I laugh when I hear you guys talk about riding on the second session and almost getting flat water paddleups on the first. The reality for me and most other people I know, is I have had to spend months getting to your day 2 level, so you are quite incredible. ;)
Hey, We are very lucky to be able to use really good gear which helps.. And have spent years standing on all sorts of boards. But we realise and respect that many riders progress at different speeds. And its important that others out there keep us posted with what parts of the learning they are struggling with most. So then we can make the right content to help. Thanks Reuben
To be honest I laugh too, however I do respect the guy who had 3+ years SUP surfing. Coming to this at an older age (72) zero SUP with a pro surf/skate background, I am shocked at how difficult this sport is. I’ve moved to a 8’8”x26”x150L monster. Foils are 1700cm2 and now a 1300 like a PnG. The 1300 is impossible to even stand on. In Maui with Jeremy I used a enormous M280 and GT2500 GoFoil in Maui. Better balance for sure. 40+ sessions winging, lagoon paddling, prone surfing, hand paddles get me into 1-2’ waves but the board comes up before I can get to my feet, ski boat towing and now FoilDrive V2 this weekend. No flight yet!!! Except the very first day behind a ski and yes I got 15 meters. I’m not giving up but it’s honestly the hardest thing I’ve ever tried.
Some of the Portland guys are using the Naish HA 1440 and 1880, in high winds (>25knots) they were working well. Some clips of one riding in Part 2. Hopefully we will see the new Naish downwind / pump foil for review at some point too. Cheers, Will
Speaking about wind swell and ground swell: Anything we (you) have figured out in terms of gear selection if wind- and ground-swell are going in the same direction? That's how it looks in spot most of the time and I was wondering if in those conditions a pure dw board would be better/the only choice in comparison to a hybrid board (or v.v.)?
I think this probably leans to a pure downwind board being a better choice - however I feel it depends on the strength of the wind a little and your level - if its 25Knots + I think a hybrid board will still do the job well when using bigger foils as the wind will get you going over the board length. Hybrid boards with smaller foils will be harder and I think thats the key reason to go long on the boards in pure downwind. Does that help? Regards, Will - SUPboarder
Great video. Just a quick question. I have the Ace foil arriving anytime now. I plan to use a combination of the glider 1100cm2 1700cm2 and the Axis png1150. I was wondering where you locate your mast for the starboard and axis foils? Thanks
You reference large, medium and small paddle blades. For me at least it would be good to mention the actual area. There seems to be an emphasis on flat water paddle up regarding the suitability of a foil. While I have been focusing on it myself recently (as there is no wind in my location currently to make bumps) I found earlier in the season before I had any chance of flat water paddle up that I could paddle up on fairly small lake wind bumps and even complete successfully downwinders on my ART PRO 1201. At that point earlier in the season I couldn't even paddle up an Axis PNG 1300 (1700cm2 and lifty profile) in flatwater, let alone the ART PRO 1201 (1300cm2), but getting up on a bump with decent timing was very possible (mainly balance limited). Only after a decent amount of practice was I able to flatwater paddle up the PNG 1300, and very recently have gotten lifted and taken a few pumps on my ART PRO 1201 though this is still a work in progress. Board is a 7'7" at 18.9" so should be suitable.
