76-150 Sessions on a Hydrofoil - Learning to Foil Surf

[@clayisland]

Hi, Learn to Foil: clayisland.com/learn-to-foil/ More videos: clayisland.com/category/member-videos/

[@brantrichardson1949]

Your stoke is palpable! I'm 3 days into prone foiling, its encouraging to see your progress. I've been surfing, skating and snowboarding my whole life and foiling is still really hard. It's not easy feeling like a kook again but at the same time its pretty cool to have the grom stoke off just standing up and going straight for a while.

[@bedfordbrown]

Got some e foiling in, got behind the boat once.. just bought a probe board and go foil set up! Your video has me amped and will be a good reminder that time in the water is key just like surfing! Thanks for posting! Wish me luck!

[@driftless1870]

Great technical insight and so easy to listen to your commentary. Your humility is just another part of what makes you so great.

[@HelmetBlissta]

I’m super pumped, still early days for me Thank you

[@mwstardtv4588]

Thank you so much. I've always got loads from your SUP videos and having got into SUP foiling over the last few months, your foiling vids have been really helpful and inspiring. Seeing how much you've progressed really helps those of us further back in the learning curve, wondering if we're ever really going to get it. Timing of this couldn't have been better. Diolch!

[@elffirrdesign2063]

So much energy out there.....glad you found it...keep up the good.... really enjoy your demeanor about it all.

[@boardmeetingusa9405]

Pumped on foiling for sure. Learning a lot from your video and commentary. Thank you.......

[@tlsimpao]

That is so rad! I appreciate your honesty and encouragement to us new foilers! I'm just getting into it and I have to watch my expenses, but some dealers have told me to get the best which, of course, I obviously cannot afford. And here you are, showing it's possible on a converted board! You rock!

[@justinattwood798]

Brilliant, sums up my foil journey so far perfectly, thanks for making and posting it👍

[@clayisland]

Thanks! You're welcome

[@Fenlandia]

Really nice to have met you the other day, Clay! I'm hoping to start building a foil board soon and will rewatch all of your videos again!

[@clayisland]

Yes, likewise! If your gopro captured my face plant I'd love to see it. Hope to see you flying soon!

[@Fenlandia]

@@clayisland Unfortunately no face plant footage to share, just outside the angle of the cam!

[@miraclesailor]

Thank you for this video. I am just recovering from a shoulder replacement and my doctor said I could not kiteboard, because of the pulling out on the shoulder with the kite. I started surfing at age 10...so 53 years later I will try flying in the waves.

[@robbiesuguitan8468]

Awesome AWESOME video!!! Love the attachment you have for you camera!!!

[@RyanSteinolfson]

I’m about 20 sessions in with my Paddleboard foil board and already getting stoked on it. I got the GoFoil IWA foil after starting with the KAI. :).

[@tlsimpao]

The wing size: 2000, the mast size: 28 inches, the board length: 8'4" That is beautiful information! Those are the specs of my gear that one dealer has frowned upon, and here you are kicking serious a..! Way too cool!

[@prodrone0078]

thank you from Brazil

[@saliormayw]

Hi Clay, thanks for sharing your 150 Sessions. Super inspiring. It's better than any Marketing stuffs out there. So, real and honest. I am totally intrigued. Just need to find the right package of board and foil for 110 lbs, for south Florida small wave, and start my session 1. Thanks again.

[@clayisland]

Thanks for the feedback! Glad to hear.

[@saliormayw]

I went behind a jet ski on a paddle board, and experienced magic carpet a few seconds here and there before some spectacular falls. 😉🙏

[@NynaNelson]

Clay!! Nyna from Fort Vine, here. This video is awesome!!! You make me want to try foil surfing, it looks like so much fun. You’re really flying out there! 🤙

[@clayisland]

Hi Nyna! Good to hear from you! Thanks so much, love your music and stoked to have it in this video.

[@BrentDuty]

Thanks for your foiling videos 🤙🏻

[@mungbean74]

Nice! I need the support! I just started surf foiling last week and got going a few times but it was tough. I’m a bit sore after going hard 4 days in a row so was back on the shortboard yesterday and having a rest day today. Cheers from Japan!

[@clayisland]

I hear you. I hope you feel rested.

[@CosmicGlue]

Bro. Inspiration.

[@iwastheflyingkiwi3357]

awesome bro, ive watched these so many times. i just got my first board and foil, im into session 3!!! are you making another one soon? love them! cheers from new zealand

[@clayisland]

Thanks! I am working on more foil videos now...

[@iwastheflyingkiwi3357]

@@clayisland awesome! can't wait.

[@LawrenceMouawad]

Thanks for sharing! This is perfect!

