I'm new to this foil caper and just had a couple of great days, my first flights (SUP foil) and long fast rides, starting to get some control of the climb and a few fast turns. The stoke is real and the wind has well and truly blown my hair back.

The dopamine high came crashing down when I got caught inside this morning and got rolled by numerous over head whitewater sets, nothing I'm not used to and I wasnt too concerned, nice deep water and no turtles here, but I came up with a bent alimimum mast and twisted base plate. A $300 lesson for me to avoid getting caught inside - and stick to smaller days... maybe

I've done a bit of forum post searching and now understand the foolishness of letting the foil go through the washing machine. But I'm still wondering how to handle whitewater best..... to protect the gear, and myself.... beacause it will inevitably happen again....

If you're off the board and about to get cleaned up, should you push the board behind you, and let the white water hit it square in the tail? or maybe tip it upside down, foil sticking up in the air? Any other techniques (other than buying a carbon mast)?

Also I read something about paddling over large whitewater being bad, the foam lifting the board exerting significant pressure, basically separating the board from the foil, again busting masts/baseplates/board tracks. So how do you get over large white water - bury the nose and jump? Spin around and ride it like a man?

Thanks in advance

Head high whitewater?
Prevention is the cure. Avoidance over confrontation.
Once caught, with foil and wing, save yourself first, your wing next.
Bent mast is something you have to accept.
Broken wings are possible, as well as bent fuze.
Carbon just cost more when stuff breaks.
Don't go into the ring if you can't take the punch.
Any surfer will tell you this.

One alternative is to go prone on bigger days so you can duck dive but still risky if it's not deep enough.
In general, big crashing waves/whitewater and foils don't mix. I've had some not so great moments trying to duck dive in shallow spots. Deeper water makes it much more manageable just gotta nail those duck dives

Doesn't compute.
6' whitewater typically breaks in around 5' depths. Then it gets shallower.
Your foil mast is around 3'. When you successfully duckdive, you submerge the board more than 2'.
Do the math.
That's why your foil mast got wrecked.

When I had alloy masts bending and breaking things was pretty unavoidable unless you stick to small clean days. Since getting Armstrong gear I have not broken anything except I cracked my fibula 2 days ago when the white water hit me and then either my boar it or foil hit my leg. Still managed to catch my biggest and longest wave 500 m ever on foil after cracking my leg though. Didn't really hurt until walking to the car. Wave was well overhead but super clean and not too steep felt safe and stable on a 1050 wing with 85 mast

We can be dumb.
At 15, I snapped my fibula just above the ankle joint....complete displacement.
I practiced with the high school varsity football team for 3 weeks before Coach told me to see a Doc. I was a starting olb on D and alternate tight end on offence.
Walked in to hospital, got looked at from a nurse, told to stand still and got wheeled to a room for surgery...3 pins, the next day.

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halfwaythere said..
In general, big crashing waves/whitewater and foils don't mix.

This.

Just avoid whitewater. Whitewater will destroy SUP foils, much more than hitting the ground, because SUP boards have a lot of volume and thus whitewater exerts huge forces on them. Plus having to manage the paddle reduces your options.

For learning, keep to gentle weak waves.

Then, as you get better and use smaller gear (board & foil) you can tackle bigger waves, being aware of the risks both for you and your wallet. And switch to prone surf foiling, to reduce even more the board size and the whitewater risks.

Those tracks.....
He's nowhere near the whitewater.

Yep, got it. Avoid white water. Simple, will do. Thanks for the input.

What about paddling over white water (on a SUP). Is there a particular technique required, or max wave size where you are better to jump off, than trying to get over standing up?

I guess you could turn and run, paddle away so when it gets to you, its lost some power.

Any surfer can tell you that you can paddle over whitewater.... up to 3' high.
But you said you are dealing with head high whitewater....double that size..
Go around, look for channels, wait for lulls.

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LeeD said..
Those tracks.....
He's nowhere near the whitewater.

Those tracks are just overlayed on a image that might have been taken in a much smaller day.

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beefarmer said..
Yep, got it. Avoid white water. Simple, will do. Thanks for the input.

What about paddling over white water (on a SUP). Is there a particular technique required, or max wave size where you are better to jump off, than trying to get over standing up?

I guess you could turn and run, paddle away so when it gets to you, its lost some power.

Your not on a regular Sup now BF you need to find some smaller waves.

When the whitewater is too big there is nothing much you can do but if it's not too big I find that sometimes it's better to put some weight on your front foot and actually bury the nose under the white water a bit (not under the water as in a duck dive but just under the white water a bit)
This stops the board being lifted as much and pushed backwards, it also reduces pressure on the foil/mast/mount etc.
when you get used to them the foil adds a heap of stability and you will be amazed what you can go over/through.

What to do when down in 6 foot whitewater made by 8 foot waves?
Toss board. Whitewater brings it to shore or deep channel within a few waves.
Wing? Tough one. They break.
I've seen this scenario at Luquillo Puerto Rico twice. Once the board made it to the inside deep spot just fine and the wing survived. The other instance the board made it in just fine, the wing popped it's bladder from repeated whitewater washings.
Both cases, the rider quit for the day.

I grab the leashplug rope at the board, put my other hand on the tail of the board using it f control and point the board to shore, with the foil in the water. then we go for a ride lol. It's been the best way I've found in dealing w the situation.

Just like tightlines has said. I hold the tail of the board using the kickpad for gripping. Facing the nose of board directly to shore so the whitewash hits the tail of the board as I duck my head under.
I seriously try not to have a wave hit my board & foil side on which has bent my mast a few times.
My Neilpryde mast has so far survived a few side on hits. But I still try to avoid this as much as possible.
Yes you can paddle through & over whitewash with practise. Just like tighlines has described. But not when the waves are overhead. If on my knees I sometimes turn & let the whitewash hit me from behind. This reduces a lot of force if you go with it.
Next as a last resort and is not advisable. If no one is in the way I will ditch the board but ensure its nose is facing the shore as the wave hits the tail. But this can be the most dangerous due to either the leash snaps leaving you to swim ashore. Or the foil springing back at you risking serious cuts from the sharp trailing edges.