What a day! The SW wind was forecasted to increase late in the afternoon and shift to west. So after some chores in the morning and my charity call, Jen and I headed out to the Launch Pad.
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| Pretty happy after doing my first foiling tacks! |
The wind was already showing 14 knots so I topped up the 4m Duotone Unit to 8.5 psi and checked the bolts on the Fanatic Sky 125l with the 2000 cm2 foil. It was super easy to get out today as the wind was from the SW. I actually foiled down out through the old railway cribs and then started working my way upwind.
My jibes were going nicely and then after one while heading between some shoals I went down nose first into the water! I hit weeds - something that doesn’t happen windsurfing and hasn’t happened yet in the relatively clear waters of Georgian Bay. Mental note made of that location!
I continued heading upwind and for the first time on my new wingfoil made it to the swells by Wedge Island. I had fun in the waves and was learning more about riding them back downwind. I managed around 15 minutes without falling and then had a few minor wipeouts.
Back downwind I started working on toeside tacking. My first was a fail, my second though worked! I foiled downwind to pick up speed, then carved HARD into the wind and switched hands overhead. Suddenly I was foiling in the opposite direction without touching down! I did another and it worked too. My 4th attempt I fell off the foil but saved it and got going again. It sure helped that the wind had increased to over 20 knots. I’m super excited to have added tacking to my skills. Let’s see what the crowd at Fanatic Wingfoil Academy say about my foil tracks.
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| Heading up to play in the waves at Wedge Island (Upper left) |
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| Some nice long times up on the foil |
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| Description of my first toeside foiling tacks! |
After 16 km in an hour I headed back in. Jen got some photos as I was able to foil all the way north past the Launch Pad and jibe over by the lighthouse. Surprisingly with the 23c water and 20c air, I was cold now in my 2mil wetsuit. I warmed up and put on my 3/2 wetsuit for session two.
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| Foiling north of the Launch Pad |
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| Thanks Jen for the photos! |
Session 2 was my first time using the Skate 108 this year! I chose the 4.8 Idol and headed out. I was a bit wobbly but got my windsurf legs back quickly. I haven’t windsurfed on the fin since two epic sessions last November. I did a few duck jibes, one carving 360 but didn’t try a Vulcan out of respect for my still sensitive knee.
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| Enjoying the due west wind on my Skate 108 |
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| Higher speeds but more falling in and slogging |
I did 18 km in the hour I was out windsurfing. Only a bit more distance than my wingfoiling session. Foiling for me has a much lower top speed. But I’m already staying moving on the foil way longer, and there isn’t as much slogging after slow jibes as there was windsurfing.
Over all a great day, my first toeside foiling tacks ever, and my first shortboard session of the year!
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