Hey Josh, thanks for your comment - Blade sizes we have been using are as follows - SMALL (Black Project Surge 485cm2) MEDIUM (Black Project HydroFlow X 530cm2 and Starboard Enduro 550cm2) and LARGE (Black Project SprintX 565cm2) . I agree when you get in the right type of bump ( estuary / lake...short / steep) take off can be very easy compared to flat water and will make foils like the 1201 more possible. I feel that if you have the skills to catch a bump, you could certainly succeed when the DW conditions are right having never paddled up on flat water,....but I have been approaching this with the approach of 'knowing I can do all the pieces of the puzzle' as I move through the process, because then I can be more analytical with my learning and know where I need to focus my efforts. For me I want to keep working with pump foils on my downwinders as I find the foils easier to ride which will give me the ability to learn more about connecting bumps out on the run. I feel if I go to a foil with a higher stall speed and less pitch stability ill be making the riding harder and just slowing my progression. Cheers, Will - SUPboarder
I laugh when I hear you guys talk about riding on the second session and almost getting flat water paddleups on the first. The reality for me and most other people I know, is I have had to spend months getting to your day 2 level, so you are quite incredible. ;)
Hey, We are very lucky to be able to use really good gear which helps.. And have spent years standing on all sorts of boards. But we realise and respect that many riders progress at different speeds. And its important that others out there keep us posted with what parts of the learning they are struggling with most. So then we can make the right content to help. Thanks Reuben
To be honest I laugh too, however I do respect the guy who had 3+ years SUP surfing. Coming to this at an older age (72) zero SUP with a pro surf/skate background, I am shocked at how difficult this sport is. I’ve moved to a 8’8”x26”x150L monster. Foils are 1700cm2 and now a 1300 like a PnG. The 1300 is impossible to even stand on. In Maui with Jeremy I used a enormous M280 and GT2500 GoFoil in Maui. Better balance for sure. 40+ sessions winging, lagoon paddling, prone surfing, hand paddles get me into 1-2’ waves but the board comes up before I can get to my feet, ski boat towing and now FoilDrive V2 this weekend. No flight yet!!! Except the very first day behind a ski and yes I got 15 meters. I’m not giving up but it’s honestly the hardest thing I’ve ever tried.
BTW a really good discussion here mates.
Love these Longform videos. Please could I ask for you to try the naish foils for this too? Ideally a jet HA 1440 or 1240... as I have those 😂 👍
Some of the Portland guys are using the Naish HA 1440 and 1880, in high winds (>25knots) they were working well. Some clips of one riding in Part 2. Hopefully we will see the new Naish downwind / pump foil for review at some point too. Cheers, Will
Speaking about wind swell and ground swell: Anything we (you) have figured out in terms of gear selection if wind- and ground-swell are going in the same direction? That's how it looks in spot most of the time and I was wondering if in those conditions a pure dw board would be better/the only choice in comparison to a hybrid board (or v.v.)?
I think this probably leans to a pure downwind board being a better choice - however I feel it depends on the strength of the wind a little and your level - if its 25Knots + I think a hybrid board will still do the job well when using bigger foils as the wind will get you going over the board length. Hybrid boards with smaller foils will be harder and I think thats the key reason to go long on the boards in pure downwind. Does that help? Regards, Will - SUPboarder
Great video. Just a quick question. I have the Ace foil arriving anytime now. I plan to use a combination of the glider 1100cm2 1700cm2 and the Axis png1150. I was wondering where you locate your mast for the starboard and axis foils? Thanks
Front of mast at the starboard mark on the bottom of the board works well with 17/1100
You reference large, medium and small paddle blades. For me at least it would be good to mention the actual area.
There seems to be an emphasis on flat water paddle up regarding the suitability of a foil. While I have been focusing on it myself recently (as there is no wind in my location currently to make bumps) I found earlier in the season before I had any chance of flat water paddle up that I could paddle up on fairly small lake wind bumps and even complete successfully downwinders on my ART PRO 1201. At that point earlier in the season I couldn't even paddle up an Axis PNG 1300 (1700cm2 and lifty profile) in flatwater, let alone the ART PRO 1201 (1300cm2), but getting up on a bump with decent timing was very possible (mainly balance limited). Only after a decent amount of practice was I able to flatwater paddle up the PNG 1300, and very recently have gotten lifted and taken a few pumps on my ART PRO 1201 though this is still a work in progress. Board is a 7'7" at 18.9" so should be suitable.
Hey Josh, thanks for your comment - Blade sizes we have been using are as follows - SMALL (Black Project Surge 485cm2) MEDIUM (Black Project HydroFlow X 530cm2 and Starboard Enduro 550cm2) and LARGE (Black Project SprintX 565cm2) .
I agree when you get in the right type of bump ( estuary / lake...short / steep) take off can be very easy compared to flat water and will make foils like the 1201 more possible. I feel that if you have the skills to catch a bump, you could certainly succeed when the DW conditions are right having never paddled up on flat water,....but I have been approaching this with the approach of 'knowing I can do all the pieces of the puzzle' as I move through the process, because then I can be more analytical with my learning and know where I need to focus my efforts.
For me I want to keep working with pump foils on my downwinders as I find the foils easier to ride which will give me the ability to learn more about connecting bumps out on the run. I feel if I go to a foil with a higher stall speed and less pitch stability ill be making the riding harder and just slowing my progression.
Cheers, Will - SUPboarder