Blue Planet team riders have been in Hawaii for the past two weeks for a team rider shoot and meeting on Oahu. The team all got together for a bunch of fun filming sessions. This is the footage from a great session at the "Foil Park", the team had a go on the Blue Planet Easy Foilers. There was stacks of new equipment to try out including the new prone boards, standup's, prototypes and the Easy Foilers. Ty Judson, Nathan Cross, Fabrice Beaux, Robert Stehlik, Sam Pa'e and Zane Sanes all tested out the new equipment which provided some impressive results.
Check it out!
Nice video. That sure looks like a good time, nice waves and just enough company.
Curious about something ... and sorry if a dumb question. The video shows the SUP foils paddling into waves, where the white water is just barely forming -- that I can relate to. The prone foilers rides all cut in when they are already up. EG at 0:42 he's already moving fast. I don't see any jetski trails, so he must have paddled in. Was the wave partially breaking when he paddled, like for the sup ones, or is he a super human paddler to get to foiling speed from arm strength alone?
You paddle into the wave just like regular surfing. If the wave isn't catchable on a regular surfboard, then its basically not catchable on a surf foil board.
Once you are up on your feet, it feels a lot like SUP foiling, and you can ride the unbroken wave after the white water dissipates just like SUP foiling.
The feeling is very similar because it should be... Its the same foil in the water. The only thing different (the board) is in the air, its not traveling through the water.
Getting to your feet while the foil is trying to fly gets your adrenalin pumping!
SUP foiling to me is easier to catch a wave because you are already at speed, standing, and (ideally) in position to fly the foil.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for that. Reason I ask is when they cut to the rider there is almost no wave. But must have been more wave to start and just cut that part from the video? I have tried prone paddling one session. ..a lot going on in that takeoff moment, on a catchable wave. But the smaller non scary ones were not catchable. I agree, will stick to sup foil a while longer, seems easier.
Another nice video Robert.... With the paddle in on prones , yes when learning to prone foil your wave count drops way down compared to a Sup BUT then it changes the other way round. The 2 arm continual stroke movement gives much better hole shot compared to the single stoke of a Sup paddle plus you sit lower in the pocket with the smaller board and can basically just flow with the lumps. I was out yesterday with a super grom on a 17 litre 3'-8' prone board and he was catching double me , it was amazing and he was on a Naish medium. There is a few tricks to it like keeping your heels over your butt and not dragging your feet plus keep your chin up, this engages the foil early and doesn't bury the nose of the board.
The same goes for a Sup don't just go head down and paddle you guts out , as soon you feel the nose angle down put in a slight pumping motion like seesawing the board as you paddle for the wave and you'll be surprised how you get an early kick from the foil letting you pick up those green ones.
