Mikey wrote: ↑Mon Mar 05, 2018 8:24 pm
Thanks Borist,
I think I remember why, but could you refresh me on why heavy foil floaty board make it tough to start?
As I make my own boards (apart from this one) there have been some strange ones,including a 66 x 170cm monster directional (strapless). I have never found waterstating any of them difficult. Am I missing something?
As to pitch stability, understood! Would that not be offset somewhat by the natural back foot muscle
memory of the strapless surf board riding?
Thanks, Mike
Hi Mike, yes you ARE missing something, you cant have had no idea about, so understandable.
Borist is quite right, you can not learn STRAPLESS on a heavy foil floaty board - almost impossible.
Reason is, on a waveboard no matter how big, even a wide malibu, you put your feet (heels actually) up on the board windward side, bearing off a bit, and push down, board tilts slightly and up and off you go - easy (when you can, takes some time to learn for newbees)
THIS WONT WORK ON A HYDROFOIL !!!
Why not ? Because, when you push down on the board with your feet/heels, the board will tilt the WRONG way now, to leeward instead, and you will maybe even cut yourself on the wing attacking you from below now
It tilts to leeward, because you (your body) will always have a slight pull downwind even with the kite up at 12 - but the mast far under the surface so a long lever, has so much sideways resistance it almost wont drift, but feel like it was glued to the bottom of the sea - so you will end up pushing the board downwind, but NOT the mast, so it tilts to leeward and you are in big trouble now.
Dont know if you got even more confused by this explanation, or it helped ?
The only way to start when not extremely experienced, is to put the board up on its side, and now put your feet on the board and get up before it drops down again.
With a heavy foil, it sinks much faster, really difficult when learning as you are too slow and have no idea about the timing yet.
Also, the big maybe wide board, will make the foil (mast) sink down even faster, also more difficult to get your feet up.
This is the reason why you should avoid learning strapless, no matter how good you are at strapless jumping and waveriding
You can not compare a hydrofoil to any other board - the mast and wing will make it impossible to start like you are used to.
Regarding pitch sensivity - the advantage with a canard is, amongst others, that it is more lively, also meaning more pitch sensitive, but it will be learned, so most likely not a problem.
WHEN you have learned with straps (or hooks or whatever) and ride and start really consistent, you can ditch the straps and it will work in no time, as you got the timing right and only need to practice a bit keeping the board with one hand and get up FAST, before it drops.
Even the heavier foil is no problem, when you have learned, as your timing is just slightly changed but it will come in no time, even if you change back and fourth between heavy and light foils (this is how I know the difference myself)
The best thing is, that your volume board will be much easier and faster to learn on, and you will keep it (or get a new one same size) for marginal and light winds, even in medium winds (which is around 12 knots for a hydrofoil), a bigger board is most often the choice.
So just go with that board, and some kind of strap thing so your feet can keep the hydrofoil tilted for a long time, when learning, in order to make a waterstart
PF