[@clearwaterhydrofoils4313]

Awesome video! So informative

[@clayisland]

Thanks! Your videos are super helpful!

[@sc00Bay]

Over 70 sessions in five months - Wow! It would take nearly 10 years for me to have that amount. Looks like i have to use a wing :-) Keep going!

[@matthewkramer8613]

Looks like cowell's Beach Santa Cruz. Gotta try this some time.!

[@Kurtations]

Havent even started foiling yet. But one day soon!

[@PeterLonghurst]

Cheers for the stoke! I rewatch this as I spend more time on the foil and things I didn't understand at first, hearing you say them now makes a lot of sense. Looking forward to the next instalment. Surely you're going foiling on holiday sometime - right?

[@malcolmharuno4831]

Hello Clay, 8 sessions into my SUP foil journey... thank you for your great foil vids... If you have the chance could you have a video about your foot pad setup? I know you mentioned the NSI adhesive inserts but not sure exactly how your EVA foot hooks are attached... Thank you and keep fooling!

[@malcolmharuno4831]

Foiling...

[@clayisland]

Hi Malcom and Thanks! Yes I am working on more tutorials. NSI sells both adhesive inserts and pre drilled foot hooks that bolt into the inserts.

[@Alohadr]

Great Video ... are you in SC? if so i would like to know who to go to to build a set up...?

[@clayisland]

Hi, several options. Foils and foil boards from Jeff Clark. Coleman Buckley also has foils and boards. And some other guys making gear...

[@jackbirrell4221]

Best video. Thanks Clay. I have just bought my first board that I can both SUP and Foil, a HyperNut 8'. Cross over board with built in foil Tuttle box. I'm 6' 1" and 57 yrs of age. Firstly I have been practicing and mastering what is now my smallest SUP in the surf, the yaw was challenging and I had to really re-view my paddling J stroke - now have that dialled in. Next step is buy the foil. Do you have a foil you would recommend to start on in smaller waves? The 28" mast Slingshot??? Thanks in advance. I live on a small Island near Antartica Tasmania, not many Foilers here and not many surf shops to ask... again great encouraging video... cheers Jack

[@clayisland]

Thanks Jack. I progressed rapidly when I bought a ride engine/slingshot 84 wing and 24" mast. Then 28" mast and 76 wing. 28" mast might be to much for starting. I weigh 200 pounds, if I weighed less I would have gone straight to the 76 wing. For me those wings are really stable and easy to fly.

[@jackbirrell4221]

@@clayisland Hey Clay thanks. I'm 220 pounds so thinking from your advice... 84 wing and say 24" - 26" mast

[@clayisland]

@@jackbirrell4221 For small weak waves that sounds good to me.

[@joshjones9878]

Awesome videos - thanks.. I'm up and foiling behind my wakeboat on short boards - looking at buying my first SUP now.. I'm 185 lbs / 85kg and 6ft / 183cm tall. I'm thinking about getting a relatively short board like 6'6" but with 120L volume.. Do you think this will be ok or do I really need like an 8ft board? My impression is that the progression is towards shorter but high volume boards so you can still catch the wave but have less swing weight once up on the foil... Many thanks

[@clayisland]

Thanks. Where I foil it's bigger and rougher water, my go to board is a 7'6" 133L. In the rectangle shape I might go 6'10". If I had smooth smaller conditions I'd go shorter. I prefer to go to big than to small, flailing around on a tiny board sucks.

[@joshjones9878]

@@clayisland thanks - i'm looking at 6'11 145L Fanatic Sky 2020 as first board... that's 60L more than my weight and hopefully enough to get unstuck and up on foil

[@lukeroman2445]

yess L41 surfcraft!!!yeww!!!

[@professionalaesthetics]

This is such a sweet video- from the shots to the tunes to the narrative. I’m sold. What do you recommend for length in a sup to start and progress? I already foil on a kite board and I already surf all kinds of boards.

[@clayisland]

Hi and thanks! I started on 8'8" 140L and now on 7'6" 133L, waves in my area are often bigger with rough water. If I was starting over I would be on a 7'10"

[@ScotY808]

Hey Clay, Thanks for the videos...awesome! When you say +1 tail shim, does this mean the leading edge of the tail fin is 1 degree higher than the trailing edge?

[@clayisland]

This tail has a flat spot about half way from center, so I was able to lay my digital angle meter on there and get a measurement and an angle relative to the flat fuse. So 1 degree means around 1 degree difference (or angle of incidence from neutral) from the fuse. I think the stock angle of incidence of that tail is around 2-3 degrees , so reduced the down force by a degree or 2.

