Looks like Dave Kalama is working on some new things to help catching bumps on prone board. Not sure about the skillet hand but who knows, always worth trying.

I actually tried to do a dw on a prone this week as it was super windy (not a real dw just a short 2 km run, I didn't want to get stuck in the middle of the ocean). I had a 5'6 x 18 shaped for this in mind, (round bottom, concave deck) and I was surprised I could get on bump pretty easy. But the bump has to be steep and big enough. It was nice to take off, definetly a good feeling but as the board is the same lenght as my sup I couldn't really feel the benefit. And you are not allowed to do any mistake as then it might take more time to find a good steep bump.
For super, people who can use a paddle in hand properly it might not be worth it but I see this as a good opportunity for surfers, this is a good way for some people to discover the dw side.

I guess prone foil dw is even more limited than sup foil dw but once again we will see where it is going.

www.instagram.com/p/B7Y4HVcHJxZ/

www.instagram.com/p/B7badF0HfrP/

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frenchfoiler said..
Not sure about the skillet hand but who knows, always worth trying.

I used webbed gloves for prone surfing when they went into fashion some decades ago, but I was not convinced: it seems to me that although they were more efficient when pulling water, you lost a lot of energy penetrating water on the "catch" phase. I felt that I lost all the speed I gained in the pull phase wast lost in the catch phase, as the webbing leading edge was folding with the pressure on entry.
It was also a bit awkward when using your hands to pop up, hold the board in duck dives, etc...

They were great for training however, like running with weighted vests.

This said, I just checked, and the ones currently available seem to have the webbing leading edge a bit recessed, so they may work better. Google "Webbed gloves"

Yeah.... I bought a pair of Body Glove webbed gloves. $20. Haven't had the inclination to use them yet. But... I just did my first step down to a sub 5' prone board (4-11) from a 5-4 perhaps I'll need them.

I had a friend who used them growing up. A true character. Everyone gave him heaps of grief when he showed up w/ the webbed hands. 99% of the lineup was on potato chip boards, he was on an old school fish with his webbed hands. Caught everything in sight and absolutely, stylishly ripped. Maybe I'll pull those buggahs out.

We have been playing around with the prone downwinders. We started with a couple of purpose built boards but soon just switched back to our std prones. Most of the crew just catch a wave and pump out and follow the coast line , you crash far less on a small prone other than anything else. A few of the crew are now doing 7 to 10 km runs with no falls. The best one I've seen is Beau O'Brian on his 3-4 caught wave at Currumbin pumped way out to sea and came in 7.5km down the beach.

It's still possible to get up in the ocean on a std prone , we use a technique called a chip in where we just get a push on the crest of the swell not in the trough , you just need a nudge to get to your feet and you can force the board to the foil from there. Re the gloves if you need those to get enough power you'll just blow your arms out. Once you become full time prone foiler you'll be amazed at the paddle power that comes back to you. Paddle hard enough you can feel the foil start to push you , so it's more Iike higher intense stroke rate rather than a long hard one.

What size foils? I only have my 4'8" and a lift 200. I want to learn downwind, but not sure what way to go about it. New board/foil, new wind wing, all 3?

We are just using our std prone wing NP Slim , Axis 90 , NSP 1325cm2

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Hdip said..
What size foils? I only have my 4'8" and a lift 200. I want to learn downwind, but not sure what way to go about it. New board/foil, new wind wing, all 3?

That would be work but like we said, the hard part is to find a good run. I think for you in Malibu area you several oprions.
You could start with a short run, taking off on a wave at Malibu further out the point on a windy day, or catch a wave at County line pump back out and ride the bumps. The thing is you need to pump into the bump so it depends on your pumping ability.

I'm getting there. Not quite at the level I saw you at 1st though. You were pumping back to the lineup on the rights. I can only get out the distance of the lefts.

County is where I will eventually try it though. Seems to have the best options.

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Hdip said..
I'm getting there. Not quite at the level I saw you at 1st though. You were pumping back to the lineup on the rights. I can only get out the distance of the lefts.

County is where I will eventually try it though. Seems to have the best options.

Are you a goofy footer Hdip?