So, my winter sailing site has shore break, then a channel and then a shallow bar. If I want to ride the swell I have to take my lumps. Here is what is working for me. Take it with a grain of salt and share your experiences.
Going out.
I face the waves so I can see them. I hold the board by the bottom handle with the tail of the board facing the waves. The board is on my windward side floating on it rail so it's on its side, under my arm between my arm and hip. My leeward hand fly's the sail. If you trim it to pull down, it lifts the nose of the board off the ground or clear of the water. If you trim it to fly up it lifts the sail clear of the whitewash. I like a big comfy ledge type bottom handle so I can hang on through more. The board when it is on its side like this just slices through the wave so easily. I often have to deal with strong side shore current and the board gets turned sideways to the waves but because I am at the tail the kit weathervanes and lines up with the wave as soon as it hits. I have been amazed at how much you can punch through this way. I have even been able to dive under a pitching lip in this stance.
Often in bigger waves or at certain tides there is a stretch where it is too deep on the crest to touch bottom but too shallow to float the foil in the troughs. At this point I let go of the sail, roll the board upside down, go to the windward/up-wave side of the board and grab the handle. I can duck dive like this. I push down on the tail with my free hand as I dive my body under the wave. I had a bunch of fails learning this and they all have resulted in my gear getting ripped away while I come out the back of the wave. I am okay with this because I am safe, and I credit this safety with staying up-wave of the kit.
There are a few cons to ditching the sail. First the sail drag is heavy, but you are in shallow water so just drive hard with the legs. Second the mast can break if you get driven back just so. I have not had that happen, but I am aware of it, so I drive like mad with my legs. The third is that once you are deep enough and flip the board over the sail is in the water to leeward and not ready to water start. Often because its deeper the waves don't all have to breaking and I usually have to uphaul anyway because of wind shadow so it's been working for me..
Coming In.
I use a move I learned watching Balz. I grab the mast above the boom and let the waves wash me in. You are nowhere near the kit and can get clear easily. Let the foil bottom out in the troughs and wait for the next wave to lift you and wash you in. I wait until it's really shallow (like foil and nose touching board dry) before I go in and get the bottom handle. I don't like not facing the waves, but this has been working for me so long as I wait till it's shallow to go for the board. Sure, the foils get scratched a little, but I am safe.
So far so good and no injuries. Plenty of sails destroyed. I am super careful and cautious particularly in bigger surf. I am really leery of going over the falls with the kit as learn the limits of duck diving.....
Let's hear it gang, what ya got.
I generally do the same but coming in if conditions allow I will try and stay on foil as high as I can behind a wave until it's less than hip deep, jump off then grab gear to control it before following wave arrives.
Novel tips UTC. I haven't tried those. The best way I get out is with sail on board, head on bottom of board and holding the fuse. Nose into water. Getting in I tend to foiling in carve up wind and sink leeward rail so that foil is horizontal with water then grab rail to flip upside down. rig is downwind. tricky bit is spinning board so that it is tail pointing out and then I use the handle and hand on boom like you would carry out normal gear.
Coming in when it's side shore - put the board on it's side, with one hand holding from the fuselage, and another hand holding the boom, so the sail is flying nicely above the water, supported by the wind. The waves just flush through with minimal impact. When it's onshore just find another hobby : )
Select to expand quoteTaavi said..
Coming in when it's side shore - put the board on it's side, with one hand holding from the fuselage, and another hand holding the boom, so the sail is flying nicely above the water, supported by the wind. The waves just flush through with minimal impact. When it's onshore just find another hobby : )
Ditto
Select to expand quoteTaavi said..
Coming in when it's side shore - put the board on it's side, with one hand holding from the fuselage, and another hand holding the boom, so the sail is flying nicely above the water, supported by the wind. The waves just flush through with minimal impact. When it's onshore just find another hobby : )
Taavi, I am glad you chimed in. Your ocean site looks pretty sporty in terms of shore break but the waves look fun! Where is it?
I think the way you come in is pretty common. I learned it from watching JJ's videos and use it on occasion. I like to use the bottom handle for a bit more control and hands further from the foils but holding the fuse can be done in deeper water. I will often grab the fuse to roll the board then stay in that stance until it's shallow enough to use the handle. I am thinking about trying it (except body facing out) on the way out when it's too deep for the handle but too shallow to flip.
Select to expand quoteberowne said..
Thanks berowne!
A video is worth a thousand words! That seems to be the standard way to launch and retrieve race kit. Sounds like it's the way thedoor rolls on his freeride gear too and Balz Muller has videos showing it. Lots of skilled sailors choose it.
