Yesterday out on big sail and course setup when the wind went up a notch. Would have been comfortable on a reach with 2m less sail but there I was so a good time to practice those foil jibes.
I had a GPS app with audible call outs of speed and it confirmed what I already knew - I was a lot slower than before.
Any tips from the cognescenti on tips and tweaks? Being a mile from shore, I was pretty limited to what I could adjust. Had lengthened lines a touch and the outhaul was pulled pretty hard. Sail had plenty of downhaul already so that wasn't a likely issue. I was lazy and had rigged a 2cam freeride/freerace foil sail and I know a full on race sail would have been better but, again, there I was. I must admit that in those conditions, I'm a bit apprehensive about committing to the back straps on a reach although fine with them upwind.
Looking for tips on keeping the power on not how to survive the conditions. I was perfectly comfortable if just riding around was my objective.
If you have already expressed an opinion that foil reaching is slow, please refrain from participating in this thread.
I have also dropped the boom some to help, as that's one thing I can do without pushing the mast base more forward. BUT my top speed is still only 22-23knots on a foil, trying to go faster.
I an NOT any good at overpowered foiling, especially hooked in and going for it as opposed to unhooked sheeted out scared looking for home.
The only other thing you could have done is to sink your body weight more down while hooked in. Weighting the boom loads mast base, and makes it harder for you to stay fully sheeted in.
Select to expand quotePaducah said..
Yesterday out on big sail and course setup when the wind went up a notch. Would have been comfortable on a reach with 2m less sail but there I was so a good time to practice those foil jibes.
I had a GPS app with audible call outs of speed and it confirmed what I already knew - I was a lot slower than before.
Any tips from the cognescenti on tips and tweaks? Being a mile from shore, I was pretty limited to what I could adjust. Had lengthened lines a touch and the outhaul was pulled pretty hard. Sail had plenty of downhaul already so that wasn't a likely issue. I was lazy and had rigged a 2cam freeride/freerace foil sail and I know a full on race sail would have been better but, again, there I was. I must admit that in those conditions, I'm a bit apprehensive about committing to the back straps on a reach although fine with them upwind.
Looking for tips on keeping the power on not how to survive the conditions. I was perfectly comfortable if just riding around was my objective.
If you have already expressed an opinion that foil reaching is slow, please refrain from participating in this thread.
So you were slower than normal even though you were overpowered or you were slower on the reach than when you were heading upwind?
Select to expand quotethedoor said..
So you were slower than normal even though you were overpowered or you were slower on the reach than when you were heading upwind?
Slower reach OPed vs not OPed. Not OPed, pretty much felt like I my drag bucket was full ie hitting the wall of how much power I'm able to hold down vs drag of the foil. The upwind comment was about my not being comfortable reaching overpowered in the straps as opposed to being fine with it upwind. It may be a hold over from having a board earlier in my career that had plenty of lift and I learned to settle things down by moving the back foot forward.Select to expand quoteaeroegnr said..
I have also dropped the boom some to help, as that's one thing I can do without pushing the mast base more forward. BUT my top speed is still only 22-23knots on a foil, trying to go faster.
Funny enough, it kind of felt nose when heavily OPed and in my case I think dropping the boom would have made it worse. In those conditions that set up almost wants to set on the water in the really big gusts exactly when I don't want the extra sail pressure from dragging the board through the water.
NOT that I am an expert here...
Usually, higher booms and longer lines.
Higher boom allows you to adjust harness lines so you hang down off the lines.
Of course, you can always step out of front strap to place MORE weight forward.
I think he was talking about manning up and really going pedal to metal.
I've seen some top US racers trying that a few times. Great catapults!
Not for a wimp like me.
Backhand pressure pushes the nose down. Don't sheet out.
and rail the board to windward to cut lift!
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Foiling/F4Foils-Tuning-Tips-Towards-30-knots-
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Foiling/Foil-Racing-Downwind-Speeeeeeeed--
A few of the top Cal Cup racers used to swing by and gauge their speed to the freeride crowd. Around 160 lbs on their M course foils, 210 stab, 900 foil, 115 fuze, similar sail size to freeriders.
They really needed 450- 550 front wings.
Select to expand quoteberowne said..
Backhand pressure pushes the nose down. Don't sheet out.
and rail the board to windward to cut lift!
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Foiling/F4Foils-Tuning-Tips-Towards-30-knots-
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Foiling/Foil-Racing-Downwind-Speeeeeeeed--
Thanks for posting those. Great video by AFS that I posted in one of those threads... 
So far, it sounds like one problem is asking my set up which was doing well up and downwind in 12 to go across the wind in 20.
I'll reread those threads a few times.
I foil overpowered a lot, trying to unlearn some of those habits, but what has worked well for me is short lines and when the strong gusts hit lean out pulling sail with me while pushing heels into the rail, and adjust course upwind as needed for the strongest gusts, then resume original course after they pass. You can really go fast, but need smaller wings, so for me the AFS F770, and soon the F770S, when a gust hits me on the F770 I can hold it down easily, versus the F1080 which wants to come out of the water in overpowered conditions. The shorter lines make you feel at first like you are on the edge of losing control, but once you get used to them they are great for pulling the sail over to dump excess wind from a gust, just have to do it in a timely manner!
Just like Formula can't hold a candle compared to slalom for reaching, Formula light wind foil can't reach at speed compared to slalom foil on reach.
1000 is lightwind foil course race.
370-600 is a fast reaching foil down to 12 knots wind.
