Because cycling in the mountains isn't enough work?
Zero experience but youtube has taught me smaller boards and really wide high aspect wings tend to work better. You'll fall down a rabbit hole of people discussing the latest Axis. Armstrong and SAB Foil wings and stabs.
The new generation of "ultra" pump foils like the one wakethief showed off a few months back are intriguing. And, anyone who's seen me foiling in light air knows I don't have an aversion to the "p" (pump) word. Agreed, it might be a lot of fun, especially if you have most of the set up already.
Don't listen to me anyway. Yesterday, I was out on a .... wing.
The pump foiling discipline is varied in the way that you get started and up on foil. Here are some ways to launch and transition to pump-foiling:
1. Wing - just drop and de-power your wing
2. Wave - start prone or with paddle
3. Boat / jetski - not exactly sure how to start with rope, but once on foil, just drop the rope
4. Dock/beach-start - running and jumping
Easiest thing, if you’re a winger, probably is 1. However, having a wing in your hand both impedes your motion and kinda kills your motivation to get it 100% correct. And so, you probably won’t learn as fast as you could with a hands-free method.
I haven’t tried options 2 and 3, but I had 2-3 days last July to experiment with dock-starting (running along a dock while flying the board in the water adjacent before jumping onto it and starting to pump foil) in Tennessee. Dock and beach starting are challenging exercises which require tons of patience and tons of falling. They recommend that you dial-in your pumping technique BEFORE you add a the challenge of these starting methods. This, of course, did not deter me.
I managed about 4 sessions of about 45 minutes each and I fell over at least 100 times. Turns out that (for myself at least) after about 20 collisions with the water, motor control and/or muscle memory kinda deteriorates. A little like a boxer in the ring, I suppose.
The cool thing was that with steady practice came steady improvement. Caveat: not that much. At the end of my first session, I had the foot-position nailed on the board. After the second, I could sometimes add 1-2 pumps. After the third, 2-3 pumps. And so on. My best run was 6 pumps following the foil through a turn. My steering control was less than perfect. Nevertheless, it felt soooo cool.
I was using a 39L prone-surf foil board. I purchased it for winging in high winds, but discovered that it was small enough for pump foiling and had enough volume to float me back to the dock. I was only going a stroke or two, but due to repetition, the extra float helped.
I started with the wrong front-foil - a high-aspect 925cm2 - and immediately realized that I wouldn’t have the required lift with the speed of my running launch and lack of pumping technique. Next, I tried a lower-aspect 1550cm2 wing, but still didn’t have quite enough speed. Finally, I used my whopping 2400cm2 low-aspect wing. I was practically stepping onto an elevated barge at this point, so some amount of flight was going to occur, but since it is was low-aspect and slow moving, pumping and steering was a huge effort.
From what I’ve learned since, a better wing for my pump-foiling would be high-aspect and have area somewhere between 1500 - 1750cm2 ; I’m in my 4th year wing-foiling and weigh 70kg. The stall speed for a wing is the same whether you’re pump-foiling or winging, so you can kinda judge how fast you need to run / surf / tow. Don’t pick the foils that the pros ride, but rather what a good store recommends for beginners. Your board choice depends on the discipline, but less is more once you’re up there and you’ve got the foot placement, obviously
My pumping experience was transformative. It changed how I wing. Learning how to jump and glide on a foil is powerful. It’s integral. I’ll stop there and spare you from more ramblings on the benefits of pump-foiling for ... everything!
For youtube reference, check out DamienLeroyYoutube, where you can find excellent pump-foiling tips from two great instructors, Damien and Gwen. The most-recent video (first listed below) is heady but contains gold as far as pump-foiling coaching is concerned.
If you know any public docks in the area that might be suitable for dock-starts, I'd love to hear.
I need to practice my technique a little more before trying beach-starts at Van Pugh!
-s.
