I’ve got a serious case of foil brain and want more time on the water.
170lb old guy with no surfing background.
Kiter turned kite foiler and now he winging.
Making most jibes and +50% of my tacks.
I don’t have a pump game.
I ride OBX North Carolina and looking to increase my water time. Mostly in the flat water but weeds have been a major issue this fall. Ocean side shore break can be brutal which limits days I want to go ocean with a wing.
I’m riding Delta foils, mostly the 850 HA but also have the 1050, 1280. This is with the super stiff R-frame mast.
Any advice? I’d need to invest in a board minimum. Anyone else proning the Delta foils?
I’m interested in Unifoil but they don’t exist here and really apprehensive to buy something without at least a demo. Hopefully I can start with my foil but not sure.
Reading lots on this forum and listening to lots of podcast episodes.
I learned prone on the delta 1280, i have a surf background but that foil is plenty forgiving to learn on.
Speed and pump and turn wise that foil is a dog compared to say lift 170/200. Which are both absolute dogs compared to a Uni Prog 170/200 imo.
I feel like you need a surfing background, because the prone paddle technique and popup are so essential. Foil popups are way more technical than surf popups. I think you have two choices, spend some time learning to paddle and popup using a minimal, then transition to a mid length prone board. Or the easiest thing, get a Stoke or foil drive assist. Then you can cut out the paddle technique part and just work on the popup part. Or even better, you can fly onto foil on the flats and then efoil or hybrid pump into the waves. You’ll feel like a king flying around and linking a dozen waves before having to go change your battery after 30min.
I’m gonna upset someone with this but I just want to call out that OBX is a pretty crappy surf foil location. Too much power and energy. Good surf = crappy foiling
“Shore break can be brutal” sounds like the worst possible place to learn to surf, let alone prone. Maybe consider learning SUP foil out the back and away from the crowds?
I guess I kind of knew the answer.
Prone foil surf is harder than surfing and not the best way to increase my time on the water.
I’m loving my time wing foiling and will keep at it. I’m currently riding a 62l board and I do think adding a bigger board will get me out more in lighter winds, looking hard at the newer scaled down downwind board designs.
OBX is a great place to foil. You just need to pick your spot correctly on any given day.
It is not an easy place to learn to surf.
Thanks for the feedback.
This forum is a wealth of knowledge.
I’ve been learning prone here, and it’s been awesome.
We definitely don’t have any point breaks or anything but if you can find the right bar somewhat far out with a nice trough after it you can get some great rides as the foam turns into swell.
Psyched to discover the downwind options once the next SW wind season rolls around.
@tgaunce I’ll be going out later this afternoon. If you are up in town message me some contact info, you are welcome to join. There is a very small crew of us up here.