Has anyone learned to prone foil after winging? I'm looking to maximize my time on the water when the windy season ends and am wondering if anyone else took up prone after winging. I have pretty minimal surfing experience but am hoping that the time on a wing board would help make the transition. Thanks!

i've gone once... it was fun, and much easier to learn if you already surf and wing.

I would think with no surf experience, might be better to learn to longboard first.

Started with prone then switched to winging. The two sports emphasize different elements of foiling. Obviously winging requires transitions such as jibes/tacks to loop and catch more waves, prone is all about connecting waves through pump. Popping up is definitely harder prone than winging, and can be a real stumbling point. It helps some degree to have a surfing background, but the pop up can be different from surfing. I find after prone foiling and switching back to surfing, my technique gets messed up and need to burn a few waves to get the feel back.

Shortboard surfing is one of the harder sports to learn, because it takes so long to learn to catch a wave, then to pop up, then the rides are so short you don't get enough riding time to master it. You already know how to foil, but it's different when you aren't holding something to lean against. If you know someone that owns a boat, a few wakefoil sessions you'd dial in that part. Then it's just the catching waves / pop up part to figure out.

I think SUP foil is an easier transition, as there's no pop up required and it feels much the same as wing foil. If your board is 100L you can probably sup it ok...any smaller and it'll be challenging.

I recommend using your wing board as a prone board and learning that way. Think of it as a mini mal to learn on. They paddle easy and are more stable, plus you will already be familiar with the balance point of the board. Once your comfortable with the pop up on that transition to a prone board on the larger side, i.e. 4' 8" to 5'0", with a bit of volume, then your on your way

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Pat WA 1965 said..
I recommend using your wing board as a prone board and learning that way. Think of it as a mini mal to learn on. They paddle easy and are more stable, plus you will already be familiar with the balance point of the board. Once your comfortable with the pop up on that transition to a prone board on the larger side, i.e. 4' 8" to 5'0", with a bit of volume, then your on your way

This is exactly what I'm thinking of doing and seeing how it goes the first few sessions. Also considering dedicating some time to re-learn longboard but hoping to stick with a foil board as much as possible.

Anyone try to paddle their shorter wing board? I have a 5'4" 95L, been thinking about trying it, but the wind just keeps blowing, so I rather wing.

I would say the chances of quick success are totally condition dependent. If you have the ideal spot with mushy waves to a deep trough and lots of space with now one else around, go for it! Biggest rule when learning prone is stay away, like 100 meters away from closest surfers/swimmers. Second biggest rule is wait for the waves to truly suck - high tide and barely breaking. Helmet and impact vest and send it! Maybe catch a couple on a soft top first to make sure you got the basics.

if you can free wing on a bump/wave, then you can probably prone. Just put in some pop-up / push up training and some prone paddle practice and you are golden.

I have proned my 60L FG board a few times. They main negative for me is it's a different pop-up than my normal prone. My rear knee keeps banging the wide recessed tail area on the way up.

I am just beginning to prone foil also, looking for something when there's no wind and the surf is crap. I would describe myself as an average surfer and below average winger.
I originally surfed mals and are now riding short boards due to now surfing beach breaks from point breaks originally . I got the Naish 7' Hover board to learn to prone which does paddle well like a Mal
FWIW some random initial observations
Agree with Mid Atlantic find a spot with waves getting mushy on an outer bank then coming into a gutter for some depth away from everyone
The difference between the longboard pop up is you tend to have your weight back so it doesn't nose dive and to turn. The pop up for foiling you need to have weight forward plus you have to land centred in the right spot.
Remembering you are riding the foil not the board My tendency is to land with my weight tending toe side ready to turn so have made a note to work on my short board pop ups
My wing board is flat across the bottom so I don't think it would paddle very well as a prone as the Hover has bevels etc but give it a go . I think you ideally want a board which will hold relatively normal prior to the pop up and foil
I did try and SUP my original board once again I am used to longboard style SUPs so it was a pain
Time on the water is key

Lifetime surfer, learned to wing and jibe and then got a prone board.

It was super hard. The main issue was conditions. You want a mush burger that fades on the inside. Too mushy and you can't catch it. To steep and you will eat **. The waves just never seemed right when I went out. O and if you go to a deserted place and choose the absolute worst peak... the first noob surfer that shows up will paddle right next to you.

On my wing I have basically zero uncontrolled whipeouts, so loosing control completely in the white water is scary.

The other issue was my popup, gotta nail it. I would recommend ignoring the advice about getting in control on your belly and then popping up after you shoot out - that advice makes you like a surfer learner who is actually doing the hardest possible popup. Just pop up like a shortboard straight away.

Then you get a wave and foil along and realize that you actually suck at pumping the foil.

Next winter I'm psyched to take some super long rides at a couple spots near me when the swell hits.

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Goofcat said..
Anyone try to paddle their shorter wing board? I have a 5'4" 95L, been thinking about trying it, but the wind just keeps blowing, so I rather wing.

buddy is learning on a gong inflatable...was pretty surprising how good he did. I think he's a pretty good surfer though. He could stand on it briefly without waves, so it had tons of float, could catch tiny waves, and lots of room and stability. So yes, i think a wing board would work.

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JohnnyTsunami said..
Lifetime surfer, learned to wing and jibe and then got a prone board.

It was super hard. The main issue was conditions. You want a mush burger that fades on the inside. Too mushy and you can't catch it. To steep and you will eat **. The waves just never seemed right when I went out. O and if you go to a deserted place and choose the absolute worst peak... the first noob surfer that shows up will paddle right next to you.

On my wing I have basically zero uncontrolled whipeouts, so loosing control completely in the white water is scary.

The other issue was my popup, gotta nail it. I would recommend ignoring the advice about getting in control on your belly and then popping up after you shoot out - that advice makes you like a surfer learner who is actually doing the hardest possible popup. Just pop up like a shortboard straight away.

Then you get a wave and foil along and realize that you actually suck at pumping the foil.

Next winter I'm psyched to take some super long rides at a couple spots near me when the swell hits.

When the noob shows up hope he brought bandages it should be pretty obvious that learning to surf foil is dangerous. In my opinion, said noob enters a 100m radius at his/her own risk hahaha.

Yes - use your wing board to learn to prone for a few months then go to a proper prone board. I did this and it worked. The wing board gives you a nice stable floaty platform to learn the pop up before you go to a 35 to 40 litre ish prone board. My wing board is 95 litres and I am 80 kg.

I'm 90kg and learning on a 90 litre 5'4" wing drifter, a 60 cm mast, Axis 1099 and 375p tail.
Wave selection is the first challenge, not too gutless, not too steep.
The 1099 is glorious! It comes up smooth and stable, no surprises!
I'm still working on my pop-up but it feels very do-able!

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Enad said..
Yes - use your wing board to learn to prone for a few months then go to a proper prone board. I did this and it worked. The wing board gives you a nice stable floaty platform to learn the pop up before you go to a 35 to 40 litre ish prone board. My wing board is 95 litres and I am 80 kg.

I'm the same weight as you and am about to move from a 115L wing board to a 95L so this is good to hear.