[@ScotY808]

Thanks for the reply! I think I understand what you’re saying but just to be doubly sure...in stock condition your tail leading edge was 2-3 degrees lower (with the foil the right way up) than the trailing edge. So negative 2-3 deg incidence. You then reduced that to about 1 deg negative incidence? I’m pretty sure that’s what you mean. I’m having trouble controlling altitude on a 1600 sq cm wing when I pick up too much speed. Looking for a way to tone that down as the wing may be a little too big for my weight. Did you notice a difference in foot placement after the tail shim? Can’t recall if you mentioned anything about that in the video.

[@JetSurfingNation]

This is such an inspiration thank you for sharing! Did you try efoils? it's really fun but im still scared to go to real waves and stick to my flat water. Did you have any bad wipeouts and cuts?

[@algyk]

Great vids. Thanks. What are the 1/2 foot straps you are using here? On the rear foot strap. They look awesome for foot positioning

[@clayisland]

Thanks. They are called foot hooks, I make my own out of recycled yoga blocks. NSI makes some and I think Slingshot does also.

[@desigamboa3016]

How hard is it to get up? If I do not use a paddle but instead try to get up like surfing, hard? Thinking about doing.

[@clayisland]

I tried once in closeout Beach break and that was hard. In small soft gentle rollers foiling is easier. The challenge with prone is navigating the drop or steep take offs, on a sup we are already on our feet and can still paddle so we get in earlier and can fly down a steeper face.

[@Frozenguy1]

I have never surfed in my life, have been windsurf foiling for a while now (250+ sessions), able to stay in the air for over 45 minutes at a time before hitting the water now, and was thinking about going for the foil immediately, do you think it is doable?? I really like your video’s! I have 2 convertible sup/surf/wind foilboards, F-One papenoo 7’11 (123L) and 7’3 (93L), which do you think would be better for a complete beginner? Wingsize can be 1000/1200/1400 or 1600sqcm, what do you recommend?

[@clayisland]

Hi and thanks! Big question, I'm reminded of the saying "you never know until you go!" I suggest trying surfing withOUT the foil first, basic paddling and wave knowledge are good for safety and getting to know the board. Wind foilers have told me surf foiling is harder and not the same. Best guess go for a bigger board and bigger wing on small gutless waves with no one around. Impact vest can save the ribs. Go with a friend, even better someone who knows how to foil surf already.

[@Frozenguy1]

clayisland thanks mate! Maybe to add: I do windfoiling in the waves / waveriding, and also flat water wakefoiling / foilpumping sometimes ;). The thing I’m most afraid of is having the power of the wave pushing everything up, in windfoiling I weigh the mastfoot (which is a lot further forward) to keep the nose down / foil in the water in waves. I think I’m going to try normal surfing sometime soon I think, or maybe supping first.. the thing is, over here in the netherlands we have north sea wind swell mostly, meaning only on the windiest of days the waves surpass 2m (we had 5m waves yesterday, it was insane, but over 100kph gusts), and average would be .5-1m without any power, lower the oceanswells in tenerife were more powerful than the beachbreak here.. So normal wavesupping/surfing doesn’t really draw me ;)

[@antonmaier2263]

The data you showed in your stream, is it provided by the camera?

[@clayisland]

Yes, gps from garmin virb.

[@lukeroman2445]

what footpads are those? easy to adj on the fly>?

[@clayisland]

I use NSI adhesive inserts and then carve my own foot hooks out of recycled yoga blocks. I carry a little screwdriver up my sleeve so I can adjust in the water.

[@mike520784]

Shit man! I would love to do this..what physical attributes do I need?

[@clayisland]

Commitment and practice is what worked for me. I suspect anyone who can surf can foil, find a good instructor who can safely get you started.

[@dcharlton07]

Thank you for these great videos! Do you use the big rear stabilizer with the 84 Infinity wing?

[@clayisland]

Thanks, I have yet to try the 48 stab

[@dcharlton07]

I've just started using mine and I'm liking it, it gives some good controlled take offs and keeps me from getting launched on the 84. Still a long way to go. Please KEEP POSTING! These are great vids!

[@danamcalister]

Hey bro, what kind of gps watch or whatever are you using to get the pitch and roll and speed etc ?

[@clayisland]

Hi, a garmin virb 30 camera.

[@tommythompsonsurfer]

IS THUIS OCEANSIDE CA.....!!!! 72 SURFER SHERDEDR...REDY TO GO!!! COOL!

[@clayisland]

Hi, Thanks! I have yet to foil Oceanside.

[@antonmaier2263]

Did you have a camera man?

[@BajaSurf]

dork board

[@Coach_Rolando]

Great vids bud...where did you get the foot hooks...Im using straps but it looks like the hooks would be better to bail out...thank you

[@clayisland]

Hi and thanks! I make my own hooks: clayisland.com/how-i-make-foot-hooks-for-foil-boards/