We need a foil topic

We might as well hijack this thread and turn it to good instead of evil.

Foils always do what you tell them, it's just that you might not have meant what you said. The smallest inappropriate input to the board is transferred to the foil and amplified and the foil reacts accordingly. The trick is to work out what inputs to make, and how to make them.

As a starter, move your back foot out of the strap and well forward of the mast. You can practice moving it back and forth as you get comfortable riding.

If you get too far upwind (which is quite common), and can't get yourself back downwind (also quite common), just lie on your board and drag slowly back to where you want to go. You get to rest. You get to go where you want, rather than where the board is taking you. And with a bit of practice you can get some speed up and pop up and down on the foil on your guts. It's kind of fun.

Go as far forward as you can on the front strap. Ditch the rear strap all together to begin with move your back foot forward untill the rocket ship stops.

Another way to think (as opposed to add gradual back foot pressure or lift slowly front foot) is to just move your weight slightly from front to back by leaning less forward. Same thing just different way to put it. The trick with foiling is gradual, fine motoric movements. And patience. And don't ride overpowered as this will make the bunny hops worse. And crashes harder. And technique will be crap.

Just loose both straps to start with mate. You can move your feet around freely. You are forced to find that sweet balanced spot ie foot position. And you crash away from your foil and without breaking your ankles. Once up and running and you want to jump or race you can just put them back on.

I find riding strapless more stylish anyway hahaha. That should probably be another thread. Like the useless but entertaining sb straps vs strapless threats every now and then.

All good advice. The cool thing is....it will just click and you'll have it.

Not sure how fast you're going, but I recommend super slow to start. As plummet says, just enough to be up and moving with board on the water. Then subtle unweighting of front foot to get up on foil for a moment then back down to flat. Kind of like hopping / pumping on a surfboard.

As for weighting and unweighting. ...think of balancing middle of a seesaw....the slight leg flexes to raise one side or the other.

It also may be way easier on your dominant forward leg to start. (Regular or goofy) Even if means body dragging back to position.

OK, OK, I'll offer my bit LOLOL...

The advice given about removing the foot off the back strap is valid, very valid... so take notice and practice that.

Here's my bit, this is how I help/teach my mates.. and they are all foiling - the secret to controlling a foilboard is to NOT FOIL !!!

Full beginners..

1 - get up on top the board - no leaning, FLAT
2 - keep it flat ON THE WATER..
3 - take all the power off your kite keeping just enough to stay afloat and move forward, any direction will do.
4 - revisit point number 2 - keep your board on the water. If it starts to lift, immediately de-power/sheet out your kite and smack the nose down back to the surface.
5 - get to the end of your run, stop. Turn the board in the opposite direction and ride back.
6 - do this for an afternoon, 10-15 runs at least.

This is multi purpose design:

a) it will teach you to control the porpoising/bucking bronco manner of your foil by putting the weight forward so your nose drops
b) it will teach you to de-power your ride - keep your kite 11-1.

Do a few runs like this "I must not let it lift".. then, you will notice your (foiling) kite control will get to a stage that if the board starts to lift you will know how to combine front foot pressure with de-power in a manner that you'll find yourself having a few little runs off the water. You know that as soon as it get out of control you can kick it down again.

By the day's end you should be able to ride a few meters. If not, persevere. You will find what works for you..

Does it always work? Well Yes, as long as you have patience to put in the time and learn the NEW methods of control of a NEW sport. The biggest mistake we make, and I was guilty of it too, it to go into it applying what we already know and then get frustrated because it doesn't work. Think of it like a new language: Screaming won't make you better understood to a foreigner, you must learn the new (language) rules I have new foil mates in my area - they listened, they are riders now. It's your choice to 'listen' to a new sport or shout at it.

Happy ridding guys.

Peace up and sweet Seabreezes to us all

And for all the 'negative influences'... If I had listened to your kind of comments I'd still be watching from the couch thinking of crap to say to justify my shortcomings.

Grow up guys, accept! Just like the Bodyboarders, Surfers and SUP riders learned to share with Kitesurfers so now you must evolve and learn to share with Foilboarders. Be positive, no one likes an ass. If you can add something good to a discussion please do, if not SHUT THE HELL UP !!! My mother used to say: if you can't say something nice don't say anything.

Can you see how redundant you've become? We have to accept the same way you've been doing the same moves for decades.. and we do, I watch surf and all other water sports with admiration.. but you are allowed to dish crap to someone else? Really? Really really? Don't you realize how you are discrediting your own one-sided position and reflecting badly upon yourselves?

Bitch, please By now you will know I really don't give a toss about what people say, but I always have time to contribute positively and help anyone that needs something from me. My friends know it, you should too.. take a leaf from it, be positive.

Peace up (really) and sweet Seabrezes to us all

(quietly he goes into the garage and gets out the stainless steel umbrella he will need to fend off the knives and forks rain that is surely coming)

Also ditch that heavy grunty Rebel monster and at least borrow something smaller lighter ideally more wave oriented 3 stut-ish. Will help keeping is easy and sheet out quickly while still able to steer one handed

Keep the board flat and simply go a little faster.

Have you seen the balance board video from LF? Another thing to try is standing on the middle of a see saw...

And rather than loading a foot, stands upright and do yoga side lunges, keeping your torso upright. The weight shift is more gradual and stable...

Eppo, speaking from recent experience. And I have the back strap on but only use it to hold and manoeuvre board in water, plus it acts as a guide for placing my foot. Which is in front of it.
Start with the back foot maybe 100mm forward get to a stable speed then relax to let foil lift. Then start to gradually move back foot back 20mm at a time each run or when you feel like it's right.
This will calm down the early foil lifts

We also need a foil category in buy & sell. Race Boards just doesn't cut it.