Down the Line at Steps (video)

Thanks for the great video. At 55 seconds I would of given up. Persistence paid off. I wonder how hard getting back was?

Great vid gents! Since your last shorebrake video I have taken to grabbing the fuse on the way in and really like it. It keeps the sail flying and the board slicing on its side so it's easy to make way towards shore. I have not tried it on the way out yet, not in any real energy anyway. I have a strong aversion to being down wave of the foil for fear of the trailing edges getting hurled at me.

I have been developing a duck diving approach for the way out. Sorry that I don't have it on film yet I hope to soon. I carry the board tail first by the handle with sail flying in my other hand, I go as deep as I can like this then I let the sail go and roll the board upside down. With one hand in the bottom handle or on the mast and the other hand pushing the tail vertically down under the wave all the while driving like mad with my legs. The key things seem to be getting the tail pushed under and having an almost horizontal body position so you can really drive with your legs (think American football offensive linemen). I have been shocked how much juice I can punch through this way and it's worked well in Cocoa Florida and at home in SC in all combos of wind and current. The big con is all the drag of the sail in the water, for sure once the sail goes in the forward progress is slow but it is STEADY. The big pro is important, when I get overpowered the kit gets ripped out of my hands and AWAY from me not INTO me. My board may lend to this approach, my tail is long and angled to help the water pass over it. My handle is big and really rounded so I have a really good and comfortable hold.

We all have different styles, gear, and local conditions so there should be differences in how we do it. I am grateful for these videos! Simon is a fantastic sailor and JJ takes time from his sailing to film him, not to mention all the editing time! I get something useful from everyone! I am also glad for the chance to share what is working for me because I think others can learn to adapt to their unique situations using ALL this information. Riding the waves on windfoil gear is so amazing, it's well worth the challenges of the launch and retrieval.

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BullroarerTook said..
Great video! I've got my flat water jibes over 95% now, but am still struggling quite a bit in swell. I think my ingrained jibe point from my fin days is leading me astray. Do you guys have a point on the swell that you "Target" to do the jibe?

TIA!

The big thing for my jibes in waves and even big chop was fitting the whole radius in between crests. I'm riding short period waves so they are close together and that makes it harder. It took a minute to learn and even though its a tight turn it's easier than crossing over the one in front of you mid jibe. Because the wave is moving forwards too it makes it possible to fit it in. The closer the waves are together the more my turn becomes a sharp hook at the end rather than an arc. Start the turn early (just after a crest) and once turned about half way around start spotting the crest in front so you can avoid it. When you get it dialed it feels amazing because you are dropping back in at the finish of the turn so you can exit faster than you enter!

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utcminusfour said..

BullroarerTook said..
Great video! I've got my flat water jibes over 95% now, but am still struggling quite a bit in swell. I think my ingrained jibe point from my fin days is leading me astray. Do you guys have a point on the swell that you "Target" to do the jibe?

TIA!

The big thing for my jibes in waves and even big chop was fitting the whole radius in between crests. I'm riding short period waves so they are close together and that makes it harder. It took a minute to learn and even though its a tight turn it's easier than crossing over the one in front of you mid jibe. Because the wave is moving forwards too it makes it possible to fit it in. The closer the waves are together the more my turn becomes a sharp hook at the end rather than an arc. Start the turn early (just after a crest) and once turned about half way around start spotting the crest in front so you can avoid it. When you get it dialed it feels amazing because you are dropping back in at the finish of the turn so you can exit faster than you enter!

My conditions are SF Bay wind swell so it's pretty tight, but I'll try it. Thanks!

Cool thanks.

Great vid and awesome foiling. The conditions look to have the wind side-on and the waves at about 90 degrees to the wind. IMHO this is when wave or swell riding is the most fun. As you can carve both ways on the swell.
Although its still a work in progress for me I usually don't go down the line as much as Simon but prefer repeat toe-side then heel-side carves one after the other. This inspires me to try something a little different.
From the little I have seen of Australian surf spots there must be some places with reef break that don't require you to fight the shore break?

Great vid and awesome foiling. The conditions look to have the wind side-on and the waves at about 90 degrees to the wind. IMHO this is when wave or swell riding is the most fun. As you can carve both ways on the swell.
Although its still a work in progress for me I usually don't go down the line as much as Simon but prefer repeat toe-side then heel-side carves one after the other. This inspires me to try something a little different.

From the little I have seen of Australian surf spots there must be some places with reef break that don't require you to fight the shore break?

Simon have you tried any of the surf foils for riding swells/waves?