I am getting pretty consistent with my gybes when its flat. However, if you introduce significant swell (trough to crest height of ~1m and maybe 2-3 metres between crests) the foil tends to breach in the trough, mid way through the gybe.
Same thing happens when I try to ride the swell. When bearing off to "catch" the swell, the board speed is greater than the swell and the foil often breaches in the trough. The only solution I have found for this problem is to "over turn" off the wind to near dead downwind to kill board speed then turn back to ride the swell.
How are others dealing with gybing/riding swell?
Riding wizard 105, infinity 76 on 35 inch mast.
These are short steep swells. I get the feeling that it is not really an acceleration down the face thing, more just that the existing speed of the board results in the foil hitting air in the trough. I will try adding downward boom pressure when traveling down the swell, I could see how that might help. I cannot imagine moving my backfoot forward mid carve though.
Generally not using the back strap on the 105, unless trying to jump. Pretty certain it won't turn easily with the back foot in the strap anyways.
^^^
Foilnut, I find foil lift varies heaps between 10-knot winds where I need my weight max aft to get up on the foil and 30-knot wind or swells where I need my weight max forward to push down to control the excessive lift.
I only foil the Wizard 105 and can't be bothered moving the footstraps to suit the conditions so go with the widest possible settings - also a wide stance feels more secure in big seas and winds. Weight transfer between your feet becomes subconscious after a while
I'm 6ft - if you're much shorter I can imagine max footstrap spread might be excessive.
The 76 does feel quite different to the 84 at first but only takes a few sessions to get used to it.
Azymuth
Moved my front foot straps fully forward and back ones all the way back , Worked GREAT
Easy to be in the back foot strap now, much better control. The wider stance gives me better leverage(I'm 5'11"). As well could go up wind sooo much better.
Thank You!
I have trouble railing the board over to turn when in the rear strap. The strap is too outboard. I am using the 2018 105 wizard, wonder if the straps are different on the 2019 wizard
Foilnut, glad to hear it's working - look forward to the video
thedoor - my 2019 Wizard 105 below.
Just replaced the worn-out Slingshot straps which were very good.
Footstraps are mounted as far in as possible by offsetting the metal plates - works pretty well.
I've experimented with a center rear strap but not sure I found an improvement downwind - felt that I didn't have as much leverage carving the foil when pulling up on the center-line strap - compared to the position below.
The rear position below is a good compromise anyway - my toes press down on the center-line when carving downwind (straps are super loose) and my heel gets close to the rail with my toes under the strap when flying upwind.