Learning to Downwind: 10 Top Tips
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- Опубліковано 25 лип 2024
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🌊 Ready to elevate your downwind foil game? Dive into our latest video where we share our top ten tips for mastering the art of downwind foiling! 🏄♂️
From selecting the perfect board and foil to choosing the right paddle, we've got you covered with essential advice to help you ride the waves like a pro. Whether you're a beginner looking to get started or an experienced foiler aiming to fine-tune your skills, these tips are guaranteed to take your downwind foiling to the next level.
Join us as we break down each tip and provide valuable insights to help you navigate the waters with confidence and precision. With the right knowledge and techniques, you'll be gliding effortlessly across the waves in no time!
Don't miss out on this invaluable advice - hit that subscribe button and embark on your journey to downwind foiling mastery today! 🚀🌊 #DownwindFoiling #FoilBoardingTips #extremesportsvideos #armstrongfoils #hydrofoiling
Time Line
0:00 Intro
1:23 Board Selection
4:45 Foil Selection
8:05 Paddle Selection
10:04 Flatwater Paddle Ups
11:07 Bay Runs
13:48 SUP Surf
14:34 Ocean Runs
15:37 Conditions
17:19 Safety
19:37 Commitment - Навчання та стиль
All Great Beginner Tips. Here's a few of mine. 1. Start learning Paddling/Balance on a Racing SUP. 2. Start your Flat Water SUPF Basics with a 80 + cm Mast (longer more stability). 3. Build Up your Cardio, 4. Subscribe to your Channel and remember when Paddling " Anything past your Hip is a Waist ;)
Great tips! Completely agree. Yes, that’s a good one about the not paddling past your hips, I forgot that one!
Wow - so addictive that you stopped winging. I am totally addicted to winging but apparently there is an even more potent drug out there. I am stepping into this now and so grateful for all the good advice here. Steep learning curve - here I come again :-)
It’s really addictive but super hard to learn. I’m now at the stage where I go winging when the conditions are good. Basically I pick and choose and that’s the best combo I think. Good luck and stick with it!
Nicely presented, thanks Gav!
Glad you liked it!
Awesome work Gav
Thanks Grant! We all miss you on the Northern Beaches
Great info 🤙
Glad it was helpful!
Good vid. Great tips.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for sharing. I started my DW foiling a month ago. 80 kg, 5 years kite/ wing foiling experience. I’m using Armie 107L, adjustable PPC 105 paddle and 1400 HA Naish foil. So far, just working on paddling straight in flat water harbor. Balance and footwork is tricky for sure. Winging is easy on this setup and I’m inclined to wing instead of learning pop ups and padding technique. Your tip of commitment to DW progression resonates. Trying to find The Will, to find the way. Cheers!
Great to hear that, and yes, it’s such a hard sport to learn but super rewarding when it goes well. I started on the 107L and found it a bit on the small side to start. It’s the board I use now and absolutely love it. It’s also the board I wing and paddle into waves with. If there is anyway you can get a bigger board (don’t sell the 107L as you will use that down the road)?
As i am an absolute beginner to wingfoiling, the art of downwind paddeling is something that i'd like to learn in a distance future. Nevertheless, your calm way of describing the process really is a pleasure to watch. Keep on doing it.
Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated!
What’s preferred fuse length?
Great video! If possible, could you please do a short video on how to use the stoke foil boost for DW foiling (I don't have anyone to pick me up at the end of a short run or to accompany me for safety purposes). Also, do you think tail rocker is important for DW boards -- for 2024 Armstrong is introducing a new DW board with a fair amount of tail rocker. I would like to use the foil boost for helping me get back upwind and home -- I'm a bit age challenged (74 in a couple of months -- I've paid a fair bit of attention to my health for the past 60 years (diet and exercise) so I still have a fair bit of strength and endurance but injuries need to be avoided since they now take an inordinately long time to heal. I live near Bath, Ontario Canada, which is located along the shore of Lake Ontario, so it is mostly wind driven bumps, which can get fairly large. Your videos are a breath of fresh air and give me some hope for the human race -- thank you.