I used to do that same move and I also would do similar with the board upside down so the whole kit was clear of the water, it worked really well. I preferred the board upside down because the foil was away from me and I could chuck the whole kit over a wave if I knew it was too big to handle. I'm always thinking about what happens when (not if) a wave overpowers me or gets me by surprise. I am spooked by this method particularly for going out because the trailing edge of the foil would get driven into my gut. My cervical disks could not deal with the weight on my head and gave me fair warning, so I listened. I no longer carry anything but a sail on my head.
Select to expand quoteberowne said..
Sweet. I have never tried that coming in. I guess by having the rig off to the side, versus straight out the back, you can do it in onshore winds?
Select to expand quoteutcminusfour said..
Going out. Often in bigger waves or at certain tides there is a stretch where it is too deep on the crest to touch bottom but too shallow to float the foil in the troughs. At this point I let go of the sail, roll the board upside down, go to the windward/up-wave side of the board and grab the handle. I can duck dive like this. I push down on the tail with my free hand as I dive my body under the wave. I had a bunch of fails learning this and they all have resulted in my gear getting ripped away while I come out the back of the wave. I am okay with this because I am safe, and I credit this safety with staying up-wave of the kit.
There are a few cons to ditching the sail. First the sail drag is heavy, but you are in shallow water so just drive hard with the legs. Second the mast can break if you get driven back just so. I have not had that happen, but I am aware of it, so I drive like mad with my legs. The third is that once you are deep enough and flip the board over the sail is in the water to leeward and not ready to water start. Often because its deeper the waves don't all have to breaking and I usually have to uphaul anyway because of wind shadow so it's been working for me..
^^^ This is pretty much how I get out.
Board upside down, foil in the air, grab the foil mast at the base and swim backwards towing the board and rig which is looking after itself.
I figure the wavesails I use are built for mast high waves so a reasonable size shorebreak shouldn't bother them.
The only problem I have in bigger onshore days is it's not easy to make progress swimming backwards
Select to expand quoteutcminusfour said..
So, my winter sailing site has shore break, then a channel and then a shallow bar. If I want to ride the swell I have to take my lumps. Here is what is working for me. Take it with a grain of salt and share your experiences.
Going out.
I face the waves so I can see them. I hold the board by the bottom handle with the tail of the board facing the waves. The board is on my windward side floating on it rail so it's on its side, under my arm between my arm and hip. My leeward hand fly's the sail. If you trim it to pull down, it lifts the nose of the board off the ground or clear of the water. If you trim it to fly up it lifts the sail clear of the whitewash. I like a big comfy ledge type bottom handle so I can hang on through more. The board when it is on its side like this just slices through the wave so easily. I often have to deal with strong side shore current and the board gets turned sideways to the waves but because I am at the tail the kit weathervanes and lines up with the wave as soon as it hits. I have been amazed at how much you can punch through this way. I have even been able to dive under a pitching lip in this stance.
Often in bigger waves or at certain tides there is a stretch where it is too deep on the crest to touch bottom but too shallow to float the foil in the troughs. At this point I let go of the sail, roll the board upside down, go to the windward/up-wave side of the board and grab the handle. I can duck dive like this. I push down on the tail with my free hand as I dive my body under the wave. I had a bunch of fails learning this and they all have resulted in my gear getting ripped away while I come out the back of the wave. I am okay with this because I am safe, and I credit this safety with staying up-wave of the kit.
There are a few cons to ditching the sail. First the sail drag is heavy, but you are in shallow water so just drive hard with the legs. Second the mast can break if you get driven back just so. I have not had that happen, but I am aware of it, so I drive like mad with my legs. The third is that once you are deep enough and flip the board over the sail is in the water to leeward and not ready to water start. Often because its deeper the waves don't all have to breaking and I usually have to uphaul anyway because of wind shadow so it's been working for me..
Coming In.
I use a move I learned watching Balz. I grab the mast above the boom and let the waves wash me in. You are nowhere near the kit and can get clear easily. Let the foil bottom out in the troughs and wait for the next wave to lift you and wash you in. I wait until it's really shallow (like foil and nose touching board dry) before I go in and get the bottom handle. I don't like not facing the waves, but this has been working for me so long as I wait till it's shallow to go for the board. Sure, the foils get scratched a little, but I am safe.
So far so good and no injuries. Plenty of sails destroyed. I am super careful and cautious particularly in bigger surf. I am really leery of going over the falls with the kit as learn the limits of duck diving.....
