Pumping the foil through swell and chop

[DukeSilver]

I have a question regarding the technique required when pumping the foil down into troughs and unweighting the foil over the peaks. I'm about 12 sessions into foiling using a Hoverglide 24" mast and Dwarfcraft 54.

I attempted to do this "pumping" for the first time yesterday on the short chop that was being generated by the 15-20kt wind and I found it seemed quite simple and intuitive to do. It felt like I was just pressing down and unweighting equally with both feet but perhaps my front foot was pushing down marginally earlier than the rear foot. As I pressed down, there was a "spongy" feeling spring-back effect, like standing on a trampoline with bent knees and pushing down to straighten your legs.

My question is, what is the most effective way to pump the foil through swell and chop - pressing down both feet together, front foot first followed by the rear or rear followed by front?

Cheers - Ken

[plummet]

For a start get the long mast on asap. If the mast height is greater than the chop/swell. Just slice straight through it without pumping.
You pump technique sounds fine. its the same as pump a on a skateboard through some rollers, or a bmx at a bmx track or a snowboard on moguls.
The faster the better.

PS things can feel weird and spongy. But the faster you go the more solid it becomes. Also the current and lift in the swell can also push you up/down as well. All part of the fun!

[DukeSilver]

For a start get the long mast on asap. If the mast height is greater than the chop/swell. Just slice straight through it without pumping.
You pump technique sounds fine. its the same as pump a on a skateboard through some rollers, or a bmx at a bmx track or a snowboard on moguls.
The faster the better.

PS things can feel weird and spongy. But the faster you go the more solid it becomes. Also the current and lift in the swell can also push you up/down as well. All part of the fun!

Thanks Plummet. I have a longer (90cm) mast already - just working up to it slowly . After weeks on the 15" inch mast, the 24" feels so luxurious to me . I don't mind the spongy feel during the pumping (don't google that). It's just another cool reminder of how different foiling is to the other styles of kiting.

[Peter_Frank]

Hmmm, not sure I understand your question ?

I never pump the foil when passing a wave.

Pumping (putting energy into the hydrofoil with consecutive alternating rear-front foot pressure) I use for getting the board up on the foil, when too little kite power (or keeping it there, if about to lose it, but not easy).

At least this is how the term "pumping" is normally used, but maybe you did not know of course

To traverse a wave or piece of chop, you simply glide up and down with the wave, no pumping but somewhat following the wave or surface.
This will come to you in time, so you slowly get better at this, with more experience, so you simple ride a bit up on the front, and down on the rear.

When traversing a wave: Dont foil too high, push the board up a bit, just over the crest, and then down on the other side.

No pumping needed, and for sure dont push with both legs - just follow the wave/chop slightly, not too aggressive.

And as said, if a smaller chop wave, dont bother but learn to use the correct height before going through the wave,

Yes, you will experience many crashes and ventilation now when learning, but there are no secrets regarding passing a wave, others than suddenly you can do it without thinking, again, muscle memory way faster and better than our minds

I ride in huge chop waves very often, so use a 100 cm mast as it gives me way more freedom

PF

[plummet]

It's a different kind of pumping Peter. As the swell hits. Bring both legs up at the same time. Absorb the swell with your legs. Then push legs down on the downslope of swell. Upper body sorta stays level. Legs moving up and down with foil and swell.

Thus pumping up n down

[Peter_Frank]

It's a different kind of pumping Peter. As the swell hits. Bring both legs up at the same time. Absorb the swell with your legs. Then push legs down on the downslope of swell. Upper body sorta stays level. Legs moving up and down with foil and swell.

Thus pumping up n down

Aaah okay, you are talking about "Absorbing" the move then

This is true, one often absorbs the wave with the legs, in order not to waste energy, when traversing actively following the wave

But if you dont traverse actively changing path with your pitch, no reason to absorb, as the foil will not follow the surface like our old boards, so very different techniques required.

UNLESS - interesting thinking about it, as I would say, the differences in internal circular motion speed of the wave, compared to your board speed, is the deciding factor whether you absorb ("feel" the wave) or not when going (assumingly) straight through a wave.
One has to make some calculations now - unless there are some oceanographers who has these numbers present in their heads ?

These relative speeds could be the reason why it is different in different waves (same size), thus maybe we dont have the same experiences

Peter

[Blackrat]

Also when heading into a swell , try and time it that the kite is low rather than high , I find if I keep the kite high then I break through the swell a bit like being lofted

But ditch the short mast ASAP , a short mast is only good for learning ( maybe first 5 sessions ) or shallow water. If you can get 50m runs in then you gotta change masts imo

[DukeSilver]

Thanks for all the replies. I guess my solution is to get on to my longest mast and negate the need to push my foil down into the troughs to stop ventilation of the wing.

[OzBungy]

I don't think of it as "pumping" (ie. the thing you see surf foilers do, and is quite fun in itself). I think of it more as "swooping" to ensure the foil is down far enough, or on a downwards trajectory, when catching up to a steep wave face.

When I was a total beginner I used a lot of footwork to get the foil to go down so it would not pop out the front of a wave. As I got more experience I simply move my head and shoulders forwards. This moves the centre of gravity forward and ensures the foil is on the proper trajectory. This seems to be much more reliable and intuitive, especially at speed. It's a bit like getting yourself forward to drop into a bowl on a snowboard or skateboard. It's definitely less of a pressing down with your feet, unless you follow with your body.

The head and shoulders movement also applies to getting the foil to carve out of tight turns and gybes. No matter what the rest of your body is doing, if your head and shoulders are over the front wing then everything else will follow.

[Kamikuza]

Thanks for all the replies. I guess my solution is to get on to my longest mast and negate the need to push my foil down into the troughs to stop ventilation of the wing.

No you probably will still need to track the surface changes, at least a little.