Interesting, does it turn better? That for me is the key. Look at this clip of Mcflow (it’s the Army one, sorry I think better than the F4 recent one lol) and you can see how dialled and effortless the turns are, that is indication that he’s not fighting the stab. I would guess maybe in your case smaller stab worth trying. And you say you are breaching as in just getting launched? Then probably too much lift, but more likely going too fast. I think part of optimal trim is then turning hard to reduce your speed. I guess that is the balance
No…I think it is likely just someone not named Mcflowi riding higher on the mast without his weight always forward to buffer against breaches equaling more breaches.
Turns feel comfortable in my more forward (and slightly wide) stance…when I move back I need to consciously think “weight forward” but that might just be not being used to it (?)
Last night I was messing around with this, and it was interesting as I moved back I could tap into rides on pretty small rollers I wouldn’t really think of trying to ride, so I think I’m getting more out of my foils, and mostly need to get used to and adjust to the smaller margin for error of riding higher on the mast and without my weight already forward to buffer against being lifted by a swell…we’ll see what Matt A has to say about my setup and then work on this in some bigger conditions today
Ok yes to that feeling of unlocking more performance than you think your foil has, that’s basically your stab not having to hold your weight and all the associated drag, and I think is the essence of it, but then it makes the foil more agile, responsive, sensitive etc which I suppose is certainly an adjustment (and I think subtext is that you’re riding the right foil for the conditions etc etc like overfoiled is it’s own thing).
As for riding high my impression is that yes you can ride high but if you’re trimmed right then you don’t have to ride high, instead you can ride more aggressively.
My experience is when you are standing in that efficient sweet spot, then you unlock way more roll, more balance in turns, and a more neutral agile feeling of the foil. I find that on the whole it feels more refined and responsive.
The time I now notice it the most is where if I’m going for a big committed link turn when proning, if I’m not “neutral” ie balanced foil, then I will not get enough lift and bog the turn (nose down, rail catches), and invariably my foot is in front of the little sweet spot marker.
As ever, Eric Geislman with a nice clip, look when he’s doing these little wiggles (not the bigger carves, the quick like snakeboard wiggles), I have started doing that at the start or in the flat section of a wave and if you can do those wiggles and it feels like it’s pushing back then it’s right. If turning like that doesn’t feel possible then it’s too far forward and you’re fighting the tail.
Just checking back in to say Holy $%#@! I’m having SO much fun (and breaching way less)…the last few days at Rowena have really hit the sweet spot for me (on a 2.5m today, 3.5m yesterday overpowered)…moved the mast back a little (thx Matt-A), along with my feet, riding the Helix 900 and 160 tail, getting longer rides, making multiple cutbacks, pumping to stay in or get to the energy…what a blast!
Riding the 775 Helix at the Hatch I can do, but that foil is still a bit sporty for me, combined with the bigger/steeper swell, it’s a real challenge right now when the wind is up…but I can see myself getting there and loving it.
Overall, these foils are really, really treating me well, inspiring confidence to do more and delivering with forgiving performance…they have lived up to my hope of opening some big doors in my foiling.
I think my experience also supports the thought that I mostly needed to commit to making the adjustment and get used to it (without biting off too much at once)…so I’ve moved my front foot back and even got a little bit of front leg burn, so I think I’m back far enough, and am hitting conditions I can handle, with dialed in gear.
THANKS for all the input (and the great gear from Matt/Brodie/Sam)…
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That is cool to hear.
I thought something missing from the thread was a “just right” image, where you can see that there is a “green” sweet spot where you are max efficiency, comfort, glide, agility, but any further back and you hit an abrupt “red” zone of instability (unless you are very good), and finding the limit and nudging back from it is the right approach
Also here is a good clip from Eric that even better illustrates the point I was making about feeling out the balance on a flat section of the wave before it builds up https://www.instagram.com/p/Db38JhAhOpB/
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
That’s all I want to say after today’s session moving that front foot back.
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I want to confirm this is a great strategy. I was peeling off today, first pump felt mush. I pulled my front foot back a lot and it felt awful. Shifted it a couple mm forward and bam!, ideal foot position. First recovery pump made up for all the time wasted shimmying about.
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Another great session today…and until then, I had mostly been thinking of this as getting the right alignment of center of mass vs center of lift, and the line where the front foot gets firm resistance to pumping, as if you just need to get the foil/mast/feet/hips in the proper alignment relative to each other…
No big surprise, but today I noticed it clearly in my body, that is much more than balance of forces…and that is what that shift does to your whole body and what it is prepared to do…more athletic/responsive/aggressive…you not only need a firm platform for pumping (for instance) but also need to be fully on top of that platform such that you can leap off of it and drive it where you want.
“Duh”…perhaps…but in case you don’t fully believe yet that this can be a big thing…