Thanks mate, really appreciate it. Yes, the Boost or the Foil Drive is a great way of doing it. I believe Boost are about to release a new, more powerful battery and the new Foil Drive is more than capable of doing this. I know people that can motor up 7k then turn downwind and ride the bumps. I think either could be a good option for you.
As for tail rocker on boards…I’m afraid my limited knowledge on board design won’t be of much help. It seems like lots of brands are doing this (KT dragonfly etc) so it has to be a benefit. That being said, I think if you get the length, volume and width right, the rest is less important.
Hope that helps.
Thank you. I’ve taken all these tips to heart. Still struggling standing and paddling. Lots of heel side falls. Ears full of water. Commitment is so important. I keep at it. 6m wing in the closet. Paddling 100%.
I know what you are going through. Just keep at it, it will come with time. Remember to use the paddle as a “stabiliser” it should never leave the water unless you’re paddling up onto foil.
Ears full of water? If it is cold water watch out for the famous swimmers ear/surfers ear.
@@Hanssupansnow yeah I’ve had the procedure. Maybe time again.
Good Tips for sure! Only one thing I'll make comment about is big boards not 'fitting' in lake bumps. It's just not the case - big long boards 8-9ft are fantastic and totally usable in bay or lake conditions. I bang on about this a lot because I really do think long boards with good volume like you said (40L ) makes life so much easier especially for us heavier fellas 90kg plus.
Thanks Dave, and yes, you may well be right on this one. I only made this statement because I feel beginners may find "shorter" boards more versatile for winging and proning. I've got a 8'11 board on the way so will be interesting to see how it goes in the bay. Do you think someone could learn on a board like this?
@@hydrofoilacademy I am. 8’8” 26” 150L. Feels like a Slater 5’10”. 😆 Still at 102lbs and 72, I am struggling at standing, even on flat glass. I know, keep at it, I’ll get it.
Great Vid, thanks for sharing. Been going for a couple months now and it’s really hard, really hard! Using the 7’7 and same foil configuration albeit the 1080hs. Out of interest what mast position would you have used with the 1675 over the HA’s?
It’s so hard! But so worth it when you finally get it.
Have you tried shining the rear of the mast with the 1080? That may help. Armie does a 1deg shim.
For the 1180 I put the rear of the baseplate on 6. For the APF1675 I put it back to 4.5 or 5. Hope that helps.
Great vid and tips! Completely agree with your approach in the early stages - bay runs all the way!! At what point did you move away from the APF and onto the 1180 in this environment? How much harder is it to paddle up and how much easier is it to ride /pump?! Cheers, Will - SUPboarder
Thanks Will, I appreciate your kind comments. I stayed on the APF 1675 through the bay runs and onto the ocean runs. With the Glide 220 tail, I found it to have a reasonable top end. Obviously, it was not able to keep up with the rolling swells but I spent several months learning to use speed to come off the back of the swell and look for wind bumps.
I then jumped onto the 1180 with the speed 180 tail. I was surprised how easy I was able to paddle this up. In fact, I can flat water paddle this wing up. This wing can keep up with swells and pumps forever. I now use this in bay runs and in the ocean.
I've just moved onto the DWP930 which is amazing but takes some getting used to.
Hope thats helps.
Hi Mate! Love your videos and the tips. I´ve been winging for two seasons now and I can gibe and tuck with no problems. Also can pump with ease-.I´ve been sticking to north foils due to having a good dealer here in Chile. I had the north MA1200 and currently been using the Sf1080. I kinda love it for pregressing but I feel is too slow for downwinding. I wan´t to start with my downwind journey... what front wing from north can you recomend me or should I consider moving to another brand? thanks y thank you
Hey thank YOU for your message 🤩 All I can say DONT MOVE BRANDS there's something super exciting on the horizon arriving this April/May 🙃
Would love a video about turning/avoiding ending up in an uphill and coming off foil.
I feel like I make little adjustments to keep flat water in front of me and I can often see a good one off to the side and cut over to catch the one behind it. But I have yet to break 2min on foil. Always end up on an uphill or and up pumping so much that I run out of pump and fall.
