What's awesome about foiling?

Gustproof.
A pilot who can pump well, feather, weight the boom, lean on front foot, and change direction as needed.

Here's why I ask. I am out on the foil, doing just fine, minding my own business, life is good, cruising right along in 15 mph wind with a 6.4 on either my AFS-2 or LP foil in freeriding mode. So far so good.

A sharp and strong gust hits. I hold it in just fine, but the sudden acceleration FORWARD causes the foil to lift QUICKLY. If I am not ready for it, I foil out before I even realize what is happening. This is mostly with sharp and very strong gusts in the gorge. If the gusts are soft, but still strong, no big deal. I can adjust to those. It's those sharp ones that get me.

So, I am looking for advice about sails that tend to "breathe" the crazy sharp gusts more without the massive acceleration and subsequent foil-out.

My old cambered slalom sails work really well for foiling, but they want to accelerate in the gusts. This was fine, and even desirable, for finning on slalom gear, but not so fine for foiling. So, I need sails that tend to keep consistent power in sharp gusty conditions. I think the no-cam sails head in this direction, but the jury is still out for my next foiling quiver. The Goya Fringe is high on the list.

Yes, we get 8-25 mph here, too, with razor sharp gusts. My problem is that I have to just watch that crap from the beach rather than go out and fight it. I'd rather foil it.

Great to see windfoiling taking off (pardon the pun). Are many windfoilers riding strapless? I think with kitefoiling around 30% - 40% are strapless.

Whiteofheart -- "If you're riding a really big board (mine is 70x180), there's also the problem with rake becoming more prominent. A bad rake on the foil can really mess up your stability in gusts. People always stop talking to me when I go into rake so I just don't do that anymore.."

What do you mean by "bad rake on the foil"? (Nose of the board pointing slightly down?)

Thanks

I used to race formula a lot. Rake mattered there, too, believe it or not.

My rake is fine for the two boards I foil with: 100x160 formula board, and 75x135 dedicated freeride foil board. (I presume the numbers are width x volume.) The sweet spot for me is the 75x135 board with a 6.4 3-cam in 15 mph not-so-gusty winds. Such days happen often enough out in the eastern Washington state desert that I can call them the sweet spot.

I had a day at the Event Site last summer where the wind was light-ish, but so crazy and sharply gusty (5 gusting 30) that I couldn't even get half way across the river in one piece. No fun. 4.5 no-cam sail. Arm-sailing off the harness. I guess such days call for watching the carnage from the beach.

So, per White, if you have the rake just right, and a sail that pushes down on mast track in gusts, you have it made. Sounds good.

Nope.
A 2 year windsurfer who's hungry has as much fun as you in 3-25.
A 37 year veteran of ws with a year in foiling hates that wind either sport, but goes out anyway to gain experience and complains afterward anyway.

New WWF video from Casey Treichler who has finally set up a web site for his boards (N.A. only for the moment) www.reefwarriorsboards.com/foilboard

What's awesome about foiling? You're not tempted to do this!

Foil stoke? Hell yes. I love the feeling of flying over water, very quiet; reminds me of a jet fighter hauling ass just above the water. And I'm getting in 3x the days the slapper sailors are.