I’m creating this topic, which I hope will help many people who, after a certain time, feel like they’re stagnating and not progressing anymore.
I have been practicing surf foiling for quite some time now. I connect all my waves, surf them by doing carves, and today I’m trying to link them without having to pump between them, which I suppose is one of the big challenges in surf foiling.
But, but I don’t know how to keep progressing effectively now ! And am looking for the main ‘goal’ to reach
I started with a 1400 front wing and today I surf daily with my 800 (progression 125) which feels really good to me in all the conditions.
My question is the following: how can I keep progressing?
Is it better to go back to a slightly larger wing (as progression 140?) to have more tolerance and try to connect less “aggressive” carves (because with my surfing background, I admit I tend to lean a bit too much) or is it better to stick with the smaller wing and persevere that way?
What are the big objectives to reach to keep progressing ?
What are you trying to do? Pump and go straight? Stay on foil for 5 minutes at a time? Hit white water? They’re all different goals and require different foils.
Mainly would like to improve my surf on the wave. Linking carves without pumping, finishing my round house in the white water, improving surfing in general
I’ve always waffled between bigger wings and smaller but i’ve finally settled in on something small. I’ve felt that as i’ve gone for smaller front wings my riding has moved away from critical riding and snappy white water turns toward going fast, glide, using speed to make impossible sections. Bigger front wings are what allow for alot of that white water manuverability and snappy controll. Look at the stuff pedigo was doing on the 1210 and now on the prog 170.
I personally am not riding as critically as i used to on the 1210 now that i’m on the north 930. Honestly, i would have never conciously given up that part of my riding but i’m really happy on the smaller foil. I still have those days when i can really snap the smaller foil but i don’t see that line as much, its like the faster foil has me looking out ahead more. I don’t know its just different.
Linking without pumping is great but takes great conditions. I manage it every now and then - shoot out of a critical section, tons of speed, bank that turn over the shoulder, hold that turn through the flats(don’t move a muscle), continue that turn up the face of the next one(still don’t move), loop around on the lip and drop in on the next one (ok, now you can move). If you can do it without flinching it feels pretty special.
Each foil has something to teach you, and each wave has something to teach you.
You can dive deep on one foil, riding it in everything and feeling the edge cases, learn to handle it.
Recognize when it is time to try a new foil and learn the new way to foil that goes with it.
If you can, explore new waves to learn new skills, weaker waves are favoring foam bash, stronger waves are favoring power carves. Backwash/sidewash waves are infinitely complex and fun, extremely rewarding when everything clicks.
Winging/downwinding/foildrive/… all have something to teach you.
The bigger question is, maybe it’s okay to stop progressing (as much as before)? Any activity you do for a long time, you will eventually plateau. With hedonic adaptation the pleasure reward will also decrease with time.
I have done well by keeping a 2 foil quiver: one that pumps well and one that surfs well. As I go back and forth I find I can use what I learn on one to ride the other better. I wasn’t getting better pumping my surf wing until I spent a bunch of time pumping a larger wing.