Great day of foiling in Key Harbour

I headed out to the Harbour to set up my foil gear. I was excited that the wind forecast showed 12+ knots so I pumped up the 5m Duotone Slick wing. I struggled to get upwind in the narrow channel since the wind was direct from the south around 12:30 as I got going.

Teaser shot of Jen trying the wing and foilboard later in the afternoon!

I was on my Fanatic 125l Sky Wing board and did make it upwind past the point eventually. Once I got my feet into the straps I stopped falling and did around 30 jibes in a row working my way upwind. I got to Scott and OJ’s island only falling in once! I then had a great run downwind doing multiple jibes and working my way around the shoals. I’m pretty sure I was out for at least 75 minutes and would have already covered 15 km. I even went into the harbour and jibed around the old cribs. I was looking forward to seeing the GPS trail on my watch once I was done. But alas I hadn’t hit go on the new Venu watch and even though it said IQ it wasn’t recording. So here is my estimation of what I did…

My manual drawing of the 15km? course I remember sailing

It was time for Jen to try wingfoiling on an actual foilboard. I set up the Fanatic Stingray with the 99cm Slingshot foil. The wind was still showing 14 knots so to make it even easier for Jen I suggested that I pump up the new 4m Unit wing. I headed out and got up on the foil a few times but it wasn’t quite enough to make good ground upwind.

Pumping up the new Duotone Unit 4m

Trying out the 4m Unit wing in 14 knots…
Almost enough to foil, and easier to tack during my slog upwind!

So back to the dock and the 5m Slick was definitely enough to get upwind on that easy foilboard. Jen came up on the SeaDoo and we traded. She tried standing up immediately and fell in. I suggested trying taxiing on her knees and she got the sense of the wing and board quickly. Soon she was standing up in both directions. Eventually she rode all the way down wind and could feel the foil starting to lift a bit from time to time. A successful session!

Some shots of Jen winging it from where we traded…

Jen really got the hang of it and got back to the Launch Pad

Foiling upwind then following Jen with the Seadoo

Since the wind was still steady, I went out for another ride. I didn’t go upwind as much, but did my longest run out to the Bay so far. I do still want to go all the way around Dead Island this summer….

My farthest run out to the bay yet with the wingfoil?
It is definitely harder to ride in the swells beyond Wedge Island

That is some steady wind!

Note to self - 5m wing is perfect in 14 knots

Overall that was around 33km of foiling. I’m stoked by how my jibes are progressing and I did try one foiling tack… still lots to learn.

Tomorrow it is saying 16+ knots in the afternoon. I’m hoping to try the 4m wing again - and to have a shortboard windsurf session for the first time this year!