Author Topic: Catching whitewash  (Read 10246 times)

SUPdad

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Catching whitewash
« on: March 29, 2021, 11:25:23 AM »
Seems the spots I like to frequent have an uneven bottom with a lot of deep holes. Typical small wave conditions...the wave will hit a shallow spot, pitch up and dump. Resulting bumpy whitewash is very hard to catch and there’s only a small window before it hits the next deep spot and dies out.

Being in the right spot helps but I’m usually not that quick or lucky. When catching semi-fresh and bumpy foam, I’ve found that I get an initial push and can’t keep the board down on the water enough to accelerate away from it. I’ve tried various things, laying more forward on the board, paddling harder/faster, standing up earlier/later, etc.

Anyway, wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks to pulling this off?  I also don’t understand the dynamics of what’s going on. Why it seems to hard to stay down, etc.

Hdip

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2021, 11:54:07 AM »
You can try scooting forward as the wave hits you to keep the board in the water longer.

https://instagram.com/tv/CGWOhyVjlo6/

What’s the problem? You’re going from 0-60 in a split second so up on foil before you can stand?

Dontsink

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2021, 01:53:43 PM »
With foiling i have learned,the hard way,that white wash can be super easy to catch or as demanding timing wise as a green wave.

Bigger days and higher periods can be very difficult and i have  gotten tumbled and frustrated on the inside a few times, it is humbling because from the beach it looked so easy...until you try to do it :)
Too early and it just buries you in turbulence,too late and you do not get in at all.

My only advice is keep trying and pick a lower energy day if it feels too sketchy/out of control.No point in getting hurt.

SUPdad

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2021, 12:48:20 AM »
Thanks, guys. I’m not trying to catch giant whitewash, just small maybe 2-4’ high stuff. Something that looks easy to catch on a longboard. I just envision being able to stay down so you’re actually being pushed, enough to accelerate in front of it and then get to your feet. I feel the push and it’s like the foil just instantly levitates and then the waves passes me by.:o I’ll try see if I can manage to scoot forward when it hits. Maybe that will help.

exiled

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2021, 01:11:51 AM »
 If you are getting to that point where you levitate then you probably just need to move a little more forward to keep you nose down. Alternatively, move the mast back a little or shim your tail if that's an option.

Dontsink

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #5 on: March 30, 2021, 02:02:01 AM »
As exiled said.
Move mast back and/or  shim the front of the mast plate (3-4mm make a big difference).

Califoilia

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2021, 08:44:21 AM »
I feel the push and it’s like the foil just instantly levitates and then the waves passes me by.:o I’ll try see if I can manage to scoot forward when it hits. Maybe that will help.
From an SUP point of view helping another SUPer learn...when you say "levitate", that's exactly what he was doing trying to catch whitewater, and it was from him trying to pop the board/foil up too early, and the ww/wave would just toss him around a bit before passing him right by.

So in your case, you maybe trying to get to your feet before you're wings picking up the energy of the swell below the whitewater. If you look closely at the IG clip Hdip linked to..Clinton doesn't attempt to go to his feet until his board/foil are already being pushed by the wave. There's an actual slight pause where after paddling, and he just grabs/holds the rails momentarily to feel that he wave is pushing him...and then's when he goes to his feet after he knows he's in.

I see a lot of prone guys do that pause for a surprisingly long while...as it's something I notice, both on the inquisitive side of the "how and why", and also the "that looks really cool and fun" envious side wishing I could to that on a SUP (which hasn't gone well the few times I tried, and gave up :o :D).
Me: 6'1"/185...(2) 5'1" Kings Foil/Wing Boards...7'10 Kings DW Board...9'6" Bob Pearson "Laird Noserider"...14' Lahui Kai "Manta"...8'0" WaveStorm if/when the proning urges still hit.

Hdip

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #7 on: March 30, 2021, 09:46:40 AM »
Another thing about white water is explodes you forward to the flats. Sometimes you’re just going to fast. Drag your feet. Or do a bit of a tripod take off. Where you have both hands on the rail, back foot in position, dragging your front foot to control the speed.

I dislike straight white water takeoffs. I greatly enjoy crumbly white water backing off into open swell take offs.

surfcowboy

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #8 on: April 18, 2021, 07:58:29 AM »
Yeah, I am learning using Clinton’s method and I let that surge pass, holding the rails up front, both to control things and hold the nose down. One timing thing I’m working on is popping up in that space between the surge and losing momentum. (The leg drag does help too). Once you are up, it seems you can keep going even without the big push of whitewater.

Foilgeoff

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2022, 02:51:58 AM »
I’ve been out a few times and can’t believe that I’m having trouble catching whitewash, and just looking for some beginner advice?
It sounds similar to an earlier advice in this thread regarding ‘wait for a lower energy day’.
That’s good advice as I’m being left behind by the white water and it’s mainly been punchy days, but I wonder if I’m underfoiled as a beginner.
I’m an experienced 90kg wingfoiler using a 42 litre KT Wing drifter F with Axis 880 (1100cm) and 375 progressive tail, 60cm mast at the back of the track.
Should I be learning on eg a 1500cm foil?
I’m embarrassed to say that I haven’t tried running the mast at the front of the track yet, sorry.

surfcowboy

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2022, 07:18:56 AM »
Question, are you catching the wave/wash on the board? Meaning are you getting pushed along off foil on the water? If so and you're not taking off, move it forward.

You say you're being left behind. How big is the whitewash? Needs to be strong enough to let you belly ride and pop up.

Foilgeoff

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2022, 11:52:03 AM »
Thanks surfcowboy, I’m not catching the whitewash at all. It’s pretty solid, about 3-4 feet high, nothing like as small as I’m seeing on the YouTube tutorials.
I’m trying to catch the white water just after the wave breaks and before it fades out, while it still has lots of push. Yesterday was a 4-6 foot (front) day with close outs everywhere so it’s not an ideal beginner location.
I was given advice that I was probably too far back and foil dragging, so yesterday I tried paddling with the nose submerged and with varying degrees of almost submerged, but no joy.

I was thinking of trying my 90 litre 5’4” wing drifter again but wondered if a larger foil was part of the answer. It seems like a 1500cm is a more normal beginner size.


Hdip

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2022, 04:16:37 PM »
The 880 is plenty big enough to ride. However you are trying to
Catch white water. So going from 0 mph to being slammed into from behind with no downslope. Higher aspect wings need board speed to get off the water. You don’t have time to get that in your situation. 

3 feet of white water is to big. Your bigger board will let you plane on the board and give you a better chance. I personally don’t enjoy white water take offs at all. I know a lot of people do it though.

Foilgeoff

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2022, 07:37:07 PM »
Thanks Hdip, that’s very reassuring.
Cheers!

PonoBill

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Re: Catching whitewash
« Reply #14 on: June 19, 2022, 07:53:05 AM »
I know this thread is mainly about prone foiling, but whitewash is my friend SUP foiling as well. The key for me in catching and using whitewash is getting low (as low as my geezer knees permit) and bracing forward. I don't try to fly the foil until I'm up to speed and starting to turn across the wave. If I come up too early the board accelerates into the flats and I'm left with no push. If I'm on the 999 that isn't such a big deal, I get enough added glide to turn into the wave. But with any other of my wings, I'm just screwed. Likewise, if I don't get low enough, and don't brace hard enough with plenty of front foot pressure then I usually get ejected out the back. Those days when I'm flexible enough and bracing hard enough I can get up and foil on some fairly big foam balls. And then there are the mornings when my legs feel like 2X4's and I fly off the back of the board reliably.
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.

 


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