Going to have a few sessions behind a friends boat as I'm a newbie foiler. Should I leave the straps off so I can find the sweet spot and then attach them when I start wing foiling? Or does it help to learn with them on when behind a boat?
Thanks..
Straps make water starts easier, but at the cost of safety. Ideally you want to jump off and away from the foil when something goes wrong.
How big a board are you using? If you can kneel on it on flat water, then that will be easy and good practice for the wing foiling start (getting over the awkwardness of going from kneeling to standing).
If you are using a small board that won't float you kneeling, then you need to figure out water starts, like wakeboarding....consider using foot hooks rather than straps, gives you a bit of hold on the board but without being quite as locked in.
Straps make water starts easier, but at the cost of safety. Ideally you want to jump off and away from the foil when something goes wrong.
How big a board are you using? If you can kneel on it on flat water, then that will be easy and good practice for the wing foiling start (getting over the awkwardness of going from kneeling to standing).
If you are using a small board that won't float you kneeling, then you need to figure out water starts, like wakeboarding....consider using foot hooks rather than straps, gives you a bit of hold on the board but without being quite as locked in.
Thanks for the responses, much appreciated..
In answer to your question the board is 6'6 and 120L. I have flat water paddled it twice and am very comfortable on it. I can stand up stationary in some chop and stay still without paddling. So the water start is no problem..
I have done a lot behind the boat. DONT use foot straps until you can comfortably cross the wake in both directions.
then put the straps on. They are sooooo much better