Fall Foil-age, A Shark Tail

[windydoug]

Great post Scott.

I’m thankful for all the assistance I got from the crew while figuring out some technical difficulties with mounting the foil to the board.  This is what happens when a standard is not followed as a standard.  Deep Tuttle screw holes should line up, right?

Some filing and drilling with Art and Don and I eventually got my first session on a foil.  I got up….then I got down.

I am using a 135L Techno with an Starboard GT foil, so I took the back straps off to figure out foot placement.  As the session progressed, I managed to stay up more and more on the foil.  It was all so foreign.  I can’t thank local windfoil pioneers Scott and Art for all the tips and tricks and for giving me a visual all summer long.  It helped me feel successful.

As Scott mentioned, the wind was pretty west on LP and only averaging 12-15 with gusts to 20.  I was riding a 5.8 sail with the foil.  I would not have been able to plane on my 7.5 and 116L windsurfer in those conditions, so this session was an affirmation of why I purchased the foil.  I am a windsurfer first, but when I get skunked this gives me an option.  The times I did get to a spot where I felt balanced and locked, the sensation felt similar to Freeskate riding on ice.

At one point I was so hyper focused on what I was doing (schlogging) that I got spooked by Scott who zipped by upwind on foil.  I never heard him till he said something.

Scott and Art were both having great sessions on this day.  Scott was going shore to shore on the foil and looking very fluid and smooth.  The same can be said for Art as they both were letting their boards “air dry” as the foil was the only thing in the water.  The two of them are looking quite comfortable.

I needed plenty of Ibuprofen when I got home.  I don’t know if it was the crashing, or the fact I wasn’t using a harness but my muscles were sore!

I have some pics of these guy in action….stay tuned.

Wd.

 

[Author]

Posts