I carry the kit on my head, foil down, holding the mast and fuselage. if I do it differently or try to float the board it can be a 15-20 minute struggle of trying to bash through breaking waves!
I ride 95-105cm masts, so have to be about shoulderdeep average before I can launch, otherwise the foil will hit the ground inbetween waves. At that point the wave tops are over head high, which can be a struggle. At the end I always aim to carry the board nose high, that will kinda work out most of the time. The sailtop will hit the water sometimes, which can make it hard, but especially if you have a little bit longer waves it shouldnt be that much of a problem as the water rolls underneath.
I have to say, North sea waves in NL are known as some of the nastiest in the world, not for the size/ height, but for the mushyness and small period. They are about 3m long at most, so no nice rolling swells or time to adjust. If you've seen footage of Sylt PWA Wavesailing, cut the distance between waves in half and you have what we get here. Getting out can be a struggle and I wouldnt say my method is foolproof, its just the best I have come up with.
Select to expand quotemakesurf said..
I should have mentioned this:
Coming in
Clip the board to the float and swim/carry the rig in then come back to the board.
You need the board's flotation to retrieve the anchor.
Don't pull the anchor all the way up to the board.
Get it into shallower water and leave it there, while you take the board and the foil in through the surf.
Then go back and get it.
So in closing, I have assembled all the instructions on this page:
supwindfoil.blogspot.com/2020/03/surf-launch.html
Tried again today in tiny surf and updated the words and pictures on this post:
supwindfoil.blogspot.com/2020/03/surf-launch.html
I am keen to know how others are going at trying this.
Have you ever considered the suction cups for moving heavy glass fixtures? I use mine and it gives me the leverage to much more easily get my foil set up in and out of the water and is crucial in shore break to move quickly. I carry mine in my harness belt and it seems to work.
I tried separating the sail from the board in the water a few times to run them in separately but that doesn't work so well in an undertow situation ;)
DC
Select to expand quoteDcharlton said..
I tried separating the sail from the board in the water a few times to run them in separately but that doesn't work so well in an undertow situation ;)
DC
Years ago I had a rig in the water after the mast base ripped out of the board.
I was caught in a rip and went around in The Big Circle a couple of times.
Ended up ditching the rig and found it, completely wrecked, a week later.
That is why the blue fender is so important.
Attaching this to the boom and the mast on the sail should help it stay afloat until it gets washed into shallow enough water to lift the rig above the head.
I will avoid getting it in a rip, but if it does, the fender should provide a pivot point to stop the worst of the force of the water.
I'll let you know when I try it.
BTW I did not understand how the vacuum, suction cups helped.
Got a photo?
Suction cup on bottom of board just behind front straps on balance point with rig attached.
I advocate White's idea. Fin down, tail rail on shoulder, holding fuselage in one hand, mast below boom in other hand.
I used to windsurf a Dufour Wing and 6.1 sail at Ocean Beach SanFrancisco up to head high surf....sometimes with shortboard surfer's in the water.
Gotta lift fin well clear, best if you can balance rig off the water.
You control the nose of the board with board holding hand and boom hand.
Coming in, you run with the whitewater.
Select to expand quoteLeeD said..
Gotta lift fin well clear, best if you can balance rig off the water.
You control the nose of the board with board holding hand and boom hand.
Coming in, you run with the whitewater.
Can anyone point to a video of someone doing this? [this monkey has to see in order to do]
Obviously, heading out, you keep the board's nose downwind and back towards shore. Lift tail out of the water. To avoid the backwash water heading out away from shore, you KEEP WALKING until clear of the fin.
Once the fin-foil clears, it's the same as surfsailing.
And yes, some surf foilers just grab the foilmast, board on it's side, sail downwind held by boom near the mast, and walk out or back to shore depending where you're going.
The reason I don't is because the foil mast is sharp, I don't wear gloves, water is 55 and air the same.
Select to expand quoteLeeD said..
And yes, some surf foilers just grab the foilmast, board on it's side, sail downwind held by boom near the mast, and walk out or back to shore depending where you're going.
Lee,Could you post a photo of someone carrying a board like that?
I think LeeD is talking C, I use that method when its flat or I have to walk a short distance. I prefer B for when there's waves or when having to walk longer distances, except I wrap my arm behin the mast and grab the fuselage near the front wing. That way the gear is lodged and won't go anywhere. Just tilt the nose a little when walking into waves, wouldnt want the nose catching the wave if carrying that way... I prefer it over the other methods because it is a lot less heavy. It is a little harder to get in the right position, and since I often rig inside and have to walk short dinstances I just use C, but B is definately my preference when there's waves!
I use B, but I squat down and get the tail rail of the board onto my shoulder and grasp the fuselage with one hand, the other hand holding the boom near the front. Shoulder takes the load.
And the rig holding hand holds wherever is balanced, for some near the boom head, for others on the mast between the base and the boom.
I do "C" except my left hand reaches to the far side of the board lip and forearm/elbow kinda of catches the mast. "A" would be a disaster for me due to hard to hold the board up so high.
Always having to gauge wind and gusts and rotate position
Select to expand quotethedoor said..
Thanks WoH, excellent photo
Why my neck hurts:
It is not the weight as much as the effect on my neck when a gust hits..
That's why I rest/support the inside rail with my left shoulder. I do use a 60cm foil mast, which requires squatting down to get under the board.
Select to expand quotemakesurf said..thedoor said..
Thanks WoH, excellent photo
Why my neck hurts:
It is not the weight as much as the effect on my neck when a gust hits..
Yeah I get what you mean, thats why I pretty much only use this in onshore or side on conditons, which is what we get mostly anyway, and otherwise its more flat, so less difficult to use A or B. If you have gusts from behind it can be a handful, but B is perfect for that!
B works fine with the tail rail supported by my left shoulder, taking half the weight off my pencil neck.
Select to expand quoteLeeD said..
B works fine with the tail rail supported by my left shoulder, taking half the weight off my pencil neck.
Select to expand quotemakesurf said..LeeD said..
B works fine with the tail rail supported by my left shoulder, taking half the weight off my pencil neck.
We have been sharing that video with everyone we know, it is so funny! Now we just joke with each other and blurt out B!!!
Good footage of carrying gear out of the water at 2:42 seconds also the rest of the video is fun.
Can't tell where his left hand grabs, but otherwise exactly. Shoulder takes 1/3 the load.
Good discussion. I've found myself in some awkward, potentially dangerous positions even in a small shore break. Definitely a skill to develop. I recommend practicing method B going in and out of the water even when you don't need to. That way you will be more comfortable keeping everything balanced when you need to get in position and lift your rig quickly clear of the water in a shore break. Depending on length of foil mast, you can rest board on shoulder or head. Most of the pressure can be kept off the head and neck by lifting the weight with your hand on the fuselage. Also, the picture "B" does not really show the technique. The end of the Balz Muller video shows it well. Again, I recommend practicing first with no shore break rather than trying to figure out the balance and exact positioning in more challenging conditions.
In B, sail is touched by the DECK of the board.
Nothing sharp like the bottom.
There ARE days when I can't stoop low enough to get the board onto my shoulder.
Select to expand quotef2f2f2 said..
Another carrying technique at around 6:30
I used to carry like this - doesn't help at all in the shore break and doesn't work with wide, fat boards. My new fat board forced me to carry the Balz way - board and sail on head, fuse in hand. Really helps in the shore break, but it really pays to have light gear (which I do).
