Foil Setup – Angle of Attack and Foot Placement – Surfing

Foil Angle of Attack and Foot Placement for SurfingA video showing how to setup foil Angle of Attack for surfing, and where I put my feet and why. Since adjusting the angle of attack and being very precise with my feet placement my foil surfing has improved big time. I have much more control and I know how to setup my hydrofoil and foot hooks for the conditions - bigger or smaller waves.

I have been having really long rides and breaching way less since setting up my boards this way. Also getting my cutbacks and bottom turns dialed and pumping more. With this improved control I also feel way more confident in a more crowded surf spot.

I am so stoked on foiling and eagerly looking forward to the next swell!

Here is the shorter version of this how to video:

I hope this helps! Also here is the digital protractor I use in this video to measure the angle of my foil.

I also carve my foot hooks out of this recycled foam. Originally I bought my foot hooks from NSI.

And below is the members only longer video, 16 minutes and 53 seconds:
 


This content is for members only. Please Log In or Register for access.

Log In Join

Read more

Foil Surfing – Beginner Tutorial Series

Foil Surfing TutorialI made a foil surfing tutorial series for SUP The Magazine.  Designed for newbies and beginners.  I made it now when I am still learning myself.  I have found that after I have progressed and developed advanced skills it is challenging to remember how difficult being a beginner was.

Also I suspect down the road will be fun to have a video record of where I was and my thinking about foil surfing.  I wish I had this from my early prone surfing days.  Now it’s hard to imagine not being able to paddle out and catch a bunch of waves and do whatever turns I want…

Read more

Bungee Foil Surfing – Family Outing at the Beach

Bungee Foil SurfThe past week I tried downwind foiling in the San Francisco Bay with wind in the teens. Not enough wind for me to get the foil to lift. Yet I had the thought that if only I had just a little boost, enough to get the foil to lift and then with less drag I could ride those little bumps.

I got off my board and tried pushing the board into the little waves with my hand and after about 5 feet the foil was flying! It took very little energy to lift.  I was like wow there has to be some simple way to get a little extra juice and launch us into these waves?!?

Read more

Adventures in Foil Surfing

I have found that folks who are willing to try new types of surfing are very welcoming and I enjoy being with them.  Foil surfing has demonstrated to me again that those who see value in the weird or different seem to see value and good in everyone.  For me Sitting in a crowded lineup feels similar to being in a office for 12 hours a day, I feel trapped and want to burst out running into the forest.  With SUP and foil people, doing our own thing and welcoming everyone to join us, I feel welcome and at home.

On my twelfth day of learning to foil surf it all came together.  I caught a wave, lifted up on the foil and flew down the line, opened my eyes to a new world of flying…

Read more

Foil SUP Practice Day 2 – San Francisco Bay

Foil SUP Practice Day 2 Seeing this video has me super stoked to keep practicing and learn how to foil SUP surf. Fortunately we had already booked a foil practice session on the Barbary Ghost.

Such a good time, I am really enjoying community on a boat. After Saturday’s outing I am asking how can we get together like this everyday and have the good vibes continue all day and into the night? After these group surf sessions I find myself reluctant to go surfing alone. I suspect this is what a day is like for hunter gatherers or ancient Polynesians

Read more

Learning to Foil Surf and a New Camera Angle

Learning to Foil SurfThe past few weeks I have been obsessed with the foil!  So unique, so different, and the potential of opening up a whole new era of surf possibilities is blowing my mind.

Monterrey bay has a lot of kelp beds and I was concerned there was nowhere I could foil without getting it all tangled up in kelp.  So this was a test to see if this surf spot was free of kelp and deep enough so the Gofoil wouldn’t hit the bottom…

Read more