I havnt riddern a sail board for about 10 years....I've bought a 115 liter foil board... 5 Meter sail and NP Flight foil.

My board has deep tuttle and dual track boxes.

I dont have any deep tuttle fins but would like to ride the board first before I foil....Just to get my balance etc...

Could I ride the board with just the mast or even the mast with the fuselage.................to stop the board from sliding sideways

My mast is a deep tuttle.

It would work. You could also install the fusilage and foils and keep your front foot forward of the foot strap and just not pop up in air

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John340 said..
It would work. You could also install the fusilage and foils and keep your front foot forward of the foot strap and just not pop up in air

I was originally thinking that...but from the Videos I watched the foil was rising at really low speeds not giving the sailor any chance to just slowly sail...

10 years isn't that long. Windsurfing is like bicyling... Don't be afraid of the foil, if you want to reactivate your muscle memory, just choose a day with as little chop as possible, and gently ride with the foil, make a few reach without searching for planning speed. Make some tacks, and uphaul the sail. When you feel the time right begin to go for it. Just don't le go the boom.
With non planning condition, the weight of the foil makes it easier for your balance, acting as a keel. Only tacking needs some adjustments as the board has a tendancy to stall dead head wind.

Good idea to just use the mast of the foil and get used to sailing again.

Just use the foil and a small sail. Foiling is nothing like fin windsurfing, everything is different. I'd suggest you are in a better position now than I was as my muscle/brain memory is 100% fin sailing stance when I started foiling. The hardest thing was to forget everything I was doing windsurfing.

Just the mast will work but just use the foil in light air to take your first steps sailing again. Just get started there is a lot to learn. How much do you weigh and what was your skill level 10 years ago? I ask because 115 liters could be a little small for a big newbie. Have fun!

Yeah, agree with the above, and based on your weight say 80-90 kg, the 5.0 sail could be too small to get you up in winds less than 14 knots. But I have not been on that foil, so could be a few knots high. And with a fin, or even just the foil mast, a 115 liter board is going to be tipsy. So try going out in sub 12 knots with the foil, and at least neoprene pants to protect your legs from the foil, and see how it feels.

I agree with the people saying to just out the foil on. The Flight needs quite a bit of speed to get going.

Hi,

Just put the complete foil on the board, its just a big fin ultimately, if u put the mast foot as far forward it won't tend to lift, or just stay out of the front straps, if your going to foil with the board, why avoid the inevitable, just get out on it to see how the whole thing feels, and have fun, cause thats what its all about.

Another thing is as long as your front foot is in front of the foot strap, your chances of taking off are nil. I've seen more than a few times beginners planing along with their front foot by the mast wondering why they can't take off.

The full foil also acts as a keel/ballast so having it on actually steadies the board which will be nice for getting used to a small board again.

No stupid questions! Keep asking - we want you to have fun and enjoy it.

I've spent plenty of time shlogging around in very light wind with a foil attached, not sure what kind of wind I needed, before I figured out how to ride the foil. You could probably just ride it with the foil as the comments say. It'll just feel a bit draggy. I found that in that mode, without the speed to foil, you'll really feel like an anchor is attached when you try to tack.

And if you get flying by accident just get your weight forward by the mast track.
I don't know anything about that foil but you could also shim it or position it (maybe?) for minimum lift, and change it back when you are ready to foil it.

I have to agree with most of the comments above.

There are subtle differences between finning and foiling. So, if you plan to foil most of the time, don't bother with getting your finning skills back. Go straight to the foil and learn that. I suspect that, like most of us, you won't look back.

Make sure you gear is balanced. See below. Then go out and carefully practice getting up to speed and foiling low to the water (training wheel mode). Yes, you will crash a lot. We all did (and still do). Learning how to foil is a joy in itself, especially in warm water.

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segler said..
I have to agree with most of the comments above.

There are subtle differences between finning and foiling. So, if you plan to foil most of the time, don't bother with getting your finning skills back. Go straight to the foil and learn that. I suspect that, like most of us, you won't look back.

Make sure you gear is balanced. See below. Then go out and carefully practice getting up to speed and foiling low to the water (training wheel mode). Yes, you will crash a lot. We all did (and still do). Learning how to foil is a joy in itself, especially in warm water.

Thanks For this Info......Yeah on my second session I'm feeling the foil Kick in and getting some lift.

It does feel like foil, sail and strap positions are not right..so I will start moving things around and finding out what works.

I moved the sail forward on the board during the second session and it made the difference between getting up and not getting up on the foil..

Thanks for the great information every body

Sandfoot, your choice of starter foil package is going to test you
I am not sure if you were told by others or just selected it on your own, it can and has been done before but the board and foil you have selected is not ideal for learning the basics quickly

However, at least you got a foil board. That means the geometry is correct right off the bat. Moving the sail back and forth in the track is a good thing to be trying. Also, you can start by leaving the footstraps off the board altogether. You can then freely step around until you find the balance point.