Got FD+ last July = a summer blast on flat water windless days (with 3 batteries) - able after a while to do few pumps, a real workout overall (75L board and Phantom 1680)
This year:
Got FD Gen2 max, not used yet (2 batteries, 2 motors, 1 for pumping/close to mast, 1 long for “e-foil”)
Some issue with Gen2 F-One (bolt/t-nuts) and Armstrong board (carbon/antena transmission) but all fixable
Getting next week North 41L board
Pre- ordered F-One Jam 1600
I did not need to see that stuff. I'm already on thin ice with my current purchases.
But it's really a money saving investment. Just think how much you will save by not needing to buy expensive sails, wings, motors and batteries. Plus, it's good exercise and gives you something to do on days with no wind.
—
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
I'm looking at non-windy carbon fiber but in other areas. Daddy wants a new (well, used) bike and Hamdi is tempting me with a rowing shell. I've been staring at flat water all week and it's just begging for a row.
Because cycling in the mountains isn't enough work?
Zero experience but youtube has taught me smaller boards and really wide high aspect wings tend to work better. You'll fall down a rabbit hole of people discussing the latest Axis. Armstrong and SAB Foil wings and stabs.
Try here if you haven't already: https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/board,92.0.html
This guy has a lot of info, including reviews of various foils, etc.
https://www.youtube.com/@WakeThief
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
I'm in the Velocio camp: https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?t=6342
(I have a
fixiecouple of fixies so I get the simplicity vibe.)The new generation of "ultra" pump foils like the one wakethief showed off a few months back are intriguing. And, anyone who's seen me foiling in light air knows I don't have an aversion to the "p" (pump) word. Agreed, it might be a lot of fun, especially if you have most of the set up already.
Don't listen to me anyway. Yesterday, I was out on a .... wing.
Hi Ashevillejanes,
Great question. Here's my experience and 2 cents.
The pump foiling discipline is varied in the way that you get started and up on foil. Here are some ways to launch and transition to pump-foiling:
1. Wing - just drop and de-power your wing
2. Wave - start prone or with paddle
3. Boat / jetski - not exactly sure how to start with rope, but once on foil, just drop the rope
4. Dock/beach-start - running and jumping
Easiest thing, if you’re a winger, probably is 1. However, having a wing in your hand both impedes your motion and kinda kills your motivation to get it 100% correct. And so, you probably won’t learn as fast as you could with a hands-free method.
I haven’t tried options 2 and 3, but I had 2-3 days last July to experiment with dock-starting (running along a dock while flying the board in the water adjacent before jumping onto it and starting to pump foil) in Tennessee. Dock and beach starting are challenging exercises which require tons of patience and tons of falling. They recommend that you dial-in your pumping technique BEFORE you add a the challenge of these starting methods. This, of course, did not deter me.
I managed about 4 sessions of about 45 minutes each and I fell over at least 100 times. Turns out that (for myself at least) after about 20 collisions with the water, motor control and/or muscle memory kinda deteriorates. A little like a boxer in the ring, I suppose.
The cool thing was that with steady practice came steady improvement. Caveat: not that much. At the end of my first session, I had the foot-position nailed on the board. After the second, I could sometimes add 1-2 pumps. After the third, 2-3 pumps. And so on. My best run was 6 pumps following the foil through a turn. My steering control was less than perfect. Nevertheless, it felt soooo cool.
I was using a 39L prone-surf foil board. I purchased it for winging in high winds, but discovered that it was small enough for pump foiling and had enough volume to float me back to the dock. I was only going a stroke or two, but due to repetition, the extra float helped.
I started with the wrong front-foil - a high-aspect 925cm2 - and immediately realized that I wouldn’t have the required lift with the speed of my running launch and lack of pumping technique. Next, I tried a lower-aspect 1550cm2 wing, but still didn’t have quite enough speed. Finally, I used my whopping 2400cm2 low-aspect wing. I was practically stepping onto an elevated barge at this point, so some amount of flight was going to occur, but since it is was low-aspect and slow moving, pumping and steering was a huge effort.
