’ 6” x 29”
Red Paddle Explorer (Inflatable) 13' 2" x 30
Starboard Airline (Inflatable) 12’ 6” x 27

surfcowboy

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Re: Questions From A Complete Newbie
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2019, 08:14:20 PM »
Quickbeam, check the other getting started threads. If you’re an experienced SUP surfer you can start both maybe.

But most folks seem to lean towards learning both separately. If you’ve never paddled and you do this, however, you will be my hero. If you don’t, i call dibs on your gear sale. :)

Quickbeam

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Re: Questions From A Complete Newbie
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2019, 10:17:26 PM »
Ha! Ha! Too funny. I’m afraid I won’t be your hero. But you might also not find a gear sale, as I am pretty stubborn. But as I said, I think I’ll start off with a simple foil lesson. Will probably get terribly discouraged, but nothing ventured nothing gained. And even if I am discouraged I am still going to consider buying a wing. I’ve been looking for something for some time now that will store easily and still allow me to play in the wind at the lake where I live. Not sure how well a wing will work without a foil, but if foiling proves to be out of my reach, then I still might be willing to give the wing a try without the foil. And if I’m not happy with any of that, then maybe, just maybe you might find a gear sale  ;)
Infinity Blackfish 12’ 6” x 23”
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 24”
Infinity Whiplash 12' 6" x 24 1/2"
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 26”
Bark Competitor 12’ 6” x 29”
Red Paddle Explorer (Inflatable) 13' 2" x 30
Starboard Airline (Inflatable) 12’ 6” x 27

PonoBill

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Re: Questions From A Complete Newbie
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2019, 10:20:27 PM »
There are some people who are a big part of the Zone whose initials are Admin and Chan, who are working on learning to wingfoil without having mastered foiling first--or actually done it at all. I go with them every day there's wind so I not only get to witness the flailing around, I participate. We are religious about not offering instruction to each other, though I have occasionally backslid--an error immediately met with derision.

Progress has been steady but slow, meaning that it's rare that we will be tossed off the boards while we're still on our knees, but it still happens sometimes.

I know that Julie Shreyer, who makes it all look easy, never foiled before she started wingfoiling. But I think that's a tough road to go. I'd definitely get towed behind a boat to get a feel for foiling. the more you do that, the more comfortable you'll be.

On the other hand, general foiling experience won't take you all the way. I have a fair amount of time spent surf foiling. I don't claim to be good at it, but I can do it. So far it hasn't helped me all that much. There are a lot of moving pieces to wing foiling. The more comfortable you are with a wind sport that includes foiling the better off you'll be. My friend Mark Ribkoff is an accomplished wind foiler and kite foiler. He had very little to learn and had no problem with it from day one while I am still struggling. I can get up on the foil and ride it for a good distance, but I don't feel in control, and I've yet to complete a jibe.

If you can find someone competent to give you lessons you'll make faster progress. I expect the instructors will be like snowboard instructors for a good while. Q: "What's the difference between a snowboard instructor and snowboard pupil?" A: "Two weeks."
« Last Edit: July 31, 2019, 10:35:10 PM by PonoBill »
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.

PonoBill

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Re: Questions From A Complete Newbie
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2019, 10:30:05 PM »
One big benefit is that you'll have lots of geezers to wing foil with. So far most of the people that are doing it are over fifty. I'm pretty certain that the recent foil race included only one person under 50, maybe two--I'm not sure how old Sky Solbach is.
« Last Edit: July 31, 2019, 10:39:28 PM by PonoBill »
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.

Quickbeam

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Re: Questions From A Complete Newbie
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2019, 11:02:37 PM »
Thanks Bill, I appreciate that. I am not going into this blindly. I know it’s not going to be easy. And I may well not succeed. But I’m thinking I would like to at least give it a try.

I live on a small lake that gets wind every afternoon, at least in the summer. And as I said in my earlier post, I have been looking for some time now for something I can do to take advantage of the wind and will store easily. Wing surfing / foiling seems to check all those boxes.