Let's hear it gang, what ya got.
Going out :
- When the water is very low I do :
A. I push the board through the water by pushing the top of the sail : so wave / board upside down / sail / me
Or B I pull the top of the sail : so wave / me / sail / board upside down
- When the water gets deeper : hip level I do something I call reverse water starting : board upside down so foil up, inclinate the board 10 ? - 20 ? so opening a gap between the water and the board towards me, hang on the boom, catch some wind, feet in the water, the other side of the board floats and passes the waves, some pumping can be useful, we have sandbar so I go on until I'm sure to be deep enough, or I flip the board and start normal water starting but don't jump on the board to avoid my weight on the board until I'm sure to stay deep.
Select to expand quoteutcminusfour said..
So, my winter sailing site has shore break, then a channel and then a shallow bar. If I want to ride the swell I have to take my lumps. Here is what is working for me. Take it with a grain of salt and share your experiences.
Going out.
I face the waves so I can see them. I hold the board by the bottom handle with the tail of the board facing the waves. The board is on my windward side floating on it rail so it's on its side, under my arm between my arm and hip. My leeward hand fly's the sail. If you trim it to pull down, it lifts the nose of the board off the ground or clear of the water. If you trim it to fly up it lifts the sail clear of the whitewash. I like a big comfy ledge type bottom handle so I can hang on through more. The board when it is on its side like this just slices through the wave so easily. I often have to deal with strong side shore current and the board gets turned sideways to the waves but because I am at the tail the kit weathervanes and lines up with the wave as soon as it hits. I have been amazed at how much you can punch through this way. I have even been able to dive under a pitching lip in this stance.
Often in bigger waves or at certain tides there is a stretch where it is too deep on the crest to touch bottom but too shallow to float the foil in the troughs. At this point I let go of the sail, roll the board upside down, go to the windward/up-wave side of the board and grab the handle. I can duck dive like this. I push down on the tail with my free hand as I dive my body under the wave. I had a bunch of fails learning this and they all have resulted in my gear getting ripped away while I come out the back of the wave. I am okay with this because I am safe, and I credit this safety with staying up-wave of the kit.
There are a few cons to ditching the sail. First the sail drag is heavy, but you are in shallow water so just drive hard with the legs. Second the mast can break if you get driven back just so. I have not had that happen, but I am aware of it, so I drive like mad with my legs. The third is that once you are deep enough and flip the board over the sail is in the water to leeward and not ready to water start. Often because its deeper the waves don't all have to breaking and I usually have to uphaul anyway because of wind shadow so it's been working for me..
Coming In.
I use a move I learned watching Balz. I grab the mast above the boom and let the waves wash me in. You are nowhere near the kit and can get clear easily. Let the foil bottom out in the troughs and wait for the next wave to lift you and wash you in. I wait until it's really shallow (like foil and nose touching board dry) before I go in and get the bottom handle. I don't like not facing the waves, but this has been working for me so long as I wait till it's shallow to go for the board. Sure, the foils get scratched a little, but I am safe.
So far so good and no injuries. Plenty of sails destroyed. I am super careful and cautious particularly in bigger surf. I am really leery of going over the falls with the kit as learn the limits of duck diving.....
Let's hear it gang, what ya got.
Going out :
- When the water is very low I do :
A. I push the board through the water by pushing the top of the sail : so wave / board upside down / sail / me
Or B I pull the top of the sail : so wave / me / sail / board upside down
- When the water gets deeper : hip level I do something I call reverse water starting : board upside down so foil up, inclinate the board 10 ? - 20 ? so opening a gap between the water and the board towards me, hang on the boom, catch some wind, feet in the water, the other side of the board floats and passes the waves, some pumping can be useful, we have sandbar so I go on until I'm sure to be deep enough, or I flip the board and start normal water starting but don't jump on the board to avoid my weight on the board until I'm sure to stay deep.
Select to expand quoteutcminusfour said..
So, my winter sailing site has shore break, then a channel and then a shallow bar. If I want to ride the swell I have to take my lumps. Here is what is working for me. Take it with a grain of salt and share your experiences.
Going out.
