It's always intrigued me that in our group of SS foilers there's a split between back foot in or out the footstrap when carving swells downwind.

Jesper is truly bi - he's back foot in on the Freestyle 87 but removes the rear straps on the W125


I can see the benefit of both methods - so it's confusing to offer advice to newbies.

Sam Ross's excellent latest downwind vid (which seems more race foil orientated) demonstrates the stance variation - quite subtle in the vid, it's exaggerated in swells.

Interested - are you back foot in or out and why?

I think I am with Jesper. No need to take back foot out on Freestyle 115 as you have more leverage over the wing due to mastrack further back and more inboard straps. Also with the Freestyle's center back strap you can stay in the strap and carve. Previously, on my wizard 105, I would come out of the back strap, partly so I could be more inboard to carve the board but also so i could shift weight forward to prevent breaching. I found it more difficult on the wizard to just shift weight in the straps and control breaching.

Re sail: for downwind sailing, I do tend to use Sam's sheet out and unhook technique.

On the Wizard 125 back foot out unhooked somehow right now with my skill level it feels right.That's also the advice given to me by a way better foiler than me. would like to try the freestyle with the mast tract further back and straps more inboard.

I don't use back foot straps at all (not fitted to the board) . Now it just feels natural to locked in over my front foot (in strap) and be able to shift my back foot forward and backwards when needed to control my height. Going deep off the wind I tilt the rig forward to counter act the increase lift due to increased speed. I can do this hooked in or unhooked, using a waist harness and long lines. I feel being hooked in gives you loads more control of you ride height due to increase MFP

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thedoor said..
I think I am with Jesper. No need to take back foot out on Freestyle 115 as you have more leverage over the wing due to mastrack further back and more inboard straps. Also with the Freestyle's center back strap you can stay in the strap and carve. Previously, on my wizard 105, I would come out of the back strap, partly so I could be more inboard to carve the board but also so i could shift weight forward to prevent breaching. I found it more difficult on the wizard to just shift weight in the straps and control breaching.

Re sail: for downwind sailing, I do tend to use Sam's sheet out and unhook technique.

Thanks for the input, interesting

So you use the rear footstrap when it's centered - makes sense.
Simon moved his back straps further inboard (new inserts) on his W105 and now downwinds in the straps.

Also interesting that you have more leverage over the wing (presumably downforce) with the mast track further back.


Curious, where do you foil?

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azymuth said..

thedoor said..
I think I am with Jesper. No need to take back foot out on Freestyle 115 as you have more leverage over the wing due to mastrack further back and more inboard straps. Also with the Freestyle's center back strap you can stay in the strap and carve. Previously, on my wizard 105, I would come out of the back strap, partly so I could be more inboard to carve the board but also so i could shift weight forward to prevent breaching. I found it more difficult on the wizard to just shift weight in the straps and control breaching.

Re sail: for downwind sailing, I do tend to use Sam's sheet out and unhook technique.

Thanks for the input, interesting

So you use the rear footstrap when it's centered - makes sense.
Simon moved his back straps further inboard (new inserts) on his W105 and now downwinds in the straps.

Also interesting that you have more leverage over the wing (presumably downforce) with the mast track further back.


Curious, where do you foil?

SF Bay Area.

I probably should qualify my thoughts on the 3rd sentence (leverage and mast track), as it kind of doesn't make sense. But this is my thinking. When the mast track is forward then straps have to be set further back to balance the lift, assuming foil mast is in the same place. So in this situation (greater distance between feet and mast track) when you shift your weight to the front foot the impact on controlling overfoiling is less, because your centre of mass is less forward relative to the foil mast, and therefore shifting of the back foot forward is necessary. My thinking could be complete BS though....

Other explanations for this perceived ability to control overfoiling on the freestyle versus the wizard include: 1) I am a much better foiler than when I switched off the wizard to the freestyle mid to late last year, or 2) the further inboard front strap on the freestyle allows a me to put lots of pressure on the front foot without the board rounding upwind, which maybe i couldn't do on the wizard.

