What is the correct technique for riding swell?

I have a SB 122 foil board and the SuperCruiser foil. I just started to ride small swell, 0.5 - 1m. The way I do it is I point the board down to the direction where the swell is going and open the sail, usually around perpendicular to the wind. The problem is that I'm faster then the waves so I keep passing them. Every time I pass a wave I get a small boost and if it works well this can keep me up for a while, but if it doesn't I will catch up with the wind speed, loose power and touchdown. I tried to depower the sail to go slower, but then I just touchdown faster. What am I missing?

I also have Supercruiser, initially with SB 122 now on Fanatic Stingray 140 (better for me at 92kg+, often in ocean, need to get home when wind dies, and I prefer flowing longboard style riding)

No expert, but SO MANY MEGA FUN days riding the waves on SC on Melbourne Bay and open ocean

Definitely back foot out for waveplay

Then continual!!! adjustments - carving all the time (only needs gentle pressure), moving back foot, moving front hand especially (right up next to boom clamp in the gusts with back hand way forward), quick pumping in lulls to keep speed, lots of weight shifts as speed changes continually depending on where you are relative to wave faces, timing your turns onto and along the wave faces - static freeride straight line style does not work - foiling only needs tiny inputs to get results you want

So very active, flowing, working on timing the more active I go, the better I do!

The stars on the videos make it look seamless - but they are making endless subtle trim changes to achieve that

The idea is not to run down the swell or perpendicular but to run across it, constantly working it with continual adjustments as Peter has suggested.
Opening the sail is certainly one way but for a more thrilling ride your better sheeting in or over sheeting. Your speed will increase but only to a point, the freeride foils we use to ride swells top out at a little over 20 knots. As you are riding with the swell and down wind the apparent wind becomes less making the rig more manageable.
You will become more comfortable with time.
Not sure I have articulated that very well, hopefully someone else will provide some clearer advice.
Simon

Thanks guys, that's very helpful and I will give it a try!

So basically instead of just going straight with the swell, you do zig zags on it. It means, that on one side you cross the downwind direction. What do you do with the sail then? Full jibe, just flip the sail but keep your feet on the old side or keep everything on the old side and go clew first?

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smellme said..So basically instead of just going straight with the swell, you do zig zags on it. It means, that on one side you cross the downwind direction. What do you do with the sail then? Full jibe, just flip the sail but keep your feet on the old side or keep everything on the old side and go clew first?

Yes, it's most fun to carve down the windswells rather than go straight down them (although that can be awesome fun too on big steep swells).

Stay on one tack carving, then gybe and carve on the other tack. Usually the swell direction is better on one tack than the other.

In the vid below it's blowing SSW so easier to downwind on port tack (although still fun on starboard)

I so love that video Azy

I am no expert either but it seems like I do 3 types so swell riding, the more traditional "wave sailing" style bottom and top turns, sheeting the sail in and out with the turns. This type of swell riding is more powered by the sail than the foil. I also oversheet after a big carve downwind and "stall" the sail and use the foil more to ride the swell off the wind. The third technique the "open door", made popular by windwavefoiling guy is pretty cool too and gives more of that foil powered swell riding experience. Also works only when bearing off. The video below has some of the oversheeted and open door.

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thedoor said..I so love that video Azy
I am no expert either but it seems like I do 3 types so swell riding, the more traditional "wave sailing" style bottom and top turns, sheeting the sail in and out with the turns. This type of swell riding is more powered by the sail than the foil. I also oversheet after a big carve downwind and "stall" the sail and use the foil more to ride the swell off the wind. The third technique the "open door", made popular by windwavefoiling guy is pretty cool too and gives more of that foil powered swell riding experience. Also works only when bearing off. The video below has some of the oversheeted and open door.

Cheers dude.

Top vid - nice demo of oversheeting and "open door"

How are you finding the Freestyle 87 (with Infinity 65?) - what wind range are you using it in?

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azymuth said..

thedoor said..I so love that video Azy
I am no expert either but it seems like I do 3 types so swell riding, the more traditional "wave sailing" style bottom and top turns, sheeting the sail in and out with the turns. This type of swell riding is more powered by the sail than the foil. I also oversheet after a big carve downwind and "stall" the sail and use the foil more to ride the swell off the wind. The third technique the "open door", made popular by windwavefoiling guy is pretty cool too and gives more of that foil powered swell riding experience. Also works only when bearing off. The video below has some of the oversheeted and open door.

Cheers dude.

Top vid - nice demo of oversheeting and "open door"

How are you finding the Freestyle 87 (with Infinity 65?) - what wind range are you using it in?

Its the FS115 (the gopro squished it a bit) and the infinity 76. This is my goto combo for 80% of my riding. That session in the video it was gusting close to 25 knots and I was on a 4.2. No problems with being overpowered, it is amazing how light a sail can feel in your hands in those conditions. The swell (you cannot tell from that camera angle) was pretty big, so I had few trough faceplants but overall a great session. I have probably had that combo out in more wind successfully but that water was flat.

I have not given the 65 as much love as the 76 (maybe 5 sessions on the 65 versus 50+ on the 76). By the end of the north american summer I should have a much better feel for the 65.

I learned on the wiz 125 and then moved to the wiz 105 (loved it) but sold my wizards after getting the FS115. For light wind I have the Levi 150/i99.

I am a pretty average windsurfer, so I am amazed at how well I foil (dont get me wrong, I am nowhere near Balz, but I gybe consistently, swell ride and handle a variety of conditions) and I believe it is because of the slingshot gear. I do not think I would be at this level if I learned on another system.