I face the waves so I can see them. I hold the board by the bottom handle with the tail of the board facing the waves. The board is on my windward side floating on it rail so it's on its side, under my arm between my arm and hip. My leeward hand fly's the sail. If you trim it to pull down, it lifts the nose of the board off the ground or clear of the water. If you trim it to fly up it lifts the sail clear of the whitewash. I like a big comfy ledge type bottom handle so I can hang on through more. The board when it is on its side like this just slices through the wave so easily. I often have to deal with strong side shore current and the board gets turned sideways to the waves but because I am at the tail the kit weathervanes and lines up with the wave as soon as it hits. I have been amazed at how much you can punch through this way. I have even been able to dive under a pitching lip in this stance.
Often in bigger waves or at certain tides there is a stretch where it is too deep on the crest to touch bottom but too shallow to float the foil in the troughs. At this point I let go of the sail, roll the board upside down, go to the windward/up-wave side of the board and grab the handle. I can duck dive like this. I push down on the tail with my free hand as I dive my body under the wave. I had a bunch of fails learning this and they all have resulted in my gear getting ripped away while I come out the back of the wave. I am okay with this because I am safe, and I credit this safety with staying up-wave of the kit.
There are a few cons to ditching the sail. First the sail drag is heavy, but you are in shallow water so just drive hard with the legs. Second the mast can break if you get driven back just so. I have not had that happen, but I am aware of it, so I drive like mad with my legs. The third is that once you are deep enough and flip the board over the sail is in the water to leeward and not ready to water start. Often because its deeper the waves don't all have to breaking and I usually have to uphaul anyway because of wind shadow so it's been working for me..
Coming In.
I use a move I learned watching Balz. I grab the mast above the boom and let the waves wash me in. You are nowhere near the kit and can get clear easily. Let the foil bottom out in the troughs and wait for the next wave to lift you and wash you in. I wait until it's really shallow (like foil and nose touching board dry) before I go in and get the bottom handle. I don't like not facing the waves, but this has been working for me so long as I wait till it's shallow to go for the board. Sure, the foils get scratched a little, but I am safe.
So far so good and no injuries. Plenty of sails destroyed. I am super careful and cautious particularly in bigger surf. I am really leery of going over the falls with the kit as learn the limits of duck diving.....
Let's hear it gang, what ya got.
Going out :
- When the water is very low I do :
A. I push the board through the water by pushing the top of the sail : so wave / board upside down / sail / me
Or B I pull the top of the sail : so wave / me / sail / board upside down
- When the water gets deeper : hip level I do something I call reverse water starting : board upside down so foil up, inclinate the board 10 ? - 20 ? so opening a gap between the water and the board towards me, hang on the boom, catch some wind, feet in the water, the other side of the board floats and passes the waves, some pumping can be useful, we have sandbar so I go on until I'm sure to be deep enough, or I flip the board and start normal water starting but don't jump on the board to avoid my weight on the board until I'm sure to stay deep.
Select to expand quoteutcminusfour said..
So, my winter sailing site has shore break, then a channel and then a shallow bar. If I want to ride the swell I have to take my lumps. Here is what is working for me. Take it with a grain of salt and share your experiences.
Going out.
I face the waves so I can see them. I hold the board by the bottom handle with the tail of the board facing the waves. The board is on my windward side floating on it rail so it's on its side, under my arm between my arm and hip. My leeward hand fly's the sail. If you trim it to pull down, it lifts the nose of the board off the ground or clear of the water. If you trim it to fly up it lifts the sail clear of the whitewash. I like a big comfy ledge type bottom handle so I can hang on through more. The board when it is on its side like this just slices through the wave so easily. I often have to deal with strong side shore current and the board gets turned sideways to the waves but because I am at the tail the kit weathervanes and lines up with the wave as soon as it hits. I have been amazed at how much you can punch through this way. I have even been able to dive under a pitching lip in this stance.
Often in bigger waves or at certain tides there is a stretch where it is too deep on the crest to touch bottom but too shallow to float the foil in the troughs. At this point I let go of the sail, roll the board upside down, go to the windward/up-wave side of the board and grab the handle. I can duck dive like this. I push down on the tail with my free hand as I dive my body under the wave. I had a bunch of fails learning this and they all have resulted in my gear getting ripped away while I come out the back of the wave. I am okay with this because I am safe, and I credit this safety with staying up-wave of the kit.
There are a few cons to ditching the sail. First the sail drag is heavy, but you are in shallow water so just drive hard with the legs. Second the mast can break if you get driven back just so. I have not had that happen, but I am aware of it, so I drive like mad with my legs. The third is that once you are deep enough and flip the board over the sail is in the water to leeward and not ready to water start. Often because its deeper the waves don't all have to breaking and I usually have to uphaul anyway because of wind shadow so it's been working for me..
