Hi Folks, while I love the glide that I get from high aspect foils when winging. I’m struggling with my gybes in light winds and choppy seas. Any advice would be gratefully received!
I was using a 1250 Performer from AFS with an aspect ratio of 7.2 and have moved to Pure 900 @ 9 A.R. I could hit 99% of gybes with previous foil and 70% of tacks. It’s not bad in flat water, but as soon as it is choppy, gybes and tacks on the 900 are really tricky. (first 2 pics are the 900, next 3 are the 1250).
What’s the problem you’re having? Would going faster into the turn, or turning faster help? Use the chop to turn on and stay on the downhill of the chop to get some push through the turn.
Thanks Hdip, in our type of chop one of two things happen A) you hit the back of the next wave and it breaks the flow on the foil = splash or B) shoot out the bottom of the wave, splash again! It seems hard to control the pitch. I have to get into a real low surf stance to try to get the board trimmed fore and aft through the turn…
Im also having a hard time discerning whats happening here.
You could be breaching something. Maybe riding too high on the mast and figuring out the span of the higher aspect foil? Try riding a little lower and banking a little less?
Maybe you need to take your time through the turn radius, and let the foil draw its natural line (which is probably quite different between those two foils). Point downwind and take a beat before you even initiate the jibe from there.
Many factors can contribute to squirrely pitch control. It could mean you are going too slow (probably) or too fast (doubt it). It could also mean your setup is unbalanced (requires you to move the mast or shim), but without more info - I can’t give you more direction on how to balance it out. Maybe try moving the mast forward or shimming the tail for more lift to start and see if that front foot bias gives more control. If not, try the other way.
Just a few ideas - but I really need more specific info to narrow it down.
Hey Velocicraptor, I’ll try those things for sure. I don’t use foot straps so have been moving my foot positions to back and forward to try to get better control, equivalent to moving mast back and forward. My last foil was really nice to carve a turn, this one I think might just need to be more of a snap turn and drive it hard on the wing out of the gybes and tacks.
I totally agree that much of the problem is happening from stall, which if going too slow through the gybe will give me the pitch issues.
Long term I’ll be getting the Pure 1100 @ 11AR, which should be easier with lower stall speed. And probably my go to under 20knts.
On my set up I can also move the stab to an inner position which will make it like a shorter fuse - so that might help a little.
I’ll also see if i can get someone to video the gybe so I can see why they are failing…
Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for the tips @Hdip and @Velocicraptor 
- I put them to the test and was gybing in 9knts of wind no bother yesterday. Here is what worked for me and might help some people out there.
Added footstraps. This brought my front foot much more into the game, in a more precise way. I think it has allowed a more ‘level’ feel and ensures I don’t roll the weight too much onto my back leg.
Full wing power. By focusing on keeping the wing fully powered and keeping the flow attached, the speed is much higher through the gybe and avoids the foil stalling out.
Mast forward. By getting the mast more forward, it feels like the connection of span between the front footstrap and the mast is more in a sweet spot and the pitch control is now there.
sweet. glad I could help. now you need to let me demo your foil!
Yes, we get to demo your foil as payment. It’s only fair!
