Author Topic: Wing foil sessions - beginner  (Read 50897 times)

surfcowboy

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #135 on: September 12, 2021, 09:47:27 AM »
After a short shake of my faith and a head reset I’ve had two good sessions. Still no jibe but the Alan Cadiz videos have me trying things and progressing around that.

Gong Curve XL is a damn fine intermediate wing. I’ve decided to ride it in all conditions until I have jibes. It’s fast enough, smooth and controllable and I can ride fully powered on a 3.5m and not breach. No need to introduce variables right now. Adding another fuse and setting up my 1450 for surf foil.

Swell riding in short bursts, super fun. Foot switches from switch to toe side (in prep for a toeside to heelside jibe) and also yesterday’s light wind session really had me feeling confident riding the foil in chop and managing direction and pitch. (Under 17-18 is now light whereas it once was my standard so that’s progress too.)

On the way back to shore (switch stance) I was way upwind so I surfed swell and ran downwind a bit switch. Crazy feeling but very doable.

The big thing I that I flagged the wing and pumped for probably 75-100 feet. This is a big deal as one of my hopes is that I’ll build skills on wing that transfer to the surf. So for the next few sessions swell surfing and pumping are a focus. I’m pretty sure that both will make transitions possible eventually. And even without strong transitions these skills will make downwinders (with the local B team) possible. Though I will remain forever “under review” with Hdip for my lake propensity.

Winging is fun. If you live near a lake or river and the wind hits 15mph even a couple of times a month, buy a 6m wing and get into it. It’s a blast.
« Last Edit: September 12, 2021, 09:50:37 AM by surfcowboy »

flkiter

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #136 on: September 12, 2021, 11:31:11 AM »
After a short shake of my faith and a head reset I’ve had two good sessions. Still no jibe but the Alan Cadiz videos have me trying things and progressing around that.

Gong Curve XL is a damn fine intermediate wing. I’ve decided to ride it in all conditions until I have jibes. It’s fast enough, smooth and controllable and I can ride fully powered on a 3.5m and not breach. No need to introduce variables right now. Adding another fuse and setting up my 1450 for surf foil.

Swell riding in short bursts, super fun. Foot switches from switch to toe side (in prep for a toeside to heelside jibe) and also yesterday’s light wind session really had me feeling confident riding the foil in chop and managing direction and pitch. (Under 17-18 is now light whereas it once was my standard so that’s progress too.)

On the way back to shore (switch stance) I was way upwind so I surfed swell and ran downwind a bit switch. Crazy feeling but very doable.

The big thing I that I flagged the wing and pumped for probably 75-100 feet. This is a big deal as one of my hopes is that I’ll build skills on wing that transfer to the surf. So for the next few sessions swell surfing and pumping are a focus. I’m pretty sure that both will make transitions possible eventually. And even without strong transitions these skills will make downwinders (with the local B team) possible. Though I will remain forever “under review” with Hdip for my lake propensity.

Winging is fun. If you live near a lake or river and the wind hits 15mph even a couple of times a month, buy a 6m wing and get into it. It’s a blast.

If you're able to pump down wind, just do the same to get the jibe. It's all about the foil. Grabbing the wing too soon is the issue for beginners attempting the jibe. The wing will give push back that you will not notice and it'll slow the foil enough for it to stall and drop.

PonoBill

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #137 on: September 13, 2021, 07:03:14 AM »
My "big breakthrough" for switchfoot jibes is: Forget about the wing. I've been flagging the wing out and riding swells in both directions for about a month. How that didn't translate into easy jibes I have to put down to pure foot stubbornness--my feet didn't want to switch while I'm going downwind, and I'm still not doing toeside stuff. The geezer brain resists change. It's well and truly all in my head. I headed straight downwind with the wing flagged, surfing a nice swell. Switched feet and sailed out of it. A jibe without jibing. Whoda thunk it! After I did one I did twenty without a hitch, then fell on the foot switch five times in a row. I did three more successfully and then quit. Hopefully, this is now planted in my brain. Hopefully, hopefully. Gonna be pissed if it isn't.
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.

bigmtn

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #138 on: September 13, 2021, 02:41:18 PM »
do the same for toe side. turn downwind, surf the foil, slowly turn and add wing power. boom you're going toeside.

PonoBill

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #139 on: September 13, 2021, 05:11:10 PM »
Now all I've got to do is convince my geezer brain of that.
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.

surfcowboy

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #140 on: September 13, 2021, 07:40:58 PM »
This drift til you get it thing is what I’m working on. Crank up wind, drift and surf. Rinse, repeat.

surfcowboy

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #141 on: September 26, 2021, 07:33:28 AM »
3 successful jibes yesterday, finally. My watch didn’t count them fully, or so I tell myself lol but I sheeted in and continued until I fell toeside. Not more than 50 more feet but enough that I was able to feel powered before I came down. Also, when I did touchdown sometimes, I was able to switch feet and just go so I didn’t lose ground.

I also got 2 touchdown foot swaps on the other reach which opens me up soon to the other jibe direction.

I’m 1 year in almost to the day and this has allowed me to see that I’ll get this sport enough to say “I do this” lol

The little S-turns are getting to be 90° with enough power that they feel really good too. This opened up little short wind chop rides which probably led to the jibe. I’m excited to get a wave prone again now and see how that feels after dozens of these runs.

