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Large Wave Crash - How to Survive

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irwe
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Large Wave Crash - How to Survive

Postby irwe » Sun Sep 26, 2021 12:17 pm

I am use to Kitesurfing/crashing in large Waves.

Is there a good stategy when getting eaten by a large Wave(s) when WingFoiling?
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ronnie
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Re: Large Wave Crash - How to Survive

Postby ronnie » Sun Sep 26, 2021 3:15 pm

If you had one of these, it could be used to get the wing over the wave?


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juandesooka
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Re: Large Wave Crash - How to Survive

Postby juandesooka » Mon Sep 27, 2021 6:31 pm

Far from pro ... though in lots of years surfing, kite surf, sup and surf foil, I have seen a buncha wave wipeouts and I've been scared more than a few times in various situations.

When things go sour in winging, it can be the worst of the bunch, as you have two leashes to deal with, the foils tends to be large, waves are often breaking in shallows. Things I've noted:

-- keep wing away from foil (wing ripper). Let board go on leash while holding wing. A reel leash gives you another 10 feet or so of safety room.

-- If waves are too big to hold wing, avoid letting the wave grab wing and submerging it. That little leash string isn't mounted strong enough to handle repeated underwater wave bashing. I have found it works to throw wing high just before wave hits, retrieve before next wave, over and over.

-- let yourself be washed in if need be, you can get back out when safe

-- when you get an opening, you may find it quicker to hop on your board and paddle for the horizon, rather than trying to kneel start and ride out

-- above all your personal safety is more important than gear. If it's really bad, consider releasing gear, it'll probably just wash in to be retrieved (but be mindful of other water users, e.g., don't release board if people are inside of you).

-- depending on your leash set up, considering adding a quick release. This is something I need to tackle: I got my 2 leashes tangled, no way to easily remove my reel leash from rear of harness, had that feeling "any more of this, I could be in real trouble".

-- trying to get in to beach through shore pound....just an utter s**t show. Handle on board bottom makes a massive difference. Try not to let foil get slammed, that's where it gets broken. But when it's bad, sometimes you have to let go....and that's the big cost in winging vs kiting and other related sports,pretty much inevitable if you want to chase waves that your gear will get damaged....when not if.
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Re: Large Wave Crash - How to Survive

Postby Dontsink » Tue Sep 28, 2021 6:18 pm

This is wing foiling's biggest drawback.
Getting out&in in beachbreak conditions,with an impact zone close to the beach and a dumpy shorebreak is stressful even in quite small conditions.

We have access to hundreds of vids of wave wingfoiling but very few show the ugly bits.

Or they are shot at these dreamy locations with ankle slappers on the shore and waves far away in a reef or sandbar.

Well,i knew what i was getting into.
My soulfood is the Up/Downwind winter days,and there are a few days when the beachie here is playful.It is how it is.
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