Another epic Northerly, super gusty and offshore but worth it for the swells - seemed a lot bigger out there

Pay to Play in the shorebreak

Thanks for the great video. At 55 seconds I would of given up. Persistence paid off. I wonder how hard getting back was?

Looking good nice that the wave backs off and let's you jibe before turning into shore pound!

Great vid gents! Since your last shorebrake video I have taken to grabbing the fuse on the way in and really like it. It keeps the sail flying and the board slicing on its side so it's easy to make way towards shore. I have not tried it on the way out yet, not in any real energy anyway. I have a strong aversion to being down wave of the foil for fear of the trailing edges getting hurled at me.

I have been developing a duck diving approach for the way out. Sorry that I don't have it on film yet I hope to soon. I carry the board tail first by the handle with sail flying in my other hand, I go as deep as I can like this then I let the sail go and roll the board upside down. With one hand in the bottom handle or on the mast and the other hand pushing the tail vertically down under the wave all the while driving like mad with my legs. The key things seem to be getting the tail pushed under and having an almost horizontal body position so you can really drive with your legs (think American football offensive linemen). I have been shocked how much juice I can punch through this way and it's worked well in Cocoa Florida and at home in SC in all combos of wind and current. The big con is all the drag of the sail in the water, for sure once the sail goes in the forward progress is slow but it is STEADY. The big pro is important, when I get overpowered the kit gets ripped out of my hands and AWAY from me not INTO me. My board may lend to this approach, my tail is long and angled to help the water pass over it. My handle is big and really rounded so I have a really good and comfortable hold.

We all have different styles, gear, and local conditions so there should be differences in how we do it. I am grateful for these videos! Simon is a fantastic sailor and JJ takes time from his sailing to film him, not to mention all the editing time! I get something useful from everyone! I am also glad for the chance to share what is working for me because I think others can learn to adapt to their unique situations using ALL this information. Riding the waves on windfoil gear is so amazing, it's well worth the challenges of the launch and retrieval.

Great video! I've got my flat water jibes over 95% now, but am still struggling quite a bit in swell. I think my ingrained jibe point from my fin days is leading me astray. Do you guys have a point on the swell that you "Target" to do the jibe?

TIA!

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BullroarerTook said..
Great video! I've got my flat water jibes over 95% now, but am still struggling quite a bit in swell. I think my ingrained jibe point from my fin days is leading me astray. Do you guys have a point on the swell that you "Target" to do the jibe?

TIA!

The big thing for my jibes in waves and even big chop was fitting the whole radius in between crests. I'm riding short period waves so they are close together and that makes it harder. It took a minute to learn and even though its a tight turn it's easier than crossing over the one in front of you mid jibe. Because the wave is moving forwards too it makes it possible to fit it in. The closer the waves are together the more my turn becomes a sharp hook at the end rather than an arc. Start the turn early (just after a crest) and once turned about half way around start spotting the crest in front so you can avoid it. When you get it dialed it feels amazing because you are dropping back in at the finish of the turn so you can exit faster than you enter!

Simon getting useful advice

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utcminusfour said..

BullroarerTook said..
Great video! I've got my flat water jibes over 95% now, but am still struggling quite a bit in swell. I think my ingrained jibe point from my fin days is leading me astray. Do you guys have a point on the swell that you "Target" to do the jibe?

TIA!

The big thing for my jibes in waves and even big chop was fitting the whole radius in between crests. I'm riding short period waves so they are close together and that makes it harder. It took a minute to learn and even though its a tight turn it's easier than crossing over the one in front of you mid jibe. Because the wave is moving forwards too it makes it possible to fit it in. The closer the waves are together the more my turn becomes a sharp hook at the end rather than an arc. Start the turn early (just after a crest) and once turned about half way around start spotting the crest in front so you can avoid it. When you get it dialed it feels amazing because you are dropping back in at the finish of the turn so you can exit faster than you enter!

My conditions are SF Bay wind swell so it's pretty tight, but I'll try it. Thanks!

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BullroarerTook said..Great video! I've got my flat water jibes over 95% now, but am still struggling quite a bit in swell. I think my ingrained jibe point from my fin days is leading me astray. Do you guys have a point on the swell that you "Target" to do the jibe?

TIA!

Thanks

In small-med ocean swells aim for the steepest section to start a long arc turn as fast as you can down the face fully powered up, flipping the sail downwind when you have lost sail pressure. Speed is your friend.
In bigger powerful swells still turn on the steepest section but shed some of the power in the sail so you're going slower - gybing at full speed on a big swell is sketchy

Cool thanks.

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BullroarerTook said..
Great video! I've got my flat water jibes over 95% now, but am still struggling quite a bit in swell. I think my ingrained jibe point from my fin days is leading me astray. Do you guys have a point on the swell that you "Target" to do the jibe?

TIA!

In onshore conditions, with wind and waves in the same direction, the difficulty is that when running up the back of the wave in front, the foil looses lift until you crest the wave when it gains lift. I switch feet early, then flip the sail so I can concentrate on foot steering and weighting and try and anticipate the increase in lift as you crest the wave.

I foiled in offshore conditions on the weekend with the wind at right angles to the waves. It was much easier as you can time the foot switch and sail flip while still running parallel with the wave.

Great vid and awesome foiling. The conditions look to have the wind side-on and the waves at about 90 degrees to the wind. IMHO this is when wave or swell riding is the most fun. As you can carve both ways on the swell.
Although its still a work in progress for me I usually don't go down the line as much as Simon but prefer repeat toe-side then heel-side carves one after the other. This inspires me to try something a little different.
From the little I have seen of Australian surf spots there must be some places with reef break that don't require you to fight the shore break?

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azymuth said..
Simon getting useful advice

Dog told me I was mad but someone had to be first out
This place is so much fun to foil in a northerly, soft swells which occasionally break out the back with a deeper inside section allowing for easy gybing.
As for gybing in short swells, like everything, there are different techniques that work. Full power Full speed like JJ or more conservative like mine. UTC nailed it with the start early advice, just after the crest, then a tight arc. As the swell forms under you be prepared for additional lift, hopefully you are 75% round with sail flip complete. By swinging the mast towards the nose your body weight will follow helping you deal with the increased lift from the swell, nows's the time to switch feet.
Practice tight arc's on flat water

Great vid and awesome foiling. The conditions look to have the wind side-on and the waves at about 90 degrees to the wind. IMHO this is when wave or swell riding is the most fun. As you can carve both ways on the swell.
Although its still a work in progress for me I usually don't go down the line as much as Simon but prefer repeat toe-side then heel-side carves one after the other. This inspires me to try something a little different.

From the little I have seen of Australian surf spots there must be some places with reef break that don't require you to fight the shore break?

Simon have you tried any of the surf foils for riding swells/waves?

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azymuth said..
Another epic Northerly, super gusty and offshore but worth it for the swells - seemed a lot bigger out there

Pay to Play in the shorebreak

Thanks for the vid. That looks brutal. Been thinking of heading to the Texas coast. Good to see the techniqe. Got to stay away from the trailing edges