PS: In my opinion the wizard 125 is the best foil board ever built. Dudes can learn on it, they can go in light wind and they can rip on it in Med- High winds. Add the freestyle 87 to the wizard 125 and you are full time foiling. the only downside to this combo is you are running tuttle on the wizard and probably tracks on the freestyle so you will need two masts or always be switching the foil mast head.

PPS: I personally prefer the Freestyle 115/Levitator 150 combo as my light wind range is a bit better, they both run track mount, I don't feel hampered by the extra volume of the 115 versus the 87 in high wind, and as I prefer the strap set up of the freestyle over the wizard the 115 is my main board. If I had the wizard 125/freestyle 87 combo i feel the wizard would be my main board.

No back straps on my naish JJ
maybe once I go offshore with it may be different...
I def move my back foot all over the place so imagine it will stay that way.

I'm in the middle with a "wizard wide tail", but a single backstrap. I practically never use it, although for the waves I'm not yet sure. Its nice for stability, but mine is in a too powerful position (too far back) if you add the power of the wave since it was designed for extra pop when jumping.

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thedoor said..Add the freestyle 87 to the wizard 125 and you are full time foiling. the only downside to this combo is you are running tuttle on the wizard and probably tracks on the freestyle so you will need two masts or always be switching the foil mast head.

I initially used the Freestyle 87 tracks (Infinity 65 wing) - adjusting the foil mast 1cm forward in lighter winds and back 1cm (from Tuttle position) in winds over 25 knots.
Quickly found the 4 bolts too fiddly so went back to using the Tuttle box.
I reckon your body quickly adapts - as long as the foil balance is in the ballpark.

So I use the Freestyle 87 Tuttle box with both Infinity 76 and 65 wings.
No need to swap anything in light winds (less than 15-18 knots) when I use my Wizard 105.

I have the footstraps in most forward and most rear positions on both 105 and 87 - outboard positions on the 87.
Always use the back strap downwind - I have it super loose so I can get my foot close' ish to the C/L.
For reference, I'm 6 ft and 80 kgs.

I experimented with the centre back strap on the 87 but actually prefer it in the 10cm outboard strap position.
I feel I can get more "leverage" over the foil to carve.

Super interesting to read how others use the same kit

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azymuth said..

thedoor said..Add the freestyle 87 to the wizard 125 and you are full time foiling. the only downside to this combo is you are running tuttle on the wizard and probably tracks on the freestyle so you will need two masts or always be switching the foil mast head.

I initially used the Freestyle 87 tracks (Infinity 65 wing) - adjusting the foil mast 1cm forward in lighter winds and back 1cm (from Tuttle position) in winds over 25 knots.
Quickly found the 4 bolts too fiddly so went back to using the Tuttle box.
I reckon your body quickly adapts - as long as the foil balance is in the ballpark.

So I use the Freestyle 87 Tuttle box with both Infinity 76 and 65 wings.
No need to swap anything in light winds (less than 15-18 knots) when I use my Wizard 105.

I have the footstraps in most forward and most rear positions on both 105 and 87 - outboard positions on the 87.
Always use the back strap downwind - I have it super loose so I can get my foot close' ish to the C/L.
For reference, I'm 6 ft and 80 kgs.

I experimented with the centre back strap on the 87 but actually prefer it in the 10cm outboard strap position.
I feel I can get more "leverage" over the foil to carve.

Super interesting to read how others use the same kit

Cool. There have been times on the 65 where I have felt the board rolling to leeward which made me wonder about the value of outboard straps. I haven't felt the same on the 76 though. Currently I ride with the foil mast all the way forward so the tuttle is out for me especially with the single back strap. I had been pushing the 65 1 inch forward of the 76, but am debating this in another post. Sounds like the same position (76 & 65) works fine for you.