Introduction

It all started way back in 2017 when I decided to become hip and signed up for Instagram. I was following surfing and stumbled across Kai Lenny and The Hurley Brothers foiling edits. I was immediately hooked and started to scan the web for all the information I could find. It was fragmented at best, but I decided to take the plunge. I had over 30 surfboards(Yeah I am a little obsessive) and had no idea what a foil board was supposed to be so I bought a Foilmount to stick on one of my 5’2” surfboards and a Naish Hydrofoil because that was what I saw on Instagram.

Joy & Pain

I studied the proper placement or at least the suggested placement of the foilmount on my board and headed down to Huntington State Beach to try it out in 1-2 foot surf. I paddled out confidently knowing I had forty years of surfing experience behind me. I paddled into my first two-foot wave and immediately was bucked off the board, which I had absolutely no control over. I paddle out again and did the same exact thing. My world was turned upside down. I was humbled to say the least. My session did not go that well with my standing up for a brief five seconds at best. The only thing I left the beach with that morning was with some bruised ribs from falling on the side of my board. I needed way more knowledge and someone with experience, but there was no one around or so I thought.

Glimmer of hope

I am not the type of person to give up. I have completed two Ironman’s and two Western States100 mile runs, but this was kicking my butt. I was having the worst time keeping the nose of the board down. I felt like I was literally riding on my front foot, which I was. I would paddle and then jump to the front of the board as I got up. I was a foot in front of my foil keel. I saw an Instagram post of the Hurley brothers at Bolsa Chica beach (I just knew the area so well I could figure it out) and decided I should go there to learn. It was a better wave, but I was still having a hard time. I ran across a guy foiling with a real foil board and we talked. I realized that my mount was way too far forward and that my board rocker was not helping. His ironing board styled foilboard seemed foreign to me but he was riding way better than me so I set out to get a real board.

Going All In

I saw a post from Dave @infinity surfboards about a foil board he was making and decided to get one. I ordered my first foil specific board a 4’6” Tombstone. It was the smallest board I had ever owned to that point. I was stoked and ready to just start pumping around the waves like Kai Lenny. I committed to just foiling and only went out on my foil. I did progress but I was definitely not pumping all over the waves. I could ride the wave, but it was the same old paddle out that I always experienced when I got a wave surfing. Only now I was going further! I would have good days and bad days. It was frustrating since I had days where I felt like I was starting from scratch followed by days I would feel decent on the foil. This was not easy for me to absorb since I was used to feeling at one with the waves on my surfboard. I continued to foil on my own over the next few months and then discovered the Mecca of foiling in SoCal, San Onofre. The waves there are suited to foiling and there were plenty of fellow foilers to watch and learn from. I watched and learned. I did progress but nowhere near my surfing ability. I browsed Instagram all the time and was seeing all the new foils and boards. I kept thinking if I had that board or foil, I might be a lot better. I was like a kid in a candy store.

Too Many Choices

I couldn’t help myself. Like any other addict I was buying boards and foils left and right. I went from a 2018 Naish to a Cloud 9 to a 2019 Naish to a Lift 200 & 170 fish all in the span of six months. I bought a West Coast Foil Club board, Two Foilabs boards and a Freedom Foil board in the same period of time. I learned a lot about boards and characteristics of foils from this trial and error period. One of the most important things I garnered from this was that switching around was not a good idea.  Every foil has its own lift and turning characteristics and you need a few waves at minimum to adjust. If you are still learning, like I was, it makes it twice as hard.  I deducted from my experience a few tips.

1. Light is better. If you can get a foil or board weight down this makes things much better. Foil Board weight is critical for pumping and turning. The heavier the board the more force and technique needed to succeed. Lighter is better even for big heavy guys. Foil weight is not as critical but is helpful. There are more important considerations when it comes to foils.
2. Foil Board length is very important. The shorter the better. I was riding a 5’2” fish type board when I transitioned to foiling. I have tried from a 5’2” to my current board at 4’0” and shorter is better. Volume is the key to being able to ride a shorter board. My 4’0” board is 20 inches wide and has a volume of 32 liters which is more than my standard surfboard. I found that I can ride a lower volume board, but it only makes me paddle harder. I have not found any performance benefits to a lower volume.
3. Pick a foil and stick with it until you get good. I see guys shredding on every brand of foil, so the reality is that hype is prevalent in the foil industry. Yes, there are major performance differences but for learning you just need to get one and a foil specific board. That is more important in the beginning.
4. Find someone else who foils to show you the ropes. I really wish I had this when I started. I learned so much more and gained real improvements when I was able to just watch other fellow foilers. I always offer up some tips when I am out and meet someone new. It may be presumptuous of me, but the times that I had someone help me was magic. I resorted to videoing myself to see what I was doing, so you can do that, but real time feedback is the best.
5. Go to a foil friendly break. This is one of the most important tips. If you are a surfer then you must throw out your preconceived notions of what is a good wave. If you look at the wave and want to take your shortboard out, you should not go out there unless you are a seasoned foiler. Almost any longboarding spot is good for foiling.
6. Stay away from crowds until you get good. We are a growing sport and there is a lot of miss information about foiling. Like anything new, people view it as dangerous and foreign. I experienced the same thing snowboarding in the 80’s.
7. Dedicate yourself to only foiling for a month. Going from surfing to foiling is hard. The muscle memory is totally different and you will not progress like you should. It gets much easier to switch after you get better. Commit!

Happiness

I would say it took me a good year to feel like I was halfway decent. I have only been foiling for a year and a half and just now feel I am coming into my own. My confidence in varying surf conditions has elevated to a comfortable level. I know which foil to use for each surf condition. I equate this to surfing. You would not use a pencil thin shortboard in one foot slop nor a fun board in pumping head high waves. The board length in foiling is not as critical as surfing but the foil can make or break your session. I am a true convert and after surfing for forty years I have barely surfed more than a dozen times in the past year. The feeling of gliding across the water, high speed turning and pumping to a second wave is second to none. I recently got my first triple and look forward to more.

I See a Need

There are a lot of individual manufacturers and board builders with some stores giving out information of foils and boards, but there is not a central site for anyone to go and get information,tips, travel and reviews that are independent. I want to create that. I have done this all myself, so far, and it is for a reason. I want people to come to this site and trust the information is good. I want this to be a community site. I seek input from everyone to make this a great site. I invite all those that have something informative or entertaining to say to contact me and we can collaborate on it. I have no sponsors or backers. I do not get free stuff from anyone. If I review it I will point out the good and the bad. That’s the way a true review should be. I hope you will join the community.