Interested to see what prone set ups people are using who have progressed from the Sup foil to the prone foil.

Maybe ask the question in the surf section?

As you know I've been riding the 5'10 JL "Marlon" surfboard foil with GoFoil Kai... I have a new 5'8 "Marlon Super Fly" waiting on Maui for me next week.... as a surfer you can't beat the GoFoil Kai for manoeuvrability, lift & weight... I found the IWA good for the Gold Coast points but you only need the Kai down our way...

I am posting my question here because I think SUP surfers are likely to be more open minded and experimental. The short board surfers are still fighting over short vs longboards.

I am curious about prone foiling. In my head I have this idea of needing to be a super surfer to get up on a tiny board with a foil on the bottom. I wonder if that is true.

I have been experimenting with body boarding on a kite foil board and it is amazingly easy.

The bigger sets at my spot tend to close out. I can surf them on a SUP (because I am up and riding before they close out), but on a short board I tend to go over the falls (partly because I am a crap short boarder). Even a boogie board can result in a gut smack off the lip. The SUP ride seems to be 5 seconds on the face then run away from the pitching lip.

Surprisingly the foil board just gets smoothly projected out the front. Once out there I can rise up and down on the foil (lying down) and carve along in front of the white water.

Even paddling out is easier. The foil digs in under the wave and holds it stable. The board is easy to duck dive or push over a wave.

So the question is, is catching waves and getting up on a prone foil board super hard? Or is it easier because you're not so dependent on taking off in the critical section of the wave?

I am 6'2" and 92kg (ish).

I am prone foiling these 2 boards at the moment,

- Naish Comet 5'2" x 20" @35ltr.

- Naish Ascend 4'8" x 22" @35ltrs.


I am 50/50 as to which i like more at the moment, but the Ascend is amazing for pumping, linking up and is super neutrally balanced, but the 5'2" easier to paddle and more directional in flow (easier to carve harder). I think if i had to take just one on an epic trip (or any break with a decent paddle out), it'd have to be the Comet 5'2".

JB

Nice JB that's the reason I posted here and not in the SB forum . I'm interested in guys coming off Sups because the prone boards tend to be bigger like my first one 6-3 Cheyne Horan. Although I'm still semi kook on the prone board my 6-3 has done its job and time to drop down . How's the pic below from a windsurf post , just insane .

Hey Gorgo, great to see some more prone foilers coming out!
I've been giving it a hack for about 6 months on the northern beaches, and your question is spot-on as I reckon I've wasted a couple of months trying to use a std volume 6' surfboard (~25 litres) badly retrofitted to carry a foil.
It made a huge difference once I committed to getting a custom high volume board (5'10" - 40+ litres) made by RMS with high strength fin boxes - I'll try to attach a photo

in otherwise unsurfable NE chop with my Iwa Gofoil.


I've made myself a shorter board - 5'0" using a Foilmount, and it's really responsive to weight input. The downside I've had is the total commitment to popping up, especially on a foam take off, lower volume/shorter boards demand. If I delay jumping to my feet, the dragging prone body weight behind the foil pulls massive 'back-stick' elevation, and you're back to the "bucking foil/death porpoise" experience everyone enjoys on their first waves.

cheers, Brian

Just picked this up from SurfFX this is the first one to hit the shop . 5-6 x 22 - 51 liters also comes comes in a 5-2. Will be the perfect step down from my 6-3 . I haven't prone surfed for over 10 years , slowly getting my arms back and definitely need a bit of extra volume for the long paddles back out.

I was using our 5'6 for ages and love it for its paddle ability but then started to use our ONE 3'10 which is just amazing once up on the foil and really if you are mostly surfing beach breaks is still super easy to paddle back out but what I find is I hardly ever have to as I will always pump back out and now very rarely need to paddle any way.
We have just made a 4'5 as well which I think will suit alot of people as it is pretty much the best of both worlds.
4'5



5'6

3'10

As I am so not paddle fit I ride a 5'10 x x19 x3 7/16 @ 54L

I'm 6'4" and 115kg.

My 5'6" x 22" x 3+ is being vacuum bagged now. Standard Tomo-ish outline. Nothing really special on the rail shape.

Started shortboard foiling on the 6'0" Amundson. That board was great.

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BigSeppo said..
I'm 6'4" and 115kg.

My 5'6" x 22" x 3+ is being vacuum bagged now. Standard Tomo-ish outline. Nothing really special on the rail shape.

Started shortboard foiling on the 6'0" Amundson. That board was great.

Sounds good any pics

Not many photos to choose from Piros!

5'6" in the bag. Relatively simple. Rails get really soft in the middle. Tomi-ish nose.


Piros - approved box design.



The current 6'0" Amundson, taken by a friend's wife.


Going back out for more.


Not exactly Hawaii that day. But its the day someone took a few pics

Looking good mate thanks for the pics , that board looks nice

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Jeffs256 said..
Hey Gorgo, great to see some more prone foilers coming out!
....