And I will get instruction. Only problem is, in my case your analogy of the snowboard instructor is dead on. The only group in my area who offer instruction are kite instructors, and they don’t even have a wing yet (they have one on order) and have never used one. I’m sure it won’t take them long to get up to speed once they get one and in the meantime I’ll take a foil lesson from them.

And if I can’t get the foiling down, there is another thread going talking about using the wing without a foil. While I know it wouldn’t be anywhere near as much fun, even that might be something worth while.

Again, appreciate the input.
Infinity Blackfish 12’ 6” x 23”
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 24”
Infinity Whiplash 12' 6" x 24 1/2"
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 26”
Bark Competitor 12’ 6” x 29”
Red Paddle Explorer (Inflatable) 13' 2" x 30
Starboard Airline (Inflatable) 12’ 6” x 27

Admin

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Re: Questions From A Complete Newbie
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2019, 03:48:05 AM »
Dig in and get started!  It is a hysterical process.  If you talk to foilers (wind, kite, SUP, surf) they will all tell you that it takes some weeks to get it down.  I haven't heard of anyone who just jumped on and pumped off.  Just looking at this from a dead start it seemed like a month of days was a reasonable goal.  There is a lot going on.  That still seems about right to me.  If someone handed you a board, wing and a water foil setup that were perfectly matched to your weight and you had very consistent conditions you may cut off some time.  What are the chances that is going to happen?  :) .  Plus, you wouldn't have that experience to understand those variables yourself.  What fun would that be?

If you have access to all the gear, go for it.  If you learn by doing, do.

« Last Edit: August 01, 2019, 04:04:17 AM by Admin »

Julie_Scheyer

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Re: Questions From A Complete Newbie
« Reply #9 on: August 01, 2019, 03:00:56 PM »
I got towed behind a jetski twice with just a hydrofoil.  The objective of that was to learn where to have my feet positioned. Once you know the position it’s easy in my opinion.  I had a line on the board where to plant my feet.  I had gear that my husband designed and knee it would be the perfect size for me.  I saw others struggle with not the best hydrofoil setups for their weight and level.  I think that’s the biggest disadvantage for never foiling is you can have gear that doesn’t work for you even if it works for someone else. 

Alan Cadiz HST Maui teaches lessons with a 200 L windsurf board and then after wing control moves them to a 15inch hydrofoil mast so you don’t fall when the foil lifts out of the water.  I think lessons would be a big saver of time and energy.
Duotone Foilwing rider.  Hydrofoil setup for Foilwings: Fanatic 1500 or 2000sqcm front wings, 80cm fuselage, 90cm Mast & Fanatic 5ft 68L Sky Solbach proto board.  SUP: SIC Bullet 16ft, Naish Mana 8’6”, Fanatic 6’3” wave SUP hydrofoil. Qb paddles

Admin

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Re: Questions From A Complete Newbie
« Reply #10 on: August 01, 2019, 03:39:36 PM »
Hi Julie,

Did you kite foil first? 

Quickbeam

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Re: Questions From A Complete Newbie
« Reply #11 on: August 01, 2019, 07:59:20 PM »
Thanks Admin. and Julie. My wife and I are heading out of town for a few days, but after that I’m going to arrange a foiling lesson. Hopefully I’ll also be able to get a wingsurf lesson in before the summer is over, but that will depend on when the instructors get their wing delivered and get themselves half way proficient.

My plan is to buy a wing sometime in the fall or winter, as I think it is going to be next to impossible to get one this summer. Even if I don’t use the wing on a foil right away, I can still play with it and hopefully get the feel of it on a regular board.

And I take your point Julie about the importance of having the right gear. I’m sure I’ll have lots more questions on gear in the not too distant future, including the right size wing to get for my conditions, etc., etc.

Thanks again to everyone for your help!


Infinity Blackfish 12’ 6” x 23”
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 24”
Infinity Whiplash 12' 6" x 24 1/2"
ONE SUP Evo 12’ 6” x 26”
Bark Competitor 12’ 6” x 29”
Red Paddle Explorer (Inflatable) 13' 2" x 30
Starboard Airline (Inflatable) 12’ 6” x 27

 


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