How to Ride Surface Piercing – Tip Breaching a Hydrofoil Without Crashing
This video series shows how to ride a hydrofoil and breach a foil tip without crashing. When turning while surf foiling or wing foiling the outer foil tip comes up and can pierce the water surface. Often this causes ventilation where the whole foil wing looses lift and we fall with a painful faceplant. This video series shows the 3 ways that I know of to breach a foil tip and keep riding, to successfully pierce the surface. Video 1=6:25, Video 2=2:39, Video 3=2:38, Video 4=2:09, Video 5=2:14, Video 6=4:23, Video 7=6:04, Video 8=4:21, Video 9=3:07
Here are the main beginner wing foil spots that I go to, the reasons I go are smooth water and enclosed safe area. Easy parking and launching, and also other wing or wind sport enthusiasts to ask for help. These spots were crucial for me to learn the fundamentals and basic skills, and I go back here when wanting to learn a new move or testing new gear.
For several years now I have been searching for a foil that can do high speed tight carves without crashing while feeling in control. This week I found such a foil. I have been testing several foils in this size and style, all good and all with at least one caveat. So here is a quick write up of what foil I am in love with and why.
This is a video ride report on my first half dozen sessions surfing a high aspect foil wing. I talk about the benefits and challenges of riding a high aspect foil wing, and the similarities and differences with a low aspect wing of similar surface area. For me the focus is on the shape or ride feeling of the wing regardless of brand or who designs the wing. I find this most useful when deciding what wing to buy or what conditions are a good match for which wing. In this video I am riding Axis 900 and 1000 foil wings with the 420 tail (
Once I progressed and moved down to a smaller wing foil board I needed to learn how to knee start. In this video series I show and explain how to go from kneeling to flying, on both low aspect foil wings and high aspect foil wings. The windier it is usually the rougher the water is and the harder it is to stand up. The first four videos are with a high aspect wing at different locations around the San Francisco Bay in 12 to 40mph winds. The fifth video shows my beginner setup: giant board, foil, and wing and how I bypassed the knee start on such stable and easy to fly gear. The sixth video shows how I moved down to a smaller low aspect foil, boards, and wing and explains how I did both standing and knee starts. Both heel side and toe side starts are shown and explained in close up detail so you can see what my feet, hands, and body are doing to stay balanced and get flying.