That's what I am trying to decide. Spend the money and get a foil compatible SUP, or put more effort into riding my 5' kite SUP board in the waves. My foil maker does a nice line of prone surfing foil boards.

In my head I see the advantages of a SUP for paddling out and getting early into waves, and I can do SUP. On the other handm the surf foiling world seems to be moving to shorter and shorter boards, which is not my core skill. My instinct leads me to the advantages of SUP, especially given that I spend most of my time kite foiling,

Gorgo most of the foils l'm using will do Sup & prone. So you can do both. We are using the Sups on bigger days and surfing shifting water areas like river mouths and outer Bombies , everything else like beaches & points ect we prone it. Using a kite board to prone is very hard , have a look at the volume in the prone boards above they are double that of a kite board plus wider so you can paddle in early. You'll be surprised to see prone foilers actually get into more waves than Sups on the most days.

Great thread. Long time short boarder but been on the hypernut to learn foil....but did sup also prior to this. I think I'll look at a 5"2 or something for a first prone....I'm ready...I hope.

Love the hypocrisy of surfing...
Short boarders out and Mal's turn up = grrr
Mal's out and sups turn up = grrr
Sups out and foils turn up = grrr
Foils out and kiters turn up = grrr

The poetry of these foils is you can avoid this completely....and let's face it, it's not going to get any less crowded out there...

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Gorgo said..
So the question is, is catching waves and getting up on a prone foil board super hard? Or is it easier because you're not so dependent on taking off in the critical section of the wave?

Maybe we didn't answer this directly, but the take-off on shorter/lower volume prone foilboards is more critical rather than less, and whilst you can bump into a small foamie, you still need to have a smooth pop-up to your feet. And going over the falls with a death-gripped foilboard is bloody horrible.
But if you start with a 50+ litre flat rocker 6' board, it will paddle-in like a mal to give you some wiggle room on takeoff, and probably beat your SUP buddies back to the lineup.

Thanks for the reply. That's what I was looking for.

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Piros said..
Gorgo most of the foils l'm using will do Sup & prone. So you can do both. We are using the Sups on bigger days and surfing shifting water areas like river mouths and outer Bombies , everything else like beaches & points ect we prone it. Using a kite board to prone is very hard , have a look at the volume in the prone boards above they are double that of a kite board plus wider so you can paddle in early. You'll be surprised to see prone foilers actually get into more waves than Sups on the most days.

Piros, given you have the well documented SUP and prone experience, as well as using the Slingshot H4, would you suggest the H4 is still more than suitable for prone for one in 'progression' stage (from SUP & H4)? Is that extra weight of the H4 come more into play prone? I may be able to upgrade my foil at some point....but ideally I'd like to keep using the H4 on the prone for a little while....at least during the prone early stages....

....but if your experience found a lighter foil will make a big difference prone then I'll talk to the finance committee.....

Steve I have been mainly using the NP on my prone it's similar weight to the new Slingshot (bit lighter) so yes your H4 set up will be fine and will work well on your prone , but the new Infinity 76cm is it's replacement and a much more efficient foil and lighter. It's compatible with you existing rig. Not available until August/ September but here is a sneak peak at all the new Slingshot stuff. This video below is of us towing in on the Infinity 76cm , absolutely insane for that. ( Note:- Ride engine & Slingshot are same company and same gear.)

A thousand thanks piros. I just wanted that exact confirmation that the H4 will tie me over for a bit longer going prone. I look forward to 're-splatting' all over again on a prone set up....

By the way piros, assuming that's u in that clip, absolutely priceless look on your face. Says something like 'how rediculous is this!?' (in a good way)....

Ha yeah that's me , pretty amazing feeling holding a constant 35 to 40 kph

Hey BigSeppo
just wondering what sort of foil ie type/model, i can see it's a go foil,

also what sup you foil with if you do, just curios as im about your size

Jarryd

Hi Jarryd,

For foils, I used a lot early on. I settled on a quiver approach. 2 foils:

GoFoil Iwa when there are legit surfable waves.

GoFoil Maliko 200 when its weak, which is most of the time in the summer on the US east coast. I'm using a 200 in the pics.

Not dead set on GoFoil or anything. They just work with no fuss.

Man for me and my often small surf, I need the two foils to choose from.

For SUP foil boards...

Man I went through a bunch of SUP foil boards before I found the Blue Planet Easy Foiler. It put everything else to shame. And its held up great.

I have the 7'6". Look up the thread called Finally a Good Foil Board and you can read all about it.

The Easy Foiler worked great immediately... pure fun. Highly recommended. No affiliation to BP.

Hope that helps.

5'6 * 19"

Nice RJK how do you like the Armstrong foil.

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Piros said..
Nice RJK how do you like the Armstrong foil.

Love it. Can't fault it. The size is ideal for my weight (100kg). It's a smidge bigger (thicker) than the IWA.

It doesnt surf as tight as the large Naish or the Kai but that's not comparing apples.

I kite it, downwind it, and surf it. One foil for everything, which I'm surf the XL naish and IWA would be very similar performance wise.

Good stuff thanks ...

Finally got to try the 5'6 today. Love it!