Fellow sailors, recently I switched from SS Levitator 160 to Freestyle 115. I found it is not easy to pump, especially when the water is choppy. The board does not "grab" as well as the levitator, and it is hard to accelerate - feels like a car trapped in snow. Any tricks to advise?

Have you tried pumping the board up and down while pumping the sail? Maybe a bigger sail or bigger front wing?

I definitely noticed this when I when from the wizard to the freestyle a few years ago. Pumping on the wizard or levitator was a bit more like getting planning on a fin where you can push against the lee ward rail to help generate board speed for lift off. If I did that on the freestyle with its skimboard outline it wouldn't hold a line.

with the freestyle, initially you get some board speed from the sail without any lateral pressure from your feet, but once you get some board speed like hydrosurf said you should try to vertically sink the tail and pump the foil.

Please let us know how it goes

Thanks. Sounds like I need to pump like the wingers do. Will start practicing this.

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Erasmus said..
Thanks. Sounds like I need to pump like the wingers do. Will start practicing this.

good analogy

Having a similar problem changing from an Alien 125 to Predator 110. A foil mate suggested quick short pumps with the sail with a foot pump every second sail pump. I've yet to try. Well let you know how it works.