Yep. It's taken 20 sessions again to be confident & comfortable to get the foil board up & running.
Just like it took me the same time to get used to paddleboarding. Still remember during my paddleboarding first time sessions saying to myself after what seemed like a hundred fall offs & pushups, I'm going to sell this f@#ckin thing!!!! But all good as I got closer to session 20. I used a camera attached to the board to film all 20 sessions.
By about my 23rd session the right conditions presented themselves to be able to get onto just capping waves that would wall themselves up to line up the foil board along the face.
The longer the run the higher the speed was mind blowing!
Another foilboarder I met said it was his best ever session too.
I had a good 3 hour session after my nightshift which had my front foot hamstring aching due to paddling for waves in an early surf stance. Got home, had some breakfast & dropped dead in bed! Lol!.
Took some drone shots of my surf spot before running back to my car & grabbing my foilboard. Couldn't wait!
The camera on my board didn't do justice to my height & travel but had no one to film me. But got the other foilboarder mate in a few shots.

Yes! 10 Sessions to get through the pain

20 Sessions and you get to the advanced beginner stage.

The intermediate phase of learning to fly without touching down, flying wide in crowded spots, dodging rocks and learning to fly in NOTHING is long and fun all the way.

It would be interesting to hear how many sessions Piros, JB and COLAS have had?

Here was my 143rd session:


I suspect these guys have 200+++ sessions

For me, things clicked in place at the 12th hour (6th session), I was then able to fly somewhat consistently then, in a straight line, on very gentle waves (but with at least 8s period).

I have now 48 sessions under my belt. After the excitement of the early phases where I wanted only to foil, I am now only foiling when the conditions are good for it - and gentle enough to avoid breakage risks -, and not for SUPing. Which means for me about once a month where I live.

I'd say these are the milestones you will pass on the first 5/10 sessions:
- taking off (the first hour)
- managing the left/right balance
- managing to stop the foil from raising
- be able to gain height again if you lose altitude

But thing can take a LOT more time if you do not read advice, or do not use straps (or a way to have your feet in the proper place), have a bad gear (typically a foil too small for your weight and waves), and not go in gentle steady little waves.

Then, you will need lots of time on (and above) the water to progress in reading the underwater wave, turning, pumping, using turns to extend flight time... just like surfing.

My progression log is at: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Foiling/SUP-foiling--my-first-steps- but I must say I stopped posting in it since it tended to degenerate in idiotic flame wars about straps and mast placement.

Whoa! Nice video Beasho. I am hoping I will be able to have that type of control for turns. At the moment when I get up & running I just try to keep going straight. My turns only happen by accident. Some nice turns though. Ha!
Yeah. The guys in the second video like Kalama are the experts. Nice jumps etc. Something I believe I will never do unless I wholly concentrate on doing just that. But I love my paddleboarding & short boarding too. Plus at my age I am just a cruiser Not a bruiser in my surf style.
Colas. Exactly agree with what you said. I did in fact get the board up slightly & running quite smoothly on my first try. I took it very carefully after having an accident previous to that on a badly set up foil on my mates board. I was pleasantly surprised how my board surfed as normal until I gave it a flick up to balance on its mast, then it was all about balance over distance! Haaa! But was fun trying.
My best sessions were when I was in a relaxed state with my front foot pushing pressure down just after lift off. Absolutely loved the feeling when up at the highest height at the greatest speed.
And yeah Colas some posts can quite easily get off their main subjects unless someone can miraculously get it back on track which is a rarity.
The wave types & breaks make a huge difference too. Just had another go & couldn't surf for ****! Lol. So will now pick my sessions in future. After all I haven't been on any of my paddleboards or surfboards since. Lol!

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colas said..
For me, things clicked in place at the 12th hour (6th session), I was then able to fly somewhat consistently then, in a straight line, on very gentle waves (but with at least 8s period).

I have now 48 sessions under my belt. After the excitement of the early phases where I wanted only to foil, I am now only foiling when the conditions are good for it - and gentle enough to avoid breakage risks -, and not for SUPing. Which means for me about once a month where I live.

I'd say these are the milestones you will pass on the first 5/10 sessions:
- taking off (the first hour)
- managing the left/right balance
- managing to stop the foil from raising
- be able to gain height again if you lose altitude

But thing can take a LOT more time if you do not read advice, or do not use straps (or a way to have your feet in the proper place), have a bad gear (typically a foil too small for your weight and waves), and not go in gentle steady little waves.

Then, you will need lots of time on (and above) the water to progress in reading the underwater wave, turning, pumping, using turns to extend flight time... just like surfing.

My progression log is at: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Foiling/SUP-foiling--my-first-steps- but I must say I stopped posting in it since it tended to degenerate in idiotic flame wars about straps and mast placement.

When your falling off learning, is it like falling off a short board when your learning that... Or worse? I guess I mean is your head slapping the water harder when falling off and is there a way to avoid this if you are smart about it? I'm thinking about it but have a have a neck injury I don't want to aggrevaite by falling off with the head whip lashing. I rarely fall off on the sup bit when I do can always fall smart and avoid the head whiplash...is it possible to fall smart and avoid the head getting belted on the foil when learning....and avoiding falling by using tow in behind the boat?

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JosephBetts said..
When your falling off learning, is it like falling off a short board when your learning that... Or worse?

Much, much, worse. You fall with a much greater speed, and from higher.

I had some falls where I fell flat on my back that hurt quite a bit, wet-towel-slapping level of pain.

Strangely, I had no head whiplash (yet) while foiling, whereas I get them sometime SUPing. Perhaps because you fall from higher and have time to anticipate the impact?

I strongly recommend straps (at least the front one) to avoid hitting the foil. The strap prevents you and the board to "jackknife", you fall overboard, away from the foil.

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colas said..

JosephBetts said..
When your falling off learning, is it like falling off a short board when your learning that... Or worse?

Much, much, worse. You fall with a much greater speed, and from higher.

I had some falls where I fell flat on my back that hurt quite a bit, wet-towel-slapping level of pain.

Strangely, I had no head whiplash (yet) while foiling, whereas I get them sometime SUPing. Perhaps because you fall from higher and have time to anticipate the impact?

I strongly recommend straps (at least the front one) to avoid hitting the foil. The strap prevents you and the board to "jackknife", you fall overboard, away from the foil.

Do the straps give you less time to fall smart though?

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JosephBetts said..
Do the straps give you less time to fall smart though?

I'd say more time. You better feel what is happening beforehand.
Without straps, it is a bit like falling while walking on ice: One second you are OK, the next one your face is smashed on the pavement :-)