From what I’ve learned since, a better wing for my pump-foiling would be high-aspect and have area somewhere between 1500 - 1750cm2 ; I’m in my 4th year wing-foiling and weigh 70kg. The stall speed for a wing is the same whether you’re pump-foiling or winging, so you can kinda judge how fast you need to run / surf / tow. Don’t pick the foils that the pros ride, but rather what a good store recommends for beginners. Your board choice depends on the discipline, but less is more once you’re up there and you’ve got the foot placement, obviously
My pumping experience was transformative. It changed how I wing. Learning how to jump and glide on a foil is powerful. It’s integral. I’ll stop there and spare you from more ramblings on the benefits of pump-foiling for ... everything!
For youtube reference, check out DamienLeroyYoutube, where you can find excellent pump-foiling tips from two great instructors, Damien and Gwen. The most-recent video (first listed below) is heady but contains gold as far as pump-foiling coaching is concerned.
Happy Friday,
-Stuart
Most common pump foiling mistake | How to pump foil
https://youtu.be/epQM2P07jV4?si=V4IyxuyH8cMg2-Hy
How to pump a hydrofoil
https://youtu.be/Si628pgJnsg?si=oBdpSKagPzooFXft
How to FOIL dock start | Pump Foiling Technique
https://youtu.be/jPy59hSjtvs?si=WGBbv3_dZ12iru6I
How Tony got the dockstart at age 63 | FOILING
https://youtu.be/LbSEapiauEE?si=aOCpkXzThL4AO24u
SabFoil 1350 Leviathan | Light Wind Wing Foil weapon
https://youtu.be/be54QsRQ6k4?si=DMGK0cLboKccekYS
How to Beachstart | Foiling off the beach like a pro
https://youtu.be/SKysaxMosdc?si=xyDNgt_aU7lGgUOG
Ashevillejanes
If you know any public docks in the area that might be suitable for dock-starts, I'd love to hear.
I need to practice my technique a little more before trying beach-starts at Van Pugh!
-s.
Amazing write up. Thanks!
Great info, thanks.
Morning!
For me the answer is Foil Drive!
Got FD+ last July = a summer blast on flat water windless days (with 3 batteries) - able after a while to do few pumps, a real workout overall (75L board and Phantom 1680)
This year:
Got FD Gen2 max, not used yet (2 batteries, 2 motors, 1 for pumping/close to mast, 1 long for “e-foil”)
Some issue with Gen2 F-One (bolt/t-nuts) and Armstrong board (carbon/antena transmission) but all fixable
Getting next week North 41L board
Pre- ordered F-One Jam 1600
Here is a great overview video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RLWJNbkxvzk
Hope it helps, happy to have anyone interested demo/test
If I can ever get my hands on a pump foil set up, I'll be launching like this:
These guys used a motor driven tow line. Balz, of course, used a foil. You can find more by searching youtube for "efpt tow in championships"
Those motorized tow in mechanisms are cool, but I'm trying to keep it simple over here!! And low cost!
https://clayisland.com/how-to-bungee-hydrofoil-diy/
Pump foil glider from F-One
https://www.windance.com/products/f-one-jam-foil-plane
About halfway to the cost of a FoilDrive.
I found the budget minded site: Takoon!!
https://int.takoon.com/collections/pump-foil
I did not need to see that stuff. I'm already on thin ice with my current purchases.
This guy has some good reels and videos: https://www.facebook.com/gianluca.muccioli.161
)
(and he likes Kasabian
But it's really a money saving investment. Just think how much you will save by not needing to buy expensive sails, wings, motors and batteries. Plus, it's good exercise and gives you something to do on days with no wind.
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
I'm looking at non-windy carbon fiber but in other areas. Daddy wants a new (well, used) bike and Hamdi is tempting me with a rowing shell. I've been staring at flat water all week and it's just begging for a row.