SUP foiling, my first steps.

Tried something different this morning with the GoPro.

Here is the Foils Point-Of-View.

Surf was tiny, so not that impressive, but looks pretty kool from this perspective. Look forward to some better conditions to get some footage.

31 sessions Colas and you are doing it large mate.

Thanks JB for the analysis, I guess you are right, I often try to drive maybe too aggressively, as recovery is easy with straps, you can try to push the limits without automatically wasting the ride.

On the size, the Gong wing is only available for now in L and M (they contact you to have you choose the size after some discussion on your intended practice), I guess the XL you saw is the suitability scale for the weight of the rider that is present on all the products pages.

Colas & JB, I have two questions:

Now that you have been foiling for a while, would you prefer to be on your foil on a full wave or a normal board on a breaking wave?

And, given your comments above, and Kai's description of how to steer the board, do you find it hard to get on a normal board and steer it correctly? Or do you surfing skills kick right back in?

Now Colas you know I didn't ask you for a link. You just took the opportunity to plug the dong once more. I asked for juniors expert opinion instead of yours, which quite frankly is more like a parrots then anything else.

These observations aren't meant to troll you.Here's a metaphor to help you understand what I mean.
Its like learning Golf from a well intentioned newbie (thats you) who's short and long game suck but is a walking book of knowledge, instead of learning from the Club pro (still waiting for the messiah)who has mastered the sport and can steer you away from bad habits that creep into your game and hinder your progress.

Again these comments aren't meant to troll you. But it is criticism,"Constructive Criticism" No one else was going to tell you because they're too polite or PC. Or maybe they tried but you where too proud to hear it.

Now get out there a make video #32... I'm not going to watch it but I'll check back in at #64 to see how you have improved. If you have, good on you!!!

BTW my name is Elizondo, it's not Camacho. Just like your name is Colas, not Fat-Head (joke)

(3 kisses because I know you Europeans are into that)

All good you got plenty of good answers. For me being out of the water most of this year injured , my froth is 100% on the foil. Once you get the foil bug you grow a third eye and look for different waves. It's all I want to do and this weekend looks like the first chance we can open ocean Downwind Sup foil. This will be huge riding limitless runs. I can't wait.

So watch this space we will have the full foil crew. Towing , paddle in prone & Sup foil on waves and downwinding, then break out the kites all riding Sup foils. My goal from all this is to showcase what Sup foils can add to your ocean experience.

It's even inspired me to start thinking about Living The Stoke 3 Foil Adventures . What do you reckon JB.....

Merimbula this year will be a foil fest for anyone thinking of going .

First session yesterday on my new 6'10"x30"x125l "Simmons" board

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I have SUPed this same 6'10" board for some time now, and for me it is one of the stablest shape I used.

And after 35 sessions on my 8'9" foiled board, I felt I was quite OK foiling (nearly never missing a takeoff, controlling my flying height, pumping to keep & accelerate flying, connecting waves), but of course with still a lot of things to learn (how to pump for the takeoff, pumping on flat water, smoothly threading bottom rollers...)

But: mixing the two: 6'10" + foil... I didn't thought it would be so hard!
Not in the air, of course. 1' less at the nose and the tail, plus 1.5kg less total makes the board incredibly easier to lift out of the water and control in flight.
And actually, on waves steep enough to take off normally on a SUP, it was as easy as with my 8'9". But things were ... interesting ... otherwise. Weak waves were very hard to manage (granted the chop from 15knts onshore winds did not help)

I guess that on very short SUP boards, you develop a "3D balance" where you are moving your board around in all directions both to keep your balance and move around while paddling and takeoff phases (things that do not happen in prone surfing, the body in the water dampen things). But these movements, especially the rocking, will interfere badly with the foil dynamics, and vice-versa the foil forces will interfere greatly with a short board that will move more in response to foil forces. Trying to pump the foil would result in the board sinking vertical by the tail or nose, titanic style. Pumping in the air is simpler: you only have to manage the foil. Pumping on takeoff seems quite harder, as you have to manage both the board and the foil, and they react differently.

After 30mn I began to get a bit the hang of it, but there will be work. For now, on weak waves, I move a lot forward on the board (front foot near the front edge of the pad) to "choke" the foil and take off using the body movements I am used to for taking off with Short SUPs, and move to the straps once taking off is under way. And on steeper waves, I just take off feet ins straps as usual.

But this is not ideal, I guess now I have to learn to move the board on takeoff on weak waves so that the movements are beneficial both with the board and the foil. Back to the beginner stage!

And to people wanting to start SUP foiling: just like SUPing, do not start with too short a board! Granted my 6'10" is much nimbler in the air, but the technique is the same on my 8'9", only with slower reactions. So you can learn all the flying techniques as well on a longer board, no worries.

PS: I guess in understand now why foil-specific short SUP boards seem so thick. It may be to dampen the reactions of the board and let the foil do the talking...