This all sounds very familiar to me. I went through a very similar stage. The key to it is to match the speed of the bump with your foil. You basically want to manage your speed (Slower by turning/traversing or riding lower on the mast: Faster by pumping going straight and riding higher) so you it just above the trough - you should be able just see it. The problem I found; I was riding the bump with too much speed down the face and going straight into the wave in front. Use the speed to "peel" off the back - almost going into the wind and turn on the next one OR find a gap in the bump and go through it. I found that the former to be more effective and I got better results.
Hope that makes sense
Great Video. Whats your board now? Thx
Thank you. I’m using the Armie DW 7’2 107L right now.
Tanks for your tips. Would it help when i learn first the wingfoiling properly??? Have already 8 wingsessions...
You are welcome!
Thanks for the video, your advice is very precious and essential to approach this discipline in the correct way. I am 54 years old, I weigh 82 kg and I am a sportsman. I started learning about foiling with the kite 3 years ago, then the following year I learned the wing. I currently have the Armstrong foil ma 1225, 1000, 800 fusolage of 60 and a performance mast of 865. As you recommend, I will purchase the APF 1675. Do you think it is also appropriate to reduce the length of the mast from 865 to 795. If so, what are the advantages? If I started with the 865 tree, what additional difficulties would I encounter? Thanks for everything. Philip
Hi Philip,
Thanks for the kind words, it’s really appreciated. Look, the longer mast is just going to be harder to paddle up as there is more drag in the water at the start (harder to paddle faster). That being said, the APF 1675 is is such a lifty wing that it should be fine. Personally, I wouldn’t go buying a new mast just yet. Try the 865 and see how you go. Hope that helps.
@@hydrofoilacademy Hi Mate! Your advice is special. Thanks for your time. 🙏
Really Great Tips! I can not wait to get going with this. Have a question for you. I have been foiling for about 4-5 years. Started with Boat/Wake then Kite and have been Winging for a couple of years (lost 1 year because of neck surgery and was out of the water for almost the full year.). I weigh around 87 Kg in a wetsuit. I ordered a Starboard Ace 7' 4 120L. Main use is going to be Light wind winging and wave sup'ing. Maybe eventually downwinding but not right away. I live in New Jersey. How do you think this is as far as board size? They have a larger one 7'10 140 L but that is a lot of board. Also, I have a couple of foil set ups, Armstrong A+ with a 1525 HA and a 1850 HS. Also Gong 1500 HA, 1900 low aspect. I really like the speed of the HA's but they are really "tracky" when gybing and not sure how they would do in rollers? Thanks
Steve
For light wind winging, that board dims sound good. For actually DWing i'd say it was on the short side. Not to say you can't make it work, just longer is better. I am using an 8'10" at the moment. So much easier to paddle up than my shorter ones.
Thanks for the tips. I am 65kg and have been winging for 2 years
I plan to start with Duotone DW air 105l and F one Seven Seas 1300.
Is it a good setup to start with?
Thanks
I think an inflatable DW board is ok for winging but to paddle up? I’m not sure. I think it will be really hard to get the surface released with just paddle power. In the early stages it will be great for balance and paddling skills but I fear you will get frustrated before long. Trust me, it’s hard enough without having the breaks on. SS1300 is good. 👍
@@hydrofoilacademy Thanks for your advice. Anyway I will try first 😂
Lots of very useful tips. Especially the points on foils, paddles and bay runs.
Something to say about bay runs, I think it would help to be more clear about what is meant here - it is implied but not often stated. A bay run is only useful if it is protected from ground swell, otherwise it is as difficult as an ocean run, or more difficult due to reverb, but possibly with a lower risk.
Another useful point is finding the mouth of a bay/river/estuary, as the tidal flow against the wind can make the bumps much easier.
Good point, well made. Yes, I should have explained better. When I say “bay runs” I’m referring to completely enclosed waters where no ground swell can impact the run.
I’ve not done any river mouth sessions but I can see they would be an epic learning ground.
Diagrams, more videos of actual riding would have been more useful for real beginners. Not deep enough on technique.
Thanks for the video
Thanks for the comment
With each topic you start out talking normally and wind up in a whisper, with no resonance in your voice. You should focus on keeping the same volume throughout each topic - that would make your advice easier to hear. Might want to stop and take a breath before starting the last sentence - that would make sure you have enough air to power through to the end.
Thanks for the tip 🤷♂️