Author Topic: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards  (Read 7253 times)

Beasho

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Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« on: March 05, 2023, 10:48:16 AM »
I have been riding my 21" wide x 7' 9" x 6" @ 128 liter 'Sailfish' board for 3 weeks now.  When I first got on the board I would paddle out sitting on the board, or kneeling.  Then get to the break and hop up to catch waves.  In waves or downwind I would last ~ 2 minutes with my back bent @ what felt like a 90 degree angle before I would be gassed out and likely fall it.

Fast forward a few days ago.  I tried to downwind in 15-20 mph of wind, hyper chop outside the harbor, open ocean, in Half Moon Bay buoys 14 feet @ 10 seconds.  I spent 2 hours and stopped counting my falls after 30.  Caught ZERO waves, and ended up paddling 2.6 miles humbled.   

BUT a small part of me realized that I was still able to stand in Chop Factor 9 / 10 for 2 minutes on this board.  3 weeks earlier I would have only lasted 10 seconds in this horror.

The next morning I went out, wind dropped briefly to <8 mph, waves dropped to 10 feet @ 8 seconds.  I paddled out, and hopped to my feet.  I could stand somewhat comfortably with my feet at a 45 degree angle. 

I made the 8 minute paddle to the break, turned caught a wave rode 400 yards before losing the bump.  Dropped off foil, paddled back out, caught another 220 yards, then 400 yards, then 690 yards.   AND I had dry hair.

4 consecutive waves without falling in.

OMG!!!!!!

I eventually had to sit down on the board to rest. 

You can learn to stand on these boards!   6 months ago when I was trying other boards like this I could only comfortably stand in very clean conditions.  I thought there was NO way to comfortably stand up and paddle around on the Barracuda style boards.  No more.

Similar to using BIG foils, if you can't catch you can't fly.  I will add, if you can't stand you can't catch. 

Hopefully this motivates others to keep trying.  Please share any similar perspectives or advice on standing on these narrow boards. 

pafoil

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2023, 11:20:57 AM »
I have been using a 6,9 by 20 for a year now, the secret for me has been bending my knees.
Other tricks put your foil as far forward as possible this increase stability.

Badger

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2023, 03:53:51 PM »
I tried SUP foiling for the first time the other day. The 6'1 x 23" E3 isn't a barracuda but requires a similar discipline. I went out on a clean hip-high day and was able to paddle around and try lining up for waves. I didn't catch any but was really happy with how it went. Another six more sessions might do it. Thanks for the motivational inspiration.   8)
Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
Axis HPS 980 / PNG 1300
Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

steamroller

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2023, 01:42:20 AM »
yupyup i totally agree!...the best thing you can do is go out on the crappiest bumpiest ugliest of conditions and try to paddle around for 2 hours...i fell in about 30+ times  also but thr next calmer day out i had some NEW SKILLS!



daswusup

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2023, 05:56:55 AM »
I think that having the paddle blade in the water and bracing with it helps with micro adjustments. Its all a flash back to the weird skills I developed when paddling sinker boards and race boards years ago. Try this: get up to standing and then just stand without the board moving and feel how the board reacts to your inputs. Sink the nose and recover. Now same with tail. This helps work out foot placement and you get the feel of the secondary stability of the foil. Its easier to balance when moving but you will learn more when its not moving and maybe even sinking a bit. See the foil under your center of gravity.

FOIL STOKE

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2023, 04:11:49 PM »
Congrats on the PB's Beasho. Gives me encouragement to the max!

Daswusup - I read your post about sinking and counter sinking... that helped me a lot. I feel like the exploration of the centre of gravity and the stretching of the foils' dynamic characteristics is like uncovering a hidden map. Im seeing and feeling my progression and Im stoked boys. STOKED.

Steamroller - sic HOT pink deck you have there mate. I like it mucho!  8)


PonoBill

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2023, 07:08:53 PM »
You know they don't really need to be THAT narrow. Yes, being narrow helps when you're trying to get up in flatwater, but for everything else, they could easily be 25" or even 30" if the board is shaped for that. At least that's what Dave told me when I said I didn't think I could stand on one.

It might be the photo angle, but it looks like the Sailfish has deep, angled chines. They'd help with secondary stability if you are bobbing around a few inches off the water (though swell hitting those angled sides would take some getting used to). In that case when the board tilts it gets wider on the side going down. Presto, secondary stability.

If I were trying to pump up on flatwater (not happening) or get up in light wind with a wing (yes!) or catch unbroken waves better, then I'd specify a wide board (30") with enough angle in the chines to give me 25" at the waterline. Secondary stability at rest, and once it starts lifting it gets thinner: less skin drag, higher speed "limit" from wave drag.