Following my, “impossible, then wonky, then got it” feel method, toeside is now just “wonky” which means 3-5 sessions til it’s comfortable.

In an interesting development,  I’m now starting to do those S-turns switch (as is my buddy who’s also goofy.) I feel confident that we will be able to surf swell switch soon which should make downwinders much safer as we could cover ground at speed either direction.

For those of you struggling with the jibe, turn while mowing the lawn. It’ll get you there. A choppy lake remains a great testing ground.

LA growth scorecard. 10 wingers yesterday 3 of them female with two other younger women learning to efoil. 2 families with young kids were there. Could we finally be breaking the old white man barrier?!

PonoBill

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #142 on: September 26, 2021, 05:14:11 PM »
The biggest downwind transition/breakthrough is flagging your wing, holding it by the front handle, and keeping it down by your waist. the first time you do it it feels like you just mastered a trick. After that, it's just how you go downwind. Mucho extremely easy.
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.

surfcowboy

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #143 on: September 26, 2021, 06:01:21 PM »
I’ve done it a couple of times learning to pump. Now that I can run upwind fast I’ll try it downwind next session.

I’m hitting the point where every session has fun stuff to try. Any of you struggling, hang in there.

bstein

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #144 on: September 27, 2021, 05:15:12 PM »
Thanks for the tips PonoBill and Surfcowboy! 6 months since I started this journey. Still learning to gybe. Got around once and it felt so strange to be switch foot just before I stalled and crashed. So much fun learning something new!

surfcowboy

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #145 on: May 28, 2022, 03:05:37 PM »
Keeping this going, though I let it lay.


At the end of March I was consistently making it around on jibes but dropping off foil or falling. I took a minute and analyzed my falls and they all were stalls.

I did two things. 1. I started focusing on staying forward. A video session might have saved me a few months.

2. I borrowed a buddy's HA foil (Takuma 1210 or whatever) and immediately made a jibe. I bought an Axis 910b a couple of weeks later and make jibes consistently now.

Took me 50 sessions to jibe and ride out solidly. I might have cut 10 off that by switching gear earlier but then again beginner gear matches beginner skills. I am really solid on my basics and I can partially credit my Gong big wings for letting me get on foil in any conditions.

I also live an hour from any water and work full time so 50 sessions was about 18 months. Hopefully anyone else struggling feels better seeing this thread lol. I had a ball almost every session and those sessions in months 11-16 or so were really fun.

I'm now riding a 1200-ish HA foil and digging it. Progressing nicely still and hope to start downwingers this Summer now that I can jibe and ride toeside which helps you navigate and keep out of trouble.

Also, harnesses. Oh man, amazing innovation. Thank you windsurfers for those.

PonoBill

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #146 on: May 28, 2022, 10:59:32 PM »
It helps a lot to live in Maui and Hood River. I generally have to drive to the water in Maui, though my house looks directly at the water. But what we're looking at is almost inaccessible. I can walk to the water in Hood River, but I never do. I fire up the huge F350 and drive half a mile--lazy fuck. I'm going to get Archie, my dune buggy street licensed this year, and drive that. Or do something silly with my much-modified recumbent etrike.
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.

surfcowboy

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #147 on: May 29, 2022, 09:42:50 AM »
Yeah, and after I posted a long rant to my local wing chat about just having fun and letting go of performance I went out and posted my best runs yet. Ain't that how it works?

But this has been fun as hell and I can now foil back and forth on foil for almost a mile so it's easier on my body and more relaxing.

Oh and I built a 4'6" board that's just under 23" wide and it's so damn small. I'm riding when wind is good and I feel strong. Otherwise on my 5'2". Even there I refuse to force myself intoma long frustrating streak of riding when I can keep it fun. By Summer I'll bet I have that thing pretty dialed but after a couple hours on the struggle bus I was like, "why am I doing this?" Yesterday I did 2 runs and then switched to my bigger board. Eat some vegetables and then have some friggin cake.

Hope this gets and stays fun for everyone.

kwhilden

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #148 on: May 29, 2022, 11:33:25 AM »
Thanks for bringing this thread back to the top. I'm learning a lot from your progression and detailed analysis. Which is a treat.

My wingfoil career is about to start. Got my wings, and my foils will arrive this week. 

My shaper has my custom board half finished, and has promised to get it done this week.  (famous last words... I know)





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kwhilden

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Re: Wing foil sessions - beginner
« Reply #149 on: May 31, 2022, 03:36:04 PM »
Got my first wing session over the weekend at Belmont Shores.  Light wind, about 12-15, and I was using my 6M North Nova and a Starboard inflatable windSUP.

I got really frustrated, because the wind direction was almost directly onshore, and I found it really hard to get moving at all while managing balance on a rubbery inflatable with short period chop impacting the side of the board.    So I would walk out to chest deep water, and flail around for a few minutes trying to get up before being blown onto the beach.

I felt like a total noob, and loved it.  It's been a while since I've committed to learning a new sport. I didn't care a whit about looking like a kook to the crowd on the beach. I'm not very self conscious in the water.

I finally got up and sustained a broad reach for about 5 minutes. Couldn't figure out how to get any upwind momentum and did a long walk of shame.  I saw the lifeguard had followed me ways down the beach, but he turned around when he figured out that I understood safety.

Good news is that my Starboard foils just arrived, and now I have to ride herd on my shaper to get my board done. I'm sure it's going to be a lot easier on a proper wing foil SUP.
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