Author Topic: Wake up call  (Read 7119 times)

headmount

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Wake up call
« on: September 17, 2021, 04:33:18 PM »
More like the sudden realization that winter waves are just around the corner and it had been over a year since I paddled... anything.  Since then winging and the other vagrancies of life, like; work, covid and any number of excuses have distracted me from even touching a paddle. 

But recently I've been inspired by my pal Jeremy Riggs to learn how to pop up from the flats on a foil.  And even failing to lift off, at least I'll be able to augment my wave catching ability on a foil board.  Jeremy, 60 pounds less than me and 20 years younger is quite proficient at lifting off from the flat, usually in three strokes.  I posted a video (Jeremy Riggs flat water pop up). 

So I decided not to be too ambitious and went down to the beach I live near for just some flat water paddling to reacquaint.  Water was churned up and a little rough but the time for excuses was over.  Used my old SUP board (no foil) with a three years worth of dirt on the bottom.  Did about two hundred yards with Shirley on the beach taking a few pics so I could see what was happening.  Yes I know... top arm bent, hips not turned.  It was pathetic, I'm tired but I didn't fall and I have a starting point.   This will be my new 'breakfast'.  Tomorrow I'll start with the foil board.

I also did the check out on my foil board for center of mass for board and foil, which had my mast position 1" forward of where I have been riding it when winging.  The 1" back position had the board slightly tipping nose down.

Califoilia

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Re: Wake up call
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2021, 02:58:43 PM »
But recently I've been inspired by my pal Jeremy Riggs to learn how to pop up from the flats on a foil.  And even failing to lift off, at least I'll be able to augment my wave catching ability on a foil board.  Jeremy, 60 pounds less than me and 20 years younger is quite proficient at lifting off from the flat, usually in three strokes.  I posted a video (Jeremy Riggs flat water pop up).
Yes, it's always great to have an inspiration to keep us chasing the brass ring...but as you understand, we sometimes have to be realistic in what our dang bodies will actually allow what our oftentimes overzealous brains will let us do.  :o >:( ;D

Quote
I also did the check out on my foil board for center of mass for board and foil, which had my mast position 1" forward of where I have been riding it when winging.  The 1" back position had the board slightly tipping nose down.
I think that for surf foiling vs flat start foiling...that you'll want/need your mast a little further forward still. With the HA wings in the surf, we need speed to get them in the air, which usually means a late takeoff to get going down the face to actuate it, and then just letting the board/wing to come up on its own. This instead of trying to "Ollie" it up that the lower AS wings allow, and are able to be set back a little further in the boxes as a result of that.

Flat water starts it appears (since I've not actually done it yet) that there does need to be a little "Ollie" up to get the wing pointed up slightly to get it start to climb slightly with each paddle stroke forward. I'll have to review Jeremy's video again to see if my "WAG" is somewhere close to correct. 🤷‍♂️😀
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.

soepkip

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Re: Wake up call
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2021, 03:35:00 AM »
Perhaps a dedicated flat water popup board and an Axis S1120 would be a start...
And of course being out on the water every and losing 20 lbs in the process!

Good luck!

headmount

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Re: Wake up call
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2021, 07:34:14 PM »
But recently I've been inspired by my pal Jeremy Riggs to learn how to pop up from the flats on a foil.  And even failing to lift off, at least I'll be able to augment my wave catching ability on a foil board.  Jeremy, 60 pounds less than me and 20 years younger is quite proficient at lifting off from the flat, usually in three strokes.  I posted a video (Jeremy Riggs flat water pop up).
Yes, it's always great to have an inspiration to keep us chasing the brass ring...but as you understand, we sometimes have to be realistic in what our dang bodies will actually allow what our oftentimes overzealous brains will let us do.  :o >:( ;D

Quote
I also did the check out on my foil board for center of mass for board and foil, which had my mast position 1" forward of where I have been riding it when winging.  The 1" back position had the board slightly tipping nose down.
I think that for surf foiling vs flat start foiling...that you'll want/need your mast a little further forward still. With the HA wings in the surf, we need speed to get them in the air, which usually means a late takeoff to get going down the face to actuate it, and then just letting the board/wing to come up on its own. This instead of trying to "Ollie" it up that the lower AS wings allow, and are able to be set back a little further in the boxes as a result of that.

Flat water starts it appears (since I've not actually done it yet) that there does need to be a little "Ollie" up to get the wing pointed up slightly to get it start to climb slightly with each paddle stroke forward. I'll have to review Jeremy's video again to see if my "WAG" is somewhere close to correct. 🤷‍♂️😀
Yes I hear you and today I went on my short board I've only 'winged' on.  I did it but it wasn't easy.  Put in an hour and was pretty worked after.  But I paddled with a spread stance.  One thing I noticed by moving the mast forward, was that each stroke turned the board more significantly than before.

PonoBill

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Re: Wake up call
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2021, 09:46:09 PM »
You looked like you were trying to give birth in the picture finding the center of mass. I've been trying to do SUP downwind foiling in the Columbia for three years. I made most of the effort in the first year, but I still go out and piss myself off every so often. I still have never made it more than 30 feet.

I have one important tip for you--don't do it where other people can see you. Even when I do it in places that most people ignore sooner or later someone shows up to coach me. They think I should be grateful for their help, while I'm wishing they would have an aneurism.

OK, paddle on. The only thing I'd add is that Shantelle can do it. Maybe she'd coach you. That might be OK.
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.

headmount

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Re: Wake up call
« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2021, 07:37:25 AM »
You looked like you were trying to give birth in the picture finding the center of mass. I've been trying to do SUP downwind foiling in the Columbia for three years. I made most of the effort in the first year, but I still go out and piss myself off every so often. I still have never made it more than 30 feet.

I have one important tip for you--don't do it where other people can see you. Even when I do it in places that most people ignore sooner or later someone shows up to coach me. They think I should be grateful for their help, while I'm wishing they would have an aneurism.

OK, paddle on. The only thing I'd add is that Shantelle can do it. Maybe she'd coach you. That might be OK.
Have you ever tried holding the foil upside down at the thickest part of the foil?  Anyway I have seen a woman in Bali giving birth standing up.  It was something but it didn't look like me.

PonoBill

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Re: Wake up call
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2021, 08:51:08 AM »
I thought I posted this in its own thread, but I don't see it. Probably forgot to press the 'post' button. Copied from a Facebook post and more appropriate here anyway:

Damn, that was frustrating. I went to Ka'a today looking for some wind, but it was light and dying when I got there. I was going to bail to the southside and just go paddle, but ran into Devin, Jeremy, and then Junya and Alika--all of them either finished a good foil surfing session or were headed out. I didn't bring my old Kalama board which is the most stable board I have, so I decided I should be able to foilsurf on my wing board. It certainly seems big enough: 5'11" X 30". Junya is about my size and he's on a 5'11" X 23" board. I'm not crazy enough to compare myself to Junya in any way other than size, but that worked. So I rigged it up and started to paddle out. I could barely kneel on the thing in the chop and swell. My balance has gone to shit. I tried to stand about a dozen times--didn't even get close.

I know my bad knee and other creaky joints have made my geezer balance worse, and spending the last two years concentrating on wingfoiling hasn't helped--the wing makes balance easier--but damn, I didn't realize I was pushing the reset button on all the dues I paid to be a mediocre foil surfer. All the way back to kook.

Oh well, I paid the dues before, I can do it again. I've got six months to claw my way all the way back from embarrassing myself to just sucking. Nice to have a goal. I turn 75 in January. I'm going to spend the day foil surfing--unless the wind is good.
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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