 I managed to film and document the 2nd session!! It was a Perfect session with regards to kit set up. The wind was steady 12 - 14knots and I used a 5.6 icon wave sail and 126 Monster (free race Board) and the AFS 85 Wind Foil. This seemed spot on... and I would say was the perfect foiling wind! Just going in a straight felt so comfortable with only the odd moment where I got it wrong... and in the end I got the gybes consistent!! Super happy with that as the progression is feeling fast. Although I did try gybes all and I mean all day :)? ...it's like learning to windsurf again and it feels awesome. Any questions or comment put them below or anything you want me to cover. ...at the moment I'm just enjoying the sessions and I will try to pass on what I'm leant!)
Part 2 – The idiots Guide to foiling!!
Well I know I said I would bring you an equipment run down etc buuuuuut as I nearly made a foiling gybe after the first quick session I was super pumped to get back out there and nail it…
Unfortunately I didn’t have Alfie filming but with the aid of a GO PRO and a Simon Moore (thanks Si 🙂 I managed to film and document the 2nd session!!
It was a Perfect session with regards to kit set up. The wind was steady 12 – 14knots and I used a 5.6 icon wave sail and 126 Monster (free race Board) and the AFS 85 Wind Foil. This seemed spot on… and I would say was the perfect foiling wind!
Just going in a straight felt so comfortable with only the odd moment where I got it wrong… and in the end I got the gybes consistent!!
Super happy with that as the progression is feeling fast. Although I did try gybes all and I mean all day :)? …it’s like learning to windsurf again and it feels awesome.
Any questions or comment put them below or anything you want me to cover.
…at the moment I’m just enjoying the sessions and I will try to pass on what I’m leant!
foiling is bäääähhh ffuuuuu
Right on, Ben – good fun. About those foiling jibes – after decades of racing, I kept looking at all my sailing buddies in the Gorge doing Euro jibes on their foils (switch sail first, then switch feet) and thought that seemed nuts, especially after seeing the NP/JP videos with Sebastian Kornum pulling off beautiful step jibes. So I kept trying to make step jibes happen, thinking they were much closer to slalom jibes and should feel more comfortable. Came to the same conclusions as you about foot placement, but it never felt solid, like something I’d actually want to do around a mark with a bunch of other people there. So I went back to Euro jibes – and wouldn’t you know it, I found that stability. It’s a bit of a chore with bigger gear (a 7.0 Flyer is doable but a bit awkward – I’m guessing bigger race sails will force me back to shifting sail after feet again), but for non-jumbo sails, it’s a huge step up in fluidity.