Primary stability makes you comfy, secondary stability lets you recover. A somewhat whacky mega long (about 19' as I remember) raceboard I bought from a shaper in Australia (I don't remember the guy or the name of the board) was actually about 22" wide at the waterline but it had a flared profile, so it was the equivalent of 30" wide when tipped. It was hell to get used to but it was very fast. I looked like a drunken sailor paddling it, wobbling all over. But I rarely fell, and I made the podium in a few races with it before it got folded in a wave at Spartan's when I let a friend try it on a Maliko run and he got a bit too brave with the reef.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2023, 07:30:42 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.

yugi

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2023, 05:04:39 AM »


You can learn to stand on these boards!   6 months ago when I was trying other boards like this I could only comfortably stand in very clean conditions.  I thought there was NO way to comfortably stand up and paddle around on the Barracuda style boards.  No more.



Hi friends! I’m back and ready to foil.

 I’ve learned to wind foil last summer on borrowed gear, and now getting my own gear.

I got a foil and and a 2nd hand 100L wingding board now but am looking at getting a board I can learn flat water takeoff, learn to DW, catch big boat wakes, and light wind wingding.

I’m a sailer/windsurfer/kitesurfer since like forever. Those who remember me here know I’ve been into DW on SUP long enough to be comfortable DW SUP in all kinds of conditions. I’m 5’11/175 and I’m pretty comfortable on a 100L wing foil board, even in death chop.

 I’ve got a local little windy lake which is great to practice on which is windy and also flat. When the wind isn’t enough my plan is to practice the flat water foil take offs.

My question is simple:
Do I get (the biggest) Kalama Barracuda right away?
 OR
As the nOOb that I am, am I better off getting a 6’5 23.5” E3 Kalama first to get better on before going full Barracuda?

Ideally I want just one board (and an inflatable board for plane travels).


I do have a backup a 5’7 x 27” 100L light wing foil board for learning. Once I manage on a longer skinny board I'd sell the learner board.

Thanks!

Hdip

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2023, 07:41:10 AM »
If you can sup then long and skinny. The longer the more glide. The skinnier the easier release from the water. There will be a balance in there somewhere of you being able to put the power down and still balance.

Since you want it for flat water I would err on the side of longer.

FOIL STOKE

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2023, 11:09:49 AM »
Hdip - I second that. The longer 8X21"X6" board travels in the water night and day different between my 106L SUPFOIL (which I am now using for a winging)

Yugi - its worth the investment 110%

steamroller

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2023, 12:55:58 AM »
ponobill and dave are right.....it doenst have to be that narrow....i just got it like that because i wanted to the no paddle bounce takeoff...have since realized that aint never gonna happen for me...probably not the flatwater takeoff either...if i had to do it agian id get maybe a 24in wide or something like that

VenturaSuppper

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #11 on: April 10, 2023, 08:39:20 AM »
First session on the barracuda this past weekend, I think I stood for a total of 5 seconds and being in the water for an hour. I'm not shy to supping, normal sup board is a 7'2"x29" Kazuma. These things have a steep learning curve.

Badger

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #12 on: April 10, 2023, 09:57:15 AM »
First session on the barracuda this past weekend, I think I stood for a total of 5 seconds and being in the water for an hour. I'm not shy to supping, normal sup board is a 7'2"x29" Kazuma. These things have a steep learning curve.

What size Barracuda and what size foil?
Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
Axis HPS 980 / PNG 1300
Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

Beasho

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #13 on: April 10, 2023, 10:15:10 AM »
ponobill and dave are right.....it doenst have to be that narrow....i just got it like that because i wanted to the no paddle bounce takeoff...have since realized that aint never gonna happen for me...probably not the flatwater takeoff either...if i had to do it agian id get maybe a 24in wide or something like that

Ironically I have gotten used to the 21" wide x 7' 9" board.  Meaning, if the chop is below 5/10, I can now stand comfortably on the board with locked knees and not get gassed, feet at 45 degrees aka not in surf stance.

To reiterate YOU CAN LEARN TO STAND on these boards.  If the waves are small and clean, 3- 5 feet and smooth-ish surface, I can have a dry hair session.  But I have 40 sessions on the board.  30 learning to SUP foil the board and ~ 10 downwinders.  Mine is 128 liters and I am pushing 190, but much more weight with full wetsuit, booties and camelback with camera . . .

I am also able to stand on the board in much rougher conditions but will get wiped out in ~ 90 seconds when it is really rough.  But I am talking so rough that most SUP'ers wouldn't want to be out on their 10' x 32" boards, and NO one is ever out with me.
« Last Edit: April 10, 2023, 10:27:05 AM by Beasho »

soepkip

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Re: Balancing on Barricuda Style Boards
« Reply #14 on: April 10, 2023, 11:06:00 PM »

Ironically I have gotten used to the 21" wide x 7' 9" board.  Mine is 128 liters and I am pushing 190, but much more weight with full wetsuit, booties and camelback with camera . . .
How tall are you Beasho?
I am 190 lbs  6'2" and I struggle on my 8'2" x 22"board....

 


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