Coming In.
I use a move I learned watching Balz. I grab the mast above the boom and let the waves wash me in. You are nowhere near the kit and can get clear easily. Let the foil bottom out in the troughs and wait for the next wave to lift you and wash you in. I wait until it's really shallow (like foil and nose touching board dry) before I go in and get the bottom handle. I don't like not facing the waves, but this has been working for me so long as I wait till it's shallow to go for the board. Sure, the foils get scratched a little, but I am safe.
So far so good and no injuries. Plenty of sails destroyed. I am super careful and cautious particularly in bigger surf. I am really leery of going over the falls with the kit as learn the limits of duck diving.....
Let's hear it gang, what ya got.
Going out :
- When the water is very low I do :
A. I push the board through the water by pushing the top of the sail : so wave / board upside down / sail / me
Or B I pull the top of the sail : so wave / me / sail / board upside down
- When the water gets deeper : hip level I do something I call reverse water starting : board upside down so foil up, inclinate the board 10 ? - 20 ? so opening a gap between the water and the board towards me, hang on the boom, catch some wind, feet in the water, the other side of the board floats and passes the waves, some pumping can be useful, we have sandbar so I go on until I'm sure to be deep enough, or I flip the board and start normal water starting but don't jump on the board to avoid my weight on the board until I'm sure to stay deep.
Select to expand quoteutcminusfour said..
So, my winter sailing site has shore break, then a channel and then a shallow bar. If I want to ride the swell I have to take my lumps. Here is what is working for me. Take it with a grain of salt and share your experiences.
Going out.
I face the waves so I can see them. I hold the board by the bottom handle with the tail of the board facing the waves. The board is on my windward side floating on it rail so it's on its side, under my arm between my arm and hip. My leeward hand fly's the sail. If you trim it to pull down, it lifts the nose of the board off the ground or clear of the water. If you trim it to fly up it lifts the sail clear of the whitewash. I like a big comfy ledge type bottom handle so I can hang on through more. The board when it is on its side like this just slices through the wave so easily. I often have to deal with strong side shore current and the board gets turned sideways to the waves but because I am at the tail the kit weathervanes and lines up with the wave as soon as it hits. I have been amazed at how much you can punch through this way. I have even been able to dive under a pitching lip in this stance.
Often in bigger waves or at certain tides there is a stretch where it is too deep on the crest to touch bottom but too shallow to float the foil in the troughs. At this point I let go of the sail, roll the board upside down, go to the windward/up-wave side of the board and grab the handle. I can duck dive like this. I push down on the tail with my free hand as I dive my body under the wave. I had a bunch of fails learning this and they all have resulted in my gear getting ripped away while I come out the back of the wave. I am okay with this because I am safe, and I credit this safety with staying up-wave of the kit.
There are a few cons to ditching the sail. First the sail drag is heavy, but you are in shallow water so just drive hard with the legs. Second the mast can break if you get driven back just so. I have not had that happen, but I am aware of it, so I drive like mad with my legs. The third is that once you are deep enough and flip the board over the sail is in the water to leeward and not ready to water start. Often because its deeper the waves don't all have to breaking and I usually have to uphaul anyway because of wind shadow so it's been working for me..
Coming In.
I use a move I learned watching Balz. I grab the mast above the boom and let the waves wash me in. You are nowhere near the kit and can get clear easily. Let the foil bottom out in the troughs and wait for the next wave to lift you and wash you in. I wait until it's really shallow (like foil and nose touching board dry) before I go in and get the bottom handle. I don't like not facing the waves, but this has been working for me so long as I wait till it's shallow to go for the board. Sure, the foils get scratched a little, but I am safe.
So far so good and no injuries. Plenty of sails destroyed. I am super careful and cautious particularly in bigger surf. I am really leery of going over the falls with the kit as learn the limits of duck diving.....
Let's hear it gang, what ya got.
Going out :
- When the water is very low I do :
A. I push the board through the water by pushing the top of the sail : so wave / board upside down / sail / me
Or B I pull the top of the sail : so wave / me / sail / board upside down
- When the water gets deeper : hip level I do something I call reverse water starting : board upside down so foil up, inclinate the board 10 ? - 20 ? so opening a gap between the water and the board towards me, hang on the boom, catch some wind, feet in the water, the other side of the board floats and passes the waves, some pumping can be useful, we have sandbar so I go on until I'm sure to be deep enough, or I flip the board and start normal water starting but don't jump on the board to avoid my weight on the board until I'm sure to stay deep.