Lots of variables in this sport. After two sessions it sounds like you are progressing well (better than I did).

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Sandfoot said..

segler said..
I have to agree with most of the comments above.

There are subtle differences between finning and foiling. So, if you plan to foil most of the time, don't bother with getting your finning skills back. Go straight to the foil and learn that. I suspect that, like most of us, you won't look back.

Make sure you gear is balanced. See below. Then go out and carefully practice getting up to speed and foiling low to the water (training wheel mode). Yes, you will crash a lot. We all did (and still do). Learning how to foil is a joy in itself, especially in warm water.

Thanks For this Info......Yeah on my second session I'm feeling the foil Kick in and getting some lift.

It does feel like foil, sail and strap positions are not right..so I will start moving things around and finding out what works.

I moved the sail forward on the board during the second session and it made the difference between getting up and not getting up on the foil..

Thanks for the great information every body

I find the best thing, when first starting out with new gear is to make ride, adjust and re-ride multiple times during one session. Just making one small change at a time.

When I first started foiling (4 years ago on slingshot and 121L Starboard slalom board) I tried a few things to keep the nose down...
I built some extensions for my footstraps to get them more forward. Totally unnecessary.
I rode with the sail right at the front of the mast track (caused odd twist in my body). Totally unnecessary.
I had heaps of rear shims (especially Starboard race setup). Totally NECESSARY especially when learning to control a new foil!

Over the 4 years I've learned a lot!
I've had sessions with the mast at the back of the box (and wanted it further back!)
I've moved my footstraps to the middle position at the front (and fully extended front hole to rear hole for the back strap)
I can ride with/without shims depending on the swell (smoother is easier), gustiness, and target speed.

The 3 biggest tips:
1. The harness is your friend! You get much better down force via the mast than your front foot!
Use long lines so you can still sheet out while staying hooked in, because even when you sheet out, you MUST keep downforce on the mast. If you are flying high in a gust and need to sheet out... only do so a little bit, but keep your weight in the harness (for heavens sake you'll end up aiming for heaven if you don't!). The back hand controls the nose, more sail-power for down!
2. Control foil power by angling the board to windward. The more you lean the board (and foil) over, the less lift you get upwards, but arguably more lift to windward. So how do you pivot downwind... move your hands back along the boom, push the mast forward over the nose and sheet in, the forces will push the nose downwind... and you WILL accelerate! Be ready to flatten the board to gain lift when you need it!
3. Each foil has a preferred mast base position AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS! At 20kt top speed I'd have a rearward position to help get the board flying in lighter winds. As I hit 30 knots VMAX, I need the mast much further forward, as much as + 5cm, since my small speed wing is making as much power as my largest course racing wing at half the speed. If you are hooked in, sheet in on a gust and the nose goes down, move your mast back, but if you go skywards or get scared, move it forward.
4. Shims definately help, they do add drag, but if your not in control your not going to be fast either. Fast is relative too.
5. Move your hips! Long lines help shift the balance point fore-aft as you slide your hips fore-aft, but also lean into the harness.
6. Foiling involves a delicate balance of so many different forces (4 winged surfaces, 4 weight points) so when you make an adjustment, make a much smaller adjustment than you would on a sailboard. ESPECIALLY with downforce on the mast. E.G. if you unhook, you need to use arm pressure to maintain downforce on the mast base.

OK so a few bonus points.

Happy foiling!

Like others, I went through a lot of tuning/modifications to get comfortable while maintaining control when over powered. My observations/ experience.

My first issue was no way to get any use from the harness using factory foot strap position. The sail mast was too far away from my front foot. I went without straps amd found a good balance point. Then came to realize the mast base could go further back such that the track nut just engaged the slot. So basically as far back as it will go and not pop out of the track. That got me balanced in the harness using factory front strap position.

Now that that was solved, I was getting up too early on the foil, and breached too easily. So next step was move foil mast back which helped a ton BUT.. if I tried to use the "zero" position in the foil track, there is not enough overlap of the track nut in the slot and the rear nuts popped out of the track. . So I drilled some extra holes forward on the mast base to insure good overlap of the track nut. So I have my perfect set up for me. I was out on the 23rd just railing to windward, sail sheeted in close to center line of the board in 21 knots on a 4.5 sail without breaching. I'm 140lbs on a SS 114 for reference.

Excellent insights Berowne and WSAustin, esp the bit about sheeting out while still hooked in (not exactly a beginner skill though)

Nothing replaces trial and error.

I will add that as your skill improves you will desire to adjust your settings.