I have been struggling abit with my pump on the sk8 750 8.0ar - when there is backwash or when tide is changing during prone foiling.
I have noticed many many times that as the tide is changing I’ve been getting pulled into the wave face when pumping back out more drastically during low-midlow tides…which all makes perfect sense on how the wave is breaking(mix of beachbreak and reef/gradual).
I also notice that it feels like it takes more energy to pump back out as well during tide changes.
whereas if there is no water movement/tide change it is less energy to pump.
Do you guys generally size up if you aren’t timing tide changes?
Hey Dan , I have trouble when there is a big tide change as well. Where are you at?
I’m on the Olympic peninsula in Washington State and 8-10’ tide changes are normal. Mid tide I’m getting pulled all over the place.
I got on the zoom call with @Erik this week and asked for advise. He recommended a larger stabilizer. Seems to help so far but I need a couple more sessions to really figure out why. Maybe this can help you too
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I’m here in Socal, and depending on the sand/reef or combo swells I’ve found even small tide changes annoying…
we go about a 0.5ft difference to big 3ft swings…your swings are crazy 
I try to time it so that high tide is 4.5ft I’ll paddle out about at the 4ft mark and get the rising tide and falling.
What ends up happening is on the lower tides the water moves faster than I am moving sometimes and I lose low end glide
This has me so confused… surfing an inlet = incoming tide doable with slightly bigger foil, mid tide great, outgoing tide not doable. Reefy point break = high tide waves need to be bigger to break, and they also have more energy as the series of ledges out to sea don’t slow down the swell, so smaller foil. Low tide is slower wave, so bigger foil. Beach break = smaller foil for punchy take off and less distance to pump.
Backwash = garbage, or fun reform and ride back out, or possible get thrown into air.
But swell period plays a big part as well as the tide as does wind as does how much pizza and beer is in my belly…
you have a nice thesis on surf foiling coming together. I had a head scratch session today where I should have just paddled out a surfboard and stayed on top where life is simple