Advice from a relatively new foiler who progressed leaps and bounds in the past few weeks.

Maybe it's better to learn from an expert but there ain't none writing this tread

Today's sesh in 13-17 MPH north wind on sunny, gorgeous PAC NW spring day consolidated many of my recent gains. After two years (albeit limited TOF), I'm finally pumping board and wing together effectively and making jibes (fewer then 50% on my stronger side, but it's lots better than zero).

Here's what made the difference for me.

Pumping onto foil: the wing motion is the simplest part to learn-lots of good vids on the internets. More subtle are what direction to head and how to pump the board.

Heading: Bear away from the wind slightly. If you find you're running into your wing during pumping, bear slightly more towards windward. As you turn more towards windward, you'll reach a point where you just miss running over the leading edge of the wing. Try to keep going in this direction.

Board pump: this is just difficult to learn but it comes with practice. The movements are both powerful and precise; challenging as a noob. Don't start by pumping the board. Only pump the wing initially. Board pumping commences after building some speed with the wing. Learning the front foot motion is easier than the rear. I push down and forward (scoot the board forward) each time I pull the wing towards me in the pump cycle. I push gently initially, to prevent sinking the nose of the board. As board speed increases, front foot force also increases. The back leg makes a jumping movement every time the wing is pushed away in the pump cycle. You're trying to jump off the board. Back foot position relative to the mast/front wing is crucial. This varies based on set up but is always a little forward of the mast. It is never behind the mast.

Gear: always important to consider. I learn more pumping my largest foil (Armstrong 1850HS). Probably because it provides more feedback at lower speeds.

Jibes:

Practice riding downwind as much as you can. This was tough advice to follow as a beginner because I spent 100% of my time on foil staying upwind (and often falling short). With more practice, I'm on foil more and can head upwind better. That said, if you're in the Columbia Gorge, try riding at Celilo or Rowena. Last weekend, the current at both locations bested the 20-25 MPH westerlies. If you didn't foil downwind, you'd end up upwind of your launch. Riding downwind is necessary to complete a jibe and not as straightforward as I initially thought. Balance has a different relationship with the wing and board as you head downwind. You can't lean on the wing for balance as it's effectively depowered while heading downwind. No lean against the wing means less leaning out over the board. I think about standing on top of the board, just riding the foil in a straight line. Also, maintain front foot pressure. When I get in the back seat, I tend to breach/overfoil.

Go faster on jibe entry. Bear slightly away from the wind to accelerate before you enter the jibe. Go as fast as you're comfortable foiling. This was a game changer for me.

Please elaborate